What Does That Leave?

So, What Does That Leave?

Don’t do that – she said to me – and so, I won’t do that.

I promised myself that after this last round of elections – our 3^rd, for those of you who can no longer bear to count -I would not write anything political. NO POLITICS. Me to myself, ‘Do you hear me?! Do you remember? You promised, NO POLITICS!!!’

And this is me, keeping the promise I made to myself.

There are so many other things to write about – there are too many things to write about. Current events abound with sadness, pain, despair and angst. But, enough, I say. I just will not…I will not talk about the elections, the 4^th round we will most certainly find ourselves battling. I will not talk about the plague which consumes both body and spirit, spreading an over abundance of fear. I will not discuss the war to the north. I will not discuss domestic violence. I will not write about the women, the children left bleeding and murdered by an unimpressed patriarchy. I will not discuss the seeming inability of the current political leaders to compete without malice. I will not discuss the man who shoved me as I waited in line at the city office yesterday. I will not discuss the civic awareness commercials, or the need of these commercials to remind us how to behave and marshal our hygiene. I will not discuss the advertisements reminding us that our educational system now ranks 34 out of 36 in the OECD. I won’t allow myself to register the fact that our medical system is so over-burdened that there is no way we can handle the upcoming pandemic. I will not allow myself to think or dwell on anything that points to the bleak future that I suspect awaits us all. No climate change. No global destruction. No plague. No misogyny. No war. None of that for now.

Catharsis done. Promise on the way to being kept…

OK, so what does that leave? What is out there if not all of ‘that?’

The sun is in hiding. Not that this a negative thing. For us here in Israel, the rain is a reason to celebrate. This is true. The spring has come and it is truly wonderful to witness. This time

of year is a gift, especially after a very rainy winter. – Israel blossoms and I am reminded of God and glory. I am reminded of love. I am reminded of bliss. I am reminded that these do exist. And these exist here.

Traveling around the country this time of year refreshes my soul and reminds me that Israel truly is The Promised Land. From the far south, the breathtaking Arava desert, to the spectacular north -the Golan Heights, the Northern Galilee; the water rushing through the wadis, pushing aside the dryness of earth; the floral arrangement, that can only be seen as glorious glory. All of these remind me that life IS. The beauty of this land, sky and sea cannot be denied.

Yes, we are having a rainy day. Yes, the days are still short -but spring is in the air and the rejuvenation of the earth is wonderous to observe.

We have had a difficult time these past few weeks. The end of these difficulties seems so far off, I cannot envision that world. And so, I suggest you follow my lead and take a break this

Shabbat – step outside, breathe deeply, open your eyes to this blessed land and allow yourselves to take in the energy of the spring.

This is what the world looks like outside right now.