Love, my brother.

This article has been published in The Jewish Press

They come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. They have many similarities, and at the same time, so many differences. They look different, they act different, they speak different languages. But they have one thing in common, one interlinking thread that binds them all together.

They share the same Father, the same heritage, the same nation.

They are all Jews.

Some of them wear straimels, some wear just hats, tall or short. Some wear velvet yalmukas, some wear white, some wear kippa srugas (knitted) and some wear none at all.

They wear kappatas, jackets, white shirts, colorful. White socks, black, or bare feet.

Shaitels, snoods, falls, or no covering. Skirts, long or short, long sleeves, short sleeves, no sleeves, pants.

Two candles after marriage, one candle from age three. Arranged marriages, shidduchim, or blind dates.

Praying in English, Hebrew, so many differant ways.

Bobov, Beltzer, Breslov, Chassidish, Yeshivish, Mizrachi, Dati Leumi, Charaidi, Chilonim, Chabad.

But we are all Jews.

You may look at me, and judge me for how I dress, act, or speak. You may not understand a lot of what I do, or disagree with it. You may pass me in the street, and look down upon me, for I am different than you. We are strangers, you and I.

But we are all Jews.

We all stood together at Mt. Sinei, and received the Torah, 10 commandments, 613 mitzvos, millions of interpretations. We all declared G-d as our King, we all accepted His commandments, we all uttered the words 'Naase Venishma', together, one voice, loud and clear.

We are one.

We all camped together. Vayichan Sham Yisroel- k'ish echad b'leiv echad- one heart, one soul.

We built the Beis Hamikdash together, we went into golus together, and we were redeemed, together.

We shared joy, and pain.

We share a history, you and I.

We are one.

One family, one Father, many children. We each chose our own path, our own interpretation, our own way of serving G-d. We each believe we are right. But 'right' comes in many ways. You try to change me, because you believe you are right, and I am wrong. But in serving G-d, there is no right or wrong.

Just like siblings, we fight. At times, we may hate each other, a hate so strong, that it blinds us from the love. We forget our connection, the natural bond that we share. We judge each other, hurt each other, insult each other.

But we are one.

My brother, it is time to let go of that hate, and let the love in, let it wash away our differences.

One lamb amongst 70 wolves. One nation, so small, against the world, who wants to kill us, hate us, destroy us.

So why must we destroy ourselves? Let the world do its job.

It is time to love. To unite against the forces of evil who wish to destroy us.

We must show G-d, our Father, that we are deserving of His love, of His gift, of redemption.

Two men, so diverse in their way of serving G-d, sit and share a word of Torah.

They are bridging the gap.

A boy puts on Tefillin with someone who has never uttered a word of prayer in his life.

They are bridging the gap.

Simchas Bais Hashuava.

Chassidim, Misnagdim, Bobov, Yeshivish, Lubavitch. Linking arms, one circle, one dance.

A shliach opens his home, his heart, to a man passing through.

Doesn't matter who he is, where he came from, what he looks like.

He has a soul, he is a Jew.

Little by little, we are bridging the gap.

So many siblings, part of one big family. They may not always like each other, or get along. But they share a love so deep, a natural connection, that can never be broken.

The love gets covered up with hate, with stupidity, with foolishness. We let our differences get in the way.

It is time to uncover the love, tap into it, show it.

I love you, my brother. Believe it, accept it, cherish it.

And please, find it in your heart to love me back.

You are mine.

I am yours.

We are one.