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AARC Participates in JFS Community Needs Drive – From the AARC Board

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Many of us have expressed the desire to take social action together as a congregation and also to connect more with other Jewish groups in our area. As yet another Hannukah miracle, we have a unique opportunity to do both this season. Because hundreds of newcomers and neighbors in need are counting on us this winter, AARC has partnered with JFS, Beth Israel Congregation, Temple Beth Emeth and others in organizing a “Community Needs Drive” to spread warmth and dignity to our local newcomers and neighbors. You can participate by donating needed supplies and/or helping to prepare the goods for the needy families.

Our goal is to collect donations of essential supplies—like soap, diapers, shampoo, toothbrushes, cleaning items, feminine products and grocery or gas gift cards—to bring physical comfort and a sense of belonging to hundreds of families in our community. When you come to services, or any other time you are at the JCC between now and December 22nd, you will find a large, labeled box to receive your donations.  We are grateful to the JCC for their support of this important work.

Thank you!

Winter 2026 Reading with the AARC Book Group

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Winter is a fantastic time for enjoying the snow and then curling up on the sofa with tea and a good book.

All are welcome to join the AARC Book Group for its upcoming winter 2026 meetings. Participating in the AARC book group is a great way to get to know terrific people while discussing interesting topics and sharing delicious food.

Here are the dates and books:

All three meetings will begin with in-person lunches at Audrey’s and Greg’s house, with lunch prepared by Audrey, from 12:20-1 PM.  Lunch will be followed by a hybrid in-person/Zoom book discussion from 1-2 PM. Many thanks to Audrey and Greg for their coordination, cooking and generous hosting! To learn more or RSVP, please contact Greg Saltzman, gsaltzman@albion.edu.

Sunday, January 11 we will discuss
The World That We Knew, by Alice Hoffman, (fiction, 2019, 398 pages).

Sunday, February 8 we will discuss
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford (fiction, 2009, 306 pages).

Sunday, March 15 we will discuss
God Is Here: Reimagining the Divine, by Toba Spitzer (nonfiction, 2022, 287 pages). Rav Gavrielle will join us and lead the discussion of this book. Thanks to the AARC’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Brindley, who recommended this book in her blog HERE.

The AARC book group is friendly and welcoming, and we look forward to seeing you! For more on the AARC book group, see this article from October 2025 and this blog from 2021.

The photo shows the December 2025 AARC book group enjoying an excellent lunch and a stimulating discussion on By the Waters of Paradise, by Clare Kinberg. We were delighted that Clare joined the discussion by Zoom from her home in St. Louis.

AARC’s new Yahrzeit Candle

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This interview/article appeared in the January 2026 Washtenaw Jewish News. See page 1 and page 6 at this link: https://washtenawjewishnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Jan-2026.pdf

The Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) is fortunate to have a special collection of ritual objects created by its talented congregants. At the high holidays last fall, Idelle Hammond-Sass, an artist, jewelry designer and metalsmith, presented the congregation with yet another sacred object:  a beautiful yartzeit candle holder.   A yahrzeit candle is a long-burning candle lit to remember a loved one on the anniversary of their death.

Emily E (EE): Idelle, tell us about how the idea came about for you to create a yahrzeit candle holder for the AARC.

Idelle: The idea really originated with Rav Gabrielle. She invited me to create it for the ritual of lighting a community yahrzeit candle on Erev Yom Kippur.  She saw this an opportunity for an artisan in the community to contribute to hiddur mitzvah – the elevating and beautifying of a mitzvah or cherished ritual – and to embody the DIY and collaborative spirit that defines our Reconstructionist community.

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EE: Tell us about your research and creative process.

Idelle: I use a metalsmithing technique called Foldforming. It is a process that can transform metal with hammering, folding and unfolding, repeating the process to create amazing complex forms.  I also used this technique to create the Ner Tamid (eternal light) I made for the AARC Torah Ark.

Part of experimenting with fold forms means you can fold paper to plan a fold or create variations. Some of these can be very interesting in their own right.

I was doing a little research on paper folds and found a folded seven-point star in a book which I knew could be modified to be a six-pointed star. Using a piece of bristol board I measured it out, adapting it from the original seven-pointed form.  It looked like two triangles attached at the long edge. I then measured one-inch segments and folded them back and forth, like an accordion.  I added an additional inch to overlap in the front. This determined how much metal I would use.

