Herzl's Kids

An interesting piece of T’shuvah, repentance/forgiveness recently caught my attention. Two of Theodor Herzl’s children were reinterred in Jerusalem after decades of debate.

Hans and Pauline Herzl, who died in 1930 and were buried in France, were laid to final rest alongside the founder of modern Zionism in the cemetery that carries his name in Israel’s capital, Har Herzl. Herzl, who died in 1904, had said that he wanted to be buried next to his children. But Israeli authorities, after reinterring Herzl himself in 1949, were reluctant to do the same for Hans and Pauline given the controversy surrounding their deaths. Pauline died of a drug overdose in what might have been a suicide, prompting her brother to shoot himself. Hans´ conversion to Christianity shortly before his death further stoked religious opposition to his burial in Israel. But rabbis recently ruled that Hans had disavowed Christianity before dying, and that Pauline’s demise was a result of mental disturbance.

At the cemetery, next to the grave that is visited by nearly every tourist who comes to Jerusalem (including everyone who has ever taken a trip with me) Ehud Olmert said: “Having brought in the remains of Pauline and Hans, we are completing the mission and achieving historical closure.”

Even in death there is room for T’shuvah, which literally means “return”. Returning Herzl’s heirs to their father’s side, in the land of his dreams, reflects Israel’s true intent: Which is to create a Jewish homeland for all, even those who have strayed from the pathways of tradition. Israel is truly the site for the ingathering of the exiles.

Groundbreaking Dedication

This past Sunday, with over 500 in attendance, we formally broke ground on our new synagogue building. It was a lovely day. The children sang, dignitaries spoke, and I was honored to give the invocation.

The following is the text of what I said:

Eighty five years ago, our spiritual forebearers, bold men and women of vision, stood together to dedicate the first congregation Beth El, then in Camden New Jersey. Many of them were recent immigrants, or the children of European parents. Fate had brought them to South Jersey, but a sense of destiny had led them to put down roots. Then, 39 years ago, in response to the growth that had stemmed from those roots, construction began on a new Beth El, one that would build on the vision of those who had come before. And now, two generations later, we are the branches that grow from the Etz Chayim, the Tree of Life, that is Beth El. The buds and flowers that will emerge from the branches will be the next generation of Jewish leaders, those who will someday thank us for the effort we are about to undertake. On September 13, 1998 we dedicated our new school building with an enrollment of about 200. today we have over 600 children under our tutelage and care – and we are just getting started.

It is with great humility that I, as Spiritual Leader of this great and mighty congregation, offer the following prayer of invocation and consecration:

Almighty Gd, and Gd of our Ancestors:
We have come here today to hallow Your name by breaking ground on this site for a Bet Kinneset dedicated to You. In this most significant hour, we invoke Your blessings upon the work of our hands.

Thirty centuries ago, You commanded our ancestors, ”V’Asoo Lee mikdash….”
“Make for Me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst.” From that day to this, their descendants have established houses of worship wherever they dwelled. We recall today those who built the First and Second Temples. We remember those who built the simple shuls of Europe as well as the many lavish congregations destroyed by enemies of our People in ancient times and not so very long ago. Our success will be their victory – the triumph over death that only spiritual life can bring.

This morning we of this community, young and old, have gathered to take the first step in the physical construction of a magnificent new building, with the hope of consecrating it to You, our Torah, and Your Holy People. Fully do we realize the magnitude of this undertaking; well do we comprehend the tremendous responsibilities we have assumed by beginning this work. Grant us Your assistance to complete this work, for the glory of your name and the sake of Israel.

We consecrate this site as Admat Kodesh, sacred ground, whereupon we shall endeavor to perpetuate and vitalize the faith we have inherited – for ourselves, for our children, and for future generations of Jews. We are thankful, dear Gd, for the spirited men and women who have given their support thus far in our labors; for the many of our community who have responded enthusiastically to our call and made possible the genesis of this holy work.

Bless all those whose shared vision has helped to make this moment possible. May this momentous occasion inspire all of us to continue our efforts with love and devotion until we have completed that which we have begun today. May we work together to create a home in which You, and we are truly blessed. AMEN.

European T'shuvah

We are now in the heart of T’shuvah season. This is the time of repentance, T’shuvah. But really, T’shuvah means “return”. With Gd’s help, and our own decisive will, we return to what’s right. Gd had a plan for the world, one that He tries to maintain. But we fallible humans stray from the plan, diverge from the path. This time of years we Jews seek to realign our lives to the natural path of growth and productivity that our Creator has in store for us.

History was made yesterday as the Jewish community of Germany returned to the path of Jewish productivity it was supposed to have before the Nazis came to power. Prior to the War, there were 500,000 Jews in Germany. Just before German unification, there were only 30,000. Prior to the War, hundreds of Rabbis were trained and ordained in Germany for service to their Jewish community. Since the War – ZERO. Until yesterday. In a Dresden synagogue built in 2001, poignantly placed adjacent to the site of a shul destroyed on Kristallnacht, three Reform Rabbis were ordained. Two of them will stay and minister to Germany’s Jews. The third will return to his native South Africa. As the Jewish population of Germany grows (it’s now over 100,000), more Rabbis will be trained to serve the unique needs of their community.

To me, there was something strangely beautiful about this ceremony yesterday. I believe it represents the power of T’shuvah on a national scale. I know there are plenty of cynics out there, but I for one appreciate the great lengths that the German people have gone to in T’shuvah for the Holocaust. The fact that their hate crime laws are far tougher than ours; the fact that more than 50 years after the fact, they are just now beginning to show some national pride (remember the World Cup), and the fact that this ordination was big news in Germany, all point to the power of Return, of T’shuvah to what is right, just and moral. I think that Germany can serve as a model for other European countries, especially France – because that country is yet to do the T’shuvah that will make it a safer place for Jews, minorities, and, indeed all its citizens.

The Commandment to Get Involved

I grew up near the Olney neighborhood of Philadelphia. My elementary school, Thomas K. Finletter was only a mile or so from the Fern Rock movie theatre. It was near that theatre that a horrible double murder took place last night. It breaks my heart to think that the neighborhood where I rode my bike as a kid is not even safe for people to walk through.

This crime was particularly heinous. A man raped a woman in an alley, a couple came to her aid, and both of the people trying to help were killed. One of the many tragedies related to this incident is the fact that good people may now be less likely to get involved in helping others in need.

This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tay-tzay, can be read like Aesops’s Fables. Why? Because the Torah gives examples of how we human beings are supposed to treat animals. For instance, we are told we cannot yolk an ox and a donkey together. We are also taught that we cannot take both the mother and the young bird from a nest, but must shoo the mother away. And, we are commanded that when we see someone’s animal fall, we must help him to get the animal back on its feet.

What makes it like Aesop’s Fables? The moral lesson each verse teaches. Tradition says that we learn how to treat others by first trying to treat animals fairly. If we need to be kind to them, how much more so does Gd expect us to be kind to our fellow human beings. A donkey and an ox should not have to do the same job. (We should be careful when we have expectations of others that are “one size fits all”. It’s not always fair.) The bird needs to be sent away. (We should learn to appreciate the unique love of parents for their children, especially if we are in a position of instructing the child or sharing with a parent information he/she does not really want to hear.) And finally, we are supposed to help animals that have fallen. (How much more so are we expected to reach out to people in need.)

I look at what has become of my old neighborhood and I cringe. So much crime! But then I think about the couple that did get involved. It was their neighborhood, too. That neighborhood is full of good, caring people. We need to work together to make sure that they can feel safe; safe and secure enough to know that getting involved is really the right thing to do. And it starts by understanding what Gd really expects of each us. For yea, though we walk through the shadow of death, Gd is with us. I hope our city makes it safe enough for Gd to walk the streets.

Studying Together

I got an e-mail last night from Sammy Kahn. His uncle, Rabbi Phillip Harris Singer passed away yesterday. The funeral was the same day and the burial will take place in Israel.

Rabbi Singer was a great Talmudist with a wonderful sense of humor. He was married to Rabbi Kahn’s sister, Tziril. They live in Brooklyn. For years I knew him as “Pinny”, long before I ever met the man. Whenever Rabbi Kahn and I had a question of Jewish law he would pick up the phone and dial Pinny. Pinny always had the answer. He would immediately say which page of Talmud to look at and even where on the page the source could be found.

Pinny spoke at Rabbi Kahn’s funeral as well as the unveiling. But my most meaningful memory of Rabbi Singer and Rabbi Kahn together was a conversation they shared one late night a couple of years ago. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Rabbi Kahn was told that he had “6 months to live”. On the last day of that 6th month, at midnight, Rabbi Kahn called his brother in law on the phone and the two of them studied Talmud together as the clock struck 12 midnight. The next day, Rabbi Kahn explained to me that if the Malach Ha-Mavet (The Angel of Death) was going to come for him, at least he would find him studying Torah. And who knows, maybe that would send The Angel away.

It must have worked, because Rabbi Kahn lived another 6 months or more after that. They were both men of great faith, and now, in Olam Ha-Bah they are studying together once again.
Beth El mourns the loss of Rabbi Singer and we offer our condolences to his family. Yehi Zichro Baruch – May his memory be a blessing.

Jewish Law/Civil Law

The word “religion” comes from the Latin “ligio”, as in ligament, which means “ties”. Religion is a force that ties us together - together with one another, and together with our Creator. It binds and bonds us together as a People.

In American law, we join together in community voluntarily. We agree to give up some of our personal freedoms (such as keeping everything we earn) for the greater good. As Americans we believe in this greater good and work to maintain it. In some circles this is called “patriotism”. Without this voluntary by-in, the whole system would fall apart. There are not enough police to keep everyone from breaking the law if they chose to do so. Still, your citizenship is voluntary. You can give it up at any time.

