Home for the Holidays
By: Rabbi Ahuva Zaches
The High Holy Day season is a time when many Jews feel a strong pull to “come home” in a spiritual sense. Even if they have not been to synagogue all year, the vast majority of Jews will find a way to come home for the holidays. In most years, that means ten times as many people would walk through the synagogue doors to sit with their families, greet old friends, and connect with new community members through the power of ancient rituals. This year, of course, will look a bit different due to the pandemic. Rather than gathering in person, we will be creating a spiritual home through virtual services and online gatherings.
Even as we cherish hearing the call of the shofar and familiar melodies of Avinu Malkeinu and Kol Nidrei, the fact that we will be experiencing these rituals through a screen rather than in person might be a bit jarring. For some, it might feel like the experience of moving temporarily to a new home. Indeed, much of the past year has been about adjusting to a new life in a new world as we gradually figured out how to work remotely, do distance learning, or go into essential jobs while taking all kinds of new precautions to keep ourselves safe and healthy.
For many individuals, it has been a struggle to adapt to all of these changes in a short amount of time. But this hasn’t been merely an individual experience. The whole world has been sharing in this struggle together, even as individuals and various groups have been affected in different ways. While those of us with homes may have sometimes felt a bit cooped up at home, there are millions of people who wish they had a stable place to live. The Social Action Committee at Congregation Or Ami has been thinking about ways that we can help people seeking safe and stable homes in the New Year. We are working with other congregations inside and outside of the Jewish community to help keep people from ending up homeless when the eviction moratoriums end. We are also specifically focused on helping refugees, who were forced to flee their homes during this crisis and resettle here in Richmond.
If you would like to learn more about refugee resettlement, Congregation Or Ami is offering free guest speakers who can discuss: policy, the experience of refugees here and abroad, and specific actions that we can take to help refugee families. Richmond refugee resettlement agencies welcomed close to 200 newcomers to the Richmond area this year. These recent arrivals are in the process of rebuilding their lives after facing multiple crises. They need help finding work, learning English, and navigating the school system for their children. There are many ways to get involved while still abiding by social distancing guidelines. If you, your organization, or group of friends would like to hear more about helping refugees, please contact Social_Action@or-ami.com.
As we approach the High Holy Days, we are encouraged to think about three key words at the end of the famous prayer Unetaneh Tokef. These three words are Teshuvah (repentance/turning around), Tefilah (prayer), and Tzedakah (righteous contributions). We encourage you to help refugees turn their lives around (Teshuvah), and make their prayers come true (Tefilah) as we engage in acts of Tzedakah together. May this period of reflection lead to Tikkun Nefesh (personal spiritual growth) for us all, and may our commitments to our wider community bring about an even greater Tikkun Olam (spiritual repair of the world). And let us say: Amein.
