"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.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
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.
Friday, May 15, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, March 20, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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.
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.
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