Judaism comes at it from a different angle. We abide by Jewish law because we are commanded. According to the Torah, we are bound by the “mitzvot” (commandments) because our ancestors at Sinai entered into a covenant (brit) with Gd. There is nothing voluntary about it. (In fact, in one mainstream interpretation of Jewish law, you can never really convert out of Judaism.) Our service is not because we want to be loyal, but rather because we “owe it” to Gd. Our loyalty comes from personal gratitude, not simply a common sense of people-hood.

Our American Constitution begins “We the People”, because “We” wrote it (not just Jefferson and Madison). We imbue our government with authority. In Judaism, Gd is the source of authority and we obey the laws that Gd gave us. And yet, Gd gave us the authority to develop His laws as times changed. In this sense the two systems overlap. The degree to which change is warranted, justifiable, and indeed necessary is what separates the right side of the Supreme Court from the left, as well as the various movements in Judaism. Understanding the process by which civil law is developed, comparing and contrasting it with the development of Jewish law, gives us a greater understanding of how we became who we are today and where we may be going as Jews.

The Safest Place to Be

A friend shared this humorous thought with me about the safest place you can be:

1. Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.

2. Do not stay at home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home.(That's 37% already.)

3. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.(Now that is 51%)

4. Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve those forms of transportation. (That's 67%)

5. 33 % percent of all deaths occur in hospitals. Above all, avoid hospitals.

You will be pleased to learn that only 0.01 % of all deaths occur in a synagogue, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders.Therefore logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is in synagogue services. Torah study is even safer. The number of deaths during Torah study is too small to register.For safety's sake, stay alive, go to shul as often as possible and attend Torah Study. It could save your life.

In truth, there is a more serious side to this. In Proverbs (13:20) King Solomon writes, "He who keeps company with the wise becomes wise, but he who consorts with dull and ignorant people comes to grief." We should be surrounding ourselves with people who help to bring out the best in each of us. We should try to find individuals who push us toward higher ideals. People who find time in their busy days for study and prayer; people who manage to devote a small portion of their days to Gd, are elevating their lives to a higher plane. We can only benefit from having some of their spirit rub off on us.

Studies show, time and again, that people who have faith in their lives, who devote time to spiritual pursuits, are more resilient. The challenges of life do not seem as overwhelming, the setbacks do not push them down as far, and the recovery time is that much shorter. A spiritual life may well be a longer life. It will most certainly be more fulfilling.

Bless Your Children

Every Friday night, since our children were born, we have blessed them for Shabbat. It is a beautiful custom that let's them know how grateful we are to Gd to have them in our lives. It also lets them know that we believe that they really are blessed and that they can do great things knowing that Gd is on thier side.

Even when the kids are away, travelling, we call them on the phone and bless them as well. That means that when they are in Israel, and both spent weeks there this year with out us, we account for the time difference and bless them long distance.

We have added the text of this beautiful ritual to our website. Go to www.bethelsnj.org and on the left side you'll see a tab marked "Prayer and Ritual". Click it and you'll see a pull down tab that says "Blessing Your Children on Shabbat". There you will find the text in English, in transliteration, as well as the source from the Torah and an explanation as to why we use this particular blessing. I hope you and your family find it as meaningful as we do. It is never too late to start blessing your kids and telling them how wonderful you think they are.

Defining Marriage

The issue of a Constitutional Definition of Marriage has become a hot topic, again. I thought you might like to know where the Conservative Movement stands on the matter. In 2003 The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism adopted a Resolution, that says:

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism views the application of equality as a standard which cannot be eroded by any other determinant, race, religion or history. Our Faith Members are not unfamiliar with discrimination and worse.....we will reject it, however garbed and rationalized, will fight for equality and will be determined in our stance by genuine equality, neither discrimination per se nor discrimination garbed in the dress of double standards.

All Americans are entitled to equality under the civil laws of the United States. Marriage being both a religious and a civil status, The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism does not support any action by the federal government or by any state or local government that discriminates and denies equal protection of the civil laws to gay and lesbian Americans who seek to have relationships recognized when they fall within the bounds of the civil law. Where the civil law recognizes certain rights and obligations as following from a relationship created under the civil laws, those rights and obligations should not be denied to any two Americans seeking to create such a civil relationship.

The federal government of the United States has no authority to define the religious elements of a marriage for any religious group. While our scholars may debate the status, rights and obligations under Jewish law of various individuals who seek to conform their lives to Jewish law, no matter what Jewish law may or may not provide concerning marriage, there is no reason for Congress to seek to pass a Constitutional amendment, which limits or discriminates against the civil or legal rights of any individual or group.

Catching Up With Israel

We are out of sync with Israel…when it comes to Torah readings. Here is an interesting phenomenon: Normally, of course, the whole world reads the same Torah portion on any given Shabbat. However, in Israel, Shavuot is a one day holiday and everywhere else in the world it is celebrated for two. This year, we celebrated the festival last Friday and Shabbat. In Israel, however, they only celebrated on Friday. Shabbat was no longer Shavuot.

Shavuot has its own Torah readings, which talk about the giving of the Torah. On Shavuot (and other holidays) the regular Torah reading cycle is interrupted, put on hold as it were until the next “regular” Shabbat. Well, last Saturday was already a "regular" Shabbat in Israel, so they read the portion Beha’alotecha, while we were still doing Shavuot. This Shabbat we’ll get to Beha’alotecha, but they’ll be already moving up a week in trhe Torah portions.

We won’t catch up to them until July 8th, my second Shabbat in Israel with my Beth El trip this summer. They will read the portion Chukkat on July 1st and then Balak on July 8th . We will combine Chukkat and Balak on July 8th and thereby even it all up. In the meantime, it means that a person coming from Israel to the States would hear the same Torah portion two weeks in a row.

I’m glad that this doesn’t happen too often… Not only is it somewhat difficult to explain, but, in some small way I find even harder to explain, it undermines the idea of One Jewish World/One Torah that gives me such a sense of Jewish unity. It’s comforting to (usually) know that when we are sitting in shul in Cherry Hill, Jews ½ way around the world are reading the same stories, and thinking about the same topics we are. It makes the Jewish world that much smaller and tighter, and I love that feeling of being part of a global Jewish community centered around one sacred text and one awesome living Gd.

Confirmation Anchor

It was an absolutely beautiful Confirmation service. Friday night, 17 of our finest 10th graders led the evening service in front of their family and friends in our Sanctuary. During the course of the service we paused and the students presented expositions of Talmud texts they had studied over the past few months with me.

The students had studied in pairs and presented with their partners. Every presentation was moving. Each showed that the students had really wrestled with the texts trying very hard to apply them to their everyday lives. There is much that I could share from their teachings, but one particular statement stands out.

One 17 year old young lady told those assembled, "This year I have learned that there are two types of people in the world. There are people who always react to the world around them, changing as they go along. And then there are people who stand by their principles and values no matter what life brings their way. My Jewish learning has taught me the principles that will guide me in the future."

And that really is what Jewish education is all about. It's about digging deep roots so that the winds of change will not bowl over the individual. It's about tapping into a timeless tradition that has given us strength over time. It's about feel like a link in a sturdy chain of tradition that is anchored at Sinai.
Mazal Tov!

Numbers

Last week we began reading the Book of Numbers. We’ll be reading this 4th book of the Torah well into the summer. The book is called Numbers for obvious reasons… It is full of numbers – ages, dates, and most importantly grand censuses.

All these numbers got me thinking… I found some interesting information regarding the number of Israelites who left the land of Egypt. According to the first chapter of Numbers, the total census of men over the age of 20 totaled 603,550. If we factor in their families we’re at a number north of 2 million. That’s a lot of Jews!

A few years ago it seems that the U.S. Army Quartermaster did some calculations. He reported that it would have taken 1500 tons of food per day to feed all those people. Of course they had manna, so they didn’t have to worry. But if they needed to have the food brought in, it would have required a train 2 miles long! That many people would also need 11 million gallons of water daily.

And when they got to the Red Sea, if the sea were split just wide enough for them to cross through 2 at a time, it would have left them with a line 800 miles long and taken 35 days for all to make it across. Therefore, they needed a swath 3 miles wide to get the people walking 5000 abreast through the Red Sea so that they could accomplish the whole task overnight. And when they got to the other side and set up camp, it would have taken up an area of 750 sq. miles!

All of these numbers prompted the commentators in our Etz Haym Humash to write, “These figures presuppose a population of more that 2 million supporting itself for more than 40 years in the Sinai Peninsula. The numbers are impossibly large.” (p.773)

I love the Etz Hayim commentary. It’s a tremendous asset for our congregation. But I think this comment is short sighted. My guess is that 200 years from now, people will say what Holocaust revisionists are saying now: 6 million Jews were murdered in 6 years?! The numbers are “impossibly large”! Except that they are true. And who could believe that in 50 years a couple of thousand Jews in Israel would lead to an ingathering of nearly 7 million Jews in Israel? Those numbers could look “impossibly large”, too.

But the point is that if we believe the language of our prayers, then we believe that with Gd all things are possible. Gd can and has made miracles on a grand scale. That's what we celebrate at Pesach. And if grand miracles can happen for our people, then little miracles can and do happen for individuals all the time.

Haircut for a Cause

Here’s a chance to get a hair cut for a cause. A friend of mine, Mia Harris-Belliard (who happens to also cut my hair) is holding a “cut-a-thon” to benefit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates of Camden County) at her salon on June 4th. Mia is an amazing person; a young, female entrepreneur of deep religious conviction. I first met her years ago when she had a place in the Cherry Hill Mall, and now she has her own spa called Belliard’s, next to the Commerce Bank at what used to be the Race Track Circle (70 & Haddonfield Rd.) - #8 Grove St.

