Before Jemma and I wrote the prayer for peace she prayed during this morning’s Shabbat services, I asked her to think about the war in Israel and Gaza and the West Bank specifically. I asked her to think about young Palestinian and Jewish people her age in the Land. I asked her what images came to mind. She spoke. I took notes. She had questions. We talked about them. Over the next few months, she created an art piece, we wordsmithed, we read it out loud and to ourselves. We considered every word. This is the powerful prayer that came into the world this morning, born of our collaboration.
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