All Hands on Deck

Dear Friends,

After our ancestors came back from the mountain
Their task was to take what they experienced
And create a just society
Where all would be treated with dignity and care.

They had false starts and made mistakes
But their intention to be true and honest remains.

So we ask, in honor of the ancestors,
And with eyes lifted toward generations to come,
What is mine to do?
What is mine to do right now, today?
What is mine to do to bend the arc toward justice, decency, kindness and truth?

These questions can flood the mind with anxiety and doubt:
There is so much to do.
There is nothing to do.
What that person is doing is truly important---
What could I possibly do to make a difference?

Let’s settle the mind with soft, calm, even, deep breaths,
For it is time for all hands on deck.

Every act of kindness, decency, connection, generosity and love joins together.
Without small acts there can be no large transformation.

Will our dedication to truth and dignity turn the tide?
We don’t know.

And still,
Let’s walk together into the uncertainty
With love, goodness and truth as our guides.

Much love and blessing to all,
—Rabbi Yael Levy

25 Shevat 5780