The favorites and the underdogs – a sermon on Jewish values and sporting championships

After a tumultuous week of sports, with ups and downs, surprises and sure things, we are left with two champions – The Dallas Mavericks of the NBA and the Boston Bruins of the NHL. Thinking back to the beginning of the season, even going back a few weeks ago, one would have been hard pressed to pick these two team as the champions within their respective leagues. Both are solid teams, but neither had won anything of significance in decades. Expectations were low, though each team had plenty of talent and drive, and each featured a superstar. The Mavericks feature 7 footer Dirk Nowitzki, a former NBA MVP who is a natural team leader. The Bruins feature the best goalie in the NHL this season, Tim Thomas, the eventual MVP of the playoffs and most likely the eventual Vezina trophy for best goalie during the regular season. The Bruins also feature one of the most dominant defensemen in the game, the 6”9 Zdeno Chara who happens to hold the title of hardest shot from the NHL skills competition.

So while these two teams were both underdogs, they were able to overcome great odds and win it all; how did they do it? The Mavericks were facing the Miami Heat who featured the “big 3”. In the last offseason the 3 best free agents all signed with one team in south Florida. They held onto Dwayne Wade, grabbed Chris Bosh from us here in Toronto and more significantly attracted Lebron James from Cleveland, possibly the greatest player in basketball today. In his ego driven nationally televised decision, Lebron invited the world to watch a one hour special where he told the world he was going to the Heat. The way the team presented the 3 players as though they had already won a championship and the way they ditched their former teams to get together, made them the most talented and most hated team. With high expectations, the team gathered steam through the regular season and steamrolled the competition through the playoffs, and won the first game of the series so convincingly, it seemed the Heat would fulfill their top dog status.

The Bruins faced the Vancouver Canucks, who owned the best record in the NHL this past season winning the president’s trophy. The Canucks have arguably one of the best goaltenders in the league, who won the gold medal for Canada at last year’s Olympics. Their top forwards twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin each led the league in scoring respectively over the past 2 years, and Henrik was league MVP last year and Daniel will likely win this year. With secondary scoring from such heavyweights such as Ryan Kessler and Alex Burrows, and great defense, the Canucks gelled in the playoffs squeezing by the rival Blackhawks in 7 but then racing by the Sharks and Predators and taking the first 2 against the Bruins and the cup was in sight.

So these two underdogs, the Mavs and Bruins, had something special that led them to the championship. What was the secret to their success? Let’s look at the classic Jewish story of an underdog overcoming all odds, David vs. goliath. The account of the battle between David and Goliath is given in first Samuel, chapter 17. Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines at the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for 40 days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out their MVP of their own to decide the outcome in single hand to hand combat. However, Saul and all the other Israelites are afraid of him.

Young David is present, having brought food for his elder brothers. Told that Saul has promised to reward any man who defeats Goliath, David accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines, taking only his sling and five stones chosen from a nearby brook.

David and Goliath confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David with his staff and sling. David hurls a stone with all his might, and hits Goliath in the center of his forehead. The Philistine falls on his face to the ground; David takes his sword and cuts off his head and a new champion is crowned.

Here are David’s strategies.

One he was brave and didn’t back down. Sure goliath was the greatest warrior of the time, but if you don’t enter the battle you certainly can’t win. David believed in himself and went into the battle mentally prepared to fight and win. The Mavs and Bruins similarly didn’t see their opponents as any better than them. In the rhetoric and preparation for the games, they held on to their own style of play and never backed down. The Mavericks lost game 1, but continued to play their game, shooting well from the 3-point line, excellent defense and clutch scoring down the stretch. The Bruins continued their hard nosed play, concentrating on scoring spread among their 4 lines and smart, simple defense, letting Thomas make the big stops. Even after losing the first two, they had only given up a total of 3 goals, they continued their style and believe their pucks would eventually go in, especially returning to their home rink in Beantown.

Second David saw the goal at the end. He realized there would be a reward from King Saul, but David had the greater purpose in mind of freeing the Israelites from Philistine rule. Yes there are individual battles, but there is a larger war. David was doing his one small part to defeat Goliath and send a message to everyone. Eventually David would become king, using this victory as his calling card. By showing he could defeat the great Goliath, when he led his men into battle they were given great confidence as well to follow someone who led by example. Following David meant they were following a champion and this gave the whole army confidence. No one wonder David’s armies were so successful in establishing the greatest Israelite kingdom.

The Bruins and Mavs also focused on the end goal. The Mavs played with heart and soul. They fought down to the final minute in each game. Even when they were down by a lot, they didn’t let up and twice came from behind to win in the 4^th quarter. There was no individual, it was a team effort. They played the emotions of Nowitzki who is quiet, unassuming and plays hard. Contrast to the Big 3 who yell, gesture, make faces and style their way to the basket but come up short at crucial moments. And Jason Kidd, nearing 40, a wily veteran who had come close twice before, they wanted him to finally get the big trophy.

