“Fasting is the first principle of medicine;
fast and see the strength of the spirit reveal itself.”
Rumi
For me, one of the most memorable speeches during this year`s Ramadan dinners was delivered by Rabbi Abbi Sharofsky from the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) at Rumi Forum`s 2024 Reunion Iftar. She shared a poignant poem by Yehuda Amichai, an Israeli poet and advocate for peace who used his poetry to call out the spaces without peace, urging us to transcend our rigid beliefs and embrace love and doubt as catalysts for change, such as in his well-known poem ‘The Place Where We Are Right’:
“From the place where we are right
Flowers will never grow
In the spring.
The place where we are right
Is hard and trampled
Like a yard.
But doubts and loves
Dig up the world
Like a mole, a plough.
And a whisper will be heard in the place
Where the ruined
House once stood.”
These verses encapsulate a powerful truth: our certainties, though comforting, can also be barriers to growth and understanding. Rabbi Sharofsky beautifully emphasized the importance of moving beyond our fixed positions towards a place of mutual acceptance and empathy.
This was a flashback moment for me because Micah Hendler, who was in the crowd at that Iftar, echoed this sentiment in his acceptance speech for the 2023 Rumi Dialogue Award, where he shared his journey of seeking the “meeting field” where differences dissolve, and genuine connection thrives, in reference to Rumi`s following verses:
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
In his own words, Micah mentioned this as an inspiration for his life`s work as the founder and artistic director of the Jerusalem Youth Chorus (JYC), whose mission is to bridge divides through music and dialogue:
“I have been really chasing that field for almost 20 years now. It really speaks to the journey that I have been trying to follow as best as I can to find and create those spaces where people can actually experience beyond that field: The idea that maybe there are other ways of being together that don`t necessarily need to be defined by what other people think separates us, or what maybe actually separates us. Still, people can choose to be drawn sometimes in other ways or layers of human experience.”
These profound words encapsulate the essence of Micah`s work with the JYC. As the chorus prepares to embark on their “A Different Song” tour in Washington, DC, their message of harmony and understanding resonates more than ever. Through music and storytelling, these young voices from East and West Jerusalem challenge stereotypes and pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future.
On April 9, 2024, the Adas Israel Congregation and the One America Movement will host the JYC in a concert that promises to celebrate unity and resilience. As the world focuses its attention on the Israel-Palestine conflict, this event serves as a beacon of hope, reminding us that peace is possible when we embrace diversity and dialogue.
In supporting the JYC’s programming, we empower young voices that sow the seeds of peace for future generations. Let us heed the call to embrace doubts and love, and together, let us find the meeting field where flowers bloom, and harmony reigns supreme.