In dark times, the Jewish People have been kept not by optimism, but by hope. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said that “optimism and hope are not the same. Optimism is the belief that the world is changing for the better; hope is the belief that, together, we can make the world better.”
Tikvah, hope, has always been our guiding light. I remember sitting in Jerusalem listening to a choir sing Hatikvah at a memorial service for fallen soldiers. The overwhelming feeling of grief was present, but what lingered beyond that was hope and a commitment to soldiers currently serving. Hope is not something we all inherently have, but is something everyone present at that service had chosen. And is something we all must choose.
The last few months, it has been difficult to choose hope over despair. But I have seen our community at Stephen Wise — and Jewish communities in Israel and around the world — choose hope, by committing their time and resources to act.
What is a small act you can do today to help solidify your choice of hope amidst the pain? How can you show your commitment to the belief that we can make the world better?
— Rabbinic Intern Hannah Bender
