Elul, Wake up and take action

I am troubled.

The Syrian government has allegedly used chemical weapons against their own innocent citizens.

There has been so much violence in Egypt that its hard to tell who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.  At this point, it doesn’t seem like either option is a good one – considering they both seem to feel its okay to kill those who speak out against them.

In Yemen a video of an 11-year-old girl went viral as she spoke out against her own mother for selling her into an arranged and probably-soon-to-be abusive marriage.  Her own mother! This is not a unique case.

And here in the states we continue to fight for the right to vote (North Carolina!), to end gun violence (Atlanta!) and to end misogyny and sexual harassment (San Diego!).

Yet, what was one of the most talked about issues in the twittersphere and on the morning talk shows this morning – that Ben Affleck is going to be a crappy Batman.

Come on people!  Wake up!  Pay attention to what’s important in this world!

I am reminded of the verses we recite on Rosh Hashanah, during the Shofar service:

Awake, you sleepers, from your sleep!  Rouse yourselves, you slumberers, out of your slumber? Examine your deeds and turn to God…

I pray that as we prepare ourselves for the Days of Awe, we will strive to turn our attention to matters of justice, matters of life and love and peace, matters  that will contribute to healing to our broken world.