CASA is an independent, non-profit organization committed for advocating for the best interest of abused and neglected children in out-of-home placement by the NJ Family Court. CASA trains volunteers who undergo a 30-hour course and then CASA supervises them as they advocate form some of the 700 abused and neglected kids in Camden Co. These children could have been sexually abused, not fed, tormented, physically and emotionally abused, or simply left to fend for themselves. CASA helps to keep them from getting lost in the system once they are taken from their homes.

Mia is going to donate ALL the proceeds of the day to CASA. Unfortunately, I found out about this event today when I was in for my post-La’g B’Omer clip, and I don’t have any more hair to give. (I didn't have that much to begin with!) But I can tell you that for $35 you’ll get the royal treatment! They really know how to make you relax! Men and Women.

Call Belliard’s at (856) 665-9323 for an appt. If you need a good cut/styling anyhow, why not add some tzedakah to the endeavor.

The Seal of Truth

“It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last Shabbat I gave a sermon about telling the truth. I’ll send it out tomorrow to those on my list, and others will soon find it on the website.

Here is an interesting source I did not use: The Talmud teaches that “the seal of Gd is Truth.” Once upon a time, letters were sealed with wax. The seal meant that the person who wrote the letter approved of its contents. The seal therefore had to have some distinguishing characteristics. Well, Gd’s seal is the truth. When people tell the truth, especially when telling the truth costs them something, then Gd’s presence is felt.

This is a Jewish teaching that the world needs now more than ever. A front-page story in the Inquirer this week (Mon. 5/22) pointed out how lying can really be a rational response. In a society that values only winners (remember the Nike Olympic ad – “You don’t win the silver – you lose the gold!”), cheaters have very good incentive to do what it takes to come out on top AND feel good about it.

That’s why Judaism has to give us another perspective – the perspective of the Master of the Universe. From Gd’s perspective, it is integrity that counts. That’s why we value our Jewish education so much. It flies in the face of popular culture. Lying, cheating and deception tear away at the fiber of the soul. It does damage inside even when we do not feel it. Study reenforces faith - in our Gd and in ourselves.

As I say in the sermon, lying is an affront to Gd. Pretending to be someone we are not is essentially saying to Gd – “No, You’ve got it wrong. I am not who You said I am. I’ll pretend to be someone else and no one will know the difference.” But you will. That’s why, of all the commandments in the Torah, the only thing we are told to stay as far away from as possible is lying. It distances us from Gd, from our family and ultimately from ourselves.

Expect More, Get More

It was a proud moment for Beth El. With so many people from so many corners shrying “gevalt” about the state of Jewish education and our children’s dedication to Jewish learning, this morning’s minyan was a bright ray of hope for the future.

For the first time in the 12 years that I have been at Beth El, two of our b’nai mitzvah students led the morning services. Matt Schwartz (Josh and Robin), who will become a bar mitzvah this Sunday (Rosh Chodesh), led all of the davening – and quite well I might add. And Eliana Goodman (Barb and Dave), who will become a bat mitzvah this Shabbat morning read the Torah flawlessly.

To what do I attribute the success of this beautiful morning? To my mind it is simple: Parents who set very high expectations of their children when it comes to Jewish learning. But it was not just the high bar they set for their kids. It was their willingness to sit, night after night with their children reinforcing what they were learning. These are two sets of parents who were willing, in so many words, to say to their kids, “What you are learning now is SO important. In fact it is as important was what you are learning in school. And if you were having trouble in math I would sit with you and review. If you needed encouragement in American History, I would be there with you, night after night, as long as it took. And when it comes to developing your Jewish soul, know that I will be there for you forever, so let’s get busy.”

If every Jewish parent was as concerned with their child’s Jewish soul, their relationship to Gd, to Jewish values, to Jewish tradition, as they are with the secular material their children will soon forget, the light of future generations of Jews would burn even brighter.

Parents who expect more, get more.

Jews Drink Old wine

The years teach much which the days never knew. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our world is dominated by the young. But, the Rabbinic world knows nothing of mandatory retirement. Some of our greatest modern sages dispensed indispensable advice well into their nineties.

Let me share with you another Mishna from the 4th chapter of Pirkay Avot, from which yesterday’s text came.

“Rabbi Yosi bar Yehudah of K’far Bavli taught:
To what may we compare one who learns from the young?
To one who eats unripe grapes and drinks from the vat.
To what may we compare one who learns from the old?
To one who eats ripe grapes and drinks wine that is aged.

Maybe this helps us to understand why, three times a day, we recite in the Amida the prayer for the righteous. In it we ask Gd to protect three categories of individuals: “the pious, the righteous, and the elderly” – for the three are really one. The years teach much that the days never knew.

Discovery, Not Invention

We study Pirkay Avot, the section of the Mishna (c. 200 C.E.) during the 7 weeks that link Shavuot and Pesach. Since there are 6 chapters to the work, we can read one each week and finish right before the Holiday of the Giving of the Torah.

Today is the 35th day of the Omer, marking 5 full weeks. This means that we are just finishing the 4th chapter of Pirkay Avot. Here is a section of the last Mishna from that chapter:

Rabbi Elazar Ha-Kappar taught: “Everything belongs to Gd… It was not your will that formed you, nor was it your will that gave you birth; it is not your will that makes you live, and it is not your will that brings you death; nor is it your will that some day in the future you will have to give an accounting and a reckoning before the Ruler of rulers, the Holy Exalted One.”

Judaism teaches that we were created by Gd for a purpose and that the journey of life is animated by the desire to discern exactly what that purpose is. Contrary to the views of popular culture, the Mishna suggests that we do not invent ourselves. (How often do we hear this phrase, “She re-invented herself”? Madonna, anyone?) We do not create ourselves, we discover who it is that Gd intended us to be. This life-long process begins by quieting our own spirits enough to understand ourselves, to know who we really are. It begins with acceptance. It begins in a state of rest and peace. And from there we branch out to the world around us, being drawn into contact that with the world Gd has set before us.

Ultimately, at the end of life, Gd calls us into account saying, “Did you see the mileposts I put for you along the way? Did you read the signs? Did you answer my call? Did you figure out what it was that was expected of you?

So often, the challenges that come our way are really signs, mileposts and calls from Gd. Only problem is, we’re too busy to recognize them, and even if we do, we either choose to ignore or reject them. Tradition, on the other hand, seems to suggest that we should be telling ourselves, “Perhaps this is happening to me for a reason…”

Our Rabbi's Yahrzeit

This morning, in our daily minyan, I cradled the Torah and said the memorial prayer for those who had come to shul in honor of loved ones passed. Several individuals were observing Yahrzeit. But to the list of loved ones lost I added the name of my mentor and friend, Rabbi Howard Kahn. Yesterday was Rabbi Kahn’s third yahrzeit. And even though there were no family members present, I could still sense his presence in the room.

For many years Rabbi Kahn and I began each morning davening together. He liked to put his t’fillin on in his office before he came into the minyan. I always imagined that he intoned his own personal prayers during that quiet time, before he came and joined the rest of us. And then, when he made his way to the Chapel, he would sit at the end of the front row, usually with his eyes closed. When he stood, he often leaned against the wall, or turning towards it, hid his face in the small fold of the wall where the bimah began. At moments like that he looked to me like so many who lean into the Kotel, the Western Wall of Jerusalem, offering sacred words from deep within.

To this day, Rabbi Kahn’s place at the end of the first row is vacant. No one else sits there. And, given the fact that we may well move the shul in the next few years, chances are no one ever will. But the truth is, no one ever will fill his spot. There was only one Rabbi Kahn, and his presence will always be felt – not just at Beth El, but in the hearts of all those whose lives he touched.

Warren Buffett - Part Two

Meyer Kripke was a young Rabbi in Omaha, Nebraska. One night, he turned to his wife, Dorothy, herself an author of Jewish children’s books, and asked her a question from out of the blue. "Now that we are starting to save some money, perhaps we should invest it. It doesn’t make sense to leave it all in the bank", said Meyer. "Oh, you should give it to Susan’s husband, Warren, he seems like a smart investor", said Dorothy.

Well, of course, Susan Buffett’s husband was Warren, and his investment prowess is now legendary. When the Kripkes retired, they were multi-millionaires. They gave a good bit of their fortune to their alma mater (and mine) The Jewish Theological Seminary and the money was used to refurbish the Seminary Library Tower which was burned by an arsonist in the late 1960’s. The tower had been abandoned for more than two decades. It is now the Kripke Tower and is home to one of the finest collections of Jewish books in the world – thanks to the Kripkes and Mr. Buffett.

Warren Buffett - Part One

The second richest man in the world just bought a majority interest in an Israeli company. Earlier this week, Warren Buffett of Omaha, bought an 80% interest in the family owned Iscar Metalworks, located in the Galilee. The cost - $5 billion. The fact that the world’s most savvy investor chose Israel for his first overseas investment is most heartening. Israel has an incredibly talented work force and is home to many of the world’s leading companies. It’s nice to make the papers about something other than terrorism or the military.

But what makes this even more interesting to me as a Jew is the nature of the conversations leading up to the deal. The Wertheimer family started the company and has been wonderful to its employees, giving them not just job security, but educating them and providing for their families. Buffett heartily endorses such practices (even as many in the business world see these benefits as taking away from the bottom line) and has assured the Werthiemers that their policies vis-à-vis employees will stay. In a world where so many companies are taken over and gutted; at a time when downsizing and outsourcing have become household words, it is most satisfying to see that two leaders of industry did not need to sell out workers to make great profits and set high industry standards.

