No film has helped me cope with quarantine more than Thor: Ragnarok. A film by one of my favorite (Jewish) filmmakers, Taika Waititi, Thor: Ragnarok tells the story of a people struggling with the loss of their home. In the movie’s closing moments, as the people of Asgard are mourning the loss of their planet, they are consoled by one of the most insightful lines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: “Asgard is not a place, it’s a people.”
The theme of a lost home is not foreign to us. It is at the top of our minds every year during the Three Weeks. But during the pandemic, it is at the top of our minds every day. Our offices are closed, our schools are closed, and our beloved BDJ building is closed. Yet I am also reminded on a daily basis that BDJ is not a place, it’s a people.
Our tremendous staff and lay leaders have been able to keep us connected and keep the programming flowing. I have felt spiritually connected by davening with my friends at our daily and Shabbat minyanim. I've even felt socially connected by sharing a virtual l'chaim with my fellow YPs at Torah on Tap. And we have tons of other ways to connect, from our weekly shiurim to virtual Kabbalat Shabbat and our Israel Bookclub.
However, we can't keep up these touchpoints without one thing: your commitment. With your commitment and participation, BDJ can survive and thrive even without our home. Because BDJ is not a place, it's a people.
