Ceasefire & Heschel webinar TONIGHT
Yesterday’s Ceasefire Agreement
Less than three weeks after the attacks of October 7th, 2023, most of the rabbis affiliated with The Shalom Center, including the two of us, many board members, and advisory council members, publicly called for an immediate ceasefire.
Fifteen months later, with tens of thousands of innocent lives lost, entire communities and cities leveled, and infinite ripples of new/ancient trauma spread across continents, spirits, and lifetimes, we cautiously welcome yesterday's temporary ceasefire agreement.
We wholeheartedly pray that this ceasefire lasts and leads to a fundamental paradigm shift in the region, where all people living in the lands of Israel and Palestine are free. We are beyond grateful for the agreed upon hostage swap, recognizing that every life is an entire universe. And we remain steadfast in asserting that there is no military solution to peace and the last fifteen months have not gotten us closer to that goal. As such, we will continue to uplift those on the ground who are creating a new and non-violent path forward. At the same time, we are concerned that this agreement will fall apart, or is not a good faith effort from the start, and we will be following closely what unfolds in the weeks and months ahead.
However long it takes, we will never stop pursuing and praying for the thriving of all creation, including all humans in Israel and Palestine. May yesterday’s agreement be a step in that direction, regardless of future back-steps that may occur. And may each of us live to see and embody the wholeness - the shalom - we trust is our birthright as in- and exhalations of the Interbreathing of All Life.
With blessings for lasting shalom, peace, wholeness,
— Nate & Arthur
Heschel’s 52nd Yahrtzeit - Reader & Webinar TONIGHT
At such an auspicious time, with fires still raging out west, a tentative ceasefire agreement in the east, a new king arising over Egypt this weekend, and MLK Day, we are grateful for the chance to ground in the legacy and wisdom of of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel on the occasion of his 52nd yahrtzeit (death-anniversary) this Shabbat. And we are humbled to do so in collaboration with his daughter, the wise and esteemed Dr. Susannah Heschel.
As you may have seen last week, The Shalom Center and Susannah recently released a one-of-its-kind digital reader, with five texts from Rabbi Heschel, chosen by Dr. Heschel for this precise moment. In addition, Dr. Heschel and The Shalom Center’s still-new Director, Rabbi Nate DeGroot, will be in conversation for a live webinar TONIGHT, to discuss those texts in light of this weekend and the historical/spiritual moment in which we find ourselves.
We hope you’ll dive into the reader and register for tonight’s webinar. Even if you can’t make it live tonight, all registrants will receive a recording of Dr. Heschel and Rabbi Nate’s conversation.
We trust that Rabbi Heschel and Dr. Heschel’s wisdom and insight in this moment will be both invaluable and deeply nourishing and we can’t wait to see you there.