Are you there?

Joy. Love. Joy. Challenges. Joy. Sadness. Joy. Peace. Joy. War. Joy. Blessings. Joy.

Time rolls on. Life rolls on. Where are we going? Where have we been? How are we going to make the most of our journey here? We are all given gifts, blessings, joy, love, struggles, challenges, sadness, and pain. Everything we are given is to guide us in our journey; to help bring us closer to and discover ourselves, others, and the secrets and wonders of our universe. We just need to open ourselves up and create a vessel for all the blessings, revealed and concealed, to flow into.

Cherish every moment. Let the petty things fall to the wayside because they will not join you in your times of joy, they will not comfort you in your times of sadness and they will not bring you closer to the people you love. Embrace meaning, depth, and truth in your life because it will bring joy into your life, it will lift you up when you are sad, and it will authentically connect you to the people around you.

Life is there. The Joy is there. The Love is there. The Blessings are there.

Are you there?

Soul Revival

* I don't recall why or when I wrote this, but I found it tonight while I was searching for a piece of writing to comfort my soul. I was feeling the reality of all the losses I have experienced in my life and feeling an intense but calm sadness. I know that everyone experiences pain, difficulties, and loss in their life at some point (some more than others) so I am posting this in the hope that it helps you retain your sense of hope and provides even a glimmer of light during a dark time. With much love and blessings I wish you all a life of both internal and external peace.

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There will be times when the world will seem overwhelming and there will be times when the world seems frightening and there will be times when you will feel like you are alone amidst a sea of fragmented lives. 

But know that those times will be followed with a spark of light, a glimmer of hope, opportunities will arise and love and kindness will find its way to you. 

Even when you are in the depths of darkness, desperately groping to find a hand, there will be one soon. You just have to keep feeling, keep your eyes alert and your heart open to the possibility. 

You must retain your hope. 

Because, I promise, the joy will come, the peace will come, the love will come, and the kindness will come. 

Please wait for it. Do not give way to the heaviness in your heart and soul. Life has a way of reviving the tongues of those whose lives seem to be filled with sorrow. 

Please don’t let your body give way to the desperate temptation of the sleep in the hours of the sun-filled hallway of potential. 

Arise and greet the petals of hope and blessings that flutter in the wind of our day. 

Goodness awaits you at every corner. Open the door and greet it with peace.

A Miracle on the Hudson

It was a miracle on the Hudson.

There is no other explanation for it.

155 people survived a crash landing in the Hudson river.

Everything that could go right in an emergency landing went right, nothing failed. There was a clear space on the Hudson for the plane to rest, the heroic and courageous pilot landed the plane perfectly, the fuel tanks didn't rupture allowing the plane to remain buoyant even as it filled up with water, the remarkable crew and passengers worked together to get everyone off the plane safely and in an orderly manner, and the rescue teams arrived immediately and were able to get everyone to safety within minutes.

The pieces lined up like a slightly scratched up jigsaw puzzle. It was the perfect ending to an American drama, and all the news stations marveled at the incredible stream of coincidences that avoided a tragedy.

A day that could have gone down as a day of mourning, will now be celebrated as day of rejoicing.

We were blessed to see a miracle.

A man who was sitting next to the engine that blew was asked what happened on the plane and what people were doing. In response he answered, "To be honest, everyone was saying prayers."

'They' say there is no atheist in a foxhole. I think 'they' are right.

When a fellow passenger told him no one had died in the crash, a man sauntering off the M98 Limited bus shook his head, waved his newspaper and exclaimed, "There is a God!"

Governer Patterson has coined this incredible event as, "Miracle on the Hudson." But let's not forget that this is a revealed miracle that were blessed to witness.

Let's not forget that every day we are witness to hundreds of miracles in just our little lives. Let's not forget that every day that we wake up breathing and in good health, that too is a miracle.
Let's not forget that every day that we wake up to someone we love, that too is a miracle.
Let's not forget that every day that when we wake up and have a job to go to, that too is a miracle.
Let's not forget that every day that we can hear the sound of the cars driving by and see the rain falling from the sky, that too is a miracle.
Let's not forget that every day that we have another opportunity to smile and do good things in the world, that too is a miracle.
Let's not forget that everyday that we have a chance to call someone and say hello, that too is a miracle.
Let's not forget that everyday that we can cross the street safely, and get a steaming, warm cup of coffee from Starbucks, that too is a miracle.

