Let no one be deluded, it is an exhausting rite of passage. To pray and recite Kaddish thrice daily in the midst of a caring community restores a semblance of order and begins to fill the void with warmth, if not meaning. Second, the ritual gives us a language to express our pain and despair. The ancient words and acts become vessels designed especially for us to articulate the feelings that assault us. Finally, the unending flow of family and friends creates a unique opportunity to collect our disparate memories of the loved one we have lost and to compose a portrait for the years to come.
Memory bridges the abyss.
At the end of it all we are not wiser, but stronger, resigned to live purposefully in our ignorance. Sincerely, Ismar Schorsch Home Browse Talk Shop Sign Up Search Courses Receive the JTS Torah commentary and Shabbat candlelighting times sent to you weekly by e-mail. Click here to sign up for free membership. If you're already a member, Log In .