Reflections Fall 2018

By Rachel Barcelona

In the Jewish tradition, we are constantly reflecting. As young children, we are taught to never forget our history, our experiences, our customs. We grow up placing mezuzas on our doorposts because we are commanded to and we sing Jewish songs because it reminds us that our present is rooted in our past and we eat matzo ball soup because it is good for our souls. Reflecting brings us closer to ourselves and provides ground for introspective conversation. Thus, when picking a theme for the 70 Faces Fall publication, reflecting found us just as we found Reflections.

This years’ publication focuses on these traditions. We sought to challenge people: what role does Judaism play in your everyday life? How can we tie Judaism into our interests, our activities, our ways of thinking? We have thoughtful pieces on the nation of Israel and angry pieces on the disparities between different sects of Judaism. Reflections is a mirror echoing the voices of our Jewish students, painted with heartbreak, rage, courage. The majority of our pieces were written in response to the anti-Semitic terrorism faced by Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday, October 27^th, a tragedy that stole the lives of 11 Jewish people.

We want you to consider these pieces; they are a space for discourse, understanding our friends, learning from strangers, and respectfully disagreeing with each other through our own collection of experiences.

Reflections speaks to the years of challenges we’ve faced and the many bridges we’ve built to strengthen ourselves, learn from our mistakes and rise above our expectations. Light, as we must remember, is the only force that can drive out darkness. And love, the only force that can drive out hate. These are mere echoes of a well-loved quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a truth that was recited again and again at the interfaith vigil in Pittsburgh the Sunday after the attacks.

And that is why, above all, Reflections will always be powerful, relevant and truthful. Reflecting on our past encourages us to think about our futures, to consider our actions each day and wonder what kind of day we’d like to make it. To search for the light even when we are in the darkness. To pull our friends into the light when they cannot find it themselves.

Wherever you stand right now as a Jew, as a student, a parent, a member of the community, as someone wanting to learn more about Judaism, I welcome you to our 2018 publication: Reflections. Have an open mind and an open heart – you might just learn something new about yourself.