On this beautiful Sacramento morning, in the face, perhaps in defiance of, so much in the world that is painful, tenuous and deeply troubling, we convened and we lifted up what connects us – the promise of growth and healing, and the potent ability for people to endure, to create change, and to scaffold our communities in justice and truth.
A Moment in Time: “Inviting Guests into the Sukkah”
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
Dear all,
Ron and I enjoy decorating our sukkah each year in anticipation of the Festival of Sukkot. Traditionally, people put photos of ushpizin/ “special guests” that typically include the biblical and rabbinic ancestors in Judaism. Often hosts will add pictures of generations gone by.
We also make the opportunity to take advantage of the open nature of the sukkah – and we invite family, friends, and neighbors to join for a meal.
All this makes me think…. If you could invite one person (in our time or historically) to join you for a meal as a special guest, who would it be? What would you discuss? And for how long would that person stay?
After a week, the sukkah comes down. It’s a reminder that things in life change – and that we therefore have opportunities to nurture a moment in time to harness an important conversation.
With love and shalom,
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
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