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EE: What were the materials and did you have any challenges in creating the candle holder?

Idelle: I first made a copper model to see how the glass candle holder would fit. It needed to be longer to accommodate the thickness of the metal and the glass insert. First, I priced it in sterling silver which turned out to be fairly expensive, so I began to look for other alternatives.  I ultimately decided to use NuGold, a brass alloy often called Jewelers Brass. I wanted the interior to have a golden glow and reflect the candle.

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EE:  At Kol Nidre Services in October 2025, you dedicated this yahrzeit candle holder to an AARC founder and longtime friend Evelyn Neuhaus, z”l, who passed away in February 2025.   Tell us about the connection you felt between this special object and Evelyn.

Idelle: Evelyn and I met in a Hebrew class and she was an important friend over many years. I was unable to attend her funeral and honor her so this was something I wanted to do.  She had many close friends in the AARC congregation and in the community and made spirituality and Jewish learning a priority in her life. The Yahrzeit candle radiates the inner light of the person we are remembering; this is what the golden glow represents within the object.

Evelyn Neuhaus, z”l,

Evelyn Neuhaus, z”l

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EE:  How do you see the yahrzeit candle holder being used by the congregation?

Idelle: I imagine it will be available to use especially at times of remembrance such as Yizkor, but will be used at other services as the congregation and Rabbi decide.

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EE: What else would you like to share about this gift to the congregation?

Idelle: I’ve made other ritual objects for our AARC congregation including our Yad (Torah Pointer), a Crown for a Megillah holder made by Allen Haber and the Ner Tamid (eternal light) called “Forest Dawn” which sits atop the Torah Ark.  All of these are specific to our congregation as they were intentionally made for AARC. I don’t use the Star of David often, although I did use it on the end of the Yad which was a triangle and offered that very naturally.  In this Yahrzeit holder, the Star of David becomes the space to hold the memorial candle. I see it as the whole community holding the space for the person(s) we are remembering, embracing them with love and respect for who they were to us as a community.

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To learn more about Idelle’s artwork, see her website.

To see photos of the AARC’s beautiful ritual objects visit https://aarecon.org/sacred-objects/.

Finding Awesome Places by Elizabeth Brindley

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“Mah nora hamakom hazeh!” – “How awesome is this place!” Jacob exclaims this after realizing he has had a divine encounter while sleeping on the side of the road, using a rock for a pillow.  He didn’t realize he was roughing it in the house of G-d, but lo! 

The phrase from this week’s portion, Vayetzei, first popped out at me a few years ago in Toba Spitzer’s “God is Here: Reimagining the Divine”.  At the time I was new to the prison system, struggling to adjust to the environment, and trying to fill the ample amount of downtime I had as a government employee with some Jewish thought.

The context Spitzer used it in, at the time, didn’t particularly speak to me, as reading the phrase a dozen times in the Torah portion apparently hadn’t, but this time the phrase stuck.  What did it mean to really be here, in this place?  Is any place holy if you’re present with it, or are there other conditions to this awesomeness?  I personally spend a lot of time in very unpleasant spaces – until I went on leave, at least one hundred and sixty hours of my month were spent in a facility that is at times violently punitive, deeply biased, and regularly smells like an oppressive blend of hot peppers, sweaty bodies, and overflowing grease traps. The air conditioning and circulation went out every time an inmate broke a sprinkler head in their cell, and that happened at least twice every day when someone got upset.  My co-workers and some patrons regularly spoke disrespectfully to me, if not downright abusively. My physical appearance was frequently scrutinized and openly criticized or commented on by both inmates and coworkers, and on more than one occasion inmates have tried to physically touch or seize me through the cuffport in their cell door while I was delivering reading materials. Once, my life was threatened by a patron because I could not provide a James Patterson novel. As much as I love my work, it is at times terrifying.  Most nights I came home smelling like capsaicin and wanting to shrink away from and forget all the awful human behavior I witnessed on the daily.  It was hard to imagine where G-d could be hanging out in this hellscape.

Where you find G-d probably depends on how you understand the concept, whether you believe it as an external or internal divine force or a non-force, or whatever have you.  Personally, I think of G-d as more of a state of peace and wholeness.  When you act out of loving kindness, out of community, out of forgiveness, any time you choose to practice a mitzvah or to be kind rather than give in to your (totally natural and understandable) baser habits, you’re in touch with the holy.  I think the Hebrew people wandered into the desert and at Mt. Sinai experienced something that we have spent 3000 years trying to articulate and make sense of. But regardless of how you conceptualize G-d, once you start looking for something, you tend to find it. So it was with my new mission to find G-d in such a miserable pit.  

