Passover is coming.
In these hectic days before the holiday we are engaged in a myriad of preparations.
While I too have been immersed in the mundane activities of cleaning shopping and preparing I am struggling with remaining connected to our brothers and sisters who are living in a war zone in Israel.
I don’t want to lose sight of what they are experiencing.
This desire to remain focused has led me to think about ways to do just that.
I’ve been trying to make sure to include a prayer daily - sometimes saying a chapter of Psalms (available on Jwcatlanta.org) or I offer up a personal self made prayer.
I make a point of calling family in Israel daily to let them know I am thinking of them.
There are many options to give charity to worthwhile causes in Israel and that is another way to stay connected.
I read constantly about developments and stay informed about the incessant rocket barrages.
I marvel at the resilience of our people as I read real time accounts of bravery.
There is Ido, the young man who takes an elderly lady to the bomb shelter every time there is an alert.
Or the memes about Israelis lining up to buy coffee immediately after being released from the safe rooms.
The empty nesters who go down to communal bomb shelters armed with giant coloring books and assortments of crayons to keep the children busy.
And the impromptu concerts and matchmaking sessions that spring up all around the country.
I talk to my Mom on the phone in Jerusalem and hear the siren blaring in the background and she calms me by saying she survived The Blitz in London in WW2 and this too will pass.
Her faith inspires me.

So as we go about our day to day, which we must do, we have to do our best to consciously stay connected to our family in Israel. They tell us that our thoughts and presence give them strength.
Yaffa Palti shared that she too is struggling to remain present and in one of her podcasts she shared her methodology to achieve this kind of connection.
We know that even the most basic act of cooking can be laden with complexity.
No one wants to be at critical juncture at the stove when the siren clamors.
So Yaffa shared that when she is chopping, cooking and tasting, fully engaged in the job at hand and having a moment of calm she prays that in Israel her sisters too may exercise this basic need and be blessed with serenity while they toil in their kitchens.
By thinking of our family while we participate in our mundane activities, we can heighten our awareness of them. We may not be sharing in the experience of the war but we can still remain connected in our common experience.
While this will not solve the situation, it will bring their presence and their connection to us in sharper focus.
In this week’s Torah portion which is called Tzav we are taught about the Mitzva of clearing the ash from the altar.
Every morning the Priests would remove the ashes from the sacrifices of the previous day. This mundane activity can be compared to trash removal. In the holiest place in the world there are activities that seem menial.
Yet our Sages teach us that this ash removal is laden with holiness and meaning. What was holy yesterday-the sacrifice, retains its holiness going forward. We should continue to embrace its ongoing sanctity. And even the Priests who are the elite class should not remove themselves from doing “mundane” work, because it is actually the epitome of holiness and connection.
A couple once went to see Rabbi Mordechai Gifter, the dean of the Telz yeshiva and a rabbi of great renown. The husband complained that his wife expected him to take the trash out and he felt it was beneath his dignity. Rabbi Gifter agreed with the husband. The next morning at 7am there was a knock on the door of the aforementioned couple. The husband was shocked to find Rabbi Gifter at his door announcing that he had come to take out the garbage. He told the recalcitrant husband
“It may be below your dignity to take out the trash but it is not below mine”.
The removal of the ash which might seem menial was actually sought after by the Priests who understood its deeper meaning.
We build on yesterday’s ashes, whether they represent the ancestors who paved the way for us, or these ashes may represent the ashes of our own mistakes which are the basis upon which we build upon to continue to grow.
So as we get ready for the holiday ahead let’s use the “menial “ tasks as springboards of growth and connection.
And in those moments let’s feel the pain our brethren are experiencing and feel that with them while at the same time be inspired by their ongoing resilience and fortitude in these challenging moments.
In the midst of war, youngsters are signing up to be paired with an older person to make sure they get to shelter safely. Even though this may delay the young person’s ability to get to the shelter quickly, they are volunteering in high numbers to do this holy task.
They will lead us on a path to true redemption.
Wishing all a happy and healthy Passover!
Sending thoughts and best wishes from my stove to yours and looking forward to reconnecting after the Passover holiday.
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!