Collective Repair: A Resource for the 10 Days

From haikus to rabbinic commentary and essays, I want to tell you about an innovative and much needed resource for the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Commissioned by Voices for Prophetic Judaism here is a booklet containing a piece for every day of the 10 days by UK based Rabbis and Cantors.

I wrote one piece of Collective T'Shuvah (collective repentance/repair). This High Holy Days is looming large this year. I'm wondering how the prayers will feel and sit given the current horrors and continued pain an instablity. I worry for the Jewish soul. As I write:

"So here we are, stepping towards becoming, in this time of the familiar and shockingly new. Ready to utter our own confessions as well as others. Standing in ‘shame and confusion’ (Yom Kippur liturgy) to focus solely on harm caused by us. Where to begin, at this time, with the words genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes resounding, shattering our sense of self and am (people), with graphic images breaking apart what we thought we knew and where we belonged. What does it mean to pray and make t’shuvah at this time? Do we yet have the words? Can we agree and find a shared language? Can we, collectively, own the harm done and being done? When denial, fear, disbelief, anger, trauma stand in the way, how can we begin collective t’shuvah?"

Print by Rabbi Robyn

I offer three first steps for this time.

I wish you an early Shanah Tovah U'Metukah, engagement with this booklet, and other works which bring you solace in these times.

Rabbi Robyn