Jewish Musings, Sunday, October 15

[louise]

What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.

Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy

And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!

[louise]

Some things of interest I found on FB this week:

In Parashat Bereishit (Genesis) God said, "Let there be light," and so there was light. Just as God's divine light illuminated the world, may his blessings bring light and peace to Israel.

I don't want to reveal the restaurant but I noticed how distracted the Jewish staff was when I went to pick up food.
It's widespread, we are all worried sick about Israel and are going through our daily lives sleepwalking. After I experienced this, I got into my car with the food to drive home and realized I was in someone else's car. Show extra patience everywhere you go.


Someone asked me if I know anyone who was killed in Israel. I was puzzled by his question. “I know all of them.” I answered. He was puzzled by my answer. So I wrote this to explain it (excerpted below):

I don’t know you, but I saw you at that bar.
I don’t know you, but you took my parking spot.
I don’t know you, but our parents are friends.
I don’t know you, but your smile made me smile.
I don’t know you, but you were once my waitress.
I don’t know you but we stood together on Mount Sinai
I don’t know you, but I know you.
I don’t know you, but I love you.
I don’t know you, but I will always remember you.

And, in a similar vein, after talking about the light side of “Jewish geography”:
Calls, posts, and texts reveal this virtual village. The intertwining of our people, the infinite thread count of that global community…its undeniable.
The darkness and dread of this though, is also a source of light and strength. We are connected. We know each other. We see each other. We hurt and grieve for each other. Our Jewish geography maps our hope, strength, dreams, and struggles. May we continue to be one united community and may God send comfort to all.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world”(a post quoting Desmond Tutu)

[hollygail]

First:
blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-letter-to-my-non-jewish-friends-2/

Second: if you go to that page, there are four articles by the same writer; I read all four and am very impressed by this woman. You may be too.

Third: I'm sitting her still in my pj's (7:30) and we're leaving before 9am to drive to see DH's 94-year-old DU who's been living in a care facility since the summer and is declining fast. Will try to return to today's post later.

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Please pray for Israel.

Re today's topic: louise, I feel very moved by your writing today. Thank you.

Have a peaceful day, Lee

[peachymom1]

Louise, thank you, I needed that so much. How beautiful and moving. I'm going to share that with everyone I know.

I'll BBL. DH and I just made menus for the week and are going to the grocery store in a few minutes.

[gazelle18]

Louise, I love what you wrote. Beautiful and true. Holly, I’ll go to that author you posted about when I have a chance later.

[brgmsn]

A person asked someone if they knew anyone in Israel. Their response? Yes. I have 7 million brothers and sisters there.

[hollygail]

I lit Shabbat candles for my congregation Friday evening in unity with Israel. I didn't cry. I was determined to do it simply to show my unity with Israel. I'm not a rabid Zionist; I believe in the existence of a safe and secure Israel, but that's pretty much the extent of it. That is, until last week on Saturday. I seem to have changed my position without my having noticed it.