TBE Youth Community
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Community Updates
    • Youth Engagement at TBE
    • Parent Involvement
    • TBEWellesley.org
    • Contact Us
  • Early Childhood
  • Grades K-5
    • K-7 Registration 2018-2019
    • Limud (Grades K-5) >
      • Limud Curriculum
      • Limud Calendar
    • Omanut (Grades 4-5) >
      • Omanut Calendar
      • Omanut: CommuniTREE
      • Omanut: Passover Questions
      • Omanut: Stained Glass Menorah
      • Omanut Illustration Project
      • Omanut Visual T'fillah
      • Omanut Photos
    • Sifrut (Grades 4-5) >
      • Sifrut Calendar
    • Tagliyot (Grades 4-5) >
      • Tagliyot Calendar
      • Tagliyot: Passover
    • Bar/Bat Mitzvah Meeting
    • JELY Jr.
    • Summer Plans
    • Passport to Israel
  • B'Yachad (Grades 6 & 7)
    • About B'Yachad
    • B'Yachad Guide 5779 (2018-2019)
    • B'Yachad Registration 2018-2019
    • B'Yachad Calendar
    • B'Yachad Shabbaton
    • Ma'asim Tovim >
      • Connecting Generations
      • Disabilities
      • Environmental Awareness
      • Hunger and Homelessness
      • Literacy
    • JELY
    • B'nei Mitzvah Resources
    • Summer Plans
  • Havayah: The Teen Community at TBE
    • About Havayah >
      • Havayah Core Curriculum
      • Havayah Faculty
    • Havayah Chavurot
    • Havayah Events >
      • Havayah RAC Trip
    • Havayah Leadership >
      • Senior Leadership Team
      • Manhigut Council
      • Event Chairs
      • Madrichim Program
      • Kesher Teen Mentoring
      • Havayah Manhigut Shabbaton
    • Extending Your Jewish Journey >
      • Jewish Teen Initiative Brandeis Design Lab
      • Gann Academy
      • JCC Boston Diller Teen Fellows
      • Jewish Teen Foundation of Greater Boston (JTFGB)
      • Jewish Teen Initiative Peer Leadership Fellows
      • JF&CS Journey to Safety TeenSafe Program
      • Keshet
      • NFTY | The Reform Jewish Youth Movement >
        • NFTY Northeast
        • NFTY Interest-Based Programming
        • NFTY @ URJ Biennial Convention
        • NFTY EIE Semester in Israel
      • Prozdor
      • Rising Voices Fellowship
      • Summer Plans
    • Anafim
    • Confirmation
    • Havayah Calendars
    • Havayah Registration
  • Community Resources
    • Dreidel Dash 5K >
      • Dreidel Dash 5K Map
    • Caring Community
    • Day School
    • Holidays >
      • Shabbat
      • High Holy Days
      • Chanukah
      • Tu B'Shevat
      • Purim
      • Passover
    • Holocaust
    • Israel >
      • Anafim
      • Birthright Israel
      • NFTY Heller High (formerly EIE) Semester in Israel
      • NFTY in Israel
      • Passport to Israel
      • TBE Israel Connection
    • Jewish Camping Initiative >
      • One Happy Camper Incentive Grant
      • Camping Initiative Info Form
      • Summer Camps & Programs
      • Bringing Camp Home
      • Summer Road Trip
    • Music
    • Parents & Families >
      • Coping With Tragedy
      • Family Social Action Group
      • And God Created Teens
      • Interfaith Families at TBE
    • TBE College Connection >
      • Birthright
    • TBE Run Club
    • Visual T'filah >
      • High Holy Day Visual T'filah
    • Youth Engagement Fund
  • Social Media
    • Blog
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Photos & Videos >
      • Slideshow
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Bayom Hahu... On This Day

4/15/2013

0 Comments

 
By Brett Lubarsky, Youth Programs Coordinator and Social Media and Community Manager

Today was supposed to be a special day.  It was Patriot's Day...aka Marathon Monday, the Boston-created holiday that pays tribute to our history and our community.  Many of us were doing what the majority of Bostonians were doing: enjoying our day off from work/school and spending time with family and friends.  After taking in the sights for a few hours, I made my way home and turned on the television to watch the rest of the race while planning to catch-up on some things around the apartment.  And then the texts started coming in...

