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.

God and Space – the building of the Mishkan connects heaven to earth

There were two space-worthy events in the news this week. The first was that Space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:43 p.m. this past Sunday to deliver the final set of power-generating solar array wings and a new crew member to the International Space Station. On the NASA website http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/ you can track the day to day activities of the shuttle, meet the crew, and watch video of the take-off and pairing with the space station. I love space flight and the one thing I regret when living in Florida was not being able to see a live launch. The program was basically in hiatus for a few years following the explosion of space shuttle Columbia along with the loss of 7 astronauts including of course Israeli born Ilan Ramon. http://www.science.co.il/ilan-ramon/ (The only other Jew to make it to space was Elijah the prophet who rode a fiery chariot up to heaven )http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=245&letter=E. I got a call on Monday from a friend who lives down in Boca saying she went to the launch and it was truly a sight to see, the power, the noise, and the majesty of a rocket launching towards the stars. It’s something I have always wanted to see, and hope to some day.

The other newsworthy space related story was that there is a new Star Trek movie http://www.startrekmovie.com/coming out this May and apparently there is a town in Alberta called Vulcan. Anyone who is a trekkie fan knows that is the home planet of Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy. Perhaps not everyone is aware of Nimoy’s Jewish roots, in fact he had a Jewish photography exhibit in NYC at HUC while I was in school there. You know his famous “live long and prosper” hand greeting. Apparently when the show was filming the director wanted some sort of interesting hand signal greeting from Spock and Nimoy suggested it, remembering from childhood how his Cohen father used to use it when doing the priestly benediction. Rabbi’s and Cohanim still use this to this day, and often you might see the hand sign on the gravestones of Jewish cohanim. But I digress. The point is that Vulcan, Alberta wanted to host the first screening of the new film but apparently Paramount couldn’t handle this logistical dilemma. Yesterday Nimoy personally took up the cause to bring the screening to Canada. http://www.vulcantourism.com/Personally, wherever the film is screened I can’t wait to see it, I’m a big trekkie fan.

You might now be asking, what does space or spaceships have to do with our Torah portion this week. As we read this morning in parshat vayakhel-pekudai, God provides us with very specific details on the building of the mishkan, the tabernacle. In fact in Exodus we are provided with this specific precise measurements and minute details 4 times. Why so many times, the great Torah scholar Adin Steinsalz http://www.steinsaltz.org/asks, why devote so many lines of text towards the physical attributes of the mishkan and its vessels when its purpose is spiritual.

His answer is that the Mishkan is a way to create a relationship between God and the people Israel, the first tangible connection to God, a medium of communication that bridge the immeasurable distance between the finite and infinite. Clearly it needed great care, time and precision to achieve this union of heaven and earth. (Jerusalem Report, Mar. 7, 2005)
Steinsaltz suggests that the building of the Mishkan could be compared to the building of a spaceship, and he outlines the following reasons. A spaceship is built to journey to distant extraterrestrial places, though they are voyages defined by physical parameters. The Mishkan faced an even greater challenge, to transcend vast distances beyond physical parameters, towards the infinite God. When building a spaceship, one must develop a design, gather the raw materials, and fashion each component. Then each item must be checked, and double checked, tested, and joined together into a cohesive unit.
Then each part must be checked again, retested and reassembled. Then the whole ship must be tested, over and over again, to ensure safety and perfection. It seems that at each launch there is always a delay or a final check, because something was amiss, and it has to be perfect. With a launch, the slightest problem can have catastrophic results. Actually on this last launch, apparently a small bat was clinging to the side of an exterior tank when the shuttle took off, and somehow not only did he decide not to fly away, he actually clung on through the launch all the way up at least until the shuttle left the atmosphere. But this bat didn’t affect the launch in any way.
Now if the spaceshuttle needs that much preparation and rechecking, then Kal V’chomer (a Talmudic phrase that means, “how much more so”) the Mishkan needed to be assembled, deconstructed and constructed anew to verify that each part perfectly complemented the other.

