Horror at a Texas Synagogue
Relief and gratitude that the hostages are safe.
It’s difficult to describe how it felt to be a Jew today.
The hostage-taking situation at the synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, came with searing memories and triggers for any Jew. The more hours the situation went on, the more fear I felt for the hostages, the more concern I felt that the hostage-taker might act in panic, the more worried I was that law enforcement officials might act unwisely. Countless people from around the world were holding vigil. Jews were praying, tweeting, posting the Shama. Many Muslims were posting as well, with words of kindness and blessing and prayers for a safe end to the drama. I felt a kinship with every Jew. I felt appreciation for the kind words of Muslims, and everyone else who was hoping and praying for a miracle. I felt the violence of an historical animosity today, but I also heard the songs of angels sung spontaneously by many hearts.
The hostage-taker is dead, and for that I am sad. For he too was a child of God.
I assume we will hear more in the days head about the drama that unfolded during those harrowing hours, as well as the actions that led to its end. I feel the collective sigh of deep relief that no further bloodshed came to be. I feel gratitude for the law enforcement personnel who risked their lives to save others.
May the victims so traumatized by today’s events be healed. May the soul of the hostage-taker be embraced by a merciful God. May today’s situation be a reason for all of us to deepen our commitment to love.
Dear God,
Please show us how to live in peace.
Above all may we learn from this
and violence be no more.
Amen.
I believe this is a critical time in the evolutionary transformation of the planet. I see finding the root cause of each individuals trauma as important so that collective, generational healing will occur. Gratitude and forgiveness of oneself and others puts us in the moment. It is a process for every human being living today.
Love is love. Unity, friendship, connection, trust, respect based on kindness and humility move us onward. Let us move forward together.
There is no safe place. I travelled across the country for almost 4 years. I even went to Texas. I know what is going on and it is not pretty. I know that we need to pray for these people, the woke and cancel cultures. We should help them repent because without unity there is no world. They have taken this too far. They are killing themselves and their children. There will be no reward for them, because we will no longer exit. And they think they are the greatest culture that ever lived? What is the world, when you can trust no one. Please help them this coming Yom Kippur, go to the beaches, a mountain top or a hill. Look up and ask for forgiveness and pray, all of us together. We have already lost beautiful men and women to war. They are destroying our environment. Just think of all the beauty we are losing. Music, art, poetry, birds, trees. Do I need to go on? There is nothing left to do but love one another!