Make kiddush, not war…

This witty quip particularly resonates with me this week. Perhaps, with a little tongue in cheek, “making kiddush” is associated with the theme of this weekend’s national holiday. Or perhaps, more soberly, it’s because “war” intimates “violence” and we are coming off a week in which violence has again struck our nation. Or perhaps it is a combination of the two. “Making kiddush“ means coming together to sanctify (l’hakdish), to make holy. While ostensibly we are sanctifying the day of Shabbat, the way we do so as a community is by coming together at the end of services to eat, drink, and spend time together — i.e. to make kiddush. Historically, this special community time was used to catch up, here about each other’s weeks, discuss important topics (perhaps even close some business deals), and learn together. Being invited to kiddush, whether as a regular or as a guest, meant that you were embraced by the community even if at one point you were an outsider. If you want to make peace with someone, bring them to kiddush because how could one not feel the love of sharing laughs, wine, and food together!