And even once the spaceship has been built; it still needs human involvement both inside and out. The space shuttle is guided by engineers on the ground and the astronauts on board. Throughout liftoff, travel and return, it is closely watched throughout the world, in wonder and amazement, and such a marvel of human creation, and we are united in grief when things do not go well. For the Mishkan too, on the last climactic day of its creation, an extraordinary attention to detail was required by Moses, Aaron and the Priests. Only after the Mishkan was created perfectly and the flawless performance by the people to prepare the sacrifice, was God revealed “and the glory of God appeared to the entire nation and a fire went forth and consumed the offerings…the whole nation saw and sang with joy and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:23-24). Finally a connection between the people on earth and God of heaven and the cosmos above.
The famous Rav Kook,(chief Rabbi of Israel in the 1930’s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Isaac_Kook), agreed that the Mishkan corresponded to the entire universe. The Talmud teaches us (Shabbat 99a) that the gold fasteners holding up the intricately woven tapestries would sparkle like stars in the sky. There were two tapestries held together, emphasizing the unity of the mishkan, they would make it “one”. The wooden beams of the upright beams were held together into the base by sliding into silver sockets (adanim). The harmonious synchronization of the building reflects the harmony of our world and universe. The stars in the universe that hold together the great canopy of the cosmos bind the forces of the world into one. And we realize that ultimately, just as people created the mishkan, it was God who created the design and harmoniously formed the world in its splendor and perfection, for the ultimate unity of the universe.

Today we have spaceships and movies about what might be out in space, but our Mishkan, the one so beautifully described in our text, does not exist anymore. Steinsaltz suggest that while the physical Mishkan is gone, the essence of the Mishkan lives on in the neshama, the soul, of each Jewish person. Just as the construction of the Mishkan required such careful attention to detail, we must develop our own neshama, it cannot be faked or bought or borrowed. While our neshama was designed by God, we must enhance and develop it. As Moses and Aaron finalized the Mishkan so that God’s presence could enter it, so too we finalize our neshama in our daily actions and interactions, no matter how small or insignificant, to discover and fulfill our purpose on earth. This is demanding work, because it forces us to remember that our daily actions can have long last effects on our wholeness and on the people around us. But if we take small steps we too might find the way to connect Heaven and earth.

Let's fight hunger in Halton

Living in Oakville, it is not always apparent how the other half lives. There is a great deal of homelessness and poverty in Ontario, though it seems relegated to the larger cities such as Toronto and Hamilton. There is of course poverty right here in our own backyard. 7-8% of people in Halton are living below the poverty line, meaning around 35,000 people are in need and have expressed some level of food insecurity. I recently went to an interfaith meeting to discuss different food programs in Oakville, particularly one called "Food for Life". Their goal is that no person should go to bed hungry while stores, restaurants and food suppliers throw out food into the garbage. Starting in 1995, they pick up food around town and then deliver it to certain sites where families and individuals can pick up care packages. They are looking for volunteers to help pick up food in the evening from stores, please let me know if you're interested in helping out.

Food for life is part of a bigger group, the "Halton Region Food Bank Network" which supports food progams of various degrees, including the Fareshare Food Bank to whom we deliver foods regularly, especially our impressive annual High Holiday food drive. This might be one of the areas we focus on for our annual Mitzvah Day which will take place on Sunday May 31st.

On a macro-level, fighting poverty by supporting a food bank is a small step compared to what our Ontario Legislature can achieve to reduce poverty. In this vein, looking to the passing of the Ontario Budget at the end of March the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition has been having a daily vigil at Queens Park to pray for a budget that fights poverty for the most needy in Ontario. This can have a much larger impact in terms of dollars and I would like our community to participate in the vigil. Let's gather in the morning of March 23rd at Queen's Park to do our part for those less fortunate, as it says in our Tanach, we are taught to leave the corners of our fields and the gleanings of our harvest to the poor (Leviticus 19:9), and to open our hands and lend to people whatever it is they need (Deuteronomy 7-11). We learn that helping fellow human beings in need, tzedakah, is not simply a matter of charity, but of responsibility, righteousness, and justice. Moreover we are not merely commanded to give to the poor, but to advocate on their behalf. We are told in Proverbs 31:9, to "speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy." Please read Rabbi Dow Marmur's article from the Star on this subject. http://www.thestar.com/article/598084
Let's do our part to fight poverty and hunger here in Oakville and across our Province.