The Wertheimers were offered much more money by other potential buyers but they went with Warren Buffett because he assured them that he would not fire employees, and that they could continue their employee benefit programs as well as all the activities they do to support community in Israel. In remarks carried on Israel radio, Buffett said, “I can guarantee that that will not happen. You can broadcast that; you can have me sign it in blood. It doesn’t happen. It doesn’t happen in any of our companies.” In short, Iscar did not take the highest offer. They took the best one. This is one deal that makes me proud to be an American and proud to be a Jew.

Philtrum

The Talmud in Masechet Niddah (30b) teaches that ineutero a fetus knows all the Torah. But when a baby is born, an angel comes and slaps it on the mouth and causes it to forget all the Torah it used to know.

The obvious question is why did Gd bother to teach the fetus all the Torah if one of the angels was going to cause him to forget it anyway? Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik has a great answer. The Talmud, he says, wanted to teach us that when a Jew studies Torah she encounters something that is not foreign or extraneous, but rather intimate and familiar. She has already studied it! The stored knowledge is already part of her. She studies, in effect, her own stuff! Learning is the recollection of something familiar. The Jew, says Rabbi Soloveitchik, who studies Torah is like the amnesia victim who tries to reconstruct from fragments the beautiful world he or she once experienced.

Jewish learning truly is a journey of self-discovery.

How Minyan Breakfasts Started

He was in the restaurant business his entire life. Early hours were nothing new to Al Syken. He weighed about 140 pounds but his whole life was devoted to food. And nothing made him happier than to see someone enjoying one of his special recipes.

Years ago (1995), Cantor Shapiro, of blessed memory, came up with the idea of having a breakfast on Monday and Thursday mornings after minyan. For a month or two Cantor Shapiro shopped for and set out the food himself, but it soon became too overwhelming. So Gd sent Al. Al had lost his wife, Lenore just a few weeks earlier and he volunteered to prepare the breakfasts. Within a few weeks we went from bagels and cream cheese to lox and eggs, blintzes, fresh fruit and homemade cheese cake. (And shnapps, too.) The smell of fried onions would hit you when you got out of your car! Minyan attendance rose steadily. We had such good crowds that I decided to teach during the Thursday morning breakfasts. We had “benchers” made up so we could sing the grace after meals.

Eventually, Al got too weak to make the breakfast, and others took over for him. Years later, the breakfasts live on. Unfortunately, Al Syken does not. His funeral was Sunday. There were 10 family members. Five or six friends from work and his neighborhood came, and about a dozen regulars of the daily minyan were at the funeral, too. Al departed this world the way he lived in it, in his own quiet, and unassuming way. But I really do believe that Gd sent Al to Beth El for a purpose. When he had no reason to live, the breakfast became his cause. When he had no friends, the minyan became his social set. And when we needed someone to show us what a big difference a few small gestures of hospitality could make, Al was there to teach us.

What I love most about my position at Beth El (somehow the word “job” just doesn’t describe it) is the myriad of wonderful souls I meet, all different and yet each with so much to give. I learn so much from so many good people, all trying their best to lead good and noble lives. All, in their own small ways, are making a big difference in the lives of others, bigger than they will ever know. I am thankful that in our busy world there is a quiet Chapel where relationships are formed and friendships flourish. I imagine that in the world to come, Al is thankful, too.

To Hallel or Not to Hallel?

Today is Yom Ha-Atzma-oot, Israel Independence Day. It was marked in our community by a celebration at the JCC. It was also observed, at Beth El, with special prayers.

When it comes to writing special prayers for modern Jewish events, the Conservative Movement is in the forefront. For instance, we have special prayers in the Siddur Sim Shalom for Yom Ha-Shoah, Holocaust Memorial Day; prayers that are not found in the Orthodox ArtScroll Siddur that we use for our daily minyan. (We elected to go with ArtScroll because it has interesting commentaries and good instructions on how to pray.) Sim Shalom also has a special “Al Ha-Nisim” (For the Miracles) prayer for Yom Ha-Atzma-oot. Al Ha-Nisim prayers are in all siddurim for the miracles of Hannukah and Purim, but not Israel Independence Day. Still, the person leading services this morning added the special Al Ha-Nissim for Israel Independence Day, switching to Sim Shalom to do so.

We also added Hallel (Psalms of Praise), usually reserved for “official” holidays. This is what the Movement recommends. Furthermore, we introduced the Hallel with the traditional blessing that ends, “Who has commanded us to recite the Hallel.” Interesting, though. How can we say “Who has commanded us”? The Torah, the Bible did not know about the modern state of Israel, so how can we say that Gd “commanded” us to offer these prayers on this day. We can say, “Who commanded us” for Sukkot – that’s from the Torah. But Israel Independence Day?

The answer is that the Rabbis of old had the power to connect the chain of tradition, dating back to the Torah, to modern situations and act as if the Torah “would have approved” had it known about it. Hannukah, for instance. We say the blessing “Who has commanded us to light Hannukah candles”, even though the holiday came after the Bible. More recently, the Rabbis decided that Israel is in fact a miracle, on par with those of Purim and Hannukah, and we should therefore say Hallel.

When we read about Israel in the paper, all the trials and tribulations, we sometimes forget, or overlook the miraculous nature of the place. After years and years and years of wandering and suffering, we have a home of our own. We have made the desert bloom. From the ashes of the Holocaust, from the helplessness of the decade before, Israel rose to stand proudly on its own two feet with a powerful army, a strong economy and more college students per capita than any country in the Middle East. And if these aren’t good reasons to praise Gd with Hallel, I don’t know what is…

Darfur

There was an unmistakably large Jewish presence at the Rally for Darfur in Wahsington yesterday. Although I could not go because of the Beth El Annual Meeting, my wife and daughter did. They got there fairly early on one of the busses from our daughter’s Jewish Day School, Akiba. We sent 5 busses from our Federation as well. Helene called me to say that it looked as much like a rally for Israel as it did for Africa.

Carrying signs that read, “Never Again, Again”, and “Not On Our Watch” there were dozens of U.S.Y., Federation and synagogue groups. Elie Weisel spoke, as did Ruth Messinger, president of the Jewish World Service. Coming as it did so close to Yom Ha-Shoah, the parallels were obvious. Who knows better than Jews what it means to suffer and ultimately be slaughtered while the world watches and does nothing?

Amongst the thousands and thousands in attendance, the Jewish presence was clearly noted. The Washington Post picked up on it as you can see in today’s article - www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/30/AR2006043001219.html
I am so proud to be part of a people who says, “Never Again” and really means it.

T.S Eliot wrote: “Footfalls echo in the memory ---Down the passage which we did not take --- Towards the door we never opened”. On Pesach we open the door, not just to remind ourselves that we are not allowed to lead cloistered lives, but to welcome Elijah. To be a Jew means to work diligently to bring a better world into being, to open doors for other people, and to never have to wonder what would have been had we really cared.

Pay to Pray

We will soon be celebrating Yom Ha-Atzma-oot, Israel Independence Day. It’s Wednesday, May 3, 2006 – the 5th of Iyar. Any way you look at it, the modern State of Israel (it’s called “State of Israel” to distinguish from “Land of Israel”, as it is referred to in the Bible. The Land of Israel extends further than the borders of the modern State of Israel) is a miracle. It is a true ingathering of the exiles.

That is not to say that the modern State does not have its problems, both external and internal, religious and secular. One issue that you may not be aware of but is important to me since I lead frequent trips to Israel, is davening in the Old City. Truly, there is nothing like davening at the Kotel (The Western Wall). I, and the groups I have led, have had many supremely spiritual experiences there. And yet, many of my greatest prayer experiences have also been with my family. I like it when we can daven together. Of course, at the Western Wall that is not possible because of the division of men and women. I respect that. Still, as a Conservative Jew, I would like to be able to pray up against the retaining Walls of the Second Temple with men and women together.

Back in 2000 a compromise was reached between the Masorti Movement (as Conservative Jewry is known in Israel), and the Rabbinate of Israel. Another section of the Wall, called Robinson’s Arch (because of the remnant of an ancient ramp that was used by the Kohanim to access the Temple Mount) was open for mixed davening. This was back in the time of the Intifada when tourists were staying away from Israel. From 7-8 every morning, the gates to the archeological park that Robinson’s Arch is in were open. Mixed davening could take place out of view of those davening at the Kotel, and yet those at the Arch could still be davening at the same Wall.

Now, thousands more Reform and Conservative Jews are coming to Israel and they (we) want to be able to have services at Robinson’s Arch. The problem is that if one comes after 8 AM those in charge now want to charge an admission charge of 30 shekels, about $7.00 / person. It is hard for groups to get to the Arch area by 7 AM, and there are many groups who want to use the same area. The Masorti Movement is crying “Foul”. We believe that is a “Pay to Pray” situation that denies so many Zionist, Israel supporting Jews access to a very sacred place. As a result, Masorti has filed suit to allow greater access, and for free. For more information on the issue you can read this article - http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3

I hope that a compromise can be reached. More importantly, I hope that everyone who reads this will take the opportunity to go (or get back) to Israel. It is impossible to describe the spiritual exaltation that comes from offering heartfelt prayer (from the siddur or spontaneously) in Jerusalem at the base of our Holy Temple – unless you’ve been there. Let’s not celebrate Yom Ha-Atzma-oot from afar. Let’s make plans to go!

Remembering

This evening’s community-wide Yom Ha-Shoah program was most inspiring in spite of the history it recalled. The program, held at Temple Emanuel, drew a much smaller crowd than I had expected, in part because it came out on a Monday night when none of the area Hebrew High Schools are in session. There were very few kids of any age there. Too bad, because the speaker, Rebbitzin Jungreis was riveting.

