The raging fires in Los Angeles have summoned us to find whatever means possible to support our fellow citizens who are enduring loss, pain, and hardship at this time. Notably, this includes numerous Jewish communities including a fellow Conservative synagogue – Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center – whose building has been fully destroyed. Kehillat Israel, another Conservative synagogue, was spared, but the houses of its clergy and neighbouring buildings were all burnt to the ground.
To donate to the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center: https://www.pjtc.net/
To donate to Kehillat Israel Fire Fund: https://www.ourki.org/firefund
To donate to the Jewish Federation of Greater LA Crisis Relief Fund: https://www.jewishla.org/wildfire-crisis-relief/
May God bless the firefighters and all those responding to the crisis. May God soothe the broken hearts of the hundreds of thousands impacted directly by the fires.
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We also learned over the past few hours that a ceasefire deal is in the final stages of negotiation / early stages of agreement between Israel and Hamas. I just did a double-take as I re-read the previous sentence. It’s inconceivable, even nauseating, that Hamas not only still exists but also retains power and control. I do hope that the past 15-months of fighting Hamas was not all for naught, but these are questions for another day. On this day, I can only say the following: If this ceasefire deal is seen through each of its stages, every one of the hostages will be back in Israel by the end of it. That is worth a major sacrifice. The stages of the deal will take months and months before completion, and I will continue to feel the agony of the past 15-months until the very last hostage is back. Today does not bring me any real relief, but it does present an opportunity to join together, to pray for the best possible outcome from this ceasefire deal, and to slowly mend, rebuild, and reach out our hands anew.
We can devote a few minutes during this Shabbat morning’s service to outlining the ceasefire plan’s phases and to just be with one another during this critical time for our people.
With my blessings for a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ari Isenberg