Mutual aid between inmates is complicated and vulnerable to abuse by bad actors, but for the most part they are generous with one another.  Nobody has anything, and so they share it all.  Tablets to make phone calls home, sharing extra commissary when someone was short on money, and even inmates with paralegal experience preparing legal work free of charge for fellow inmates.  Is G-d in the person who appears with the help you need, just when you need it?  

Because my facility largely houses men with heavy sentences, we don’t release many people back home, but we do release one or two a month.  They walk out the front door wearing street clothes for perhaps the first time in more than a decade, and get to hug and kiss the loved ones waiting to pick them up.  They look so proud of themselves, so joyful to be free to make their own choices again.  Is G-d in the reuniting of a family, the repair of a community ravaged by racist practices and policies, or the ability to pick what you get to eat for lunch? 

Does G-d exist in the adult learners who finally, finally graduate with their GED or Diploma, or even a college degree – is G-d in their beaming faces? Is G-d dwelling in the inmate who tells me the library is the only place he feels like a person? Is G-d in the library, or maybe the collection of knowledge that might help these guys build the tools they need to turn their lives around? And if G-d is in these places, isn’t it my duty that I pursue them and continue to create the best conditions for them to occur? Is the pursuit of these conditions for others justice? 

I see G-d where I see people connecting now, and for as dark and awful as a prison can be, moments in it can be equally as beautiful and human.  There are always bright spots in the dark, and that is where G-d dwells.  Those are the awesome places.  

Why I Chose Reconstructionist by Elizabeth Brindley

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I wasn’t born a Jew.

Well… maybe that’s not really accurate. The more I learned about Judaism, the more it felt like getting to know myself, so maybe I was always Jewish deep down. Judaism had never occurred to me as an option. I was raised Lutheran, but had never connected with it, and I had explored other practices like Wicca and Buddhism trying to find something that brought the peace and guidance I think I was really looking for. It wasn’t until I took a Jewish Children’s Literature class, which necessitated a basic understanding of Jewish beliefs, that I really started to wonder if this was a good fit. I liked the idea of Tikkun Olam, and Yom Kippur sounded like a really meaningful holiday. Eventually I decided to talk to a Rabbi, and I told myself I would keep practicing Judaism until I didn’t like it anymore. But the longer I’m here, the more I like it, so… here we are.

Regardless, I didn’t have a Jewish family around growing up, aside from Rabbi Scott z”l, a family friend, and much of my Jewish education has been in formal settings like a Jewish Children’s Literature at Eastern Michigan, a couple Judaism 101 classes, and a Beginner’s Hebrew Class. I’ve read A LOT of books about the history and various practice ways, but I focused a lot on the mystical, the yummy (food!) and the folk. I found my corner of Jewish study very quickly, but it took much, much longer to feel like part of the Jewish community.

Rabbi Robert Scott

SCOTT, Rabbi Robert. Beloved husband of the late Ardis K. Scott, cherished father of Jeffrey Paul Scott, David Simon Scott and Stephanie Tara Scott (Jeremy Wilson). Also survived by his loving dog Motek. Dear brother of Philip (Marsha) Scott. 

Being a convert can feel very insecure. Is it weird to tell you I’m a convert in conversation? Should I keep it to myself, tell you when it’s comfortable, tell you up front? Does it even matter to you? Will it change how you talk to me if you know? Do I know enough to be here? Am I doing something inadvertently to out myself as a convert?

Perhaps complicating things somewhat was that I converted in a Reform setting. If you’ve never participated in Reform practices, it is highly individualized. I think of Judaism like a spectrum. The most Orthodox, like the Chasidim, I explain like this: They follow ALL the commandments to the T, because God gave those commandments, and as you follow them you find meaning in them. You do and you understand, right? Reform attitude goes in the other direction — you practice the mitzvahs and rituals that make you (the individual) feel Jewish. I explain to folks who ask that Reconstructionist Judaism sits somewhere in the middle. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with either end of the spectrum, but I am a person who likes structure and tradition and community, and Reform spaces just felt too loose for me, and left me feeling untethered and a little lonely. It was hard to find Reform spaces where my penchant and desire for intellectual study, critical analysis or mystical experiences necessarily fit the culture. I love the folkways, the women’s practices, the hidden histories of Judaism. The “hot takes” as the kids say. They weren’t necessarily frowned on in Reform, but I was hard pressed to find anybody who had read The Hebrew Priestess or was super interested in the Witch of Endor, or Judaism’s attitude towards folk magic practices, much less wanted to talk about them or incorporate aspects into their personal practices. While the Rabbi of my home temple in Ohio is very progressive and we can discuss these topics, the larger culture of the Temple wasn’t quite there, which is something I learned I wanted after a few years into my Jewish practice.

