Surprise, and no surprise: the Israeli flag was taken down from our building by vandals at some point this past weekend. It was up over Shabbat, and when I stopped by this evening after a weekend away, I saw that it had been torn down. It looks like someone cut it off the building. What does it say that they left the American flag and the Pride banners intact? The message is loud and clear.

First and foremost, know that the South Orange police are investigating, and all the protocols we have carefully put in place are now under way. If and when there is more information to share, we will share it. Know that our President Doug Magid is in close touch with the staff and leadership, monitoring the situation for the safety of all. Before we jump to conclusions or make accusations, let’s give the investigation time to fact find.

Pavel and I were away this weekend in the Berkshires. Walking around the sweet New England towns, I was struck—as I always am—by the wide-open doors of the churches. The main streets lined with churches of various denominations, doors propped wide open to the summer breeze and to welcome all passersby. Not a single guard or police officer in sight. Just… people going to church, for spiritual uplift and to be with other big-hearted people in their community.

I found myself thinking about the impact of our vigilance. We, the Jewish people, seem to be constantly on the verge of panic. We have security committees (thank you to those who serve), board members trained for emergencies (thank you, too), guards at the door for services, school, and communal gatherings. The staff keeps the doors locked. In fact, the doors are always locked. I can’t imagine ever leaving them wide open to the summer breeze and anyone who wants to wander in.

This makes me really sad and really curious about what it does to our spiritual lives and parasympathetic nervous systems. Being on high alert isn’t good for us as a baseline state.

So let’s choose not to be.

Let’s choose to take a deep breath and to be grateful — so very deeply grateful — for the law enforcement, staff, and volunteers working on this. And everyone else: just show up, as a proud Jew, or spouse or parent of a Jew. This Shabbat we welcome a church group, one so Zionist that they have Israel as part of their name. They wanted to experience Jewish worship services with us. Come join us.

Light Shabbat candles this Friday night and post it for everyone in your universe to see. Take a deep breath in, giving thanks for this community, this circle of love and support. Then exhale, and choose to let the worry go, dissolving it instead into a vision of what Oheb Shalom is at its core: a place of love and of peace, for Jews and for everyone who loves us. There are so many good and kind neighbors surrounding us. We do so much as a beloved part of this community, and while the loudest voices may frighten us, it is the quiet 99% that matter. We may not be able to fling our doors wide open to the summer breeze, but we can fling our hearts wide open—to one another, to our neighbors, and to everyone who comes seeking love and peace.