Dear Friends,
This Friday night, Jews around the world will gather with family and friends at their Passover Seders and sing, Dayeinu. The word Dayeinu means “enough,” and the song represents a playful way to celebrate the God’s gifts of freedom, Torah and Shabbat. For generations, Dayeinu has allowed us to collectively articulate that we do not and will not take these gifts for granted.
This year, the Jews of Houston will sing Dayeinu with greater intensity than ever before. This week’s flooding on top of last year’s flooding has caused our community to suffer devastating losses. These traumas have lasting emotional effects as every time it rains, we panic.
Dayeinu! Enough is enough!
While we may not be able to control the forces of nature with our songs and prayers, we can certainly allow these rituals to inspire us to help those in our community who are suffering in the aftermath of the floods. As the waters ebb and the needs of the community become clear, may the words of Dayeinu inspire all of us to act as God’s partners in helping those who will need us.
L’Shalom–Steve