I was gonna say “I hope you are having a beautiful week”….

… but the truth is, almost no one I know is having that.

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Almost everyone I know is going through something terrible and heavy.

if not, at the very least, something very tiring.

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If that’s you… I’m so sorry.

(you are so not alone.)

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Lately, more than ever, I am out of words.

I have a lot to teach. But teaching feels like entirely the wrong thing right now.

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So… can we just sit together?

Here is a spot in the shade that is also warm.

Hey. It’s gonna be okay.

I don’t know when.

But it will.

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I thought I’d send you some nuggets from my world that feel particularly alive.

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(1) In 10 days, we raised $20K that went to 6 different Gazan families.

A while ago, I announced a Matching Donations Campaign to raise funds for families trying to escape Gaza. You contributed $20K (!)

I matched your gifts, contributing a total of $40K.

Is it enough?

No.

hahahahahahahaha…. no.

But we do what we can.

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(2) April Rosenblum finally came to Instagram.

You should know her.

She is a luminous writer. And my teacher on all things antisemitism.

She just collaborated with an illustrator to bring her (previously very off-social media, and enormously influential) writing us a series of essays on building resistance to antisemitism within the context of organizing for Palestine.

Important stuff.

And when she does it, it’s beautiful stuff, too.

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(3) Are we backing away from expressions of sadness, pain, and joy?

Heather Havrilesky wrote an essay about the Rise of Emotional Displacement.

It felt so damn spot on. Exactly the kind of conversations we should be having.

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(4) There’s hope for social media yet.

Every time I think it cannot be salvaged…

I see stuff like this.

I laughed so fucking hard.

People are incredible.

Even now.

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Lastly, I share with you a poem by bell hooks that I’m sitting with. It’s about togetherness. That matters now. Perhaps, more than ever.

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the last song

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within my hands

i hold the magic seed

let us eat and drink together

our time will not be long

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within my voice

i carry the magic sound

our song of sorrow

our dance of praise
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within my heart

i house the hidden flower

fragrance of morning

dew of nightfall

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that we may

sleep sound

remembering always

this time together

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***

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Love you.