Kintsukoroi and Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is not only a time for repentance, forgiveness and introspection, but also a time for reparation.

By taking time off from our daily chores to reflect on our faults, we emerge from the fast with a feeling of restored energies. It is through this recognition that we build our capacity to face future challenges; it is through this deepening of our wounds that we can become stronger.

We can find a similar process in a millennial art practiced by the Japanese. The art of repairing a broken object, called “Kintsukoroi.”

In Japanese culture, when a ceramic object breaks, the cracks are not only covered and linked together using a strong adhesive, but they are also reinforced with gold. What emerges from this carefully constructed and orchestrated process is not only a more beautiful object but one that is actually much stronger than before.

The lessons from this traditional practice should be evident to all. It is through the act of forgiveness, through the method of recognizing our faults, that we emerge stronger than before.

Here in CADENA, the practice strikes a particular chord: as a foundation focused on helping vulnerable populations overcome natural disasters, we are firm believers in the power of reconstruction.

We hope that this Yom Kippur offers you opportunities to build resiliency in your families, in your community, and in your homes.

Chatima Tova!