Judaism doesn't shy away from death; on the contrary--we run straight into the pain of grief and agony and loss: We sit with our loved ones and pray as they move from life to death. We wash their feet and their bodies when death comes.

1/ We stay with them until they are buried, tenderly guarding their souls. We lower the casket into the ground ourselves. We cast earth onto the casket as we fill in the grave, one final act of love to return the body to the earth.

2/

A thread on being Jewish today.

What breaks my heart the most—
beyond the horrific murders and
violence against Israeli Jews on October 7 and
the ensuing deaths of Palestinians in Gaza—
is the callous disregard and silence
for whether or not Jews live or die.

1/x This from progressives
with whom I have stood
shoulder to shoulder
for decades.

2/x

I'm thinking about the migrants he hurt.

I'm thinking about the women he hurt.

I'm thinking about the Native people he hurt.

I'm thinking about trans people he hurt.

I'm thinking about the people of color, Muslims, & Jews he hurt.

#TrumpIndictment I'm thinking about the earth he hurt.

I'm thinking about the reporters he hurt.

I'm thinking about the scientists he hurt.

I'm thinking about the democracy he hurt.

I'm thinking about his followers he hurt on January 6.

I'm thinking about those in Charlottesville he hurt.