The Bruins played hard as a team too, seemingly none of their players are all stars, but as a group they are cohesive. They never dive, they hit hard and they never back down. When one of their best players, Nathan Horton, was knocked out by a late hit, he came back a few nights later to cheer on the team from the bench. They also had two wily veterans in Thomas and Rechi, the latter had already said this was his last game and they wanted to win it for him. You of course could say the same about Vancouver, who were playing at times for a city and an entire country, but unfortunately they weren’t able to put it all together on the ice when it mattered the most.

Finally David spoke truth to power. When they faced each other, “The Philistine cursed David by his gods.” But David replies: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hand.” David speaks with great confidence and sets the tone for the battle simply through his words. David states the fact, that he will win, and not just that but particular details of the outcome. Surely even Goliath was struck by the ferocity and clarity of the words.

In sports, there are always words spoken before and after the games, sometimes cliches sometimes real feelings, and it can affect the game. After Lebron James was called out for his lack of ability to finish games strongly, he countered with an observation that all those that hate will have to go back to work the next day, while he continues to play basketball and get paid tons of money. He belittled the whole premise of sports, that we buy a ticket to support a team, even if these athletes make millions more than us, the owners too. We give our loyalty and love to a team because of the collective, because its an escape from our job (whether we have one or not), our lives, our reality. It’s a time to embrace something beyond our simple lives and that is what we all buy into. Buy calling us out on it Lebron further lowered in our standards and is actually biting the hand that feeds him. Its not confidence, or a challenge to win the final goal, it’s a slide out the back door for someone who didn’t have the desire or determination to win.

In the hockey final, there were many words exchanged about the goalies. A writer asked Thomas if he would change his style after he got faked out and scored upon in game 2. Thomas said, no he wasn’t going to change, he’s been playing goalie for quite a while and been successful. He knew exactly what he was doing and had the confidence in himself to win it all, his way. Luongo on the other hand got flustered at one point when asked about a particular goal that Thomas let in again in game 5 with his aggressive style. Luongo said he probably would have made the save, then quickly went on to say Thomas was a great goalie, but he never got compliments from him. Thomas quickly went on the offensive. He’s supposed to compliment the opponent? Did David compliment Goliath for his size and battle skills. No he described how he would cut his head off. Then he went out and did it, that is the way you demoralize your opponent and set the tone for victory.

Of course sports are just games. We cheer and hope for our teams, but ultimately it’s not life and death. When David faced goliath he did face a real existential battle. And when David talked about God on his side, that was truly when he needed god’s help. When athletes point to God to thank them for scoring a basket or saving a goal, its not a life and death situation. Perhaps they can thank god for giving them the talent to compete so well in games. They can thank god for their health and their ability to sustain play at such a high level, especially when we see serious career threatening injuries all the time. They can thank god for the chance to play on a great team, to earn money for playing games. But its not appropriate, I think, to thank god for winning or scoring, god has better things to do.

I am a big sports fan as you can tell, and I was stunned this week when two underachieving teams, facing great odds, came up big to win championships. I’m a sucker for the underdog and I love the finals, watching teams raise the trophy, the tears from huge strong men, the emotions flying out. There was a great advertisement for the Stanley Cup that strung together a bunch of interviews where each player was asked what it was like to win the cup, and their eyes get misty and they can’t even get the words out. The tag line is, “there are no words”. I have to admit, even I teared up just watching the commercial. There is something about sports that brings out certain emotions. And when a team overcomes obstacles, senses the goal, works as a team, voices their commitment, and wins, its great to watch. I just hope, one day, that it will be a Toronto Maple Leaf that hoists that cup and I’ll be there to witness it. On that day, there will be no words.

Finding Judaism in Algonquin Park
Shabbat Parshat V’etchana
Rabbi Stephen Wise
August 1^st 2009 11 Av 5769

“The forecast calls for rain, rain and, guess what…more rain..now what do we do”. That was the beginning of the discussion I had with my 5 friends – Eyal, Nic, David, Romm and Roman – as we prepared for our annual canoe trip to Algonquin Park. As you can imagine, rain on a camping trip is the worst. When you’re wet, its almost impossible to get dry when you’re out in the backcountry. Its miserable and cold, you can’t start a fire to cook food, its windy and hard to paddle – pretty much its lethal to a trip. And so we had to decide…should we stay or go. Our staying option was to relax at our cottage up in Muskoka – protected by a nice solid roof, easy access to a hot shower, stovetop and toilet. We were already away from our wives and kids, so the holiday had begun, now was the moment of truth. Should we take the risk or take the easy way out.

