I wish there was more space for us to feel loss and grief for the things we can't do Jewishly because of covid-19.

I miss being able to go on retreats and submerge myself in a Jewish environment away from the familiar, surrounded by nature. These experiences were spiritually nurturing and transformative for me in a way that can't be replicated elsewhere.

I wonder if we sometimes sort of gloss over the impact of spiritual losses or rush to put a positive spin on them. Consider: the 2nd Temple. Yes, we mourn its loss every year for Tisha B'Av, but we don't usually treat the loss of the sacrificial system as a real loss.

Before someone puts words in my mouth, I'm NOT saying there aren't significant benefits to the home becoming the locus of Jewish ritual or using prayer in lieu of animal sacrifice. I'm NOT saying the option to use digital tools for Jewish gatherings is unwelcome.

What I AM saying is that other options for spiritual engagement becoming unavailable is a loss, and as a community we should be allowed the time and space to grieve that, to reflect on it and try understand what it meant, even if we can't revive it.

Once we face and process that grief, we can start to dig for the kernels of purpose and practice which we can transport to our current situation. It won't look the same, but perhaps it can fulfill similar spiritual yearnings.