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When Everything Looks Dark, You Are the Shard of Light

02/03/2026 02:34:30 PM

Feb3

By Emma Aaronson & Shayna Dollinger

The Jewish mystical tradition, Kabbalah, teaches us that when the world was created, God’s presence filled the Earth. When God’s divine beings came into the world, God made room for us by contracting the divine light into vessels, but the vessels were too fragile to contain such a powerful light. They shattered across the earth, and our job is to collect the shards, no matter where they are hidden, and restore the divine vessels. This is the Kabbalistic idea of tikkun olam, repairing the world.  

In our world, finding these shards seems nearly impossible, but we attended the Religious Action Center (RAC)’s Consultation on Conscience, where we witnessed the gathering of these shards of light and justice.  

Over the course of the weekend, we witnessed several tragic events unfold—both the shooting at Brown University and the terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia. While we watched in horror, we also found comfort in community, surrounded by not only our own Jewish community but by our friends across faith lines. Throughout the weekend, we heard from outstanding panelists across different faith denominations united in a common goal: building a more just world, together.  

Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch moderated a panel between Bishop Mariann Budde, the Bishop of Washington, and Imam Mohamed Magid, Executive Imam of All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center. Both Bishop Budde and Imam Magid shared their faith’s wisdom in the fight for justice and the vitality of interfaith alliances. Bishop Budde said that justice is not a choice, it’s an obligation, and shared her belief that faith is an empty shell without justice. As Reform Jews, we resonated with this essentiality of justice work. All of us sitting there in the plenary hall were there because our Judaism called us to be. Imam Magid reminded us that we must be consistent in our values, not making exceptions for our own people. Like the Jewish value of b’tzelem Elohim (“in the image of God”), Imam Magid shared that we must look at every human being as a dignified being of God. Both Bishop Budde and Imam Magid emphasized that the Abrahamic faith traditions are brought together by the same core text. We need to focus on our unity, not our division. We know that this work across faith lines is not always easy, but hearing from Bishop Budde and Imam Magid reminded us why it is so important to build and keep those relationships, and to embrace the challenging conversations, even—and especially—in polarizing times.  

Hillel teaches that we light our hanukkiah in ascending order, starting with one candle and increasing each night. He argues that light should not diminish but should grow. As the shamash lights a new candle each night, the light of the shamash itself never goes out; our hanukkiah just glows brighter. The light of justice, like the light of Hanukkah, only grows brighter as we share this work with all those committed to its progress.  

As the social justice interns for Women of Reform Judaism, we were especially drawn to sessions focused on women’s rights and reproductive justice. In a session titled “Reproductive Freedom: A Sacred and Shared Struggle,” we heard from Michelle Scheinkopf, WRJ's Vice President of Social Action, and Jessica Cadmus, Senior Legislative Assistant for the RAC and WRJ. The fear and pain in the room surrounding the ongoing loss of bodily autonomy happening across the country was palpable. And yet, alongside that pain, there was also a powerful call to action. Reproductive rights and health are one of WRJ’s high-priority issues in line with nearly 85 years of tradition. On WRJ’s Day of Action, Sunday, April 12,  sisterhoods and members across North America will gather to take action for reproductive rights, as well as other high-priority issues like gender-based violence, voting rights, climate justice, and antisemitism. The Consultation on Conscience reignited the flame of passion, and we must continue the holy work.  

In one plenary, we heard from Congressman Jamie Raskin, who shared that his father used to tell him that when everything looks hopeless, you are the hope. We want to expand on this; when everything looks dark, you are the shard of light, and it is our holy work to gather together and rebuild the divine vessel.

We are immensely grateful to the Shards of Light Foundation for the gift of this grant that allows us to serve as the social justice interns for WRJ. That week, it granted us the gift of witnessing the gathering of light in Women of Reform Judaism and across the Reform Movement.  

Rabbi Esther Lederman, Vice President of Leaders in Action at URJ, shared that the miracle of Hanukkah is not that the oil lasted for eight days, but that we had the courage to light the hanukkiah anyway, knowing there was only enough oil for one day. May our world grow brighter this week with the light of our hanukkiot, and may our world grow brighter this week and in the coming weeks, with the light of justice. May we all have the courage to light the first light, even if we fear only having enough oil for one day. May we be amazed by what can happen once that first light is lit. Ken yhi ratzon (May it be Your will). 

February 8, 2026 21 Sh'vat 5786