Trees

trees - Die Bäume

Last night was Tu Bishvat. To simplify it is the celebration of trees. This has always been my favorite holiday. As a kid, we really didn't celebrate it -we lived in a community with a very small Jewish population. From there we moved to a  place  - with even fewer. In the first town we lived it was a small older population in the congregation. In one of our last trips North (2016) we stopped in and ran into my parents friend, Micah. He invited us in to the sanctuary for a few moments of peace and then took a photo of us.

When I was 10 we left that community and moved to upstate NY. We also had a congregation there. Though my parents faced anti-semitism in the first town I grew up in - I only remember their stories of it - I do not remember the actual moments. However, in our new town I remember many of them. I remember the red swastikas when we moved in, I remember being cornered in the girls bathroom to see my horns and I remember the bomb threats one high holiday. We never made it to services that year. No one felt safe.

This Saturday, a small congregation in Texas felt the weight of the world as the rest of us watched hopelessly. In the end, the hostages were released. The truth is as American Jew you really never feel safe. Though I would add to that - that the reality is - very few groups do feel safe.

In these challenging times - listen not to the hate, but the hope. Realize it was the neighboring church that held the families of the hostages in loving arms as they waited those grueling hours. It was the diverse community that held their collective breath.  And it is the the diverse community that helps heal this moment.

In moments of pain, it is easy to lash out and blame others for the actions of one. It is easy for more hate to grow.

The harder part is to look for the good in neighbors. The harder part is to take a breath - restart and rebuild trust and love.

On the evening of Tu Bishvat, the earth reminded me look at the trees to appreciate the beauty of life.