Prayer for our Country – Sen. Cory Booker | Yom Kippur 5785

We are all struggling in this moment of deep darkness – either riding the constant emotional rollercoaster or already feeling numb. The thing is that both of these will destroy us. Instead, we need to stay connected to our humanity and each other to get us through. That is the only way we will find ourselves back in the light.

How do American Jews navigate complex conversations about Israel and Palestine across generations? And what does it take to truly listen to each other? Rabbi Sharon Brous sits down with IKAR’s CEO Melissa Balaban and her daughter Emma Wergeles to reflect on their recent trip to Israel and the West Bank with Encounter. From different generational perspectives, they share what challenged them, what moved them, and why direct engagement with both Palestinian and Israeli perspectives is essential for for any hope of a lasting and just peace.

This is the moment to remember who we are, to ground ourselves in the story that stands in determined opposition to the story of tyranny.  To tell of a God who cares about the vulnerable.  To become again a people whose faith compels us to protect the frightened.