In 1939 there were an estimated 15.3 million Jews living throughout the world.  Today, there are an estimated 15.8 million. Millions of Jews did not survive the Holocaust. I hold on to one name.

Grief follows a strange, and convoluted, path.  It defies reason.  It transcends expectation.  Although given how it accompanies my weekly ritual, I have come welcome it and the memories it summons.

At the very moment the children of Israel were walking through the waters, they sang.  Their singing took place as they were fleeing the Egyptians.  They sang to God even though they did not yet know if they would survive.  Their singing was not one of celebration but instead an act of profound faith.

The prayerbook’s words matter. We are taught to focus on its phrases. While they may not appear as tangible as the animal sacrifices of old, they are what we offer. We grasp the prayerbooks in our hands and offer blessings and prayers.

Leaders must be above any suspicion of personal gain. They must avoid even the appearance of gaining personal profit from their public service. If leaders expect people to follow them then their decision making must be transparent. People must believe their leaders have the people’s best interests at heart.

Every time I visit Israel I come away with a renewed sense of hope.  When I sit here reading the newspaper or watching the news, it is easy to despair of the situation.  There, in Israel, people are understandably nervous about the future and even afraid what might happen next, but the devotion to neighbor, the sense of family is extraordinary.