We don’t always agree, but we strive to see one another’s humanity. This is not new, it is old. My predecessor, Rabbi Floyd Fierman, a scholar of the Southwest, called it in his writing more than 60 years ago the “compadre spirit.” A sense of caring and looking out for one another which he found uniquely here.

Every one of us has been affected by this pandemic. We’ve lost loved ones, jobs, a sense of security, the ability to be close to friends. We are all struggling. Like most religious traditions, Judaism calls upon us all to help. Though the need is great, one famous Jewish teaching reminds us: “It is not upon you to complete the work, but you are not permitted to avoid it.”

With that in mind a group of leaders at Temple Mount Sinai looked to the tradition of tzedakah (literally “justice,” but usually applied to charity) as an avenue for safely supporting one another while remaining socially distanced. We thought: “What if we help with something simple? Like a bill?”

The Bright Hearts of El Paso Fund was born with thanks to Temple Mount Sinai’s leadership, El Paso Electric, El Paso Community Foundation, Bishop Mark Seitz of the Catholic Diocese of El Paso and so many others. The details were attended to with incredible compassion by every single person taking part in organizing this effort.

Here’s what we learned: The electric company’s moratorium on shutting off power for failure to pay bills is concluding. However, because of the pandemic, the number of people behind on their bills is higher than normal – 40,000 households in our community. Households with people struggling to make ends meet even more than usual. Households with children trying to attend school, elderly trying to quarantine and adults trying to find work in a job market shrunk by pandemic closures.

The Bright Hearts of El Paso Fund is a temporary fund designed to help those impacted financially by the pandemic. To help them get back on their feet. It allows those who have fallen behind to talk with the company and manage what they owe. It treats those who are behind with dignity, and it empowers all of us to stand together to support the entire community during a time when we are all struggling.

We all know when we say “El Paso Strong” we are saying something fundamentally profound about our culture here and what we want to be. It is as much a statement as it is a prayer. But prayers are just words if they do not inspire us to act. Let us join together as one to strengthen El Paso. Donations may be given at www.epcf.org/brighthearts.