The following is a letter sent by a Jewish Buddhist to her Rabbi in New York City:
Dear Burt,
It is so good to reflect together about our aspirations for peace in the middle east.
In India, one of the teachings I received from a disciple of Neem Karoli Baba, was- even if this world is all illusion, we must act as if it is real...
In terms of the peace movement here, I am an active member of Women in Black. We have a vigil every Sunday afternoon in the center of Woodstock, and other activities ongoing. I have noticed that a lot of my role in this is to invite the peace activists to open more to the suffering of the Israelis; to mourn and bear witness to the suffering of the Israeli victims as well as the Afghani and Palestinians.
And within my family and the Jewish community I notice my role is usually to advocate for non violence, against denomination of "terrorists" and "enemy."
Last night in Woodstock, a teacher, Karunamayi, told us, "children, love this world. Love this world." So perhaps this is my way of loving this world.
Our prayers: May it be safe at the seder tables and pizza parlors in Jerusalem. May it be safe in the streets and homes of Ramallah..May all children everywhere be safe...
Im my spiritual practice, every morning I am chanting (excuse the Hebrew transliteration): Or chadash al tzi-on ta-ir v'niz-ke chulanu m'hei-ra l'oro- May a new light shine on Zion and may all of us merit its light-
I see this chant from the daily morning prayer as a prayer for peace, and one that offers deep insight into peace- I am thinking that peace cannot come to the middle east until we are all ready for the limitless light of peace in the holy land- not just the Palestinians and Israelis, but all of us whose traditions look to Palestine/Israel as a holy land- when we are really really ready to embrace it as holy land, then we will take off our shoes (as the Eternal said to Moses)- take off our armor, our concepts and judgments of good/bad, friend/enemy, lay down our weapons- and place our naked bodies there. Then there will be no space for violence because pilgrims from the world over will go there and be together, praying in the desert. Then we will all merit the light, the new light, and only then will it shine on Zion. This is my view. I cannot share it with everyone because it sounds utopian, dreamlike, almost apocalyptic, but I think you can understand it because you are a spiritual person.
I am filled with grief over this violence, hatred. Yesterday morning I shared a meal here at home with a friend whose brother was killed on September 11 in the World Trade Center. She said the hardest part for her was the hatred and violent reaction from her family against "them", the "terrorists" , afterwards. And all of the unresolved stuff she had with her brother.
SO, I ask myself, are we ready for the light? No. How to get ready? Can I be the light, as much as possible, be the light in my relationships here, with loved ones, neighbors, strangers, animals, insects.
So much has to be let go of. The Buddha said, when he awoke, now I have nothing left to do.
This awakening seems to me to be the light. Nothing left to do except take off our shoes and enter the holy land...
I wish you, my dearest one, who has opened so many doors in Judaism and beyond, to me, to so many, much peace wherever you are. And that you take off your shoes , again and again.
With warm and deep regard, Roberta