As a boy, I was fascinated by the legend of Johnny Appleseed. Appleseed was more than just a mythological piece of Americana--he was a real person named John Chapman who helped ensure the availability of apples around the country. Chapman became renowned while still alive for his kindness and his commitment to conservation long before its popularization.

Many of us have celebrated important life cycles at this mikveh. Some of us have gone there before our marriages. Others have entered into the covenant here as the final phase of their conversion process. In addition to those purposes, I've been fortunate to use the mikveh as a holy space for those seeking healing from troubled episodes in their lives.

We've been here before. The hatred, the murder, the racism and terrorism that join us together in common purpose to destroy rather than to build. We like to talk about how polarized we are as a country. Yet increasingly we are unified in our mutual suspicion, in our common distrust and in how we are letting anger overwhelm our better natures or our capacity to seek solutions.

Question: What do you get when a bunch of Jews go to church to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fast known as "Eid al-Fitr?" Answer: Increased understanding and mutual ties of camaraderie. More on this below.