Strength in community
Given the proximity of the bombing in Egypt to the chagim I am really taken this morning with the importance of being a part of a community. The strength and support of others is something that we as people need. It is required. The community serves as a resource that we can turn to for support. It is the backbone that makes sure that when we fall down we can get up again.
Sometimes the collective is what keeps us from giving in to feeling of despair and misery. I don’t like asking for help. I like trying to figure things out. I may ask a dozen people for their opinions on things, but I almost always do whatever I initially intended to do anyway.
But I appreciate knowing that the community is there when I need it.
My own community is composed of a number of groups, some of which overlap each other. I have my family and friends. I have my shul. I have my guys at the gym. I have my professional colleagues. I have my fellow alumni from a 1000 years at Ramah in Ojai, Canada and Israel.
And I feel like I am part of a community here too, in the land of blogging. So I want to say thanks to the many different people in my community or should I say communities. Your support and contributions do not go unnoticed, even if I do not always let you know that I am aware of it. Community is why I am not afraid of the terrorists. They can’t stop us, they can only cause problems, but nothing that the community cannot take care of.
Brooke October 9, 2004 at 1:54 am
That’s awesome how you went to Camp Ramah.
I was so upset when I heard about the bombing in Egypt. Especially since it was the day that there was an anti-Israel program at my university. While there are so many anti-Israel people out there, it is comforting to know that I can always count on the Jewish community to be there for me and be there to support the land of milk and honey.