Sitting here in a moment of ultimate personal joy and unthinkable global sadness it is hard for me to do much today. So much emotion. And I usually do emotion well.
The marriage of my son to the woman of all our dreams this weekend was one of the highest highs a parent can experience. The love in the room, the joining of two strong supportive families, the beautiful traditions and all the people who mean so much to all of us… THIS. This is what makes life so rich.
And yet we cannot ignore the significance of this date. And the current world situation.
I was inspired to write this by a beautiful, strong young woman I met this weekend. She is an American who lives in Tel Aviv. And I am so very honored to have met her and have our families joined. She flew out of Israel for this wedding, luckily in a sliver of time when she could. I asked her how she was doing. Her answer to me was this: we are at a Jewish simcha. This is what it is all about. This is what makes us exist. Got to love the Israeli mindset and Jewish outlook on life.
The Jewish wedding ceremony, the signing of the Katubah, the breaking of the glass, the seven blessings, the Hora… every one of those precious moments that always bring us closer to our culture and faith, had such a heightened significance at this time. Sitting in the middle of the two most sacred holidays of the year was that much more meaningful.
We are Jews.
We are those Jews. The ones that stand strong and proud, that love and care deeply for all humankind, and will never let anyone shake that.
There is no room for hate in a room filled with that much love.
May all who are suffering today feel the power of our heritage. May we stand tall and proud and never tolerate the evil and propaganda that threaten our existence. May those who are defending our freedoms stay safe and continue the job of ridding the world of this poison. May we NEVER forget. And let us say… Amen.
Am Yisrael Chai.
i could cry but i don't have time 