Dear Ones -- participants and encouragers of
Palestinian-Jewish relationship-building,
January 1, 2005 is a good time to strengthen
ourselves with Ralph Waldo Emerson's insight:
On Earth, y-o-u are the "stars" through
whom Light comes to humankind.
Through y-o-u is fastened to the planet the
creativity, generosity, spirit, information, and energy that can make us and
our shared lives truly great.
Today we view more Palestinians and Jews seeing
Light, carrying Light, turning a corner together with their faces toward each
other and Light.
For over six years we have sent you
success stories of People of Light -- Jews, Palestinians, supportive others --
who have moved toward one another, defying old prejudices and walls, becoming
engaged, choosing to live up to our high destiny, neighbors forever.
Those 400 stories reside for all to read at http://traubman.igc.org/messages.htm
.
May they bless us and remind us what we can become
-- more human -- and what is within our reach.
TODAY calls us to look even
further beyond ourselves -- the small "us" -- to the even-larger
"Us."
Here on Earth, an unimaginable earthquake-tsunami
has caused catastrophe beginning with the death of more than 100,000 fellow
human beings.
And the loss of health and of all life's
possessions of many more hundreds of thousands, even millions of beautiful
people.
These are women, youth, and men in great, great
need.
They are just like us, we know and feel as we stare
into our television screens.
At this New Year of new
possibilities, how we Respond matters so much.
Because Crisis can leader to Danger or to
Opportunity.
The Danger is that we allow ourselves to be
indifferent to another's suffering, clinging to the illusion that there is
individual survival any more. And thus become less human, less alive,
less religious, we'd say.
The Opportunity this 2005 eve is that,
from today forward, we can become more human -- forever, if we wish.
We can decide to Respond -- http://traubman.igc.org/respond.htm
-- to love in every situation.
Respond to others in need, others not necessarily not
like ourselves.
In fact, we are mostly alike, from the soul
outward. The soul that remembers union and longs for reunion.
For those of you who wish to
help and believe that grassroots organizations are most efficient, and best
oversee funds and materials, consider donating something -- not too little, not
too much -- through these endeavors that already know the terrain well through
years of service there:
OXFAM
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/give_to_oxfam/donate/asiaquake1204.htm
American Friends Service
Committee
The Karuna Trust
The American India Foundation
http://www.aifoundation.org/site/GetInvolved/donate.html
The American Jewish World Service
https://secure3.ctsg.com/AJWS/donation/index.asp?Item=167
In this Season of Light
To our dear companions:
Palestinians, Jews, and
Others who help keep us
on the Path of Light
Even in dark times
When people lose their way, and
When Carriers of Light are
Needed the most
Remembering
We were wisely created:
One
Different and interdependent
Neighbors forever
We were given Light to see
Our one-ness
We were given two ears, one mouth
To listen -- hear each other's "stories"
To discover our shared humanity
To then want the best for each other
We were given hands
To reach out to one another
To help each other
Let us live our lives that way
With imagination, courage, love
Dedicated
More every day
Growing closer, together
We can, and
We will
)
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Yours,
Libby and Len