A holiday message

On behalf of the West Hempstead Clergy Council, we wish all the residents of our communities a joyous, blessed holiday season. In the darkest days of winter, we celebrate festivals of light. Jewish people place a lit Hanukkah menorah in their windows facing the public thoroughfare and Christians adorn their trees and homes with an array of beautiful lighted displays. Light not only brightens and dispels the darkness, it is a symbol of hope for humanity and for the world. 

As Americans, we have so much in common, though our religious traditions are different.  During this season, in particular, when we celebrate our respective faiths and cultures, we take pride in our ability to do so.  I recall a movie many years ago in which a secret code employed the letters P, O, E.  This, of course, stands for Peace On Earth, a fervent prayer we all embrace. I also recall a favorite hymn that I heard some years ago, "Let There Be Peace On Earth."  Peace is not just an ideal or a slogan. It assumes a certain attitude on our part, it javascript:%20window.open('/post_engine.php?module=Stories&action=attachments&story=21598','','width=500,height=550,scrollbars=1,resizable=1');%20void(0);assumes a human ability to be peaceful. The hymn acknowledges that peace ‘begins with me.’ This is both the secret and the challenge. Peace requires that each of us relate to our fellow human beings with love, not hate.  That we approach every transaction with another human being with compassion and empathy, not anger and envy.

We are blessed to live in the great United States where each of us is free to pursue our own religious values and beliefs, while at the same time, respecting the religious values and beliefs of others. If we all could only practice this more in our daily lives, the world be a more peaceful place.

May the symbols the holiday season, the rituals of our respective faiths and the knowledge that we are one family in God’s eyes, inspire us to ‘seek peace and pursue it.’ Blessings of peace and love to all the members of the West Hempstead community.

Rabbi Art Vernon, convener

West Hempstead Clergy Council