Earlier today world leaders and Israeli citizens gathered together in Jerusalem to pay their last respects to a soldier and a statesman, a visionary and a voice for peace, Shimon Peres z"l. A constant in Israeli politics for the last six decades, Peres fought with equal fervor for Israel's independence and Israeli innovation; for Israel's right to defend itself and for its right to live in peace. Both domestically and internationally, Peres championed understanding and unity. Peres was a perennial optimist who taught, "Look to tomorrow and always strive for peace." This motto defined his personal beliefs, his leadership and his life's work. Israel, the Jewish People and the world face the challenge of honoring Shimon Peres' dream for peace and perpetuating his legacy. How can we, a Jewish day school in Dallas, contribute to realizing Peres' vision?

One answer emerged from the presentation in which our 7th and 8th grade students participated (along with middle and high school students from every Jewish day school in Dallas) earlier this week. On Monday morning, Rachelli Sprecher Fraenkel, mother of one of the three kidnapped Israeli boys who captivated our prayers and thoughts three years ago, addressed our city's Jewish students. In her presentation, she spoke of her pain during the harrowing 18 days of the ordeal, her faith, and her own optimism in the unity of the Jewish People. She described the outpourings of compassion and prayer and support from all over the globe that touched the three families and she explained how her son's short life continues to impact her family, her country, and her people. Although hesitant to define or mandate life lessons from her experience, Rachelli shared one story that resonated for me. At Ayal, Gil'ad and Naftali's funeral, two speakers from profoundly different religious perspectives quoted an identical passage. Both her son's rabbi and a secular political leader spoke of a brief kavannah recited before Tefillah (prayer) in the morning. A kavannah is an explicit declaration of intent, something that one says to be mentally prepared and in the correct mindset before performing a mitzvah. The traditional proclamation before praying in the morning states, "Behold, I am prepared and at the ready to perform the mitzvah of 'loving your neighbor as yourself.'" To direct our mindset for prayer, we do not express our readiness to focus on every word (which is essential) or to connect to God (which is also essential!). Instead, before we pray, we speak of our connection to others, about the way we seek to show love and care for those with whom we interact. Before we utter a word to God, we turn our minds and hearts to our community, to the people who surround us, and we express our desire to do everything we can to accept, embrace, and love them. With that love of others seeded in our souls, we can then begin, united and whole, to ask God for blessings and peace.

As we stand in services on Rosh Hashanah, we have within our power to carry on both the legacy of elder statesman Shimon Peres and the legacy of "our three boys" by committing to loving our neighbors, treating others with respect and compassion, and beginning the hard work of achieving peace by starting with our own.

Wishing our entire Akiba family a year of blessing and peace.

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah,