In This Moment: Israel's Memorial Day approaches, Midnight in the Garden on Eden

In This Moment As Memorial Day and Yom Ha'atzmaut approach, we watch and wait... And as Earth Week concludes, a reminder about our Jewish passion for our planet Recommended Reading & Listening Facing planned overhaul protests, Netanyahu cancels speech to US Jewish leaders PM’s office denies intended demonstrations led to cancelation, as protest organizers fear announcement is a trick and vow to rally regardless at JFNA convention Activists gear up for chance to bring 3,000 visiting US Jews into anti-overhaul fray (TOI) - While protest organizers are careful to avoid saying their goal is to get conference attendees to pressure the American government into intervening against the shakeup, they say they embrace the face-to-face opportunity to explain to American Jews why they should take an active role in opposing the domestic policy reforms of a foreign country. “They should understand that they are, by definition, part of the Jewish state and they have a role to play in shaping the future of this country,” said Yiftach Golov, one of the leaders of the Brothers and Sisters in Arms protest group, which represents military veterans as part of the constellation of associated organizations against the judicial overhaul. For Earth Day hear my talk on Jewish environmentalism Today's Israeli Front Pages click on the photo for pdf of the full page This will be a very emotional week in Israel Above: Today's Yediot Achronot front page, highlighting another mass protest last night (the 16th Saturday in a row) and above the fold, a plea from bereaved families for government officials not to attend Memorial Day ceremonies - "If you come to the ceremonies, we won't show up." Below, see an open letter to diaspora Jewry from Ha'aretz columnist Alon Pincus, on the eve of the General Assembly. I reprint it in full - it's important for you to see why the greatest mass protest movement of Israelis in its 75 year history is happening now and why the time for bothsiderism has passed. As he states, it's time to get our heads out of the sand. Dear sisters and brothers from the United States and Canada, welcome to Israel as you arrive for the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America. This isn’t Egypt, so don’t look for denial. It’s not a river and there’s a good chance you’re already in it. It’s time you took a stand for the values we share, and you hold dear. I feel for you. Your pain is real. You’re in an excruciating predicament; it’s the moment when you need to question things you considered axioms. It’s the moment when the need to change your state of mind and shift the paradigm clashes with everything you knew and believed about Israel. I’m not here to lecture anyone, let alone you. I’m not suggesting answers and formulas. I’m just asking you uncomfortable questions that you need to answer. You’re about to be inundated with specious assessments from politicians and others supposedly in the know. They’re not. They’re callously misleading you, whether with the best of intentions or maliciously. You’re about to be subject to a grand gaslighting operation under the false guise of “hearing all sides.” There are no sides. There is no bothsideism. Israel is in a state of disunion not because of a political impasse or policy clash, but because of a fundamental schism over democracy. The very core of Israeli democracy is being assaulted by antidemocratic authoritarians and theocrats. The constitutional crisis we’re on the verge of is real. Calling the issue “judicial reform” is like calling a bank robbery “financial reorganization.” You have stood by, supported and loved Israel for many decades. You have lobbied for it and donated to it. Uniquely, when your grandparents or great-grandparents came to New York’s Lower East Side or Montreal, they had no homeland they were misty-eyed about. They were immigrants who fled a hostile Europe that had persecuted them for centuries. Israel, your other homeland, was established in 1948, many years after your ancestors settled in Chicago or Toronto. Today, on the eve of Israel’s 75th birthday, you have many reasons to celebrate and be proud, but it’s incumbent on you to realize what Israel is undergoing, and it ain’t pretty. This is an Independence Day like none before. This Israel isn’t the Israel from the brochure your grandmother in Boca Raton has. Let’s revisit the slogans, battle cries and clichés that you, and we have spouted for 50 years for so: “We are one,” “Our shared values,” “Israel, right or wrong,” “We support Israel’s democratically