I can imagine this is similar to what the Israelites were thinking as they left Egypt thousands of years ago. Do you stay with what you know, or go into the unknown. Granted what they knew was slavery in Egypt, but at least they had steady work. But all kidding aside, they were well fed, clothed and housed. They have very little to worry about and they always knew what tomorrow would bring. Out in the wilderness they could be cut down by the Egyptians – or any other marauding army such as the Amorites, Moabites, or Amalekites. There was no food, water or shelter in the desert. And there was a great river to cross between Egypt and Israel – how would they get across it. They were being led into the great unknown led by a man – Moses, who claimed he could speak to God and to trust him. This was a man who couldn’t even speak for himself, he had to have his brother Aaron speak for him. I read recently in a book called “Learning from the Heart” by noted psychiatrist Daniel Gottlieb, that according to new research there is a theory that actually only about 20% of the Israelites did take up the offer by Moses to leave Egypt and head for the unfamiliar. And in fact, of those 20% who did leave Egypt, how many died in the desert? All of them. Including their leader Moses himself. So perhaps those 80% of Israelites who stayed behind were right all along. But Gottlieb reminds us that they took a leap of faith. This coming from an author Gottlieb who himself is quadriplegic, having been in a serious car accident in his early 30’s with a wife and two small children. He knows what its like to take a leap of faith each morning, just putting his life together and continuing to create a new life for himself, maintain his career and support a family – all of which he has done quite successfully.

What he explains from this story of the 20% is that they took a leap of faith for the larger picture – they weren’t thinking about themselves, they were thinking about their children, and the future of their nation. They saw themselves as something bigger. They decided to take control of the destiny of the people Israel by embarking on this journey.

Our embarkation on a small canoe trip of course did not impact a nation, but there was a small lesson to be learned. You can’t know what is out there until you go. The weather could turn out to be great or it could pour every minute of the way. But how would we know unless we went. And the stories we’d bring back would be phenomenal either way. So we set out and wouldn’t you know it, the weather wasn’t so bad. It rained a lot the first day, but we had prepared. We weatherproofed our bags with layers of protection, wore rain coats and water shoes and so the rain barely bothered us. We luckily got a respite as we set up camp and in fact were able to make a pretty good fire and cook up some nice steaks. Overnight we got another rainstorm but by then we were happily set up in our tents with our waterproof tarps. And then something miraculous happened, the rain stopped and the sun came out. By the second day we were canoeing, swimming, gunneling and relaxing as we wanted too. There is something so wonderful about being far away from civilization. At night the sky was so clear you could see a million stars. We took out the canoes and lay back and just stared up at the sky for an hour. All we heard was the call of the loons and rustle of the leaves with the breeze and occasional crackling twig of animals in the brush. On the third day we actually saw a moose as we slowly paddled down a river off of Small Trout lake. He looked up from drinking and saw us. We stared at him as we paddled by and then, without fear, he slowly turned around and meandered back into the forest. It was the first time I had seen a moose up close like that, it was magical. And there is nothing like food cooked over the open fire. We made chicken breasts that melted in our mouths. We ate this freeze dried chili, that I wouldn’t even glance at in the supermarket, but out there, it was manna from heaven.

One night, as we lay by the fire, we started talking about the journey and the decision to come. It was touch and go for a while that first evening whether we would come or not, but we realized we had to just go out there, no matter the forecast. We had to experience it for ourselves.

In our portion this week we read how Moses pleads to enter the holy land. And its easy to understand his pain. He had led the Israelites through the desert. He was the first to step into the unknown. He trusted God at the burning bush. He followed God’s instructions and faced down Phaorah, the most powerful man in the ancient world. He stood at Sinai and instructed the Jewish people in the ways of the Lord. And now, at the climax of the journey, he was told to stop. No doubt he wanted to be at the front of the line again. He heard the report of the spies, he got a taste of the land. Its like being told we’re going on a big trip, everyone plans for it and then at the last moment, one person is told, sorry, you’ll be left behind. How unfair. No wonder Moses gets angry. He doesn’t show that much emotion through the Bible, and rarely complains. He’s always placating, always humble always eager to serve. He never asks for anything for himself, and even though he knew that he was not to lead them in, V’etchana – he pleads one more time. “God please give me this chance. I want to experience it for myself, to step into the unknown. Once I finish the trip, then I can die in peace". But God replies in frustration, "no, I said no, you will not enter the land. Your work is done right here".

Its hard to understand why Moses was not given this final gift. Commentators over the genereations have many explanations. Moses was part of the exodus from Egypt to the holy land, his job was finished. The people needed a new leader, they couldn’t rely on Moses forever, they needed to trust themselves and gain independence. These all hold some kernels of truth and make sense. For me the only part that made sense was that when Moses died, it was God who buried him. That was the ultimate response for why Moses could not go into Israel. God felt sorry for the decision, and even though it was the right one, the only way to make Moses understand was for God to bury Moses by himself. And in a spot that no one will ever know. Maybe he didn’t die, like Elijah he was carried up to heaven and watched the Jewish people from afar.

