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A Moment in Time: Crossing the Line

[additional-authors]
August 11, 2022

Dear all,

Shalom from Jerusalem! Ron and I are here exploring the country of our ancestors and of our descendants. We have met with extraordinary people, including colleagues, Rabbinical Students, and family. We have eaten some of the best food on the planet. We have absorbed the shock of air-raid sirens, as Gaza sent hundreds of missiles toward Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. And we have re-energized our commitment to pursing peace in this fragile region of the world.

One highlight of our trip was visiting the Israel Museum here in Jerusalem. Yes, the exhibits are extraordinary, and I probably could have captured dozens of them for my message this week.

But sometimes it’s the simplest things that take me off-guard that give me pause. This time it was a warning sign near an are installation saying “Please Do Not Cross This Line.”

How often do we find ourselves approaching that line?

How often in our relationships?
How often in our communications?
How often in our families?
How often in our negotiations?

How often when we budget our time or our finances?

When is it appropriate to get close, really close to the line?

And when is it actually necessary to cross it?

Life is challenging. In any given moment in time, we find ourselves testing the boundaries. Let’s just make sure that we are doing so for the right reasons!

With love and Shalom,

Rabbi Zach Shapiro
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