Driving home I heard the lead story on KYW, about the trial of 2 men accused of killing a 10-yr. old. The proceedings ground to a halt when the prosecution’s star witness recanted during her testimony. Those present said that the witness’s 35-yr. old father, in a voice that the entire courtroom could hear, prodded his 16-yr. old daughter on the witness stand saying, “Just tell ‘em what I told you – you don’t remember a thing.” Now the father has been charged with witness intimidation, solicitation to commit perjury, hindering prosecution, and obstruction of justice. Any other night, I probably would not have given this story a second thought. But not tonight…

We drove on for a moment in silence until I said to Helene, “I’m not sure that I wouldn’t have done the exact same thing.” In the savage world that this family lives in, witnesses are routinely killed for testifying. I thought about that dad and what likely went through his mind. He probably thought that he would rather go to jail himself than make his daughter a target on the streets. And I know that without people having the courage to testify we can’t get bad guys off the streets. Witness intimidation is a very serious problem. But in the end the two suspects were convicted anyhow. This father probably thought, “Let someone else’s daughter be courageous. I just want her alive.” Now that father can sleep a little more peacefully, even if it is behind bars, knowing that he protected his kid.

We like to think that we live in a safe, law-abiding community where justice prevails. And most of us do. But imagine what it must have felt like back in Germany in the late ‘30’s when, as a Jew, you could trust neither your fellow citizens nor the government whose responsibility it was, ostensibly, to protect you. America is, of course, nothing like Nazi Germany. L’Havdil – they are beyond comparison. But as I thought about this father and daughter, and the world of anarchy and lawlessness in which they live, my heart went out to them. If we have learned anything from our suffering during the Shoah, it is that we must work hard to make a better world – not just for Jews, but for everyone. And part of that responsibility means looking out beyond our comfort zone with a special sensitivity to those who suffer right in our own backyards. That a father should have to choose between jail time for himself or painting a target on his daughter’s back?!! We’ve got a problem! Not them – US. And the first step in addressing any problem is realizing that it exists. Being at our community Holocaust Memorial opened my eyes and my heart – and my bet is that’s just what the organizers were hoping for.

We're in the FORWARD

Over the past six years I have started nearly every Friday morning (following minyan at Chapel Ave.) with our children at our Early Childhood Center in Voorhees. Even when our school numbered but 18 children, I always got the entire school together for Kabbalat Shabbat. Over the years we have added more singing and stories to our repetoire but the one constant has been my addressing the students in Hebrew each week. I ask them about the weather, about their birthdays, sing the alphabet, and play word games with them, all in Hebrew.

A couple of years ago, when our director Roselee Redelheim and I first started working together I asked Roselee to consider putting together a Hebrew Immersion program for our little ones. She found a number of interested parents and a talented teacher and our program is now going strong. So strong, in fact, that a national Jewish newspaper, the FORWARD, featured an article about our program this week.

You can read about our school on line in the FORWARD by clicking here: www.forward.com/articles/7645

We are very proud of our Early Childhood Center, its director and all our talented staff.

The 7th Day

The 7th day of Pesach is the last one in Israel because in the Torah there are only 7 days to the holiday. (We have 8 in the Diaspora because of calendar issues we won’t go into here).

Unlike Sukkot, the last day of Pesach is not a holiday unto itself. (The 8th day of Sukkot is called Shimini Atzeret). Therefore, we do not make a Shehechyanu in Kiddush tonight. Still, the 7th day of Pesach is a special part of the holiday and has all the restrictions of the first days. What makes it so special is the miracle that was done for our people on the 7th day after the exodus. It was on the 7th day that the Egyptians drowned in the Re(e)d Sea. The Torah however, makes no mention of this fact.

Why not? Because we Jews do not make holidays based on the downfall of our enemies. We don’t say, “They had it coming.” We don’t say, “They deserved it for what they did to us.” Instead we imagine Gd feeling sad that some of His creation had to die. We take some of the wine out of our cups to remember, with sadness, the defeat of our enemies. The 7th day of the holiday is a time to pray for peace, for an end to all oppression. It is a time to remember who we are and why Gd took us out of the land of Egypt in the first place.

Beth El Mourns

Those Who Were Murdered

in the Recent Terrorist Attack in Tel Aviv:
By Monday night, five of the victims had been identified:

Victor Erez, 60, of Givatayim;

Benjamin Haputa, 47, of Lod;

Philip Balahsan, 45, of Ashdod;

Rosalia Basanya, 48, of Romania;

Boda Proshka, 50, of Romania

May Gd comfort their families.

For an interesting editorial and a different perspective, see the Times of London - www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,542-2138694,00.html . England had, in its own way, to deal with terrorists at its gate, but the Times wisely points out that the two situations are not analogous.

T'fillin on Chol Ha-Moed

We’re now in the middle of the holiday of Passover, the time called Chol Ha-Moed. The expression is made up of two words: Chol, which means “secular”, and Moed, which means “festival. In other words, we are in the “secular” period of the festival. Work is permitted until Tuesday night, like any other weekday, but the laws of Pesach, like matzah, still apply.

One question that comes up is t’fillin. Do you wear them on Chol Ha-Moed (i.e. the middle days of Pesach and Sukkot) or not? If it is more “Moed”, you would not, since we don’t wear t’fillin on festivals. If it is more “Chol” we should since t’fillin are worn on weekdays. Most Ashkenazim believe that it is in fact more “Moed” and so they do not wear t’fillin. For me, it’s not so simple.

Tradition tells us that you should follow the custom of your father when it comes to t’fillin on Chol Ha-Moed. But the truth is that my father z’l, like so many of ours, did not wear t’fillin at all. And so, I follow the custom of my “spiritual father”, Rabbi Furman. And here is where it gets tricky.

Rabbi Furman gave his life over to Jewish education at Beth El. Throughout his years at the Religious School and Kellman Academy, both schools stayed open for Chol Ha-Moed Sukkot, and both school closed for spring break on Pesach. Therefore, by his standards, the middle days of Sukkot were more “Chol” - regular - than “Moed” -festival- so during the middle days of Sukkot he wears t’fillin. On Pesach, the schools are closed giving it a more “Moed”, holiday feeling. Therefore no t’fillin. And that’s what I do. Middle days of Sukkot – Yes. Middle days of Pesach- No.

Confusing? Somewhat. But years from now, my grandchildren will say to me, “Zayde, why do you have this strange custom for t’fillin on Chol Ha-Moed”? And I will sit them down and tell them about my teacher, Rabbi Furman, and all the years we sat next to each other every morning in prayer. And they will not just understand the origin of my custom, they will come to know the relationship I have with my esteemed teacher.

15

Just a quick observation as we begin Pesach - the 15th day of Nisan.

We don't usually think of 15 as a special number in Jewish tradition. Seven - for sure, but 15...?

But consider:
15 Steps of the Seder
15 Dayyenus
15 Words in the Yom Tov Candle Blessing.
All on the 15th day of the month.

Why is this important? Because 15 in Hebrew letters is Yud-Hay. Yud=10 and Hay=5. A subtle hint that when you are doing Seder right (when you are doing LIFE right), Gd is reflected in all things. Take a deep breath, count your blessings, thank Gd, and enjoy your Sedarim. Chag Kasher V'Samay-ach!

A New Chancellor

Tomorrow you may read in the paper that a new Chancellor has been chosen for the Jewish Theological Seminary. His name is Arnold Eisen, and, once upon a time, he was my thesis advisor for my bachelor's degree at Columbia University. A couple of years after my graduation, he took a professorship at Stanford. Since then, he has written a number of books on the state of modern Jewry in America.

It is interesting that Arnie Eisen is not a rabbi. On one hand it seems strange that a "lay person" should be the head of a religious movement. But, as you know from my previous postings, I don't find this all that curious. After all, in our pluralistic movement, the Chancellor of the Seminary is not the rabbinic decisior for Rabbis in the field. Instead, the Chancellor's primary responsibility is to plot the future of the Movement, to craft its vision, and to help it to achieve its goals. A professor of Modern Jewry might prove to be just the person we have been looking for.

Arnie Eisen is a very active Conservative Jew in his shul in Northern California. He is a Torah reader, a teacher in Adult Ed., and a perpetual student. My college memories are of a very bright, patient and thoughtful person who was quick to smile and at home in most any situation. With Conservative Judaism at (yet another) crossroads it will be interesting to see how a man who never taught at the Seminary and hold no degrees from it will guide that very institution and all who look to it for leadership. The search committee has sent a profound message in choosing a lay person from outside the ivory tower.

A Night of Song

A nervous Eli Kahn stood behind the bimah with me as his Neshoma Orchestra played the opening number. Many years ago, he said, his father hosted a Theodore Bickel concert at Beth El. Even though he was a young teen, Eli remembered it well. Since that time, Eli confided in me, he has dreamed of doing a concert on our bimah. But, he noted, Bickel only needed his own voice and a guitar to carry the night, but he, Eli, needed a whole orchestra.

Well, Eli did not in fact need an entire orchestra, all he need was his own neshoma, his own heart and soul. But having the Neshoma Orchestra certainly helped. The hour and a half concert was attended by nearly 350 people. During the course of the musical evening, Eli told stories, stopping at one point to give a more formal address. It was at that time that Eli spoke of his son, Zev, calling him one of the “Lamed Vav-niks” – the 36 truly righteous individuals who support the whole world. The Lamed Vav-nicks, said Eli, hear Gd tucking them in at night, saying goodnight to the world. And the Lamed Vav-niks start every day hearing Gd wish the world a good morning. That’s what Zev hears, said his father. And, as a result, Zev sings as he goes to bed and sings from the moment he wakes up in the morning. He sings Jewish songs, he sings secular songs, he sings songs known only to him. He sings in bed, he sings in the hospitals, he sings during treatment for his complicated medical conditions. He sings with joy for the miracle of life.

