Dear Friends,

Like many of you, we have been asked (and been asking) many hard questions of late. With all of the events globally and locally, there is a lot to think about, much to worry about, and few answers that feel satisfactory. It is enough to make you want to dive under the covers and stay there until…well…who knows?

The good news is that while we do not have all the answers, we have lots of practice asking these questions. And in the answers of the ages, we have some sense of how we might go forward. The perfect example is Purim. The story of Esther is not an easy one. It has sexual violence, trafficking, persecution, violence, and a near genocide. What we do with it, though, is far different. We laugh, we mock the villains, we celebrate our victory, and we empower victims to escape their trauma. This is not to say that every difficult situation should get a spiel and a pastry – the work of repair can take a long time and is very hard. But the idea that we do not only despair remains.

Our calendar year and our siddurim are filled with the wisdom of our past. They speak to tragedy and triumph alike. They offer us words of comfort, solace, and hope. They offer us perspective, humility, awe, and gratitude. And they give us the wisdom that our ancestors learned, often asking the same questions as we are.

We also must remember that community has always been our strength. Whether you are a Shabbat service regular, an occasional attendee, or still waiting to give us a try, now is as good a time as any. It is always better when we pray surrounded by friends and our community. There is great comfort knowing that the people around you are singing the same songs, praying the same prayers, and hoping for many of the same good things.

When those big, terrifying questions come to you, remember that you may already have the answers. Our people have survived the unimaginable, thanks in no small part to passing along what we have learned in every age. In looking to the past and our traditions, we may just find the answers we are looking for. If not, we can work to find them together.

“Behold, a good doctrine has been given to you. Do not forsake it. It is a tree of life to those who hold it fast and all who cling to it find happiness. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.”
– Proverbs & Lamentations

Yours,
Rabbi Benjamin and Rabbi Sara Zober