My journey was one that faced obastacles. Not real ones, just the fear of what might happen. They were quickly overcome when we set out. But I am so grateful that I was given the chance to make that choice on my own. We are reminded that we have our destiny in our hands, when we take the leap of faith. Our life is in our hands. We don’t know how life will unfold or what it will look like or what our life means. Like Moses, we take the step of faith and go where it leads us.

Shavuot thoughts on the 10 commandments

"I am the eternal thy God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."

Traditionally, Shavuot is recognized as the day we received Torah from God at Mt. Sinai. This post will be the first in a series of posts on each of the top 10 commandments.
Upon a closer examination of the first commandment, it becomes apparent that its not really a commandment at all. "I am Adonai". It’s a statement. I am God. I took you out of Egypt. Why would God need this to be the first of the 10 commandments. The people have waited 40 days and 40 nights, amid thunder and lightning finally Moses comes down the mountain and says these are the words of God....I am your God. Don’t we know that already, we’re here after all. its rather anticlimactic. Its almost redundant, why does it need to be said, and in such a fashion as declarative and not as a command such as “take me as your God since I took you out of Egypt”.
I think this statement/commandment is the declaration of an assumption. The people have followed God this far, he is already their God, now they must take this statement as fact. And so we realize if this one statement is not take as fact, the rest of the 612 commandments are not going to work. We won't follow the other commandments if we don’t believe that God is our God, God would have to stop at this point. But if we understand that God is our God, we recognize that any commandment followed thereafter would be following God's will.

In God’s eyes, he has already begun the covenant by taking them out of Egypt with an outstretched hand, with great miracles and wonders. They can’t really go back now, even though the Israelites constantly complain when it gets to hard that they do want to go back to slavery. They have intrinsically accepted God and so God here announces that fact, not just to the Israelites but to the world, to anyone who will read the Bible (and based on numbers, it’s the alltime bestseller for eternity). So anyone and everyone will know that God is the God of the Jewish people. - "I am your God", no one else's.
The Hebrew for “your God” is individualized. In speaking with a group, usually one would say, ani Adonai Eloheichem, using the plural form of "your God" common in many of our prayers including the V’ahavta. But this is a special format, I am your (singular) God, eloheicha, as in each person individually, as well as collectively. It’s a beautiful phrase, that has both power and comfort in it. It’s big, I am God, but yet personal, I am your God. I am God to the world and your own personal God. It’s almost conversational as much as explanatory. It’s the bridging of the gap between the human and the divine. I am your God. Not just any God. I’m yours and you are mine, the beginning of the covenantal relationship.

Now on to part two of the commandment "who has brought you out of the land Egpyt, out of bondage. " It’s not a subtle claim; it’s the basis of peoplehood. Its not a boast or a justification. It’s a statement of reality. Without God the Israelites would still be slaves, there in Goshen probably forever. It was God who initiated the process, by calling out to Moses in the desert saying I have heard the cry of the slaves and want you to go and demand their release from Pharaoh. These are the people are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their suffering was painful for God. God was not prepared to wait it out, and see how human history unfolded. God needed to take an active role, to be their God.
And for all time we would remember what God did for us and how much we must give back to God. That is why we say it during all our daily prayers, why we remember it particularly on Passover and then quickly 49 days later on Shavuot, as we read the 10 commandments. It’s the most powerful statement of our faith, maybe even more than the Shema. Its our credo, God took us out of Egypt. And we think of it every time we think of other people who are enslaved, or put down, or disenfranchised, or at the bottom of the heap. We were once the lowliest of human beings, and so we must always reach out to the widow, the orphan, the poor the hungry, the needy, the defenseless. That is our duty, that is our mission.

One might think that the 10 commandment should have started with the phrase, I am your God... who created you. That is true, God created all human beings, and in fact the entire universe. The first humans, Adam and Eve, develop a relationship with God but there is no sense of covenant, there is no indication that they are Jewish. They are human beings. God is saying here in this commandment that God is the redeemer, not just the creator, by freeing them from bondage. According to Rabbi Plaut in his commentary God gave the people freedom, the necessary foundation for the covenant. God is, and God is the one, who gave Israel its existence as a nation, as a people, for all time. Thus God brought us into history and declares that with this opening statement.
And what is our purpose? If we are God’s people we are more than just like all human beings on the earth, we are to achieve through service to God what other generations and nations could not do, we were redeemed by God so we can redeem humanity. The reference to Egypt is not simply a geographical one, as in that is the place where you came from. It’s a spiritual notation, we came from slavery to freedom, now we are ambassadors for God to restore all humanity to freedom. We, each one of us, has our purpose to fulfill our destiny and do our share.
The midrash to this commandment, suggests that not only is humanity dependant on Israel but even God is dependant on us. I am your God, that is, God can only be God if we acknowledge God. “if you do my will I am Adonai the merciful one. But if you do not, that I will be Elohim, the dispenser of stern justice”. Israel is dependent on God for our redemption from slavery but God depends on us to act, to bring the redemptive plan to fruition. God can only be our God if we are ready for it. These simple words carry great meaning, Ani Adonai eloheicah – I am your God, the words, a statement, a preamble, a charter – as Plaut writes, the cornerstone of Israel’s covenant and mankind’s salvation.

