Author of “Saving Abigail” Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali with Rabbi Sharon Brous

Vayetzei 5786 When it comes to speaking about the personal experiences we’ve had— or we yearn for— with God, we tend to retreat into self-consciousness and silence. I’d like for that to change. So, here’s my story.

Our ancestor, Isaac, repeated the pattern of his father’s failures—an expression of loyalty to the covenant. We, too, may feel trapped by the force of the past, as though we are powerless to the repetition of the worst chapters of our history. But we can—and must—choose agency over inevitability.