Friday, June 19, 2020

Most recent puzzle completed


This one didn't take long. I just didn't have a lot of time to spend on it. I will be trying to work on these puzzles more during Shabbat to stay off screens and relax.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

This White Woman's Tears

This White Woman’s Tears

Some say that a history of 400 years of slavery and oppression
and injustice is embedded in the bodies of my black brothers and
sisters. In that light, I acknowledge that a history of 3000 years of
anti-semitic persecution, pograms, and genocide is embedded in
my own body. I’m not trying to win a contest here. I am sharing
with you one reason why this white woman’s tears must flow.

I cry when I’m happy. I cry when I am sad. I cry when I get a
minor boo boo. I cry when I’m touched. I cry when I am angry. I cry
when I am inspired. I cry when my feelings get hurt. I cry when
someone dies. I cry when someone gets married. I cry when a
new baby gets their name. I cry when I remember my grandparents
and my father. I cry when my former 7th grade students graduate
from high school. I cry when I remember Josiah Pratt Rose. I cry
when tragedies in my synagogue community happen. I cry when
I remember the Holocaust. I cry when I read books and watch
television programs and watch movies. (If I also laugh, then I
know it was a good one.) I am crying right now.

I can’t not cry when my black and brown brothers and sisters are
being mistreated and killed. I can’t not cry when thousands of
humans are unjustly incarcerated. I can’t not cry when the people
who are supposed to protect their communities harm them instead.
I can’t not cry when this country of mine has a leader who calls for
violence and a return to “good old days” that were not good for ALL
Americans. I can’t not cry when my heart and soul hurt so much.

This is how I express the feelings that I have inside of me. I need
to express myself through these tears. And this does not mean I
want or need to be comforted. This does not mean I want the
story to become about me. This does not mean everyone should
stop what they are doing and make sure I am okay. I am crying in
order to take care of myself. I will be okay, or at least as okay as
anyone can be when there is so much wrong with our country
and our world.

I cry with you. I cry because it hurts so much to see you hurting.
I cry because I can’t truly know for myself the burden my black
brothers and sisters must carry, but I can imagine. And I can
educate myself. I cry as I stand with you, for you, supporting
you, and voting for leaders who will stand with you, for you,
and support you.