Every moment of every day miracles abound. We just need to be more attune to them.

A miraculous plane crash may jolt us to be awed for a day or two, but when our inspiration passes how will we maintain our appreciation for the gift of life?

Connect to each moment. Remember it is precious. Remember that there is meaning to every moment of every day. Remember to count your blessings. Remember to open your eyes. Remember that the world is a beautiful place.

Remember, miracles do happen.

After all, there IS a God.

Life is Beautiful

I'm just looking for a little inspiration, a little meaning in my life.

I go from night to day, day to night, trying to find that surge of meaning out of something that doesn't have inherent meaning. Trying to connect to people I don't have an inherent connection with.

But life's a journey, it's a process. Not a destination.

I spoke with my soul sista' tonight and, as usual, we were on were on the same journey, just different details. We connected, we shared our struggles, our feelings of emptiness, of no motivation, of not caring.

"But Raiz, its from these phases that real determination to GET THERE sprouts. That's how I feel...just got to get up and move," She said, emphatically.

Just get up and move.

Just get up and move.

So we plan. How will I move? Where will she go?

And then Matisyahu raps from my computer, "Exaltation my G-d of salvation..."

and

"So high, so low, I don't know where but we've got to go there.."

Just get up and move.

Just get up and move.

Life is not a destination, it's a journey.

Life IS up's and life is downs.

Life IS conflict.

Life IS struggle.

But you gotta keep moving.

Stay connected to your journey.

Because...

Life IS also Beautiful.

Do I wear black and white (or does it really matter) ??

*I wrote this about a week after the Mumbai attacks, but the relevance remains.

Every couple hours I get a new e-mail in my inbox pleading me to daven for another Jew who has been stricken with a disease, or has been severely wounded by a terrorist attack, or someone who lost a relative in attack, or a little baby born with severe birth defects, and the list goes on.

And I try to daven and I try to ask Hashem to help.

But then I challenge G-d, "You are the only One who can do anything about this! You caused this! Why do you refuse to heal?!?"

Every day someone dies when they should be stepping on a plane to visit their mother and everyday someone gets cancer when they should be going to school and everyday someone battles lukemia when they should be home tending to their child and everyday someone has a heart attack when they should be stepping into the office to close a deal. And everyday I beg G-d to stop the heartache and the pain, To stop inflicting our people with so many tragedies.

Global scale tragedies sometimes overshadow individual people's personal tragedies. When there is a global tragedy that affects the Jewish people we all pitch in a we daven and we raise money and we do what we can. But how about when we are not being attacked by terrorists, how about when anti-semitism is not on the rise, how about when we don't have to fear our lives when we are walking down the street? Can we stay connected to each other's personal tragedies? Can we connect to people who seem different than us when we are living in safety? Can we help when only we notice another's suffering and not just when the story is covered by every major media organization?

The saddest part of assimilation is that we lose our connectedness as a Jewish people, and that's when trouble starts. The power comes with the unity of a people. When there is a a million voices yelling together the message is much more clear. Assimilation is not about losing a religious Jew. Its about losing a voice, a Jewish voice, a Jewish link.

We, as a Jewish people, are a chain of souls that are intertwined with the destiny of one another. Someone hurts in China, and I feel the pain resounding in New York. The effect is unmistakeably powerful. The purpose of the world is about connection. Connecting to yourself, connecting to others, connecting to every organism and plant on this earth and connecting to G-d. Every action we take and every word we speak can be a point of connection or a point of disconnection.

Every second of every day we need to strive for connection and especially when there are external forces driving us to disconnect. It is times like these that we need to reach out. We need to stop focusing on what makes us different from one another and start focusing on how we are the same.

Most of us pick the community we live in because we share the same values, both external and internal. We like people who look like us, who talk like us, who think like us, and who act like us. But don't be fooled by the externalities. We are all just people. And we are all just Jews.

