There is no alternative to persevering, and that does not require you to feel good. You can keep walking whether it’s sunny or raining. Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is an important part of taking care of yourself, because you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn but is still being woven and mended and washed. – Rebecca Solnit
Friends,
Democracy must not be taken for granted. Too many people have advocated and fought and died for our sacred rights to participate in shaping our own future. And yet our campaigns and elections have become increasingly bitter, divisive, and toxic.
As this electoral earthquake sends shocks across our nation and across the world, what can we do?
- Take Time and find a quiet place, go for a walk outside, prepare and enjoy a nourishing meal with loved ones—do something to find stillness, reflect on what this means for you and your people, for all of us and our collective future. Ground yourself as we face the path ahead.
- Join Us for a Post-Election Gathering for Song & Solidarity, organized by our partners at Dayenu, this Friday at Noon ET.
- Make Art. Use this resource from our friends at the Jewish Studio Project.
- Take Collective Action. Organize a stream clean up, start a neighborhood compost campaign or a group to protect the green spaces in your town. Work with your local Jewish organization to join Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition and help them create a Climate Action Plan.
- Invest in Change. Double down on organizations doing good work who align with your values. Consider becoming a monthly donor; we all need you now more than ever.
Adamah will continue to uphold our core values of Community & Belonging for all people. We will continue to approach each other, our constituents, and our work with empathy, compassion, understanding, and an open mind and heart in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
We gain nothing by denigrating those with whom we disagree; it may feel good in the moment, but in the long run we must all work harder to listen to and empathize with people who have formed different views and opinions than our own. Too many Americans see our political opponents as enemies; Jewish tradition, in contrast, teaches us to see each other more as chevruta – partners in dialogue – in the great task of learning, growing, evolving, and building a more just and sustainable world for all.
May G!d bless America with greater empathy and compassion, and both inner and outer peace as we navigate the years ahead. And may we work together to create the future we wish to see in the world, come what may.
L’Shalom,
Jakir Manela
Chief Executive Officer