[HANASHIR:2784] Re: Colorado tragedy

[Robbi Sherwin <sherwin...>]

Last night at services for my congregation, Kol Halev, we had planned on
using lots of Israeli music in honor of Yomim Ha'Zikaron and Ha'atzma'ut.
I had taught Bashana Haba'ah and planned to use it as a closing song.  When
my Rabbi started on his d'var Torah, he had in his hand a wooden box and
told a Yemenite parable of a man who found a box full of gold coins on a
Shabbos walk, but inwardly struggled not to pick it up because of the
prohibition of carrying on Shabbos.  The parable ends with the man being
rewarded manyfold because of the result of his actions on that walk.

As inclusion and participation is a main tenent of our congregation, the
Rabbi asked the congregation what they wished they would have found in that
box.  Immediately, everyone said things like "the solution to why children
kill children," "strength in families," "teaching and believing tolerance,"
"society's acceptance of the value of parenting and families" "moral
education," etc. etc.  We said Misheberach and Kaddish for the victims,
their families, and all of us who are healing over this incredible
tradgedy.  I changed the closing song to Nurit Hirsch's Oseh Shalom.

May we all find peace in this, and other senseless tragedies.  Shabbat Shalom.

Robbi Sherwin
Austin


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