This week, we are celebrating the long-awaited release of the remaining hostages in Israel. Our joy is mixed with relief, grief, and prayer, a reminder that even when healing begins, there are still hearts that ache, families still waiting, a longing for peace, and strength needed to heal. Joy and sorrow often coexist; our tradition teaches us to hold both, to dance and to cry, to begin again even in the shadow of what we have lost. We will be doing just that this Shabbat, with our community; as we unroll our Torah and extend our celebration of Simchat Torah with the Ken Ulansey Ensemble, featuring the consecration of new JQuest students, including our K, 1st and 2nd graders.  At the same time, we will include “Yizkor,” a time to remember those we have lost. 

This week we begin the Torah anew, with Bereisheet—the story of creation. “In the beginning,” God brings light out of darkness, order from chaos. Each year, as we roll the scroll back, we are reminded that creation is not a one-time act but a daily practice in our community, we extend the joy of Simchat Torah because our story of beginning never ends.

Joy is a journey in my personal life as well.
After a year of dedication, learning, and faith, our family received the news that our daughter, Aria’s medical test results look good. For us, this isn’t just a medical process, it is a sacred milestone. Together, we have walked a path of healing rooted in love, nourishment, and the belief that food works as medicine and a partner when traditional medication isn’t working.  It has been years of prayerful, patience, and persistence. Our joy is a journey we celebrate.  

The journey toward joy is never linear. It weaves through pain, patience, and small, steady acts of faith. Like creation itself, joy requires partnership—between people, between soul and body, between us and the Divine.  As we begin again with Bereisheet, may we find joy not only in what has been healed, but in the courage to keep trying to create together, a world of peace, hope, and wholeness.