Tonight Beth El helped Zev to sing more comfortably in his own home. All of the proceeds from the concert (there were no overhead expenses) went directly to Zev’s care. It was a beautiful evening of touching words, stirring songs, and loving tribute. This was a night those in attendance will long remember.

Chutzpah on Pesach

I taught the bar mitzvah kids in my Hebrew High class a new word tonight. Chutzpah! They had never heard of it. Still, it is an important word at Pesach time. In my weekly e-mail I wrote about the connection between Shabbat Ha-Gadol, this (Shabbos) and Chutzpah. But there’s more…

If you went outside tonight you saw a very bright moon a bit larger than half. That’s because tonight we began the 9th night of Nisan. When the moon is totally full it will be time to start the first seder. It was an act of Chutzpah on the part of the Jewish People to leave Egypt under a full moon. Most escapes would be planned for a new moon, under cover of darkness. Not ours.

It was also an act of Chutzpah to put the blood on the doorposts. (One kid in my class said she knew about this story from watching it on the “Rugrats” cartoon. That’s better, is suppose, than not knowing it at all!) Why did Gd need to know which houses were Jewish? Gd knows everything!? Answer: Gd needed the Jewish People to show some Chutzpah by declaring, “This is a Jewish home!” When Gd saw that they had enough Chutzpah, and enough faith, He knew it was time for them to move out. All under the light of a glorious full moon.

Broken Matza

At the matza factory yesterday, you could buy only three things: Whole matzas, broken matzas and matza meal made from the special wheat I described.

The broken matzas being sold were cheaper. They are, of course, equally kosher for Passover. But seeing them for sale reminded me about the mitzvah of the broken matza. According to the Talmud, one of the matzot used for making the motzee at the seder needs to be broken. This gave rise to the custom of breaking it before hand and hiding one part for the Afikomen. The reason for breaking the matza is that it is in fact a symbol of the poverty and degradation that we endured while in Egypt when we did not have enough to eat. (Homiletically, it also serves to remind us of the fact that there are still plenty of Jews who do not have enough to eat on a regular basis).

But this also reminds me of why we use three matzot for the seder. Originally we used only two. But, when Seder and Shabbat coincide, you need two full matzot to symbolize the double portion of manna which fell in the desert on Friday. Gd sent the double portion so that we would not have to work gathering the manna on Shabbat. To this day, that is why we use 2 challot at the Shabbat dinner table. And if you don’t have two challot, (or don’t want to have two challot), you can use two rolls. You cannot, however, use a slice of bread instead of a roll since a slice is like a “broken” – i.e. unfinished loaf. A single matza, however, represents “an entire loaf”. And so, on Shabbat, if you’re not big challah eaters, you can use two matzot, provided that they are whole. But for seder we use two full and one broken.

Just a little seder Torah to get you started…

More Than Just Matza

I went shopping for Shmora Matza today. I know, they have Shmora Matza at Shop Rite, but I went to Boro Park in Brooklyn, to the Shatzer Matzah Factory. Why shlepp all the way to Brooklyn for matza you can get here (albeit not as fresh)? Because I was accompanying my friend and teacher Rabbi Furman on his annual matza-buying pilgrimage. Rabbi Furman’s parents lived in Boro Park, and every year his father would go to Shatzer's to buy matza. Now, years after his father’s passing, so does he. It was a great way to spend the day.

What a place! A little whole in the wall. Behind a small, virtually unmarked door, we found a scene that could have taken place 100 or 400 or 800 years ago. A long and noisy room with a 30 foot table. Behind the table are men and women of all ages, from teenagers to their 70s, rolling out little brown balls of dough with thin rolling pins 3 feet long. In a corner of the room, a large mixing bowl where the dough is kneaded. Sitting beside the bowl are pitchers of water and bags of very costly wheat. In another corner, but really just 4 feet away, given the narrowness of the room, is a small man rolling small holes into the dough that has come from the tables. Another man ushers them into the oven , his arms moving rhythmically like a conveyor belt.

The whole process, from the time the wheat hits the water until the dough is baked must be only 18 minutes. That’s the length of time the Rabbis of the Talmud determined it took the dough to begin to rise, or become “Chametz”. I didn’t see any stopwatches around, but my guess is that they had been doing this for so long that they had the timing down pat. Rabbi Furman told me a story about how the famous Rabbi, the Chozeh of Lublin, made a whole store’s Shmora Matza tref because, even though they were made in just minutes, the tears of the workers who were pushed too hard by their employer made the finished product unfit for Pesach consumption. These folks looked like they were having a pretty good time, even thought the Rabbi watched them like a hawk.

It’s called Shmora (“Guarded”) Matza because its entire production is carefully overseen from beginning to end. The wheat is harvested just as it ripens and before rain can fall on it. The sheaved wheat is protected from all rain. The threshing is supervised so that no water comes in contact at any point, and the shipments are sealed in trucks very carefully. No wonder this matza costs $17/lb.!

But for me, of course, the matza will taste delicious not just because I bought it fresh, and not even because Rabbi Furman and I bought it together. (It was his 75th birthday!) Rather, tasting it will remind me of Rabbi Furman’s love for his father and his faithfulness to the traditions imparted to him by his dad. Hopefully, it will inspire me to create and maintain my own meaningful traditions with my own children, and they, in turn with theirs.

Counting Time

I'm the kind of person who watched the odometer in my car very carefully so that I could notice exactly when it turned to 123,456 two months ago. I'm not at all a math person. I could never get my math teacher to understand that I did not mean my answers to be taken literally. Theology was much more my speed. But somehow, the sequence of numbers holds an almost mystical appeal. And so therefore, on a lighter note, I share with you this fact:

The Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at precisely two minutes and three seconds after one o'clock in the morning it will be:

01:02:03 04/05/06.

It will be 100 years before that happens again. Just thought you'd like to know...

Mexico and Beyond

So what did we decide in Mexico City vis-à-vis the Ordination of Homosexuals? Ultimately, after a good deal of debate, the Rabbis in attendance, some 350 of us, voted to back the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards. It was the Law Committee, keeping with its history, that wanted a simple majority for a vote on a major issue like this one. True, they were upping the total needed from just 6, but they felt that a simple majority of 13 would reflect some consensus. It was the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly that had argued for the 80% threshold. We voted to support our Law Committee and its request for a simple majority when it came to approving the papers on this particular topic.

The issue is not settled by a long shot. First of all, as I mentioned earlier, the papers need to be reworked and resubmitted to the Law Committee as a whole. This will take some time. Second, there is the issue of the constitution of the Rabbinical Assembly itself. As I understand it, the Executive Committee made the 80% policy in spite of the fact that the constitution only requires 6 votes. Such a constitutional change cannot be taken lightly, as so many R.A. members have pointed out to them. In addition, I wonder whether we, the Rabbis in Mexico City, had the power to make a change in policy that contradicts the constitution, no matter how well intentioned we were!

My guess is that we will really have to wait for the final editions of the 4 papers to be made public before anything moves forward. In this issue, I find myself being a “constitutionalist”. I believe that the original intent of those who drafted the R.A. constitution was indeed to make a low threshold for accepted opinions. We should keep it that way. Let the individual Rabbis study the decisions, look inward, then look at the congregations they serve, and make decisions based on all these factors.

Besides, once this first hurdle is overcome we will get into the real, practical issues of implementing policies that will meet the needs of the caring, committed, gay Jewish community. Will we be sanctioning commitment ceremonies? How will they be understood from the standpoint of Jewish law? What aspects of a traditional wedding ceremony might apply? Can they be done in states that do not recognize gay marriage? Lots of issues to address, but we need to move forward.

Conservative T'shuvot on the Web

In response to my last post, Jamie mentioned renewed interest on the part of many of our members in Rabbinic Responsa, known in Hebrew as T’shuvot. Many of the T’shuvot of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards can be found on their website. You can access it by clicking here: www.rabbinicalassembly.org/law/teshuvot_public.html

As you can see from a sampling of the papers, many, if not most, would not have passed if an 80% majority was needed. On one hand, that would have made Conservative Judaism more uniform, but on the other hand, it would have drastically slowed our ability to relate as Conservative Jews to the changing world around us. Reading through the T’shuvot gives a sampling of the broad spectrum of practice in Conservative synagogues today.

Raising the Bar

To further our discussion on pluralism… Initially, years ago, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards validated an opinion presented by a Law Committee member with only one or two votes in favor. Such a small endorsement did not make it a “policy” of the Movement, but rather an opinion based on which Rabbis could make their decisions for their own congregations. Since 1970, the number of votes needed to recognize an opinion has been raised until it reached the current number of 6. Again, I believe that is as it should be. There is a consensus with 6 even if it is not a majority. Still, all along, the membership of the Rabbinical Assembly wanted opinions to represent some sort of consensus.

The question of consensus, however, has been taken, in my opinion, to an unreasonable level in requiring 80% of the RA Law Committee to approve a paper as a recognized opinion. This to my mind, (and that of most of my colleagues at Mexico City) negates the concept of true pluralism by requiring an unreasonably high level of agreement in a Movement that prides itself on fostering disagreement “L’Shem Shamayim”, “For the Sake of Heaven.” Furthermore, this high bar of consensus has never been required before. This seems patently unfair, as well as unconstitutional vis-a-vis the R.A. rules of governance. The Constitution of the R.A. says that 6 votes gives a T’shuvah the status of recognized opinion. (Period)

Some, however, argue that this particular issue is of such weight that it has assumed the status of “Takanah”, an edict, so to speak. The concept of “Takanah” is troublesome for a couple of reasons. First, the label seems to necessitate a super-majority whereas a simple “T’shuvah” would not. Some would argue that this is more than mere semantics. They would say that we are dealing with an issue of greater weight than those that came before. In this labeling controversy I, like others who have posted, see a delaying tactic that keeps us from addressing the true issue of equal participation regardless of orientation. (See comment on previous post). Second, few, if any of the colleagues know the true status of a “Takanah”. Does it mean that I, as a Conservative Rabbi would be forced to abide by it? That, to my mind, is not true pluralism.

