This is a beautiful column that I hope spurs conversation on the paradoxical reality of being a Jew in a modern era of "see it to believe it." I have long struggled with such concepts and appreciate your articulating them in traditional terms. I am one who goes to a modern Orthodox minyan twice daily, considers himself an "observant Conservative Jew" -- whatever that means, has been intellectually mentored by a now 89-year-old German Reform rabbi who focuses on rationalism, and I believe in the secular concepts of American Jewish identity.
I have endeavored to craft my own answer -- and everyone must do so for themselves for Judaism to have weight in their lives. Prayer not only fulfills a natural human need, but we can reinterpret while not changing it. For me, that means seeing prayer as expressing gratitude and as aspirational -- an expression of hopes. Therefore, I do not need to literally believe every word. This is because prayer has inherent value. It enables me to speak with and to Jews past and present. In doing so, I am surrounded by my history , by my self-centered universe and by my need to explore desires for the future.
And thus I pray -- for the Jewish nation's citizens and soldiers, for my people, for the world, for myself ... and for comfort and grounding when facing both fear and joy.
Thank you, Gary, for your words. This period of time is definitely challenging, but as my mother used to say, 'it's important not to miss the miracles.' Though it's hard to see the good when we still have hostages and bitter, as yet undefeated enemies, there are many miracles in our midst as well. I would argue that prayer is heard...
Since October 7 we have also seen the best in people. The volunteerism in Israel is unparalleled, we have come together like never before (despite a very contentious period that immediately precipitated this war.) We are a kinder people than we were 5 months ago. There are victories on the battlefield; we are using new technologies that have never been used before that are saving lives in this unprecedented battleground of miles of tunnels cruelly built beneath the civilian population. And we are making progress in a challenging arena, in restoring Israeli security. Good news exists, but we need to see it (a challenge with today's media.)
Yes, we are suffering, but we are not defeated and we will prevail. The most important miracle to appreciate every day is that after 2000 years of persecution (this has never really stopped, it has just taken different forms,) we are defending ourselves from our sovereign Jewish land.
This is a beautiful column that I hope spurs conversation on the paradoxical reality of being a Jew in a modern era of "see it to believe it." I have long struggled with such concepts and appreciate your articulating them in traditional terms. I am one who goes to a modern Orthodox minyan twice daily, considers himself an "observant Conservative Jew" -- whatever that means, has been intellectually mentored by a now 89-year-old German Reform rabbi who focuses on rationalism, and I believe in the secular concepts of American Jewish identity.
I have endeavored to craft my own answer -- and everyone must do so for themselves for Judaism to have weight in their lives. Prayer not only fulfills a natural human need, but we can reinterpret while not changing it. For me, that means seeing prayer as expressing gratitude and as aspirational -- an expression of hopes. Therefore, I do not need to literally believe every word. This is because prayer has inherent value. It enables me to speak with and to Jews past and present. In doing so, I am surrounded by my history , by my self-centered universe and by my need to explore desires for the future.
And thus I pray -- for the Jewish nation's citizens and soldiers, for my people, for the world, for myself ... and for comfort and grounding when facing both fear and joy.
Thank you, Gary, for your words. This period of time is definitely challenging, but as my mother used to say, 'it's important not to miss the miracles.' Though it's hard to see the good when we still have hostages and bitter, as yet undefeated enemies, there are many miracles in our midst as well. I would argue that prayer is heard...
Since October 7 we have also seen the best in people. The volunteerism in Israel is unparalleled, we have come together like never before (despite a very contentious period that immediately precipitated this war.) We are a kinder people than we were 5 months ago. There are victories on the battlefield; we are using new technologies that have never been used before that are saving lives in this unprecedented battleground of miles of tunnels cruelly built beneath the civilian population. And we are making progress in a challenging arena, in restoring Israeli security. Good news exists, but we need to see it (a challenge with today's media.)
Yes, we are suffering, but we are not defeated and we will prevail. The most important miracle to appreciate every day is that after 2000 years of persecution (this has never really stopped, it has just taken different forms,) we are defending ourselves from our sovereign Jewish land.