Words of the Week

“God, Master of the Universe, please make this world safe for our people this year. Next year may we be in Jerusalem, but this year please take care of the Jews in our holy city and in so many other cities: in Marseilles and Copenhagen, in Argentina and Buenos Aires, Kansas and Seattle, Paris and Tunis, Sderot and Toulouse, Brussels and Donetsk. This Passover evening is a ‘night of vigilance’ [Exodus 12:42]. Please watch over us with divine care and compassion. Protect our sacred tombstones and graves from desecration. Protect our synagogues across the globe from Swastikas and shattering glass. Protect our innocent children on their day school playgrounds and our Jewish communal workers in embassies and community centers. Pour out Your wrath against the world’s injustices so that one day, You can pour out Your love. Ani Ma’amin — I believe that day will come. It is not here yet. Together, we will await that day. We will not wait passively. We will partner with you in a covenant to protect our people and remove them from harm’s way. And we will re-affirm in word and deed our daily commitment to justice, goodness and kindness.”

From Dr. Erica Brown’s “Pour Out Your Love?” in The Jewish Week

3 thoughts on “Words of the Week

  1. Nan Roberts says:

    Thank you for this. I especially like the part “We will partner with you in a covenant to protect our people and remove them from harm’s way.”

    Only since Israel was re-established did Jews think that they could keep themselves safe, and furthermore, they will do it. Ha!

    (FYI, I’m a Christian, so this is EAster weekend for me. I continue to be proud that Israel is, and thrilled.)

    Is there a greeting for Passover? Does one say Happy Passover?

    1. Erika Dreifus says:

      Yes, Happy Passover works fine, and Happy Easter to you, Nan.

  2. ann bar-dov says:

    Amen and amen.

Comments are closed.