Image by Amichai Lau-Lavie

By Amichai Lau-Lavie October 13, 2016

Thursday 10/13/16

Tishrei 10 5777

Dear me,

This journey is complete and the year is off to a good start.

Today I’ll put up a temporary roof to sit under and watch the stars in the backyard. When you were 4 you made a drawing of a sukkah and signed it for the first time with your, my, name as it was known then: Ami.

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It was the same year as the Yom Kippur war and I remember the sirens and the shelter that we ran to from the shelter of the sukkah. Mother’s handwriting annotating the drawing recalls those days of war.

Who were you then and who am I now and who are we now — as family and people? 40 years, 40 days later.

40 days ago I wrote here about the intentions for the Prepent journey:

“How do I make this life more present, happy, and helpful? Write love letters, one each day for the 40 days leading up to Yom Kippur, to the who and what that matter most in my life: an annual check-in of what matters most.

Not with fear but with love. What is blessed? What is in need of fixing? I’m excited for this journey – one love letter a day.”

On this 40th day, the day after the holy of holies, this journey is done and I’ll hang up your/my drawing on the walls of the sukkah, my backyard holy of holy intentions and intimate gatherings for feasts of togetherness.

Thank you me, age 4, thank you me in all ages -was and now and yet to come – for the journey, for the curiosity, artistic touch, persistence. For keeping at learning how to love.

Thank you all fellow travelers and love letters readers and writers for the lovely words of appreciation, wise connections and meaningful comments. Thank you Laura Adkins at the Forward, Jason Taylor at Lab/Shul and all helping hands behind getting love out there in the world. Let’s love this year with letters, and words, and deeds and needs that will bring us all closer together.

Got suggestions, highlights, feedback? It will be appreciated + replied: send me an email.

Liked it? Thank you for helping us create more free content and program all year round: Support Lab/Shul.

To all the many me’s – a year of Love.

Amichai

PREPENT: Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie’s annual journey to the new year, with 40 ways in 40 days to reflect, refocus, recharge and restart life. This year features daily love letters inspired by Lab/Shul’s theme for the High Holy Days, “וְאָהַבְתָּ re:love.”

Subscribe to Lab/Shul’s mailing list to receive this free daily blog in your inbox by checking “Prepent” as a special interest, share them on Facebook or Twitter, or read it online at the Forward.

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