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Writer's pictureShira Lankin Sheps, MSW

How Do We Celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut?




This year no one knows how to celebrate Yom Ha’aztamaut.


Every day since Oct 7, especially today, we are holding space for many emotions.


Our little but powerful country has been in turmoil for years.


Between plague, protests, terrorism, and war- the last few have been intense.


But at the end of the day- our lives here- the fact that our country exists- a Jewish homeland- is still a miracle.


So maybe, we sit in the miracle that we exist.


Or the pain of the suffering of our people.


Or the joy of our remarkable chapter of Jewish history -


Or the privilege and burden of self-sovereignty.


Or we can sit with the fact that we can live in and visit our ancient homeland.


And hold all these truths together and lean into whatever parts we feel are truest or deepest for us at the moment.


And whatever we feel, that's OK.


Because for the last 7 months, we’ve been grieving and healing, breaking and building, losing clarity and gaining new vision, and most of all- hoping.


Hoping that one day soon we will know peace in our land.


And so no matter what feelings come and visit me today–

I hope the one that lingers longest is hope.


Because that is the essence of the Jewish spirit.


Am Yisrael Chai.

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