It’s only three letters.
But these three letters form a word that drives us nuts.
The word is the root of everything. Our pain and joy all travel back to this word.
As we navigate life’s journey, we encounter this word at every turn.
At times, we realize how it is the source of much joy in our lives. We are thankful and appreciative. At times, we are dumbstruck at what we don’t understand and can’t begin to fathom how these atrocities and tragedies trace back to this same word.
We try to understand and are left with no answers. Our raw tears and pain are inconsolable. We know this word is the source, but we cry out loud. Why?
We know that this word is the root of our being. Our identity as a nation is traced back to this word.
We don’t pretend to know it all. We are acutely aware of our human limitations and faults. But, every time we face these situations, it’s a raw wake-up call, and we dig deeper and closer to our roots. We start to think more deeply about this three-letter word that makes up our identity.
And that’s precisely what happened this year. We cried and continue to cry over the pain of our brothers and sisters. But we also bonded together.
We let go of all the fake identities that we fabricated. This year will be celebrated as the year that we shook off all of the hollow identities that have for decades consumed our energy.
No, we are not defined by a specific political party. Parties are not our home. We have an identity first and foremost, and only then do we play politics. We are proud Jews.
No, we are not defined by the universities from which we graduated. Academia is a means, not an end. In the same way we are not defined by the gyms in which we exercise, or the restaurants which we frequent, so too we are not defined by the degree we earned or the school we attended. Academia is not our home. We are not homeless. We have an identity. We are proud Jews.
No, we refuse to recognize the decades-old labels on Jewish observance. The Nazis/Hamas didn’t differentiate whether we went to shul only on Yom Kippur or every week. Drop all these labels. Labels divide. We are all Jews who want to do as many mitzvot as possible. Our home base is Sinai. We are proud Jews.
Our hearts are beating strong. Our future is Jewish education. And our identity is proud Jews.
Let us pray to the Creator and ask him to end all pain! He knows how to take care of enemies. He did it in Egypt and throughout history.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendy
