Rabbi Susan Elizabeth Lippe

Sometimes being an ally is risky and/or challenging. Sometimes being an ally simply means sharing valuable words with more potential allies. Please read. Please pass it on - by email, by text, by mail, and/or whichever ways can best reach more and more potential allies.
https://www.ccarnet.org/central-conference-of-american-rabbis-statement-of-concern-for-vulnerable-colleagues-our-families-and-the-communities-we-serve/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJqCvFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHqls94G0vcS9xP-S_pFkhP5-JXCECbRTHHHyOEaPLG83P-x9VGwZJ56bzf35_aem_Ee0ho4lBT8Igew1-ehxWZQ

Central Conference of American Rabbis Statement of Concern for Vulnerable Colleagues, Our Families, and the Communities We Serve - Central Conference of American Rabbis April 8, 2025 The Central Conference of American Rabbis is deeply concerned about the welfare of its members, its members’ families, and members of the communities we serve whose lives, health, homes, and livelihoods have been placed at risk by executive orders and proclamations issued by the curr...

American Friends, I'm worried about this trend of telling people to either avoid the news or to only focus on "good news." On the one hand, I acknowledge the pain of mental illnesses of all sorts. Of course, everyone needs to do what is best for their own mental health. It's our responsibility to care for ourselves, AND we are responsible for making the world better, too. Democracy/community works better when we are more educated and more involved and better read. There are many ways to protect your mental health while also working to better the world. Maybe choose to READ the news instead of listening/watching. Maybe choose to read the news in only one physical place or time of day. However, please do not disconnect yourself from the news entirely. We all need each other to participate in the betterment of our communities. I'm not saying this because my family and friends were affected by fires. I'm not saying this because I have family and friends in Israel. I'm saying this for my local community, too. Our neighbors need us. Our communities need us. Please please please do not disconnect. Please find ways to know more and participate more. Thank you. Love, Susan

My heart is in Los Angeles this week. When I'm teaching, I often use fire as an example of something that can be incredibly helpful or incredibly horrible depending on context. Wind is the same kind of force. This week the combination of fire and wind has been powerfully destructive. I'm not putting a "prayer" here because don't all prayers encompass the feelings we feel this week - helplessness, despair, frustration, and more? Prayers for strength, for community, for safety, for hope? For clean air? And, of course, prayers to express grief for loss and gratitude for safety - often in the same moment.
To those of you who are in harm's way, please take good care of yourselves. I've heard a lot of survivors' guilt in recent days. Please know: when you take care of yourself and evacuate, you are contributing by letting fire fighters and other first responders focus resources on others. Taking care of yourself IS taking care of the city.
When we are at our best, humans struggle to find ways to make the world better. I hope we can continue work together to help keep more and more people safer and safer.

I'm never really ready for Yom Kippur. This time, I wasn't ready for October 7, 2024 either. Yesterday, I was ready to fight someone. Today, I don't want to fight with anyone. Bottom Line: I know that friendships/partnerships make our world better - even if it's only a tiny corner. Please check out these hard-working peaceniks: https://parentscirclefriends.org/ and https://www.afcfp.org/ I hope they bring you inspiration and/or hope and/or comfort. If you can donate, that's great. Please also share/amplify these organizations in which people from All The Sides work together to build more peace, love, and understanding. Praying for a healthier, safer, more peaceful world for everyone, everywhere.

AFCFP: Growing the Movement of Palestinian & Israeli Peacebuilders, Working to End the Occupation Join American Friends of Combatants for Peace in advocating for peace, justice, and collective liberation in Palestine and Israel. We focus on conflict transformation, human rights, and cross-border community building through nonviolence, education, and international awareness. Explore Israeli-Pales