Women in the Bible

This past weekend I spoke at the Al-Falah Islamic Center in Oakville as part of an Interfaith dialogue on the subject of women in holy scipture.

There are not that many female heroines in the Bible, in fact, there are not that many named women at all. And even when they are given a name, they are often flawed secondary characters. In the Book of Genesis, the very first woman identified is Eve, created from the rib of man, who first act is to seduce Adam to sin by eating of the tree of life. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is another challenging figure, laughing at God who allows her to have a son at the age of 99, and sending off Hagar and her son Ishmael to die in the desert once she is pregnant. Leah and Rachel fight over Jacob to be the favorite bride.
But we do have Rebecca, who defied the notion that women cannot go directly to God. Rivka does not turn to Isaac to mediate between her and God. When her pregnancy distresses her, she goes directly to inquire of Elohim. The scope of female power increases when women can engage directly with the divine. (This makes more sense later in the story when Rebecca circumvents Esau to make sure Jacob gets the blessing and fulfills God’s plan). Traditional commentators skip over her plea to God, which is odd considering it is rare that anyone enjoys such an intimate communication with God. It makes sense that a religious woman experiencing gut-wrenching pain would pray to God to understand her pain. The pain is easier to endure when there is a purpose. Indeed she seems to be much better after she finds out that two nations are struggling in her, the pain is real and will result in something tangible.

The stealing of Isaac’s blessing by Jacob remains one of the most contested aspects of Rebecca’s character. Does she remain above condemnation for following God’s plan in getting the blessing for Jacob or is she vilified for being partner to the conspiracy? The argument for remaining blameless centers on the idea that Rebecca knew what she was doing was wrong, but went through with it for her son. Jacob says in Genesis 27:12 that if Isaac finds out what is happening, he will be seen as the trickster and a curse will be upon him. But Rivka declares that she will bring the curse on herself for the sake of her son. She knowingly participates in the trick, knowing it was wrong and should be punished. Midrash Tanhuma relates that God put the words in her heart. She said, "When the first Adam sinned, was he cursed? Was not his mother cursed? And now it is my turn. Fulfill your destiny and if you should be cursed, you curse will fall upon me." According to Ilana Pardes, women are powerless but despite that fact, they have an important role in teaching the weak and threatened young sons how to trick hostile oppressors, how to submit to paternal will and at the same time usurp the father's position.

In the book of Exodus we have even fewer females named. We barely hear about the mother of Moses – does anyone know her name its Yochevet. But there is a woman who stands out for her bravery and passion, one and her name is Miriam. the sister of Moses.
she watches Moses, in the basket in the nile. She arranges for his weaning by Yochevet. She leads dancing and singing at the sea – firsts of both these activites in the Bible.
The story of Miriam parallels another powerful woman named Deborah, a Prophet, leader, judge quite a unique combination of roles for anyone, let alone a woman. The Israelite army commander Barak comes to her for to prophesy on the upcoming war. Deborah tells him he will be victorious but he is unsure and demands she accompany him to battle. She decides to accompany him, but in punishment for his lack of faith, warms him that the enemy commander Sisera, will be delivered into the hands of a woman – Yael.
The text implies that this is against the natural order of things, for a woman to take an important role in battle, promoting the patriarchial nature of the text, but nevertheless it’s important to see the dual roles of powerful women. Deborah, who prophesies the victory and Yael, who is given the honor of beheading Sisera. This happens at the end of the story as Sisera stumbles into her tent thinking she is an ally, but once he falls asleep, after a tall glass of warm milk, Yael pierces his skull with a tent peg.
In rabbinical school I was assigned this passage and instructed to think of a creative way to present this text to teach to teenagers. Using the Alanis Morisette song “isn’t it ironic” my colleagues and I rewrote the lyrics to suggest the irony of Sisera dying at the hands of a woman.
“women have a funny way of sneaking upon when you’re in a big deep sleep and sticking a tent peg in your head”...“it’s a sharp pain, in the side of your head, and you can’t get up, cause you’re totally dead, that glass of milk sure didn’t help, and who would have thought it figures”

Indeed the true irony of the song is the powerful role of women in this story. Turning the bible on its head, Deborah speakers her mind, despite the discomfort for the men of the time, and even mocks them. The story even celebrates women’s violence. Perhaps there is one subtle knock against the women of the story, as Deborah’s name translates into bee and Yael’s name translates into Ibex ( a small mountain goat) while Barak’s name means lightning, a name still popular in Israel today and of course the name of the current US president, Barak Obama.

