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Intersections of Faith

12/20/2021 03:03:02 PM

Dec20

Rabbi Brad Levenberg

I do so love when holidays intersect, and this Shabbat is no exception. While Jews around the world gather with friends and family to welcome Shabbat, a ritual complete with well wishes, with blessings, with an embrace of light and good and kindness and compassion, our Christian friends and siblings gather with family and friends to celebrate Christmas, a ritual complete with those same heartening and heartwarming values. This Friday night and Saturday morning will find so many attuned to the practice of faith, living the ideals of religious tradition, and participating in rituals new and those passed down through the generations.

There is profound meaning to be gleaned from this sliver of time. We can see so clearly that there is indeed much that unites us, in celebration, in hope, in appreciation and love for those around us. And we can so clearly that there is beauty in the elements of practice and perspective that are different between us, that all need not be uniform to be sacred. In fact, it is our differences that make us appreciate the beauty even more.

To those who are Jewish who are reading this message, may this be a Shabbat filled with Shalom, with peace, and with Shalaym, with wholeness. To those who are Christian who are reading this message, may this be a Christmas that finds you merry, reflecting with optimism about this holy day and the deep and beautiful messages from faith: of hope, of promise, of belief and of love.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and a Merry Christmas!

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784