"Are you ok?"
 "What's going on?"
"We're watching the news...what is happening?"
"Tell me you're at home and not in the city."

I didn't want to sit glued to social media and my television following the updates that were streaming in all afternoon.  I didn't want to call and text my friends and family to make sure they were okay.  And after trying to digest everything for the past few hours while we coordinated communication efforts for our temple community, I certainly didn't want to turn the computer on to write this.  I wanted to jump in the car, drive back to Boston, and help.  I felt both helpless and hopeful all at the same time.  I wanted to go donate blood, help direct traffic and lend a hand where I could.

From our local authorities: stay away. We're getting the situation under control and working with many partners to ensure the safety of everyone involved and at home.

From the Red Cross: blood banks are currently full, thanks to the immediate support of runners and people in the area.
Check back to donate in the future.

Our world is so fractured.  I immediately started to think out loud, "this is Boston. This is home. How could this happen here?"  I then thought back to the last blog post I wrote, unfortunately of similar nature.  And while I have immense difficulty coming to terms with why something so bad would happen on a day that is supposed to be so good, I have hope.  Inspiring does not even begin to describe the concept of athletes finishing a marathon running through the finish line directly to donate blood for those neighbors in need.  Our first responders rocked it, quickly helping to create order and bring support in a very tough situation.  "Boston is a tough, resilient and proud town."  Yes, President Obama, we are.  But we also are extremely lucky to have received the out-pour of love and support within minutes of this tragic event from our friends and family around the country and world.  And for all of this to happen on Yom HaZikaron and Yom Haatzmaut...as we remember, honor and celebrate our brothers and sisters in Israel, who know this type of situation all too well.  And to the point that the American media make reference to their training on how to handle such situations.  Wow.

So after the initial shock, after the emails, after the texts and phone calls, and after taking some time to simply sit and think, I created this for our community:
Picture
A prayer, a request, a hope.  If you're in the area and available on Tuesday evening, please join us at Temple Beth Elohim.  Let's come together and bring some light into the darkness.  I know how thankful I am for the love I receive from my friends and family, for being part of our TBE community and the amazing greater Boston Jewish community, and for the overwhelming support and outreach that we've received from family and friends from all over. As we think about those who are in need of support during this difficult time, let's talk to our children about what's going on.  If you or someone you know needs support during this difficult time, please contact a member of our TBE Clergy Team.  And let's pray a little louder. Hug a little tighter. And hope for peace.

Join the conversation!  To stay connected with our TBE community:
TBEWellesley.org
TBE Facebook
@TBEWellesley
TBEYouth.org
TBE Youth Facebook
@TBEYouth

Useful Links

Speaking to Children: Coping with Tragedy (links from the TBE Youth website)

RJ Blog: What Israeli Resilience Can Teach Us After Boston Marathon Explosions

CJP/JCRC Joint Statement of Sympathy

A Prayer from Rabbi Joe Black
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG

    Fresh thoughts from and about
    the TBE Youth community!  Content is created by
    TBE Staff and Congregants.

    Do you like to write? Interested in contributing to our story here?  Contact Leah to learn more >>

    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    November 2018
    July 2018
    February 2018
    July 2017
    March 2017
    April 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    April 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012

    Categories

    All
    Beit Midrash
    Bely
    Bm3t
    Brett Lubarsky
    Chanukah
    CJP
    Current Events
    Ellie Kahn
    Hannah Elbaum
    Havayah
    Hebrew
    Holidays
    Israel
    Jessica Bram
    Jewish Camp
    K-5 Programs
    Kehilah Kedoshah
    Kislev
    #KislevIsForKindness
    Leadership
    Limud
    Music
    Nfty
    Omanut
    Pop Culture
    Rabbi Franklin
    Rabbi Saphire
    Rashi
    Scholarships
    Shabbat
    Sifrut
    Special Projects
    Summer Road Trip
    Tagliyot
    Teens
    Tikkun Olam
    Torah
    Trips
    Upcoming Events

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
©2018 Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley, MA 02481
Registered trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT US  |  STAFF LOG-IN  |  TBEWELLESLEY.ORG
Picture