There is a powerful poem written by Merle Feld called “We all stood together”
My brother and I were at Sinai
He kept a journal
Of what he saw
Of what he heard
Of what it all meant to him

I wish I had such a record
Of what happened to me there

It seems like every time I want to write
I can’t
I’m always holding a baby
One of my own
Or one for a friend
Always holding a baby
So my hands are never free
To write things down

And then
As time passes
The particulars
The hard data
The who what when where why
Slip away from me
And all I’m left with is
The feeling

But feelings are just sounds
The vowel barking of a mute

My brother is sure of what he heard
After all he’s got a record of it
Consonant after consonant after consonant

If we remembered it together
We could recreate holy time
Sparks flying

The author’s hope is that together, brothers and sisters, need to find common ground, to see the humanity in each person and share together holy time and space. Despite the shortage of famous female personalities in our bible, they are there and we can learn a lot from them. We are reminded that our biblical ancestors, both male and female, can teach us about leadership and vision. We are reminded that we must look beyond gender or race to see the value of people as leaders, ones who inspire us, who give us hope, who push us to seek the truth and fight for justice.

the Pope’s visit to IsraelMay 16th, 2009 22 Iyar 5769

I was intrigued by the Pope visiting Israel this week, as Pope Benedict XVI became only the second pope in the history of the Catholic Church to officially visit the State of Israel.
While Catholic-Jewish relations have greatly improved over the last half century, this particular trip had Israeli, Jewish and Vatican leaders expressing high hopes for a smooth visit that would enhance the Catholic-Jewish and Israel-Vatican relationships.
From the minute he got off the plane, Benedict’s actions and words have been severely checked and scrutinized from all sides.
Abe Foxman of the ADL wrote in an op ed article this week that it must be recognized that Benedict is following in the footsteps of his predecessor, the beloved Pope John Paul II, whose groundbreaking pilgrimage in March 2000 hit all the right notes and captured the hearts and minds of Jews and Catholics around the world. John Paul came not only as the pope, but also as Karol Wojtyla, a pro-Jewish Polish survivor of the German occupation in Poland - a truly compassionate personality with close Jewish friends who, in his Western Wall note, asked for forgiveness for his own sins -- and he had never sinned against the Jews. If he had, at that point, become a candidate for Israeli prime minister, he would have been elected by an overwhelming majority
Its unfair to measure the two especially because the world was different 9 years ago, before 9/11, before the latest intifada, where there was much more hope and optimism in the region and the world. Also, the two popes have vastly different personalities and public personas. Where the Polish-born John Paul II was a grand communicator able to project his charm and personal story to a wide audience, Benedict, a native of Germany, is a reserved theologian who conveys a professorial tone. Listening to him talk, he is very quiet, with a strong accent that at times makes it hard to understand his true intentions.
Prominent officials have sharply criticized Benedict’s much-anticipated speech at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial for failing to live up to expectations.
When Pope John Paul II visited Yad Vashem he referenced the Nazis by name, condemned the murder of millions of victims and mourned the loss of his Jewish friends. He met at length with 30 Polish Jewish survivors.
By contrast, Benedict failed to mention Nazis or Germany, as well as his own personal history in Germany during the war. Its been well documented that he was in the Hilter youth, though it was also clear that his family was against the Nazi Regime. In his speech, he did not use the word murder and ignored the issue of Christian responsibility for the Holocaust. A historic opportunity was squandered. But as Jon Stewart said in the daily show, are we being too critical of the specific words he said, are we being “anti-semantic”.
Daniel Gordis (senior vice president, the Shalem Center in Jerusalem) said: "The pope’s mistake was that he assumed the role of diplomat rather than religious leader. There was nothing technically wrong with what he said at Yad Vashem. But in choosing such carefully measured, tepid language, he said nothing that an ordinary diplomat could not have uttered. We heard none of the passion, the fury or the shattered heart that is the hallmark of genuine religious courage and leadership. Atop Mount Scopus, Pope Benedict literally gazed upon the hilltops that Amos walked when he begged that 'justice flow like a mighty river' and that Jesus called home when he demanded a renewed moral order. With anguished self-reflective contrition (he is German, after all), or with a courageous call that Palestinians should have a state but must also publicly proclaim that Jews need a home to call their own, too, the pope could have assumed the mantle of the man of God in the tradition of those who have come here before him."
