Originally published April 11, 2024
I hope you had an awe-filled experience looking at the eclipse this past Monday! It is not an accident that the eclipse landed on the same day as Rosh Hodesh Nisan, the Hebrew month in which we cele
brate Pesach, as solar eclipses always take place aligned with the new moon.
Rella Kaplowitz writes that, “Maybe the idea of an eclipse is less about the presence of darkness and more about the absence of light. In order to have space for something new, we have to let go of something we currently hold. And, especially now, maybe making space for something new by leaning into this absence of light may very well be what will sustain us through the darkness. There is a lot of darkness in our world – and it often feels like it’s growing stronger. And yet, just like the moon can fully block out the sun when it is at its ‘weakest,’ we too have a responsibility to find our agency and power to turn back the tide of darkness.” As we begin to shift towards preparing for Pesach, with its accompanying themes of hope, renewal, springtime, and rebirth, I am reflecting on where I am finding light and hope these days.
It is often too easy to tell a story about our current moment that positions us, the Jewish community, as isolated, under attack, and alone. There is truth to that story, but it is also not the only story. Last week, Jay and I had the opportunity to sit down with Mayor Dorothy McCabe of Waterloo, who is actively seeking out relationships with faith leaders in the community. Mayor McCabe was open to hearing about the diversity and multivocality of the KW Jewish community, heard our painful stories of antisemitism, and shared some ways in which she is eager to be an ally and friend to us. Later that day, Reverend Andrea of Westminster United Church and I sat down for coffee, an incredible opportunity to continue the longstanding relationship between our two congregations. It was fortuitous that this conversation took place in between Easter and Pesach, a time that historically has been fraught for interfaith relations. Instead of relationships tinged with fear and distrust, I feel truly blessed to benefit from relationships with other faith and public leaders in our community that are built on foundations of openness, respect, and partnership. These relationships are sources of light and uplift for me, that give me hope for more as our calendar and earth turns towards a season of hope and renewal.
Rabbi Miriam Farber Wajnberg