And so, because we have introduced the language of “Takanah”, the Committee of Jewish Law and Standards has another layer of complexity to deal with. Are they comfortable legislating practice for a Movement that prides itself on pluralism? I hope not. Although I personally want the decisions to ultimately grant equal rights and participation to all, I do not want the Law Committee expelling those who do not agree with their (or my) position. Beth El, more than most Conservative shuls, truly values diversity and pluralism. It is a point of pride with us. Now the definition of diversity and pluralism is being widened. I hope that ultimately it will lead to a bigger tent, filled with more caring and committed Jews.

Opinions - NOT Positions

In my last post I discussed the process of writing opinion papers for the Committee of Jewish Law and Standards. The four papers on homosexuality are currently under review and rewrite. People think that ultimately, one of those papers will be voted on, and if approved become a standard for the Conservative Movement. That’s not, however, the way this works. The Law Committee does not legislate the standards for the Conservative Movement.

That’s because we are pluralistic. What the Law Committee does, on any matter of Jewish law that it addresses, is write opinions. Opinions, not positions. When a paper that has been written by a member of the Law Committee is approved by 6 of the 24 voting members, it becomes an “opinion” of the Law Committee. Conservative Rabbis in the field (like me) can then decide whether to abide by and implement the opinion, or not. Essentially, the Law Committee functions for the Rabbis, not for the Movement as a whole. For instance, an opinion paper was written on aspects of women’s participation in services. Some, (in fact, most) Conservative Rabbis used these opinions as the basis for implementing change in their congregations. I was guided by these opinions when I brought Beth El to egalitarianism. However, other Rabbis did not implement these changes because they did not “buy into” the opinions. That’s why some Conservative shuls remain non-egalitarian.

Pluralism might be a tough concept for some folks to grasp. People would like to say, “This is what the Movement stands for.” When it comes to individual positions and practices this is tough because we lack true uniformity. Ours is a Movement that doesn’t just tolerate, but encourages diversity. But, to my mind, this is as it should be. We are a Movement made up of modern individuals who take Jewish Law seriously. How that translates into practice will vary from shul to shul depending on the direction the Rabbi chooses to lead. His or her leadership, in turn, will be very much a reflection of the dedicated Jews he or she serves. These new opinions, if adopted, will contribute to even greater diversity. The issue at hand pushes the definition of diversity even further, perhaps further than it’s ever been pushed before, and that’s what makes it so controversial. But I, for one, hope that our Movement widens the spiritual space beneath our great tent enough to make room for all dedicated Jews, regardless of sexual orientation.

Back From Mexico

I got in very late Thursday night from a wonderful Convention in Mexico City. I’ll write later about some of the sessions as well as the vibrant Jewish community that hosted us. But first, I’ll talk about the issue of Ordination of Gay and Lesbian Rabbis, which was the hot topic. In spite of what you might read in the paper, the Conservative Movement is not dodging the issue. It was reported that the Law Committee did not want to vote on the position papers. It was reported that the Law Committee wanted to have 80% approval of a paper for it to be accepted as a recognized opinion. False and False. (I'll take on the first "False" in this post).

Here’s what’s really happening. First, some background on process: When a “She-aylah”, a question of Jewish law, is sent to the Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (made up of 24 Rabbis noted for their skill in legal matters) , the Law Committee must first decide if it is one that merits full inquiry. Once that is established, a subcommittee is assigned the task of doing the research and writing papers on the matter. They work, independently, to trace the issue through Jewish legal sources and whatever other extra-legal sources they deem relevant. This can take many months. When the papers are ready for a first reading, they are presented to the entire Law Committee (which also has 5 non-voting members from the United Synagogue and one rep. from the Cantors Assembly).
At that meeting, the full body discusses each paper in detail. They offer criticism of both the content and reasoning and often send the authors back to the sources. Papers are never voted on at the first reading. The meeting of the Law Committee that occurred last month was for the first reading of four position papers regarding the ordination of gay and lesbian Rabbis. No vote was taken because it would have been premature and inappropriate to do so. These papers have not been distributed – not to the Rabbis and not to the public. The papers were critiqued and sent back for rewrites. THAT’S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. At the next meeting, the reworked papers will be presented. At that point, the usual process is for the committee to offer more critique, and, where possible, encourage the authors to coalesce their varied papers into one or perhaps two cohesive opinions. This too will take some time. Inevitably, those who want positions stated quickly and unequivocally will want a rapid vote, but in all likelihood the Committee will urge the authors to further refine their positions. That is, to my mind, as it should be.

In my next couple of posts I’ll talk about what we accomplished in Mexico City, which quite frankly, given the fact that deliberations and rewrites are ongoing on the papers, wasn’t much. I’ll also write about the debate over what a Takkanah is as well as what I think it might mean for the Movement, but I thought at this point it’s best to have some context for the discussion. Stay tuned.

Off to Mexico

This will likely be my last post for about a week as I am departing early Sunday for the Rabbinical Assembly Convention in Mexico City. Why Mexico? Weather alone would not draw us. Rather, we go to Mexico to show our support for the Latin American Conservative Jewish community. Over the last 20 years our Movement has really taken off in the Southern Hemisphere and we now have a Rabbinical School in Buenos Aries.

Among the hot topics at the Convention will, of course, be the ordination of Gay and Lesbian Rabbis by our Movement. Much has been and will be written on the topic. The issues go far beyond homosexuality. Very few among the leadership or laity of the Movement wish to marginalize the gay community. There is deep and abiding respect for all Jews, for no one is more sensitive to what it feels like to be treated like The Other than Jews. The question is how to reconcile the Torah, which expressly forbids homosexuality, and the hearts and souls of homosexual Jews who want and deserve a comfortable place in our Movement. If we were part of a Movement that did not see Jewish law as binding, the issue would be fairly irrelevant as the Torah’s laws would no longer be compelling. If, on the other hand, we saw Jewish law as immutable, the topic would be moot as well. But because we are part of a Movement that sees Jewish law as both binding and evolving, the issue is more complicated.

Some see this process as moving too slowly. Some attribute this to a lack of resolve, or worse, some back room politics designed to keep the gay community at bay. That’s not the way I see it. I believe the Law Committee of the Movement is taking the deliberations seriously, not just because it is challenging an explicit statement of Torah, but because it is looking at the larger issue of what it means to be a Movement. On one hand we have people who say, “If we are a Movement we must be clear and unequivocal on where we stand on the issues.” It is for this reason that the Rabbinical Assembly Law Committee advocated an 80% majority for statements on issues of tremendous importance, like this one. Others see our Movement as a Big Tent, with room for lots of opinions and practices. They would argue that if a position paper receives the necessary 6 votes of the Committee, thus making it an accepted opinion, that would be enough. Some Rabbis would accept the opinion and some would not. It would not be seen as a Movement wide statement. We could not use it to say “The Movement stands for…” but it would successfully address the issue at hand with both scholarship and compassion.

This subtlety seems lost on some. In our world today people want quick and easy answers for just about everything. We want a Movement that speaks with one voice and yet we want that voice to be all-inclusive. Can it be done? We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I think we should take the Talmud’s advice “Dan L’chaf Zechoot” and give the leaders of the Conservative Movement “the benefit of the doubt”. They are good people with caring hearts and bright minds who are trying to guide us through fog to the light of a new day.

Cliches

I heard a story on the radio today about clichés. The word comes from the time when type was set by hand. Typesetters began to find that there were certain phrases that were repeated time and again in story after story. Rather than set the type each time, they left these phrases in blocks and popped them in when needed. Actually, they did not pop them into the rest of the type; they “clicked” them in. Cliché is French for “click”.

After a while, those same phrases, though readily employed, began to lose their meaning. Rather than chose the right world to fit the idea, the typesetters used the familiar words (clichés) even if they were not perfect. Hence the modern meaning for cliché: an idea or expression deficient in originality, used or occurring so often as to have lost interest, freshness, or force.

The Rabbis of our tradition remind us time and again that we must never let our prayers, our faith, our lives, become cliché. We are not to walk through life routinely, but rather to bless each day for its unlimited potential. As Rabbi Lawrence Kushner wrote in his Book of Words, “Blessings keep our awareness of life’s holy potential ever present. They awaken us to our own lives. Every blessing says, “I am grateful to be a creature and to remind myself and God that life is good.”

Rabbi Morris Dembowitz z'l

Tomorrow, Wednesday, I will be taking part in the funeral of my teacher, colleague and friend, Rabbi Morris Dembowitz, who passed away Monday night, on Purim. Rabbi Dembowitz served many congregations throughout his long career, in addition to working for the Seminary developing Jewish educational opportunities across the country. He was a bright man with a warm smile and a wonderful sense of humor. He was a born teacher.

For the last several years, he and his wife Lee have lived in the Towers of Windsor and I have had the good fortune of davening with him in our Chapel many, many times. Few people know this but he had a special prayer book that he kept in the closet in our Chapel called “Otzar T’fillot”. It is not your typical siddur. Not only does it give you the prayer text, it is an encyclopedic commentary on the prayers as well. Rabbi Dembowitz would study and pray at the same time, shifting his gaze from the top to the bottom of the page. When he found something that he thought might interest me he would lean over, tap me on the shoulder and point to the phrase. It was always engaging. When I would look up after carefully considering the text, he would inevitably be smiling broadly.

