We interupt this program...
We checked-in at around 3pm Friday afternoon and hopped online to check out the latest news from Mumbai. I was surprised to see the NY Times headline at that hour: Indian Special Forces Fire Upon Jewish Center. At the time, there really was no real information besides for that.
We left for Friday night services a few hours later and I somewhat expected the rabbi to lead the service at the end with a few Psalms, even if only to pray for the survival of the hostages inside the Jewish Center (let alone all the others in the Taj). But there was not even a mention of it.
On Saturday morning we learned that they stormed the center and 6 hostages were killed, including the young rabbi and his wife. But still no mention from the rabbi during his two (yes, two) sermons. I know that if I were home in Washington, we would have said a few Psalms and I'm sure our rabbi would have mentioned it. He wouldn't have expounded on it's political implications, as it's not his way to do so in a congregation full of real politicians, would-be politicians, fake politicians, government employees, and others. But he would have at least acknowledged the tragedy that was unfolding half a world away. In Sydney, the tragedy was unfolding a bit closer, but we got nothing.
Saturday was the first time since this trip began that I wished I could have been back home, even for 24 hours.
We left for Friday night services a few hours later and I somewhat expected the rabbi to lead the service at the end with a few Psalms, even if only to pray for the survival of the hostages inside the Jewish Center (let alone all the others in the Taj). But there was not even a mention of it.
On Saturday morning we learned that they stormed the center and 6 hostages were killed, including the young rabbi and his wife. But still no mention from the rabbi during his two (yes, two) sermons. I know that if I were home in Washington, we would have said a few Psalms and I'm sure our rabbi would have mentioned it. He wouldn't have expounded on it's political implications, as it's not his way to do so in a congregation full of real politicians, would-be politicians, fake politicians, government employees, and others. But he would have at least acknowledged the tragedy that was unfolding half a world away. In Sydney, the tragedy was unfolding a bit closer, but we got nothing.
Saturday was the first time since this trip began that I wished I could have been back home, even for 24 hours.
posted by elanit | 4:02 PM
1 Comments:
Kesher Israel said tehillim on Thursday and Friday, and added a mishebeakh today. RDBF's drasha was about Esav and using the midrashim and lessons therefrom to understand the world.
Occasionally I wish that the world were very different than it is.
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