My experience with Reconstructionist Judaism, however, has been the perfect mix of tradition and innovation. It was a Jewish friend from a Reconstructionist congregation who introduced me to the idea of Eco Kashrut, an altered form of Kashrut that values caring for the planet and its creatures or separating ourselves from other cultures, a view which I have slowly introduced to my family over the last few years. Every time I prepare a meal, I know that I have excluded meat and included as much local and homegrown produce as I could because I intentionally chose to. In fact, I knew AARC was the right place for me when my very first time working 4th Friday, the idea of vegetarian diet being the ideal in the Torah came up. It was reinforced recently when Rav Gav showed me her song list and it had several niggunim and chants from Rabbi Shefa Gold.

Reconstructionist Judaism’s idea that Judaism is an evolving civilization, not just a tradition, was one of the biggest draws I had to this community. I mean yes, you pay me to be here, but that doesn’t mean I don’t connect with or participate in services to the extent I can while I’m there. Now that I know AARC is here and what they’re about, it’s likely I would have two congregations I was part of. I would come join in even if you weren’t paying me to do so. I am proud that the Reconstruction Movement created teachers like Rabbi Sandra Lawson, who is queer and black. I’m proud that this movement celebrates its black, brown, female and queer members, not just accepts them. I firmly believe that this culture, which I have found to be full of joy and pride and commitment from those involved, is informed by RJ’s core values:

  • Learning from the vast storehouse of Jewish wisdom and practice while understanding that the past has a vote, not a veto;
  • Openness to insights from contemporary society, especially democratic practice and commitments to advancing equity;
  • Thinking, dreaming and making decisions in conversation with community—the community gathered around us today, the voices of our ancestors, and, as best as we can anticipate, the needs and aspirations of the communities of tomorrow;
  • Feeling empowered to reconstruct and co-create rituals, practices, texts and more in order to build the Jewish community we want to live in

I love the Reconstructionist space you (we) have made AARC. I am proud to be part of a community that celebrates its diversity, not just accepts it. Where are times I felt like my Reform practice was disconnected from the community. In the Reconstructionist space I feel not only connected to my spiritual ancestors, but to those people present with me, and those who have not yet joined us. Not to be dramatic, but it feels a bit like the Jewish folks sealing the covenant with G-d at Sinai. By innovating Judaism and continuing to connect it to our constantly changing and modernizing lives, we keep it alive for future generations to find peace and comfort in, and continue to build on thousands of years of memory and learning and community. Thank you, thank you, thanks for inviting me in.

AARC Welcomes New Executive Director by Emily Eisbruch

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“AARC Welcomes New Executive Director”  By Emily Eisbruch was originally published in the Washtenaw Jewish News’ December 2025 Edition.


The Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) is delighted to
welcome Elizabeth Brindley as its part-time Executive Director. Elizabeth
started this new role in October. Her responsibilities include managing the
congregation’s administrative functions, publicity and outreach, event
coordination and more.


Elizabeth is a Michigan native, originally from the Saginaw / Bay City Area. In
addition to her role with the AARC, she also works in the Ohio Department
of Rehabilitation & Corrections as a librarian in a men’s maximum security
prison.


Elizabeth earned a Bachelor’s in Public & Nonprofit Administration from
Eastern Michigan, and a Master’s of Library & Information Science from
Louisiana State University. She has several other certifications as well,
including holding cosmetology and massage licenses in Michigan, being
Mental Health First Aid certified, and having worked as a roller skating
instructor in her early twenties.


“I centered a lot of my college studies around the decolonization of
repositories and on libraries as tools to create strong, healthy communities,
and I’ve found that I’m passionate about building communities that are safe,
inclusive and joyful for everyone,” says Elizabeth.


With humor, she notes that in her personal life she’s basically the
stereotypical librarian: she has six cats, wears almost exclusively handmade
cardigans, and reads anything she can get her hands on.