But a close examination of Benedict’s text and actions shows that he did deliver an appropriate speech focusing on the concepts of remembrance. He also met briefly with Holocaust survivors. It must be noted also that in recent months, Benedict has made strong statements repudiating Holocaust denial.
As John L. Allen Jr. (senior correspondent, The National Catholic Reporter and author of “The Rise of Benedict XVI") said: "Whatever the disappointments from the Yad Vashem visit, they’re not indicative of a pope with a lack of respect for Judaism, or one who’s indifferent to either anti-Semitism or the memory of the Holocaust. I also know that prior to his election as pope, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger bluntly acknowledged Christian complicity in the Holocaust. I know the pope has reflected at length, including in his own autobiography, about his childhood in Nazi Germany, and his shame that his nation produced such a monstrosity. Finally, I know the pope has written a virtually unprecedented letter expressing his anguish over the recent controversy involving the lifting of the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying bishop. It probably would have been helpful to hear some of this at Yad Vashem, and people can be forgiven for seeing the visit as a missed opportunity. In context, however, it seems clear that Benedict meant well."
By coming to Israel at this time, the 82-year-old pontiff is solidifying the Vatican’s formal relationship with the State of Israel, launched when a historic diplomatic agreement was signed in 1993. His trip demonstrates the Church’s commitment to the security and survival of Israel as a Jewish state. This is no small thing, following after the Gaza Strip war still fresh in people’s minds, his trip refocused on building bridges between Jews and Palestinians, instead of only walls.
Benedict is also establishing a track record for future popes. No longer will Pope John Paul’s journey be able to be portrayed as an aberration or a personal mission. Indeed, Benedict’s trip will institutionalize that every pope visit Israel and commit the billion-member Roman Catholic Church to the importance of Israel as the Jewish state. That is a significant achievement.
Benedict’s voyage also demonstrates the continuity of the Church’s commitment to enhance relations with the Jewish people. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he was Pope John Paul’s chief theologian and, therefore, the many positive improvements in Jewish-Catholic relations over the past three decades were done in consultation with him.
I found it fascinating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Pope Benedict XVI to speak out against the anti-Israel rhetoric from Iran's president. I don’t ever remember an Israeli leader asking the Pope to speak out to the world against an agitator who has called for Israel’s destruction. Bib met privately with the pope on Thursday for about 15 minutes in Nazareth and the talks "centered on how the peace process can be advanced."
Afterward Netanyahu said "I asked him, as a moral figure, to make his voice heard loud and continuously against the declarations coming from Iran of their intention to destroy Israel,". "I told him it cannot be that at the beginning of the 21st century there is a state which says it is going to destroy the Jewish state, there is no aggressive voice being heard condemning this."
Netanyahu said that in response, the pope said that "he condemns all instances of anti-Semitism and hate against the State of Israel -- against humanity as a whole -- but in this case against Israel."
On the other hand, this was the day after the pope made an emotional appeal in the West Bank for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland -- a concept Netanyahu has not yet publicly endorsed.
According to Abe Foxman, there are a series of outstanding serious issues challenging the Vatican-Jewish dialogue, including the recent troubling regressions in Catholic theology and liturgy about Judaism. Israel and the Vatican also have complicated property and tax issues to resolve.
"the focus on this trip should be in recognizing the positive contributions of the current pope. Benedict has pledged to keep strengthening Catholic-Jewish relations and reaffirmed the Church’s unqualified repudiation of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. He has taught that Christians should gain a new respect for the Jewish interpretation of the Old Testament. And he has asserted that God’s Covenant and promises to the people of Israel are alive and irrevocable, further demonstrating his belief that the Jewish people “are beloved brothers and sisters.”
While we believe that Jews must remember and honor the past, we cannot change it. What we can do is create a future where Catholics and Jews deepen and expand our dialogue and work together with mutual respect and understanding in the interests of tikkun olam."

