This past Shabbat was the 10th anniversary of my kid’s Bat Mitzvah, and they shared some thoughts on the parasha. As you can see from the beautiful handmade tallit in the picture above, they were always focused on the reconciliation of the brothers that happens in the story. Ten years later, that has not changed.

As the ten year anniversary of my Bat Mitzvah approaches, I find myself thinking of Parshat Vayishlach. Vayishlach is the story of the brothers Jacob and Esau. It covers many stories of Jacob, but I want to focus on how the brothers Jacob and Esau reconcile their differences and embrace after a decades long conflict over Esau’s stolen birthright from when they were young adults.

There is no denying that Jacob hurt Esau, both in stealing his birthright, and in the manner of which he went about it. Much like how the Jewish settlers hurt Palestinians when they came to create a Jewish state. But much like the two brothers, we must find ways to repent for harm caused, and find a way forward together.

It took 20 years of self-reflection and growth for Jacob to face Esau and the harm he had caused. It has been long overdue for Jews to do the same. Perhaps we can, much like when the brothers did finally meet again, embrace and part ways peacefully. Like Jacob and Esau, it will take reparations and apologies, and it will not be easy. Pride and the image one has of oneself may be damaged, and will need to be set aside in order to attempt to make things right.

For modern Jews, this may damage the image of Israel and our people that we were raised with. But for many of us, that image was already damaged by the lack of empathy and racism we’ve seen in our communities.