אין יאוש בעולם כלל
Ein ye’ush ba’olam klal. There is no despair in the world.
– Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav
Friends,
Can you feel this edge in time we are living through? I sure do, like we’re crossing a threshold in human, ecological, and Jewish history. Friends tell me astrologists have strong feelings these days too.
We are overwhelmed this week by the destruction of the LA fires, hard to comprehend. Just ask Roz Larsen, member of the JYCM Leadership Board, in Santa Monica. Not long ago, we shared testimony from the catastrophic flooding in North Carolina. And in the past 18 months New Yorkers have experienced unprecedented flooding, wildfire-smoke orange skies, and dangerous air quality for weeks.
Have we entered a new phase of planetary feedback? Natural cycles and rhythms are changing before our very eyes, imposing dramatic harm and danger for societies and cultures everywhere.
This week we also bid farewell to the presidential administration that prioritized and achieved the largest investment in climate action ever. And this week we anticipate the imminent arrival, just a few days from now, of a very different governing coalition with other priorities.
And this week we watch, pray, and hope to soon give thanks for a ceasefire and return, at long last, of our hostages. After so much devastation, loss, and suffering—please G!d can this turn towards something different? Please G!d can there now be time and space to breathe, to grieve, to heal, to build bridges, to invest in peacebuilding…maybe even to hope for something better?
All things in life come to an end: people and plants and animals, relationships and communities, jobs and presidencies and governments and empires and civilizations. Rocks and mountains and streams. Even the sun has a shelf life. Nothing lasts forever.
Trust the Grief. Grieve for our planet, for our people, for all the hostages not returning home, for all the families under threat of mass deportation, for all suffering and pain. We are strong enough to face the truth of this time and wise enough to learn from it, to change our behavior, to grow through crisis.
Pray. For rain in Southern California. For all the hostages to be returned safely to their families, and for Israelis and Palestinians to begin recovery and healing. For hearts and minds to change.
Have Faith. Give Thanks. The outpouring of love, support, and mutual care in LA has been beautiful. And we learn from nature, from G!d’s Creation, that death and loss are inextricably interwoven with rebirth. Always there will be rebirth, always something new will come. That’s what Chanukah showed us a few weeks ago: kindling lights in the darkest darkness. And that’s what Tu B’Shvat is about too, coming soon: the nascent spring, first blossoms, sap rising amidst the dark and cold. Like the precious return of loved ones to their families. Like the end of war and the prayer for peace.
Come Together. Host a Tu B’Shvat Seder or find an Adamah Tu B’Shvat gathering near you amidst this historic moment. Gather your loved ones to share, support, and learn from one another. Find meaning together as you grieve, give thanks, sing, and tell stories. Laugh, love, and celebrate the gift of life through the New Year of the Trees! Our goal this year is to activate over 100 seders impacting over 1,000 participants. Click here to download our Tu B’Shvat Haggadah.
Life moves inevitably forward. We have no choice, we are swept up into the flow, onward into something new, together.
We get to decide how we show up in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. We will not be victims of forces larger than ourselves; we will be warriors of the spirit, digging in for community and belonging, for joy, hope, and love.
May G!d bless our path ahead. And may we help each other through.
Shabbat Shalom,
Jakir Manela
Chief Executive Officer