I was doing pretty well today. This weekend I spent less time on social media, less time watching the news and more time for self care. I spent quite a bit of time in my car because it in Toronto it takes an hour to get to Toronto. I didn’t even care, because it meant music with the windows open.

After spending the day going to the dentist, getting my hair cut, buying a new lipstick (yipick) and grocery shopping, I got home when it was getting dark (too early) and then put the television on. That was when I heard about the Detroit Synagogue president who had been murdered outside her house, on Shabbat. The headlines from multiple sources say “No Evidence of a hate crime has emerged in the killing”. I understand that she had a career in state and local politics, as well as in the Muslim community. Maybe it wasn’t a hate crime, maybe it was, it doesn’t change the fact that another innocent life was taken.

Sunday was downtown to see In Dreams at CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre. As we were driving down Bathurst Street we approached Sheppard Avenue and on all sides of the street were people waving Israeli flags and cheering. I turned to my friend and said, “well at least up here we know we are loved”. After all of the protests downtown this past week I wasn’t sure what we would find at Yonge and Dundas. Thankfully, we found nothing except for a wonderful play.

Today was back at the office and the day went by pretty fast. It wasn’t until I was in my car and I opened Instagram to this opening video of a man being viciously assaulted in Chicago by savage animals at a pro-Palestine rally. I wanted to scroll past the horror, but I couldn’t. It’s a good thing that the windows were closed because the swearing I was spewing into to the phone I will not repeat here. My heart hurts. My head hurts. My soul hurts.

I am just going to leave this here for now. I have just spent the last hour on a webinar from UJA. There is HUGE mobilization happening in Toronto now. If you want to stay informed in everything that is going on during this time in our lives I would encourage you to sign up here.