and to these words I heartily agree.

Our Trip to Washington DC

Many people think I am crazy for wanting to take a group of teenagers to different cities for youth group trips, but honestly, I love it. First of all, we have a great group of kids who are very responsible and follow directions. Secondly, I like visiting cities and seeing great sites. Thirdly, the chance to have real conversations and develop friendships happens on these types of trips. Our trip to DC was no different.
Friday morning we met to travel in mini-van convoy to Buffalo for our flight to Washington. Our travel was so smooth that despite a delay in our flight, we actually made it to our hotel earlier that I expected. We decided to head downtown and walk around before our scheduled dinner at 6th and I synagogue for Shabbat. Not being an expert on the DC subway system it took us some time to figure out the ticket system. Its not a flat fee, you pay based on time of day and distance. Also you have to use your ticket to enter and exit the system. But the subway was so clean, even carpeted, it was a pleasure to ride. With some trial and error we figured it out and made our way downtown. As we exited on Pennsylvania Avenue we realized we were in the heart of DC. To our left we could see the Capitol, to our right, the White House. We started walking and noticed to our delight the Canadian Embassy. Surely they would love to see some Canadian teenagers. That was our first lesson in this post 9-11 world of extra tight security. We couldn't even walk in the door before we were told to go through the x-ray machines and produce picture ID, just to enter the lobby. They told us the embassy was closed but we did get to sign our names in the Visitors book. We started heading towards the Mall to see the sights and on the way found the most amazing President Obama souvenir store, where everyone picked up a t-shirt, shot glass or bobble head for their collection. There is such energy and excitement about the new President, his face and slogans adorn shops all over town. We then walked for another hour to the synagogue.
6th and I is an old synagogue that was active over 50 years ago but as Jews moved to the suburbs, had been abandoned. It was bought by a Church who used it for 50 years then they too decided to move and it was left empty once again. It was going to be razed, when a group of Jewish investors decided to purchase and refurbish it. Its a gorgeous builiding with high ceilings and beautiful painted murals and stained glass. It is an active Jewish community now, with different groups coming in for worship services and events all the time. On this particular Friday night, it was a special 20-30's night Shabbat dinner and Shwarma dinner. Luckily they invited us to join, as over 250 people were in attendance. The night began with light snacks and cocktails. The service at 7 pm was led by Rick Recht, one of the most prolific Jewish songwriters of the GenX. There was a band and excellent music and everyone was singing. After services we had an incredible dinner and we filled up the social hall. There was such energy in the room, they only expected around 100 people but it was packed. We savored our dinner and then headed back to the hotel for a late night swim.
Saturday was our busiest day. We began with a tour of the Capitol again with security checks. We walked through gazing at the beautiful murals and statues, and listened to the "whisper spot". Afterwards we took the subway to the White House. This tour is so hard to get you have to have a congressperson arrange it, luckily the congressional office in Florida where I used to work helped us out. We arrived at the gate but our names weren't on the list. Apparently we were on a different list. We patiently waited for almost an hour until they straightened it out. Finally we were in and got to walk through 2 floors of this gorgeous house, it was the highlight of the whole weekend for most of us. I was particularly interested in seeing the dining room table where President Obama hosted the very first White House Passover seder this past April.
After the White House we got lunch at 5 guys burgers, known as one of the best burgers in town and we were not disappointed. We went to the Smithsonian Luce Center for American Art to see some masterpieces. We then took the subway to the Ballston Mall for some free time and dinner At night we saw the comedy sports improv show, which was excellent and kept us all laughing. by 10 pm we were exhausted but we had to end Shabbat with havdallah, and where else but at the Lincoln Memorial. The guards there was somewhat apprehensive but we lit the candle and sang the prayers under the watchful eyes of Abraham Lincoln.
Our last day began with a visit to the Holocaust Museum. Its a self guided tour that mixes history and narrative with memorials. Its a difficult but important museum that everyone should visit at least once. We continued afterwards to visit the other memorials on the Mall including the Washington Monument, the WW2, Korean War and Veitnam war memorials, each powerful displays of the countless wars of the past century. We took the subway back to the hotel, got some lunch and headed back to the airport.
Everyone had a great time, and Fonda and I had it easy as chaperones. Next year, another trip, maybe Chicago or Boston or Montreal - we'll see what happens.

Rabbi Wise

A Reading for Passover

This reading was written by a CCAR colleague as a special reading during the Passover Seder, at the Yachatz (breaking of the Middle Matzah)

Reader 1: At every Passover seder, we break the middle matzah. In a few moments, we will put the larger piece aside for the Afikoman or dessert.
Usually, we place the smaller piece back between the two whole Matzot, as we prepare to remember our ancestors' lives as slaves in Egypt. Tonight, however, we delay the second part of the ritual so we can consider the
brokenness in our world.

Everyone: Tonight, throughout our country and our world, and even perhaps around our Seder table, people are experiencing more brokenness than in recent memory. Younger and older; working, unemployed and retired; singles and couples, and families of all configurations - so many lives have been damaged by the economic depression and uncertainty about the future. Unlike the middle matzah broken on purpose, they find that a series of financial decisions - some made by them, some out of their control - have shattered their economic security.

Reader 2: Tonight, different than in previous years, we take this second piece of matzah and crumble it here (on a plate or on the tablecloth) to remind us of how amidst the current financial crisis, the world seems to be crumbling around so many people. Like the glass broken at a wedding which reminds us of the tireless work the couple must do to escape shattering their marriage, this crumbled matzah reminds us of all the work we must do to help others whose lives are shattering.

Everyone: As we stare at this crumbled middle matzah, let us pause to consider the pain of lives crumbling around us. So many feel so alone. So many experience despair. Like our Israelite ancestors felt before Moses and Miriam came to set them free, our people today despair over the difficulties in repairing the brokenness of their lives.

Reader 3: Our ancestors, slaves of Pharaoh, survived the oppression in Egypt. Helping each other, holding each other up, they walked through the Yam Suf (the Red Sea). With persistence and determination, they passed through those difficult times. And we all can too. If we help each other.
If we remember to open our hearts, open our wallets, open our community. If we welcome in and support those in need, those who are no longer strangers to financial struggle. And so we say together:

Everyone:

Ha lach-ma an-ya di a-cha-lu a-va-ha-ta-na b'ar'a d'mitz-ra-yim.

This is the bread of affliction our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt.
Let all who are hungry come and eat;
Let all who are in need come share our Passover.
This year here, next year in Israel.
Today bound; tomorrow free.