And that is what I’ll always remember about Rabbi D. He showed me that one prays first, delves into the words second, and then shares with others the joy of the spiritual encounter just had. Live life fully, examine its meaning, and share your enthusiasm with others. Although he did not have an easy life and fate was not always kind to him, this simple prescription gave Rabbi Dembowitz more than 90 fruitful years. May his memory be a blessing.

Drinking on Purim

Drinking alcohol has been part of Purim observance for thousands of years. The source of the custom is from the Talmud in the tractate known as Megillah: “Rava said: A man is obligated to drink on Purim until he does not know the difference between ‘Cursed Haman’ and ‘Blessed Mordechai.’”

This passage has been widely misinterpreted. Few would advocate taking it literally. Why? See last post – Is Pasht Nisht – it’s beneath your honor.

Unlike Islam Judaism thinks a little alcohol isn't a bad thing. They just want us to know what we are doing. The Talmud had no breathalyzer, but they did have a system to measure levels of impairment: First is “Sheetooee”. I would translate this as “slightly buzzed.” How buzzed? He/she shouldn’t really be davening, but if he does, it’s OK. Why? Because the sages say he’d be O.K. to approach a King. Likewise the King of Kings.

Second is “Sheekur” (like the Yiddish “Shikker”). Here a person is too drunk to daven, but is still held responsible for his actions. His business deals stick. He is still bound by halacha (Jewish Law).

The 3rd level is “Shikrootoe Shel Lot” – as drunk as Lot, Abraham’s nephew (see Genesis 19:31-39). Lot was clearly drunk out of his mind. A person this smashed is not held reliable for halacha, business dealings, or just about anything else. He’s out of control.

Is this the kind of drinking Rava was talking about? Hardly! Judaism is all about self control! So what’s it all about?

It’s not talking about drinking at home or in a bar. It’s talking about celebrating Purim with your family and friends in a Jewish communal setting. Letting loose (within moderation) is good for you if it allows you to see past initial impressions. Letting your guard down within the community setting is healthy, from time to time. It’s hard to hold a grudge on Purim – and maybe that’s the whole idea.

Honor

On Shabbat morning I had the privilege of addressing 57 Beth El 3rd graders as they celebrated Aleph Consecration and Kellman Academy convocation. I decided to speak to them about honor. I said that I hoped that all of them would carry the new siddurim (prayerbooks) they were receiving with honor. In front of their families and friends I asked the kids if they knew what honor was. One boy raised his hand and said, “It’s when you feel proud of yourself.” Another said, “It is something special that is given to you when you have earned it.” Right On!

I asked them to define honor because it seems, aside from the military, it’s not a term you hear much about. Somehow honor has become hard to define. But it’s not that difficult… Being honorable means living with a sense of respect for what you believe is right. It is living by the virtues and values that guide your life, even when they bring you into opposition with others around you. When you are being honorable you never need to be ashamed of the choices you make. As an old Jewish axiom has it, “Where there is no honor, neither is there disgrace.”

In Yiddish there is an expression, one that we don’t hear quite enough, “Is Pahst Nisht” – which I will translate as, “It is beneath your honor.” In the age of reality TV, (whose theme seems to be “How low will you go?”), our tradition reminds us that without defining what constitutes our honor we will always be less than the person Gd knows we can be.

Definition of Sacrifice

Shabbat Zachor – the “Shabbos of Remembering” starts tonight. It’s the same root as the word “Yizkor” – the memorial service.

In my Thursday morning minyan breakfast class we are studying Psalms. Yesterday, we looked at a passage of Psalm 20 recited during the weekday morning prayers. “May He remember all your offerings and accept all your sacrifices.” Originally, of course, it referenced the Temple. We could analogize to today and say “May Gd take note of all the good you do in the world and all the sacrifices you make for others, thereby serving Him.”

But there’s more to it than that. The Hebrew uses a phrase that refers to a particular “remembrance” of sacrifices called “Terumat Ha-Deshen”. Every morning the Kohen would take a handful of the ash from the previous day’s sacrifices and put it on the altar to accompany the new sacrifices of that day. Curious, no?!

What’s a sacrifice? Simply: It’s giving up something precious in order to get something more. Short term “loss” for long term gain. True for all relationships: to friends, family, vocation, fitness, you name it. The Psalm seems to be suggesting that much of the values and ideals that lead us to make sacrifices in our own lives come from the sacrifices made by those who came before us. In the same way, we set paradigms for sacrifice for those who will follow our lead in years to come.

Shabbat Shalom!

A Cure for Loneliness

According to a study I heard about today on the radio, more than a third of adults are lonely. Interestingly, people in their forties suffered the highest levels, according to a study published in the latest Journal of Clinical Nursing.

The study, by a team of UK and Australian researchers, showed that 35 per cent of the 1,289 people who took part in 30-minute telephone interviews were lonely. “Understanding what makes people lonely is very important as loneliness can increase the risk of health conditions, such as heart disease and depression, and other problems such as domestic violence” says Professor William Lauder from the University of Dundee, Scotland, who spent two years working in Australia.

You might think that the older you get the more lonely you get, but it’s not true. “One of the most interesting findings of this study is that it challenges the belief that retirement is linked to diminished social contacts and that people get lonelier as they get older,” said the doctor.

My guess is that people in their 40’s who are working so hard to support their families, and focusing all their free time on taking their kids to various programs, have little time for community building activities. Older folks have broader horizons and take time widening their circle of contact.

But, to me, the most interesting part of the research was the finding that, “People with strong religious beliefs were far less likely to be lonely.”

Hmmm… Makes you wonder… If you could find a way of combining family time, community time, and expression of religious beliefs…. You’d come to shul! (Maybe that’s why so many feel so good when they do.)

Jews Do Not Bless Destruction

Yesterday I wrote about remembering what had been done to our people over 60 years ago. Tradition tells us that we are supposed to remember back a lot further than that. In fact, it is a commandment (one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah) to remember what the Amalekites did to us in the desert when we left Egypt.

What did they do? They attacked from the rear, killing the slow walkers – the young and the infirmed. We have a special Shabbat – (this one 3/11) – where we add this Torah story (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) to the regular portion. We take out a 2nd Torah just to read about and remember their evil. It's a mitzvah to remember.

Interestingly, even though it is a commandment to remember the Amalekites, we do not say a blessing (like: “Blessed are You… who has commanded us to remember the Amalekites…”) before we read this special portion. Why not? Because Jews do not bless destruction.

Remember when, according to tradition, the angels wanted to sing to Gd as the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea? Gd said, “No! How can you sing when My creation is drowning?” We are forbidden to celebrate destruction – even if we know the enemy deserves it. Judaism is different. We don't parade in the streets when others suffer. Our Faith prohibits this. It's just not who we are.

Springdale Farms

Is it just me or does that guard tower out in the field behind Springdale Farms look like its from WWII?! Driving by yesterday I had this knee-jerk reaction that I had seen it before – at Majdanek! Majdanek was a concentration camp in Poland where 100,000s of Jews died. Unlike Trblinka which was deep in the woods, Majdanek was 4 kilometers from the center of Lublin, a big city. Like Springdale Farms it was in the suburbs, on farm land, and easily seen from surrounding houses and those driving by on the road. And yet, amazingly, “no one” knew what was going on behind those guard towers!

Seeing that tower brought me right back to the cold winter day, years ago, when I was visiting that camp. It sent a shiver up my spine. I thought about the words of Richard von Weizsaecker the former President of the Federal Republic of Germany, (who served a rare double term from 1984-1994). In admitting German responsibility for the war he wrote, “There were many ways of not burdening one's conscience, of shunning responsibility, looking away, keeping mum. When the unspeakable truth of the Holocaust then became known at the end of the war, all too many of us claimed that they had not known anything about it or even suspected anything."

We Jews have long memories – and our own way of looking at the world. One foot in the present, one foot on the past, eyes focused on the future.

Jews and the Oscars

At the Academy Awards last night, host Jon Stewart ribbed director Steven Spielberg for "Munich," the film about Israeli soldiers in pursuit of the men who killed Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games. "From the man who also gave us 'Schindler's List... " he said. " 'Schindler's List' and 'Munich.' I think I speak for all Jews when I say, 'I can't wait to see what happens to us next!' Trilogy!"

That comment made me think once again about the depiction of Jews in Hollywood, both film and T.V. Far too often we are either depicted as victims, like Schindler’s list and those slaughtered in Munich. Or, we are seen as people to be laughed at – like Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm. We are SO much more than that. But will the viewing public ever get to see, to understand that?! It will be a new day when Jews are seen as people dedicated to living good and moral lives, leading by example; trying to make the world a better place. For thousands of years we Jews have been the conscience of the world.

Some of that moral conscience came through when Stewart gave Hollywood both barrels: "I'm from New York and I've been here a week and a half. A lot of people say this town is too liberal. Out of touch with mainstream America. A modern day beachfront Sodom and Gomorrah. A black hole where innocence is obliterated. An endless orgy of sexual gratification and greed. I don't really have a joke here...and I just thought you should know a lot of people are saying that."

To my mind, he’s not that far off. But agree with him or not it’s that kind of social criticism that has set Jews apart since the time of the Bible. It doesn’t always make good T.V. but the next generation is not going to want to devote their lives to being victims or the butt of jokes. But if they could see themselves as helping to grow humanity, of contributing to our nation’s moral evolution…

Gays and Conservative Judaism

Congregation Beth El offers Family Membership to Gay and Lesbian couples. In this regard we are ahead of the curve. Our Conservative Movement is about to readdress the issue of homosexuality in Jewish law. The law committee will take up the issue at a meeting next week. I'll be going to the Rabbinical Assembly's annual convention in Mexico City in two weeks and this promises to be a hot topic. To read about the controversy in THE FORWARD click here: http://forward.com/main/article.php?ref=siegel200603011107