Jewish musings, Monday, Sept. 2

[gazelle18]

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:
Frieda (hopefully)?
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!

[gazelle18]

Since learning of the murder of the six hostages, I have been so sad. I simply cannot wrap my head around this loss. My heart, quite literally, feels heavy. I know that all of you feel the same way. Are your communities and/or synagogues planning any special memorial services? There will likely be one here, open to the community. It will probably be similar to the one we attended a few days after last Oct. 7.

As awful as we are feeling, I cannot imagine being in Israel right now. I would probably be in the streets, protesting the current government.

So, I don’t have an actual topic today. I just want to say that I am grateful for all of you, and particularly grateful that I can share the good times, and the sad times, with all of you wonderful women.

[louise]

They were so young, shot multiple times. Takes my breath away. We were already scheduled for guest speakers next Sunday from an organization called Roots featuring an Israeli and a Palestinian speaker. Not related to this but can't help go there I would guess. Nothing new is scheduled on our synagogue calendar yet. We talked about it at Sunday morning minyan and I realized that among the various papers we stuff into our mahzorim I will include printouts of Acheinu (prayer for captives and people in distress that we have added to our regular liturgy). The protests in Israel are huge which I am very glad to see. Don't know what else to say right now.

[lee058]

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

Re today's topic: All I can say is that I am sending out love and good energy.

Have a peaceful day, Lee

[hollygail]

I received several emails from national organizations plus several more from local Jewish organizations, including one from my own rabbi. There is a scheduled gathering at the largest synagogue in San Diego (not at my own small congregation) that all Jews in the County are invited to (and it's not limited to a Jewish audience). I'm not planning to attend; it will be too stressful, and I'm sure painful too.

There's nothing to say about this situation... There was already talk about ending the conflict when these lives were taken. If they were alive this long, wouldn't it have been a feather in Hamas' cap to hold them for release following the negotiations? Was it really necessary to murder them? Isn't there a teaching within Islam that only Allah has the right to take someone's life? Murder isn't on the Islamic list of "don'ts"?

[peachymom1]

An email notice came in yesterday around 5 p.m. that my shul has organized an Israel Solidarity Community Gathering and Service for tonight at 7 p.m. It will be live-streamed as well as in person. I'm sure the place will be packed. I'm very grateful for the tight security we have.

I feel so darn helpless.