This is what I sent to my congregation about the ceasefire and release of the living hostages.

As I watched Hostage Square last night and earlier this morning, it seemed so surreal. After 2 years the living hostages are back home, Habaita, Towards Home, was sung over and over again from the stage. We had the opportunity to recite the morning prayer, Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha’olam, matir asurim, who free the captives. I wept when I saw that Omri Miran was being released…he’s Simon’s niece’s cousin and the one we have set places for at CKI, Passover and Sukkot. 

We are right to be joyful, happy, relieved that these 20 have returned, we may also be feeling complex emotions about the 1200 who were murdered on October 7th, the women who were raped, the 60K+ that were killed in Gaza. Whatever your feelings are, they are your feelings. 

Peace is not made overnight. It is not made by signing a document or treaty. It happens when people begin to trust each other again. When they feel a sense of safety. At this season and every Friday night we sing “Ufros aleinu sukkat shlomecha, Spread over us the sukkah, the fragile shelter of your peace.” The Psalms tell us to “Seek Peace and Pursue it.” Isaiah hoped that we will beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Nation with not life up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)

I have been thinking a lot about hope this weekend. The Israeli national anthem is called “HaTikvah”, the hope. As Jews we are commanded to hope. 

• I hope that this ceasefire will hold. 
• I hope that there will come a day when we recognize that we are all created, b;tzelem elohim, in the image of G-d.”
• I hope that we will remember that the Talmud and the Koran both teach to save one life is to save the whole world. 
• I hope that we find ways that no child goes hungry. 
• I dare to hope, and to continue to work for peace.

In the meantime, I will celebrate this moment as one of many towards peace, (l’shalom as I often sign emails). I am still wearing my bracelet “We will dance again, Am Yisrael Chai” that we gave out that first Passover. And we will dance. Come join us on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM with the Torah School. Where we will dance with the Torahs, have special snacks and celebrate reading the Torah back at the very beginning. It’s not just for kids! 

L’shalom,

Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein

Ours is not to finish the task, neither are we free to ignore it.

Edmond Fleg wrote this piece:

I am a Jew
I am a Jew because my faith demands of me no abdication of the mind.
I am a Jew because my faith requires of me all the devotion of my heart.
I am a Jew because in every place where suffering weeps, I weep.
I am a Jew because at every time when despair cries out, I hope.
I am a Jew because the word of the people Israel is the oldest and the newest.
I am a Jew because the promise of Israel is the universal promise.
I am a Jew because, for Israel, the world is not completed; we are completing it.
I am a Jew because, for Israel, humanity is not created; we are creating it.
I am a Jew because Israel places humanity and its unity above the nations and above Israel itself.
I am a Jew because, above humanity, image of the divine Unity, Israel places the unity which is divine. (After Edmond Fleg, “CCAR Rabbi’s Manual”, page 203-4)

His last line, in the original version published in 1927 was:

I am a Jew because in every age when the cry of despair is heard, the Jew hopes.”