Our ShinShinim

Sharon -

If you look in the crowd today, you might be able to spot someone very special to me. And no, today I am not referring to Omri or Rabbi Morrison. 

I’ll give you a clue - some people say our faces are very similar. Joining us today, is my dad. Aba. I’m very lucky he was able to arrive to Toronto - and give me a little taste of home.

Let me tell you a little bit about my dad. He grew up in Jerusalem, and went to the Leyada highschool - just like I did. He studied medicine, and became an army doctor. He served in Lebanon, and when treating people under fire he earned an award from the army chief of staff. In his eyes - that means he is brave, although he still won’t go skydiving with me.

He is a cardiologist in the Hadassah hospital, and I can confidently say that I owe my deep interest in biology, research and the Medical field to him. Not only do we share academic interests, we also both love tennis, and the Red Sox.

Growing up, I was always told how much I’m similar to him. I’ve been told I look like him, and that we share the same sarcastic sense of humor.

In the past weeks, I’m sure we all felt the deep importance of family. Not only our blood family, but also our chosen family, and our people.

In these times, the main advice we all keep hearing is that we should not be alone, and we are not alone. I’m lucky to have some of my blood family here this week, but I am also lucky to say I have the Beth Emeth family, and the Jewish community.

There is a saying - Kol Israel Achim. All of Israel are brothers. Just like all families do, we sometimes fight, or disagree. But in times like these we feel the true weight of that phrase. Because not only are some of our blood families and chosen families in Israel right now - we all have family in Israel. Our nation.

As a community, we feel the pain of our people, mourn the fallen and pray for the captive.

Like family, we have our differences, but we also have our similarities. The same way my father and I are alike, we are alike. We share a collective history, we share values, interests, and most importantly - we share love. For one another and for Israel.

More than ever, it is a time to be strong for one another. For our Family.

Omri -

Shabbat Shalom, 

In this past week I’ve been struggling more than ever since this horrible and horrifying time has began. 

My older brother Amit has recently joined the IDF forces in Gaza, I didn’t heard from him since around the beginning of the week. I can’t even start to explain how deeply I am worried for him. And how hard it is that the quick and fast response and communication we are so used to is taking away from us.

As hard time came in my life in different forms and ways. 

I find myself to tending and leaning towards the comfort of our own ancient cultural heritage traditions, like reading T’hilim (תהילים) and even sometimes meditation. I do actually feel deep comfort, even soul touching relaxation reading those different songs and prayers. 

While reading T’hilim more this week, than usual, I found the chapters of this book saying and questioning, exactly what my mind can’t stop from thinking and wondering non-stop. Where all this evil and horrible actions are coming from? When is the time for this evil to stop and to justice to come in? When do we finally get the chance to enjoy the be blessed by compassion light of our god? 

However, as a mantra or a thinking narrative, if you’d like. 

I learned from the T’hilim book, the importance of staying positive, grateful to always praise god no matter what. Understanding that everything came from the same source, root, no matter what. 

I try to apply these mind-narrative even when I see hard things. like; that right now 365 soldiers has been fallen, and a thought came up my head, that if it will stop now we would still need a full year to immortalize each and every one of them. 

This book hold a lot of wisdom, and give me a lot of strength. I really hope it might can help some of you as well in those dark times to find a bit of his light.