Each week I get several messages from friends with the message, “Shabbat Shalom.” It’s a message filled with a prayer for a peaceful Sabbath.

The fact that the Sabbath begins on Friday is a given. No work between Friday night through Saturday. We can sometimes become distracted and busy that we focus on the week ahead rather than enjoying the peace which the Sabbath should bring. In all honesty, I am not the most observant, but I have never done work on the Sabbath.

My point, is not my confessions. (I don’t want to paint myself incorrectly) That’s between me and my God. My point is, we have taken the second part of the statement, “Shabbat Shalom,” for granted.

I won’t repeat what happened this past Saturday, you know what happened and there is no point in restating it. Our peace, was stolen from our Shabbat.

Will we ever be able to be at peace again?

In 1973 the holiest day of the Jewish calendar was interrupted by an attack by Israel’s neighbors…

In 2023, Israel was attacked by the devil’s children. The atrocities will never be forgotten or understood.

Peace is a long way, if ever, ahead.

It’s a lonely road we walk, twists and turns, rocks and sudden holes. We walk with the knowledge that our God is with us. We walk the good road, striving to constantly make the path better for each human being.

We are, the Jewish people, a family. We argue, we get angry and we call each other names. But we still get together on shabbat or on holidays.

After this week, the Jewish people have shown what a true family is. Despite the differences in lifestyle, religious beliefs, or political ideology, we come together and continue our work to help each other and whomever may need it.
It’s a tricky, rocky road, this path of humanity. But we stand straight and we walk tall, knowing that peace, true peace, can only be achieved through acts of humanity.

Jews are human beings, if you prick us do we not bleed? Right? But if you attack us, you better run and hide, cause we Jews have had enough.

Forever as one people, forever under our one God. May we all, Jew and gentile, have a true Shabbat Shalom.