Every single aspect of this physical world can teach us something about the spiritual dimensions of our existence. We know that this is a transient world. And we know that our bodies will one day return to the ground from which it came. We know that we should not give inherent value to materialistic objects because they are fleeting. Their perceived permanence is an illusion. The same is with humans. We are all just souls clothed in different colors, shapes and sized bodies. There is no permanence to our bodies, so why get so attached to a persons external. If it is temporary how can it be as important as the eternal soul that it clothes.

We lost six holy Jews this last week in the attacks in Mumbai, India and the two souls who's lives have been highlighted in the news are the Chabad Shluchim who devoted their lives to opening their eyes to individual people's pain and struggles and connecting to others and G-d.

There is always so much to learn in this world and when every major media organization is talking about it, it is hard to ignore. So many people have written about taking our pain and channeling it towards goodness and towards bringing more loving kindess in the world. So here I am saying to please open your eyes to the individual pain of others and try to connect to your people. If not for any other reason, do it because Rabbi and Rivka Holzberg can't.

All it takes is stepping outside yourself just a little. Of being a little more "other" aware. Today I was walking up the subway stairs and I noticed an older woman struggling up the stairs and carrying two bags of groceries. So I offered to help and she accepted. As we walk towards her apartment she tells me her name is Sulema Polasky and that her family fled to Cuba in the early 1920's when Hitler was starting to rise to power and then she moved to the United States when she was a young girl. I did not know she was Jewish when I stopped to help her. All it takes is opening your eyes up a little, allow yourself to be a vessel for connections. Look for opportunities.

The world needs your smile.

I'm Finally Home.

* I wrote this on my way to Israel on October 7th. This is the introduction to my transformative journey that characterized my trip to the holy land. More about the actual trip soon to come...

The Holy land awaits me. I have heard her calling my name for some time now.

The ache for her that lies deep in my soul has not waned, but has been covered by layers of dust of jaded cynicism.

But I am returning now, and as I get closer to her the ache increases and and my heart beats a little faster. The thought of kissing the ancient stones, of inhaling the air that has revived the soul of many, of hearing the vivacious tongue of the Jewish people alive in the streets, of seeing masses of Jews in search of their God, of His presence, trying to connect to the infinite and do what is right.

I remember the first time I went to Israel to learn the Holy words of truth in seminary. As we were driving back from the airport I gazed out the window into the the midnight-blue sky and the moon pierced my gaze, its brightness astounding my virgin-eyes. And then I recall smiling at the "nah, nach nachm.." graffiti painted with broad, bold strokes across the highway wall. I remember the newness, the excitement, and the thrill of discovering my true home; the land of my people.

Now, I am revisiting this dynamic and ever-changing world of people and I too am a new person. But the thrill of the newness I once experienced is soon to be replaced by the comfort of the familiar The world I am returning to, the world that transformed and shook mine upside down, is now receiving my presence once more with a sense of calm acceptance.

I was a different person back then. I was an 18 year old girl in search of my identity, confidence, a sense of self, excitement, adventure and truth. Now I am a 23 year old woman and am still in search of truth, but the tumult and turmoil that marked my adolescence has been replaced by a stirring for simplicity, peace, harmony, love, clarity and a deep and lasting connection with my people and my God.

The holy land beats in my aching heart.

I'm finally coming home.

For the love of G-d

She did it for the love of God.

She strolled down the street with her hands in her shirt pockets, the humid and gray air building moisture on her forehead.
She did it for the love of God.

She chatted, laughed and then felt her hand graze over something in her pocket.
She did it for the love of God.

She looked down in surprise and to her shock and simultaneous amusement a folded $10 bill stared innocently back at her.
She did it for the love of God.

Stopping abruptly she turned her pocket inside out and let the green bill fall gently to the pavement below.
She did it for the love of God.

She stood around with her friends for a brief moment, discussing the fate of the $10 dollar bill.
She did it for the love of God.

She walked up to the man blowing leaves on the sidewalk and pointed to the money laying casually on the sidewalk.
She did it for the love of God.

"Go take it, " she said, "It's all yours. For it is our Sabbath and I cannot carry it."
She did it for the love of God.

She strolled away laughing with her friends at the leaf blower's bewildered look about the money that was no longer hers.
She did it for the love of God.

The question was posed; money or God?

And the answer was simple. The answer was clear.

And she did it for the love of God.