Last night I had the privilege of going to Ravinia with Simon’s cousins. We sat outside and listened to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Joshua Bell play the Bruch Violin Concerto #1 in G Major.
It is no secret that I love to go to an outdoor summer concert–Tanglewood, the Boston Pops on the Esplanade, a band concert on Chelmsford Common. All of those would remind me of Ravinia and hearing Aaron Copeland conduct Copeland when I was a child and we lived in Evanston.
Last night I closed my eyes and listened. I could hear the birds and the crickets blend with the music. Occasionally there was the giggle of a child. I could hear echoes of another Bruch piece. Kol Nidre. The sky was blue with fluffy clouds. A plane flew far overhead, not on its way to O’Hare. Slowly the sky turned to purple and the stars came out. For 25 minutes I was transported away. For 25 minutes I experienced peace.
The world seems simple. The world, at least my little corner of it, sitting in my beach chair, was at peace.
Listening to CNN, that peace seems elusive. Today is Rosh Hodesh Av. Our mourning intensifies in the summer heat as we remember the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem and the expulsion of the Jews from Israel on Tisha B’av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. The world was not at peace in 586 BCE or 70CE or 1492 CE or 1942. It is still not today.
Rosh Hodesh Av means that we are just 60 days away from Rosh Hashanah. The preparations have begun. The choir has started rehearsals. The honors list has been drafted. I am working on Selichot, Kever Avot, Tashlich, Yizkor, to provide more meaning.
But what about peace? Can it be as simple as sitting at Ravinia? Maybe.
For several years I have asked you, my congregants, readers and friends, to write something during the month of Elul. One year it was about forgiveness. One year it was about the 13 Attributes of the Divine. This year we will write about peace. We will culminate this project on Yom Kippur, 40 days later. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, of at one ment. Maybe that is peace. Being at one.
What is peace to you? Maybe it is lighting Shabbat candles. Maybe it is sitting on the beach watching a sunset. Maybe it is curled up with the dog (or the cat?). Maybe it is driving on the open road or watching a baseball game. Maybe it is a piece of music or piece of art. Whatever it is–tell us.
Send me your writings by August 15st to be included. Pick one aspect of peace. Tell us why it is important to you. Include a personal story of how you understand peace or what peace means to you. Make it 250-750 words. In this way you will help enrich all our understanding and the celebration of Rosh Hashanah.
May this be the New Year of Peace
L’shalom,
Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein
Congregation Kneseth Israel
330 Division Street
Elgin, IL 60120