“My favorite fiction genres are Fantasy and Sci Fi, but if I’m honest I mostly
read nonfiction, particularly on social issues. I also really love history and
spiritual thought. I have a lot of hobbies: I cross-stitch, paint miniatures for
table top games like Dungeons & Dragons, and write a whole lot of different
stuff. My main project right now is a combination of a self-care manual for
corrections staff and research into alternative justice models that are more
humane and compassionate to the people in prisons, both those there by
force and those there for money.”


“We are absolutely delighted to have Elizabeth stepping into this newly
expanded role,” says AARC Board Chair Dave Nelson. “As our community
grows, so does our need for dedicated professional staff, which are the life
support system for a spiritually energetic community. We look forward to
seeing Elizabeth and the community thrive together.”


The AARC is a caring, inclusive and music-loving community of people who
want to practice and study Judaism, or simply be around people who share a
commitment to Judaism’s values. The AARC’s spiritual leader, Rav Gavrielle
Pescador, is known for her warmth, her collaborative spirit, and her
incredible voice and harp playing. You are invited to visit
https://aarecon.org/ or email info@aarecon.org to learn more about the
Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation.

Meditations with Anita Return to 2nd Saturdays

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Second Saturday meditation resumes this coming Shabbat, November 8th, from 10-10:20.

In his book, “Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life”, Rabbi Jeff Roth describes a practice derived from Reb Zalman’s teaching on the chant “It is perfect. All is clear. You are loved. and I am holy.”

Each line of the chant is related to one of the 4 worlds, i.e. Assiyah, Yetsirah, Beriyah, and Atzilut. Each world is related to a Divine attribute, i.e. acting, feeling, knowing and being. This creates a worthwhile framework for meditation.

Each month we will take some time with the chant, meditate on one of the worlds/attributes, and hopefully have a brief time for sharing. Come join us.

Greetings from the New Director

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Hello, Friends!
It’s me, AARC’s new Executive Director, Elizabeth Brindley. You’ll be hearing from me frequently from here on out, and I wanted to introduce myself. I’ll include a photo further down so you’ll know who you’re looking for if you ever want to find me at services.
I’m a Michigan native, but I’m originally from the Saginaw / Bay City Area part of the state. I’ve lived in Southern Michigan for the last decade or so, and I’m currently employed by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Corrections. I work as a librarian in a men’s maximum security prison, and I’m always happy to talk about the experience if you want to ask about it. It’s as wild as you’re imagining. I’ve also been an executive board member for Six Feet Over since I moved down here ten years ago, although after so long we finally have a good batch of board members, and I am hoping they will let me take a little break in 2026. I’m the secretary, and it turns out not too many people are excited to take on nonprofit paperwork loads.
I have a Bachelor’s in Public & Nonprofit Administration from Eastern Michigan, and a Master’s of Library & Information Science from Louisiana State University, but also all sorts of other certifications. I have my cosmetology and massage licenses in Michigan, I’m Mental Health First Aid certified, and I worked as a roller skating instructor in my early 20’s. I centered a lot of my college studies around the decolonization of repositories and on libraries as tools to create strong, healthy communities, and I’ve found that I’m passionate about building communities that are safe, inclusive and joyful for everyone.
In my personal life I am basically the stereotypical librarian. I have 6 cats, wear almost exclusively handmade cardigans and read anything I can get my hands on. My favorite fiction genres are Fantasy and Sci Fi, but if I’m honest I mostly read nonfiction, particularly on social issues, but I also really love history and spiritual thought. I have a lot of hobbies. I cross-stitch, paint miniatures for table top games like Dungeons & Dragons, and write a whole lot of different stuff. My main project right now is a combination self-care manual for corrections staff and research into alternative justice models that are more humane and compassionate to the people in prisons, both those there by force and those there for money.
Thank you so much for welcoming me into your community and allowing me to help you meet the congregation’s goals. I’m looking forward to getting to know you all.

Join AARC Creatives: Exploring Ourselves through Intuitive Art Making, Thursday, October 23, 2025

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All are invited to join the AARC Creatives on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 7pm. Seth Kopald will lead the group, which will be hosted at the home of Debbie Zivan. Contact Debbie djzivan@gmail.com to RSVP and receive directions to her home.

