It has been a rough week in our country. The resurgence of COVID-19 with the Delta variant felt like too much to endure. Were it only COVID that we were dealing with, it would have been enough to break our hearts. But it isn’t only COVID. 13 US armed forces members were murdered at the end of last week in a terror attack. More than 150 Afghan civilians were murdered in that same vicious attack. If that were the entirety of the week, it would have been difficult and too hard to handle. But then we had an incredibly powerful storm strike Louisiana and continue to wreak havoc across our country, and last night, it caused destruction in the New York area. So much pain and destruction. So many broken hearts in our midst and around the country and the entire world. In these moments, people cry out in anger and pain to God. They ask why. They blame God and claim the world to be unfair.
The problem with blaming God is it’s not God that causes the destruction. In looking at the Torah, we find the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as the two acts of destruction at the hands of God. But overall the Torah speaks of God as a Creator and a Builder. The reality is that our world is filled with pain but the pain was not created by God. The pain was created as a consequence of the creation. In order for creation to exist we must also have destruction. If it weren’t for the destruction, the creation would be meaningless. All things in our lives that have value are based off of their scarcity and fragility. The things we enjoy doing must all involve calculated risks. The more adventurous something is, it must have a corollary of danger. All things in our world are measured in these ways. So, the destruction we find in our world is not from God but rather because of the world God created. It’s an imperfect creation but it’s a majestic one.
So where is God in all this? Where do we find the Divine when there is pain and hardship? God is found not in the pain but in the response? God is found in the cure? God is found in the comfort. People of faith are driven by their faith to respond to suffering. They are driven by their fidelity to God to act… to help and to heal. With God in our lives, we find the comfort we need and the courage to help in our world. This week I was blessed to fall upon a song by an Israeli artist, Hanan Ben-Ari, called שבורי לב, Broken Hearts. I stumbled upon it by following a singer on the Israeli show הכוכב הבא, The Next Star. The contestant, who has since won the competition, Tamir Grinberg, performed an English version of the song. The translation is not exact in his version but it is within the spirit of the song. I have provided you here with the links for Tamir’s version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z27MZP_4P_U and the original https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je6LCZH_wF8.
The lyrics in Hebrew and English are right here as well:
Who knows every pain who repairs every broken heart creates light and darkness makes peace and war…
Who sits in judgement covers in mercy pardons and forgives sees all and knows all
And who will heal my heart for whom am I longing like a sea that has no shore just tell me who who will embrace me and ensure that I will not give up in the end…
Who was, is, and will be who takes and gives renewed life opening arms growing wings
And who will heal my heart for whom am I longing like a sea that has no shore just tell me who who will embrace me and ensure that I will not give up in the end…
In our Torah reading for the week, Parshat Nitzavim, we learn about God giving us a blessing and a curse and life and death. It is for us to choose life and the blessing. It is for us to bring those into the world. As we embark on this final Shabbat of 5781 may we all be aware of the blessings that are around us… the life that is around us… and the beauty that is creation. But may we also recognize that we are called upon to bring God into the world, and in order to do so, we cannot allow our broken hearts to cause us to give up. We must all find the strength to confront the curses and death and destruction that is in the world. We must all be God’s partners to help fix all that is so messed up. We cannot lose our focus and we cannot lose our hope. We can, as a human race, be the light that is needed in the darkness. We will never be able to end suffering and pain but we will never stop trying.
I want to wish all of you a Happy and Healthy New Year and a Shabbat Shalom. Rabbi Hearshen
Rosh Hashana Service Registration Deadline tomorrow at noon!
Terry and Josh Stolow moved to Atlanta in May, 2020 and live in Sandy Springs. You may remember Terry at OVS, daughter of Charlie and Sylvia Franco, of blessed memory, and sister of Lenny and Keith. Josh is originally from New York and recently retired from the medical profession as a Rheumatologist. He and Terry raised their four children ages 29-23 in San Antonio, TX. Their daughter, Eileen, is their youngest, just graduated from University of Texas and lives with them.
After a career as a professional musician playing the viola in the San Antonio Symphony, Terry applied to law school and graduated in May 2020! While Terry pursues her new career as a DeKalb County prosecutor, Josh is looking for a low stakes poker game to spend some of his leisure time. We are thrilled to welcome Terry & Josh and family back to OVS!
Kiddush is Back! We are once again able to share Kiddush with the Keilah following Shabbat Morning Services. At this time, Kiddush will be served prepackaged to be enjoyed at tables set up outside.
Ziara Services
Sunday, September 5 11:00 am - Greenwood Cemetery 1:00 pm - Arlington Cemetery
Rosh Hashana Services
Services for Rosh Hashana will be held in person and on Zoom. Advanced registration is required for in person attendance. Click here to register.
Please note: due to Covid concerns, we are no longer offering bus transportation. If you need a ride to Camp Ramah, please contact the office at 404-633-1737.
Hurricane Ida Support
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida’s devastation, JF&CS has set up a special support line for those affected by the storm. The local phone number is 770-677-9417 and email is idasupport@jfcsatl.org. Please feel free to pass this information along to anyone who may be affected by the hurricane.
BIRTHDAYS Shabbat Daniel Rice Guy Harari Michael Rechtman
Monday Elizabeth M. Benator Irvin Alhadeff
Tuesday Faye Behar Mitchell
Thursday Angie Weiland Sofia Arar
Friday Albert Amato Bruce Benator Moshe Kassorla
ANNIVERSARIES Sunday Howard and Erica Amato Krisel
Monday Jonathan and Ally Habif
Meldados
Shabbat Albert M. Maslia for Brother Henry Maslia Cathy S. Franco for father-in-law Aaron M. Franco Jeannie Feinstein for Father Henry Maslia Margie Franco for Husband Aaron M. Franco Sylvia Franco Lavine for Father Aaron M. Franco
Sunday Rabbi Hayyim Kassorla for Mother Shirley Kassorla Pat Schneider for Mother Becky M. Alhadeff Renee Black for Mother Becky M. Alhadeff Sheila Butler for Son Scott Butler
Monday Joel Nerenbaum for Father Isaac Nerenbaum Leslie Capouya for Mother Rachel Galante Capouya Margie Franco for Mother Lillian Viness
Tuesday Jack DeLeon for Grandmother Djamila Alhadeff DeLeon Zehava Eichenbaum for Father Moshe Vikus
Wednesday Adela Salame-Alfie for Father Joseph (Jose) Salame-Levy Birdie Benator for Mother Rachel Benveniste Edith Clark for Grandmother Alta Misha Krainin Martin Krainin for Grandmother Alta Misha Krainin
Thursday Albert Cohen for Father David Cohen Jacob Shabtai for Mother Salima Shabtai Judy Chyatte for Father Albert Antebi Mimi Monett Maslia for Mother Alice Lewenstein Shetzen Solomon Cohen for Father David Cohen
Friday Blanchette Ichay for Mother Fanny Liebermann Elena R. Franco for Grandmother Rose Amato Ila Galanti for Brother Sheldon Greenberg Leah Franco for Mother Rose Amato
Collection Bins in the OVS Dome
OVS is a year-round collection point for the JF&CS Kosher Food Pantry.
