A Facilitated Conversation about Israel with Rabbi Rory Katz
Tuesday, May 25, 6:45 PM in the Virtual Sanctuary
וְנָתַתִּ֤י שָׁלוֹם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֞י חַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙ מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְחֶ֖רֶב לֹא־תַעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאַרְצְכֶֽם׃
I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; I will give the land respite from vicious beasts, and no sword shall cross your land.
So goes God’s hopeful vision for the future at the end of the book of Vayikra (Leviticus). With great sadness, what we have seen in the past few weeks in Eretz Yisrael, in the land of Israel, is very far from that vision. Instead, we see images of death and suffering pour forth from the holy land. My eyes have filled with tears, my head with pain.
As I have prayed, mourned, and worried, my mind has circled around other words from Vayikra: “Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.” But what do we do when our neighbors are halfway around the world from us? Here are my commitments, which I invite you to participate in as well.
It is during hard times that I’m so appreciative to be part of a community that centers values of community, respect, and engagement. I’d be honored to facilitate a gathering on Tuesday, May 25 at 6:45PM for any of you who want to discuss, to grieve, to listen.
With much love and stubborn hope,
Rabbi Rory Katz
I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; I will give the land respite from vicious beasts, and no sword shall cross your land.
So goes God’s hopeful vision for the future at the end of the book of Vayikra (Leviticus). With great sadness, what we have seen in the past few weeks in Eretz Yisrael, in the land of Israel, is very far from that vision. Instead, we see images of death and suffering pour forth from the holy land. My eyes have filled with tears, my head with pain.
As I have prayed, mourned, and worried, my mind has circled around other words from Vayikra: “Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.” But what do we do when our neighbors are halfway around the world from us? Here are my commitments, which I invite you to participate in as well.
- Contact your friends and acquaintances with family and close friends in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Do not let our loved ones suffer alone. Listen to how they are doing and remind them how much you care about them.
- Listen to a wide range of Israeli and Palestinian voices, including different races, genders, and locations. See what people need and are asking for. Amplify voices of the marginalized.
- Learn about the many different ways that Israelis and Palestinians are working for peace, justice, and healing. Support those efforts.
- Advocate for the US government to act in ways that will contribute to justice and to peace.
It is during hard times that I’m so appreciative to be part of a community that centers values of community, respect, and engagement. I’d be honored to facilitate a gathering on Tuesday, May 25 at 6:45PM for any of you who want to discuss, to grieve, to listen.
With much love and stubborn hope,
Rabbi Rory Katz