Seth will lead an activity about exploring ourselves through intuitive art making. Please bring some of your favorite art materials like markers or pencils, etc. If not, we will have some extra. 

More info from Seth:

Hello everyone.
I’m looking forward to our experience together!
In addition to your favorite pens, markers, pencils, etc, please bring an art pad if you have one.  They have quality ones at the 5 and Below ($5 or less) store near Plum Market on Maple. They also have really nice art supplies, surprisingly. Below is a picture of the mixed media pad I like.
But if you don’t have time, don’t worry because I’ll bring a pad (and art supplies) and we can tear a piece out for you. 
Regarding the topic of Exploring Ourselves through Intuitive Art Making, and if you like having processing time, you can begin to think about areas of your life where you want a shift or more clarity. This could be in relationship to others or a topic you wrestle with internally. But pick something that does not create a strong activation and lots of emotion. We can keep this light. Perhaps you simply want to get to know yourself better, like: “Why do I do this or that?” 
Also, you do not have to disclose anything personal to the group to do this activity. You may want to, if you feel called. To be witnessed can be very healing. And you will be witnessed, just by showing your work (also optional). 
Please let me know if you have any questions
Warmly,
Seth

Mixed Media Pad

For more on the AARC Creatives, please check out THIS BLOG from July 2025.
We hope to see you on Thursday, October 23!

AARC Creatives in August 2025

AARC Creatives in April 2025

Rosh Hashanah 2025 Drash by Sam Bagenstos

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By Sam Bagenstos

Rabbi Gabrielle introduced this drash by referring to the power of memory.  I may be taking the point in a different direction than she intended, because I’m going to talk about how memory can sometimes have too much power over us.

For many of us, memory is central to what it means to be Jewish: memory of resilience in the face of oppression, memory of ultimate triumph, memory of the great contributions of Jewish scientists/lawyers/baseball players/what have you.  These collective, communal memories are a part of who I am, just as, I am sure, similar memories are a part of who you all are.

The liturgy tells us that “Nothing is forgotten in the presence of your Throne of Glory.”  But I’ve been reflecting a lot recently on the dangers of too much remembering–too great a focus on our communal memories.

One danger is unwarranted nostalgia.  We may fixate on a time when we remember everything as better than it is today and try to go back.  It’s not just people in red baseball caps that say “Make America Great Again” who do that.  How many of us have secretly hoped to go back to a time before some rupture, some change, something that happened that unsettled all our basic understandings of the world?  (Maybe that something was the rise of all the folks in red baseball caps.)  But there are some facts we can’t ignore: even in our wished-for time before the fall–however we define it–everything wasn’t so great.  And the world has changed too much to go back in any event.

Another danger is unwarranted analogy.  We may fixate on particularly salient collective memories–perhaps especially painful ones–so much that we mistakenly see that history repeating everywhere.  Sometimes, we’re right:  Today, fascism, eugenics, and anti-semitism are resurging.  But we err when we let our painful communal memories lead us to see anti-semitism in legitimate–even harshly phrased–criticism of Israel for the injustices it is perpetrating in Gaza and elsewhere.  In these cases, memory leads us astray–it leads us to act from fear rather than from our basic humanity and the values we endorse when we are our best selves.

And a connected danger is unwarranted partiality.  Our community is not the only one with collective memory.  In Hebrew school, I learned a story about 1948–a brave band of people like me (I could even fool myself that I looked like Paul Newman in Exodus), underdogs who fled or were kicked out of every country in the world, fought for a place where they (we) could finally be safe.  For the people who lived in Palestine at the time and their descendants, though, 1948 marks the Nakhba, the tragedy in which they were kicked out of their homes, had their property taken, and from which they would never know safety.

The point is not to ignore or disparage our collective memories.  They are a source of strength and resilience as we navigate fearful times.  They are a part of who we are as a community and as individuals.  As I was flipping through the machzor during the Amidah, I found this passage from Isaac Leib Peretz on page 385 that captured the point: “If you have no past you have no future either, you are a foundling in this world, with no father or mother, without tradition, without duties to what comes after you, the future, the eternal.”

So the point isn’t to scrap our memories.  It’s to understand the limits of those memories–to recognize that our communal values are also at the center of who we are.  Values like those expressed in our Haftarah portion on Yom Kippur: “To unlock fetters of wickedness, And untie the cords of the yoke To let the oppressed go free; To break off every yoke.”  In 5786, I will recommit to living those values.  Shanah Tovah.