I keep trying to write a post about my feelings around Passover this year and my computer keeps eating it. One of the things I was amazed at when I went to my first Seder was the emphasis on the lack of hatred toward those who kept the Jewish people slaves. As part of the ceremony, wine is poured out to express how the Jews' joy at their freedom is diminished by sorrow at the horrors suffered by the Egyptians as a result of the plagues. I thought that was amazing and wonderful and showed a generosity of spirit toward the oppressors that was so new to me at that time.

Now, in the aftermath of the shooting, the emphasis here has been on support and trying to get the public service parts of the Jewish Community Center back up and running. There is a food pantry there that serves the entire community, as well as housing the offices for several other community support organizations. I just think that speaks volumes about the souls of of the people involved. There is no angry lashing out at the 'others' who have done this to them. There is sorrow, mutual support and an attitude of just getting back on with the work that needs to be done in the community. The people here have been reminding each other about the Jewish laws about trying to repair the world and not cause further destruction.

It is just so horrible to me that a community like this, so generous and kind and trying to do good in the world, is subject to so much misunderstanding and hatred. In particular, targeting these two places -- the community center which is focused on doing good in the world and helping the less fortunate in the community, regardless of their race, ethnicity or religion, and the retirement home where the some of the most vulnerable in our community are housed, is just so, so horrible.

I need to focus on the good that I see in the aftermath and not on the horrors that so clearly exist in this world. I have trouble doing that sometimes.