Some Random Thoughts

Wednesday night was the beginning of Tisha B'Av, the Jewish national/religious day of mourning. We chant Eicha/ The book of Lamentations. As various members of my community led the reading, many of us softly chanted along

The text particularly spoke to me this year. We are living through difficult times. I was struck this year by how deeply familiar the text is. Verses and verse fragments are part of our liturgy. So many of the verses expressing loss and grief are inscribed on gravestones. Snippets of the text are incorporated into Hebrew poetry both hundreds of years ago as well as in contemporary Hebrew/Israeli poetry and song.

And of course the longing for the return to Zion that is encoded into our religious DNA.

It was a moving evening.

And on a completely different topic...

I am writing this post on a bus that left from the Port Authority Bus station. Hold on to your seats. The bathroom was spotless and smells clean. The Port Authority bathroom is no longer a terrifying place. Totally shocking .

And one last topic.

Everyone who reaches adulthood eventually has to deal with some sort of a chronic health condition. Mine is Lymphedema. If you want you can look it up. Anyway, I have had it since I am 14. Several years ago I discovered the wonders of plugging myself into pneumatic boots that pump the lymphatic fluid out of my legs

Last week the compressor for the boots died.I am awaiting the paperwork for my new pump and boots to go through. I had forgotten how achey my legs were before I began using the pneumatic boots.

I am counting the days until I pick up my new set.

Shabbat Shalom to all of you.

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מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים

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