elected government,” “There’s no daylight between the United States and Israel,” “The unshakable alliance between the United States and Israel,” “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East.” Most of these were true for many years, and it was natural for you and force-multiplying for us that you believed them. But drop the convenient platitudes and ask yourself with all honesty and intellectual integrity: Are these slogans still valid? Do I still believe them? Is Israel today a uniting or a divisive issue for me? Since a far-right, ultra-Orthodox governing coalition was established on December 29, Israel has been on a dangerous trajectory away from the liberal democracy you thought it was and were proud of. Here’s a recap of the Netanyahu government’s major achievements in its first 100 days: * The most extreme right-wing/religious coalition in Israeli history has been formed, embracing Jewish supremacy and rejecting any political process with the Palestinians. * An extremist convicted three times for terrorism – and who never served in the military – has been appointed “national security minister. * A constitutional coup d’etat has been set in motion via broad legislation transforming Israeli from a liberal democracy into an illiberal authoritarian system not unlike Turkey or Hungary. The country’s Basic Laws are about to be radically amended and over 150 patently undemocratic bills threaten to make Israel a semi-theocratic autocracy. * Israeli society is torn, anxious, contentious and toxically divided along unfamiliar fault lines: pro and antidemocratic, not right and left. * Relations with the United States are at an all-time low, with little credibility and trust. * Iran has accumulated an unprecedented amount of enriched uranium and is moving ahead with its military nuclear program. Since Netanyahu encouraged Donald Trump to unilaterally withdraw from the nuclear deal in 2018, the Iranians have advanced almost uninterrupted. * Iran and Saudi Arabia have set in motion a rapprochement and established open lines of communication. * Hezbollah and Hamas have created a dangerous nexus, mentored by Iran, that weakens the Palestinian Authority to the point of ominous implosion or dissolution. * The Israeli army is riled by radical regime-changing legislation and further exemptions in the works letting the ultra-Orthodox skirt military service. What Israelis call the “people’s army” has all but ceased to exist in the way you knew it for decades. * Moody’s has lowered Israel’s credit rating outlook to “stable” from “positive” due to political instability and the government’s efforts to weaken the judiciary. Other credit rating agencies and financial institutions around the world will inevitably follow suit. Ignoring all this and pretending everything will be fine is the definition of dangerous denial. My only advice to you is to open your eyes to reality. Talk to Israelis. Talk to the scientists, constitutional scholars, high-tech entrepreneurs and engineers, reserve military intelligence officers and air force pilots. Talk to representatives of Israel’s civil society, talk to average, middle-class Israelis who have been protesting rain or shine with vigor and love for their country for 16 weeks running. If you only talk to grandstanding, cliché-spewing politicians you’ll be grossly misinformed, possibly disinformed, about contemporary Israel. Talk to the Israelis who look up to you and you have been looking up to. They’re your real partners. Don’t dare think or say “This will never happen in Israel.” It’s already happening and most of you have been numb and quiet. Remember January 6, 2021? This is on a bigger scale, possibly forever changing the Israel you think you know and love. Remember that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who during a great moral crisis maintain their neutrality. Are we one? You decide.  I end this email with a listing of Israelis who will be remembered during Memorial Day ceremonies tomorrow evening. The actual updated number is 24,213, as of today. And to these we also add and acknowledge those innocent Palestinians and others who have lost their lives during this unending conflict. They, along with these 24,000, will be recalled at the 18th annual Joint Memorial Day Ceremony in Tel Aviv. Click here for a collection of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut resources, including videos and songs. Share This Email   Share This Email   Share This Email Temple Beth El 350 Roxbury Road Stamford, Connecticut 06902 203-322-6901 | www.tbe.org    A Conservative, Inclusive, Spiritual Community

