Medicine, and chicken soup. When you’re sick both help you get better or at least feel better, in different ways.
My medicine yesterday was gathering for prayer in the evening, saying some psalms and a prayer for the country and singing together with others on Zoom.
My chicken soup, though, was actually a whole lot of civic activity in my Wednesday, all of it previously scheduled.
I started off in a conversation with someone I hadn’t met before, an Israeli Orthodox teacher and scholar. We were “fixed up” by a mutual friend. He was looking for someone with a different perspective on Judaism to speak with, because he felt that too many in his world wouldn’t do that. It was a terrific conversation that we’ll pick up next week. Among many other things, we discussed a classic passage in the Talmud about disagreement when “these and these are both the words of the living God.”
At noon I chaired the monthly meeting of the Nashua Area Interfaith Council. We gather across some profound religious difference, as clergy and lay leaders from congregations, as nonprofit leaders who are steeped in religion.
In the evening I helped facilitate a public meeting about the goals and vision of the new master plan for the City of Nashua. I got to help officials from City Hall, and talk in a small group with people who are connected to city government and news media. We talked about what an ideal community looks like on the neighborhood and city level, not just concepts but what it looks like as infrastructure and buildings and transportation.
In between I met with colleagues and teams within the synagogue, discussing goals of education and especially interconnection for the next 4-6 months.
What’s your medicine and your chicken soup right now?
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