fighting back against Israel Apartheid Week on campus

I come back from Israel to find out that in my own backyard, at my alma mater, the University of Toronto, (and Universities across Canada) they are having an Israeli Apartheid week. I am so disgusted by this term, let alone what is stands for. I am ready to hear about "dialogue on Israel" week or "peace prospects in the Middle East" but I'm not prepared for a slogan that by its essence condemns Israel. IAW delegitimizes Israel, that by its essence, her existence is a crime against humanity. Its so upsetting to hear that this is happening right now on our campuses. And what about the reports of Jewish students barricated at York in the Hillel offices by Palestinian supports screaming insults and swearing at them, while onlookers simply watched.

In response, I have seen some positive developments. In The Toronto Star, I read a great editorial from Gil Troy, a professor at McGill who reminds professors of their obligation to be moral exemplars of true freedom of speech on campuses. You can read his article at http://www.thestar.com/article/596860

I also read an article from a non-Jew, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff who wrote quite passionately in the National Post condemning IAW. Here is one quote from his editorial:
"Criticism of Israel is legitimate. Attempting to describe its very existence as a crime against humanity is not.IAW is part of a global campaign of proclamations, boycotts and calls for divestment, which originated in the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. Like "Durban I," IAW singles out one state, its citizens and its supporters for condemnation and exclusion, and it targets institutions and individuals because of what and who they are - Israeli and Jewish.IAW goes beyond reasonable criticism into demonization. It leaves Jewish and Israeli students wary of expressing their opinions, for fear of intimidation.No Canadian should ever have to fear for their safety in a public space because of who they are or what they believe."
for the full article you can go to the following website: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/05/michael-ignatieff-israel-apartheid-week-and-cupe-ontario-s-anti-israel-posturing-should-be-condemned.aspx

In Hamilton on Tuesday night, the Hillel brilliantly scheduled a lecture by a Sudanese survivor entitled "Destroying the Apartheid Myth: A story of survival and security for Sudanese refugees in the State of Israel". Does the world know that refugees from Darfur are living in Israel, given citizenship and a new life after fleeing death, rape and destruction at the hands of the Janjaweed? What a great way to combat the anti-semitism of IAW by having a survivor speak of how thankful he is to Israel for giving him a new start on life.

Next week, along with my colleagues on the Greater Toronto Board of Rabbi's, we're each spending a day on different Toronto and Hamilton campuses to be a sounding board to students, give talks and support our Jewish students. I urge you to stay informed of what is happening on our campuses and show your support.

Reflections on the CCAR conference in Jerusalem

Dear Congregants
I have arrived back in Toronto this morning, having taken the overnight flight from Jerusalem direct to Toronto. I took for granted that Toronto has a direct flight, so many of my colleagues were flying into NYC or Atlanta and then to transfer back to Arizona, New Orleans, Baltimore, Miami, etc. My flight was quite pleasant, as was my final day in Jerusalem.

Yesterday I rode on a bus into the settlements of Israel, Jewish towns and villages in what is known as the West Bank, or Judea and Samaria (each name has political and religious ramifications). The “green line” was set as the border between Israel and Jordan in 1948, and when Israel conquered this land in 1967, its been in dispute ever since. Some believe this was the land of Israel as promised in the Bible. Some believe this was conquered in the war, similar to any other country in the world that acquired land by war, and free to be settled upon by the victors. Some say its Palestinian land as this is where most Palestinians live. Most people cannot agree on anything about this land.

