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February 28, 2026
Dear Beth Israel Family,
We watch with concern as Israel and the United States carry out military strikes against Iran and as Iran responds across Israel and throughout the Middle East. The headlines are intense. The analysis is constant. The emotions - especially for those of us with family, friends, and deep connections in Israel - are real and immediate.
The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marks a seismic and uncertain moment in the region’s history. For some, it signals the possible unraveling of a regime that has shaped regional instability and repression for nearly half a century. For others, it raises fears of escalation and further violence. However history ultimately records this moment, we are living through something profoundly consequential.
It is not my rabbinic role to offer political commentary or strategic analysis. There are others more qualified to debate military decisions and geopolitical calculus.
But it is very much my role to help us respond as a sacred community.
Our tradition reminds us: “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:15). Not passively. Not naively. But actively - holding both moral clarity and human compassion at the same time.
Tonight, we pray for the safety and protection of the people of Israel - soldiers called to serve, families rushing to shelters, children trying to make sense of sirens and uncertainty. We also hold in prayer the members of the United States military placed in harm’s way, and their loved ones who carry quiet worry at home. May they all be guarded and strengthened.
We also pray for the people of Iran - millions of human beings who have lived for decades under repression, fear, and limitation. We pray that they be spared harm. We pray that they know dignity and freedom. We pray that this painful chapter in the region’s history might, somehow, bend toward greater liberation and a future no longer defined by the axis of terror that has shaped so much of the past decades.
We pray as well for the ongoing safety and security of our local San Diego Jewish community, and our own Beth Israel family. In moments like this, vulnerability can feel closer to the surface. I am grateful for the strong partnership of our local law enforcement agencies, who have been in communication with us and have confirmed that there are no known risks or concerns affecting our ongoing operations. We remain vigilant, grounded, and committed to gathering as a community.
Our tradition does not ask us to choose between loving our own people and recognizing the humanity of others. We can hold both. We must hold both.
May the Holy One guard the State of Israel and all who dwell within it.
May the people of Iran one day know true freedom.
May leaders act with wisdom and restraint.
And may the day come soon when swords are beaten into plowshares and nation shall not lift up sword against nation.
With prayer and resolve,
Jason Nevarez
Senior Rabbi
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