Dear Friends,
During this time in the Jewish calendar, we are in a period of acknowledging the profound historical losses of our people, including most centrally the ancient temples in Jerusalem. This year, the sadness we recall at this season– of losing our access to the place where we come together in community to find connection to one another and to tradition and the transcendent – is so deeply resonant. Having gone four months without being able to come together physically in community, the longing is profound. As we approach Tisha b’Av, when we commemorate the historical losses of our people, we invite you to connect with that sense of sadness and longing; to acknowledge what we are missing and to make space for our grief, even as we look forward with hope and optimism to the day we will be back together in our beloved space.
As you know, we frequently conclude our services by singing “Olam Chesed Yibaneh,” which means “a world of abundant lovingkindness will be built” and comes from a verse in Psalm 89. As we long for the day when we can be in our physical building together, may we continue to nurture sacred space in the world through words and actions and relationships built of chesed (abundant love and compassion).
Please enjoy this recording of Olam Chesed Yibaneh, written by Rabbi Menachem Creditor, and sung by me and TOS member Andy O’Connell, with guitar accompaniment by Andy O’Connell.
Olam Chesed Yibaneh
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Audrey Marcus Berkman