In the midst of the ongoing horror of the Hamas-Israeli conflict, I continue to struggle to find emotional equilibrium and answers to “The Day After” and beyond.
My dear friend, EPIIC TA, and Fletcher School alumna Dahlia Shaham, has written me:
Sending love from the wounded land and her peoples. I believe there are islands of peace still, and good people to sail across the storms with.
With this message, I hope you may also find some solace in this.
Here is a link to her vocal rendition of Believe a poem by an Israeli poet laureate, and medical doctor, Shaul Tshernichovsky He wrote the poem 130 years ago in Hebrew in Odesa, during the period of the Russian pogrom massacres. (Translations are in Hebrew and English).
Dahlia is a member of Rabbis for Human Rights. She has sent me this appeal:
You may recognize the voice, because it's me. I gladly added my voice to Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) campaign, as I have gladly volunteered my time and energy to this organization for the past 4 years, in various capacities.
I volunteer and support RHR gratefully, as it has been for me a home for brave spiritual leadership and a light house of faith and action in these days of storm and despair.
We, over 150 rabbis from all of Israel, across all denominations, faced with the flames of religious extremism across the land, insist to continue to uphold the ancient legacy of our faith, the everlasting faith in peace among nations and protection of human dignity.
In the hands of RHR lean and super talented team, the organization supports dozens of communities of all faiths and nationalities, through solidarity action, human rights protection, advocacy and poverty alleviation through community building.
In the time it took me to get to send this email, my friends have gathered almost all the funds required.
Dahlia
https://youtu.be/3A79FzfLMBc?si=wbLvxNDdRGBTBLs8
Here is the link to support RHR.
Here are several recent articles worth reflecting on:
The War in Gaza Told through One Man’s Pain by Nicholas Kristof
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/09/opinion/gaza-israel-war.html
Israel is Falling Into an Abyss by David Grossman
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/opinion/israel-gaza-palestinians-hostages.html