Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer

All of us are overwhelmed by the coronavirus crisis that we now face. It is so new and outside our experience that we feel helpless and don't know where to go for crisis-living support, not to mention mental and spiritual support.

When faced with a dilemma like this (but truly, when has any of us faced a dilemma like this?) I often try to draw support from colleagues. In my case, that is the Jewish and Interfaith communities.

Recently, I joined an online support group. It was early and one participant was even in his robe, which somehow brought a smile to all of our faces. I listened intently for guidance and I was not disappointed.

One rabbi offered the following: None of us has experienced this in our lifetime. We should not add 'demeaning ourselves' to the list of issues that we face. No one is good at a job when they start — there is always a learning curve. Next week we will be a little better at this 'brave new world,' whether it be dealing with a house full of children, getting used to our favorite go-to places (gym, library, movies, casinos) being closed, shopping for food with restrictions, or learning how to pastor in the midst of restrictions.

A social worker on the call offered this: We should take this unprecedented period one day at a time. We should focus on what we're doing right now, and what we CAN control in our current environment.

We ended the call sharing narratives of hope in our experiences of the past week.

Of course, as clergy we are accustomed to seeking guidance from our sacred texts. In my case, those are our Torah (first five books of the “Old Testament”) and Tanahk (Hebrew Bible). Several narratives have come to mind.

One such story involved Noah and his family, who certainly underwent a horrific experience on the ark. Their friends were gone, it rained hard and continually for 40 days and 40 nights with not a minute of sun to cheer them (would the rain ever stop?), and they were stuck on a small boat with a lot of animals (surely being stuck in a house with children isn't as bad as that!).

At the end of their trial, God sent a beautiful rainbow to remind us that never again would the Holy One destroy the world.

As I write this, the sun has just come out and the clouds have cleared, when just an hour ago the rain was forceful and relentless.

Birds have resumed their spring songs. Hope springs eternal when our circumstances improve.

Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer is the spiritual leader of Congregation B'nai Abraham on Main Street in Butler.