Sukkot 5780- Living in a Fragile World

Sukkot (also known as Succoth, Sukkot, Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles), is a Jewish festival that occurs in autumn on the 15thday of the month of Tishrei.

On Sukkot, we leave the physical and emotional security of our homes and move into a fragile hut. It is strange that davka on Sukkot we are commanded to be happy.

In previous years, I posed a question – which is harder? Fasting on Yom Kippur or being Happy. I would like to suggest that being Happy is a harder challenge, especially if you are sensitive to the needs and suffering of others. For example, I read recently that some 1.3 billion people live in multidimensional poverty, which is almost a quarter of the population of the 104 countries of which half are children. So, how can one have Simcha with so much suffering in the world? This is just an example – Yet we are commanded to have Simcha (Joy).

On this Sukkot, I do not need to think about the global, fragile world made worse by pointless wars, despotic leaders, but look to share the fragility of our friends, the Chevra from Moshav Mevo Moddiim who lost both their houses and their community in a fire on Lag B’omer.

They are living in a permanent sukkah of uncertainty, worry about the future. I am inspired by their optimism and Simcha Chaim, and the ability to never give up. I share this interview with the Solomon Brothers which so capitulates both their torment and need to maintain hope and happiness.

Interview

They invite the world to join them on the bi-annual Moshav Country fair this Wednesday 16th of October. As space is limited, tickets can be ordered on Tikchack. https://tickchak.co.il/7251?fbclid=IwAR1eX-RsRRYiHN8RMuYfZwp6JuF_thhcellwjaOeUQKUv9Gb9XtLXab1cGk

One of the side-effects of the fire is the emotional suffering and baggage that they are carrying. We have heard a lot of talk about mental health, and it seems that a lot of people suffer from mental health, some silently, some not silently. Same fatal, some just carry on and some seek help,

Life is stressful, but our problems are nothing to compared to the homeless of the survivors of the fire who lost all of their personal items in a matter of minutes without warning. Yet we fret about not having piece of clothing, the perfect meal, coffee etc, worry about our failures and parnassa (Livelihood, Income). Let’s not belittle this, Parnassa is a major theme of both RH and YK prayers. our worries are both real and imagined.

Our Rabbi at Shir Chadash, Rabbi Ian Pear spoke On RH that RH is like stepping into the unknown – We do not know what this next year will be. We live in both uncertainty and hope, that we have Mazal (good fortune). He spoke about having positive dreams and plans, he referenced his talk to his favorite movie Field of dreams. As Herzl said If you will it, it is no dream. Our friends, the Chevra of the Moshav have dreams. Dreams of moving back into their houses, Dreams of making their Moshav an example of being an example of how to live in tolerance with others, how to make Judaism vibrant and inspirational, how to bring Joy and never give up.

These were also the dreams of their Rebbe, Reb Shlomo Carlebach who dedicated his life to following these Dreams. In fact, Reb Shlomo dreamed these dreams of turning the Moshav into a Centre. In a letter, he wrote in 1993 to a lawyer he requested him to process and get the approval that pans to be made to establish a Centre of Health for the Body and Soul on the Moshav.

How much needed is the Center today. Reb Shlomo was ahead of time in recognising the need for what today is called mindfulness.

It was Reb Shlomo’s dream to create a Centre of Health for the Body and Soul on the Moshav.

The Chevra have not given up on this dream. In 2007, Plans were drawn up for a Youth Village on the Moshav by Michael Golomb Z”L where groups could be hosted. In 2016, The Visitor Centre was set up (and miraculously survived the fire). There were plans to execute the dreams and plans by building the Village with a Mud Adobe solution which is green, environmentally friendly together eco-farming and health solutions. On Lag B’ Omer 2019, the Moshav was destroyed in a terrible Fire. We now aim to turn this tragedy and use this as an opportunity to bring about the plans and dreams. If we will it, is no dream,

While, this blog is not a fundraiser for this Centre, the fire while it is a tragedy, is an opportunity to making this happen. The Moshav has for many years have been planning, struggling to get the rights to their Land. These plans included the expansion of the Moshav and the establishment of Centre that will host groups, families, and individuals to carry out their dreams. Unfortunately, with the Fire there is greater urgency to secure for the land rights. Not only, can they not rebuild their homes without these rights, but their dreams and our dreams, a much-needed Centre, a retreat where we, I say we can be an inspiration to heal the broken souls in our fragile world,

It is time for Israel, not only to be a Startup Nation in Hitech, Mobility and Medical, but also in Mindfulness and the Joy of Life.

To donate: https://www.jgive.com/new/en/ils/donation-targets/17611/about

For more inspirational :

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/sukkot-a-time-for-joy-and-reflection/