Tonight 40 people gathered at Congregation Kneseth Israel for a celebration. We talked about the Thirteen Attributes of the Divine, so important to the Selichot (forgiveness prayers) we are about to say, so important to this time between Rosh Hodesh Elul and Yom Kippur. It is said that when Moses saw the people dancing around the golden calf, he was so angry he smashed the 10 Commandments. G-d challenged Moses to resume his leadership. Moses said that the people were G-d’s people, not Moses’s and besides they were a stiff-necked stubborn people. G-d said that G-d would go with Moses and give him rest. Moses agreed to keep climbing. He was hidden in the cleft of the rock and saw the goodness of God passed before him. He was reassured.

And maybe that is what this edition of the Elul period is about. Reassurance. The world is a scary place right now. Maybe more so than ever. Maybe it has always been a scary place. Tonight the threats are real: Hamas, ISIS, rising anti-semitism in Europe and even in the United States, racism in places like Ferguson and our own backyards, Russia, the Ukraine, ebola, conflicts throughout the world. How can we not be afraid.

And yet, our people, the Jewish people have always prayed for peace. Have been taught to “Seek peace and pursue it.” To actively run after it. To make the world a better place–in our small places right at home and in a larger context.

So for the next 40 days, this blog will be dedicated to peace, to shalom, to salaam, to pax. We will explore what peace means to each of us. Once again, I have asked others to write about peace from their own perspective. Once again we will hear from Jews, Christians, Muslims, men and women, young and old, clergy and non-clergy. In the process, in the dialogue, maybe, just maybe, our own corner of the world will be a little more peaceful. That brings me reassurance.

Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav said, “The world is a very narrow bridge. The most important thing is to not be afraid.”

The gathering tonight, Jews and Christians, clergy and non-clergy, men and women, willing to meet on common ground, brings me hope. I will not give in to fear. I will continue to pray for and work for peace.