We crossed into the “territories” or “shtachim” in Hebrew by crossing through a very simple checkpoint. The scenery didn’t change, the road didn’t change, it was easier then driving between the US and Canada. We drove into a beautiful settlement area called “Gush Etzion” made up of a group of towns and villages. This spot was actually purchased by Jews in the early part of the 20th century and 4 moshavim were established there. During the war of independence, the fighters fought valiantly but were overcome by the Jordanian army. When Israel re-conquered the area in 1967 it seemed only fair to rebuild the settlement on the same spot, in fact a large oak tree remained through the entire time. The settlements combined have over 60,000 people. Its got plenty of housing, schools, industry etc. We toured around and then met the mayor, a wonderful man who explained to us his vision for Israel that included all these settlements, and it was hard to argue with him. The Israeli government allowed construction on any land that was no man’s land, meaning there were no deeds of ownership, either Arab or Israeli. The entire Gush Etzion bloc of settlements are all built on state land, indeed they have never encroached on private Arab land ever. He explained to us the danger of creating a Palestinian state, based on what has happened in the Gaza Strip, who voted a terrorist organization into power, who attack Israel by rockets on a daily basis. And the West Bank borders Jerusalem and many other cities up and down the country, rockets could easily hit our capital and airport and major industrial centers and power plants. He wonders what kind of industry and infrastructure Palestinians will have since so far the only industries in the Palestinian West Bank villages are olive oil and grapes. Our group challenged him with many questions about how Israeli’s and Palestinians might live together in this disputed land and he confidently answered each one with passion and clarity. We were impressed by his presentation, whether we agreed with him or not.

Then to our amazement, it began to snow, an event quite rare for Israel (expect for the mountains in the north), they even had to close the roads for a while. Clearly the members of the town were not expecting it as they wandered around in sandals. We’ve now had 3 days of rain, but only in Israel people cheer when it rains. In fact we’ve been patting ourselves on the back that since the Reform Rabbi’s came to Israel, the rains have begun, demonstrating to the Orthodox how vital we are to the success of the state. We’ve been told the Sea of Galilee, that supplies fresh water to most of the country, is rising to adequate levels as are the underground aquifers in the Jerusalem area.

Once the roads opened we took a bus to a kibbutz just outside of Jerusalem for our final program. We heard from a labor party representative Ophir Pines Paz, who explained how despite their election loss, the party plans to be in the opposition to Netanyahu and the right wing parties who won the election and stand with their principles and not enter into a coalition. Of course the paper reported the same day that Labor had not ruled out joining the coalition and that Ehud Barak had been offered the ministry of Defense. A typical day in Israeli politics. David Horovitch, the editor of the Jerusalem Post then spoke on the mood in Israel following the Gaza war and the ramifications of the election. As no coalition has formed his crystal ball did not reveal the future of Israeli politics, but he did assure us that Israel had demonstrated much better tactics in the Gaza war, both in terms of military performance and the support of the country for their actions and so the mood in Israel is more positive today then a few months ago.

Upon reflection I was very impressed with the conference. Not only was it organized well, but there were workshops on all points of view religiously and politically. We had inspiring worship services, some serious text study and valuable encounters with Israeli’s on important issues. I look forward to bringing back some new ideas and plans for our congregation for the coming months ahead. I have also found it meaningful to put my thoughts into words for the congregation, and have decided to start a blog at http://www.hockeyplayingrabbi.blogspot.com
I will post reflections to my blog and you’ll be able to read them by clicking on a link in the weekly email. They might be thoughts on Israel, on the Jewish world, on the Torah portion. I might attach articles, pictures or vides of interest. Since this is my first blog I don’t know exactly what you’ll find but that is why you’ll have to log on to find out.


Rabbi Stephen Wise


Shaarei-Beth El Congregation
186 Morrison Road, Oakville, Ontario L6J 4J4 Canada
phone 905-849-6000 fax 905-849-1134 rabbi.wise@sbe.ca www.sbe.ca