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In this Moment, May 5: Jewish & Pro Life

In This Moment

Anya Nadel leading prayers last Shabbat, accompanied by her brother Kyle. Click here for more screen shots and videos from last Shabbat and Anya's d'var Torah.

Shabbat Shalom The merry month of May gives us plenty to celebrate. I'm really looking forward to Friday night's Mediterranean Shabbat and Shabbat morning's Sisterhood Shabbat. Which brings up a sticky topic. The Covid positivity rate for Connecticut for the past 7 days is 10.32%. It's not especially surprising to see this rise, given the recent holidays and everyone's pent up need to loosen the reins. And we know two things right now, that people who have been completely vaxxed and boosted are still being infected - we know that for sure - but it does also appear that for those who have been fully vaccinated, the dangers of severe illness and death from the current strains are relatively low. What does a responsible congregation do with that information? That's up to our doctors and reopening committee to determine. I for one want to encourage those who are up to date on vaccinations to attend things in person, if you are comfortable doing so, beginning with this weekend's services. i'll be there for sure. We are now (very) highly recommending that masks be worn at all indoor activities. As your rabbi, I need to answer to a higher authority and maintain a higher level of vigilance. Not only do I want try as hard as possible to prevent Super Spreaders from occurring on my watch, but I have to make it my business to avoid testing positive myself. I'm doubly boosted, so my fear of serious illness is minimal. But even if I am asymptomatic, a positive test would be devastating for a number of families who have scheduled major lifecycle events over the coming weeks. On one June day alone, I'll be doing three baby namings and a wedding. Or I could be doing none of the above, if I test positive. Mayor Simmons, Vice President Harris, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert got Covid this week, among many others. The White House Correspondents Dinner has already claimed some victims, including Jonathan Karl, who shook President Biden's hand - and (gasp) sat next to Kim Kardashian - and reports are still coming in. Thankfully, the Vice President and Jimmy Kimmel can find replacements for most of their tasks, or work from home, or reschedule votes. I can find replacements for much of what I do too, but weddings, namings, b'nai mitzvah and funerals are all among the most important events in a family's life. Some have been years in the planning. Think of the five most important days of your life. How many of those days included a rabbi? (OK, please don't count your first kiss or the day you pledged ΑΕΠ). On the other hand, how many involved Jimmy Kimmel? Kamala Harris? Caroline Simmons? So that's why I need to do my best to avoid a positive test. I owe it to these families - including my own - I'm doing a cousin's wedding next week. In the past, I've led High Holiday services with acute laryngitis and many b'nai mitzvah services with the flu. But if I test positive for Covid, I can't just show up and keep it to myself. I'll be out of commission for a week even if I'm feeling fine. Kamala Harris can reschedule a Senate vote. I don't have the luxury of rescheduling a wedding. So please understand the precautions I will be taking and why I'll be taking them. If I miss an "avoidable" indoor event, particularly one involving unmasking in order to eat, it's so that I can stand a better chance of being at all those once-in-a-lifetime moments that are coming up. I can feel everyone's frustration that Covid hasn't gone away. The benefits of in person connections are self evident, but Zoom and Livestream have served us well, and we've done an excellent job of utilizing these hi-tech tools to enhance community. Let's continue to pray for everyone's good health, hope that our growing collective immunities will reap dividends, and may we see one another only at simchas.

Jewish & Pro-Life

In last week's Torah portion of Achare Mot, we read in Leviticus 18:5: You shall keep My laws and My rules, by the pursuit of which human beings shall live: I am יהוה. Rabbi Akiva notes that "Human beings shall live by them" means that we should never (or at least hardly ever) die from the performance of a commandment. Human life supersedes even the observance of resting on Shabbat or fasting on Yom Kippur. I've put together a packet of materials on the Jewish concept of "Pikuach Nefesh," which is derived from this verse. Pikuach Nefesh has come into play often over the past few years, as we have been called upon to stretch the boundaries of Jewish law to protect ourselves and loved ones from Covid. Life takes precedence. We see this deeply embedded Jewish value playing out on very different arenas this week, one in Israel and one here in America. IN AMERICA... ...while the expected Supreme Court decision has not yet been finalized, the direction is clear. We are entering the post Roe era, a huge step backwards for those who value human life, at least when looked at through a Jewish lens. The overwhelming perspective of Jewish sages from all denominations and through the ages would direct us to do everything possible to save the life - of the mother. Everything including abortion. To be Jewish, then, is to be pro-life. Pro human life. I'm all for being pro-choice as well. And I am all-in for religious freedom. My freedom of religion is being denied by a Supreme Court that questions the validity of my belief system, a system that states quite plainly that an unborn child is not yet a human being and therefore abortion is not murder. We read in the Talmud: If she is found pregnant, until the fortieth day it is mere fluid. (Talmud Yevamot 69b). Also, elsewhere in the Talmud, Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi "holds that a fetus is considered as its mother’s thigh [that is, as part of the pregnant person’s body]. (Talmud Gittin 23b) In another place in the Talmud, the fetus who threatens the life of a mother is compared to a "Rodef," a pursuer with lethal intent. The abortion becomes, fo the rabbis, a form of self defense; until, that is, the process of childbirth reaches an advanced state. (See Sanhedrin 72b and Rashi's commentary, “the entire time that that it has not gone out into the air of the world, it is not [considered] a life.” My point is not that rabbis living 2,000 years ago were scientifically correct in their assessments, though Roe V Wade uses some of the same logic; but that in espousing these values, Judaism from its outset was cultivating a culture of life. We've been discussing these matters for years, but now is where the rubber hits the road. No matter where you stand on these issues, it is important to know where your religious sources stand, because, for better or for worse (and I feel it's for worse), the Supreme Court has chosen to fight this battle on religious grounds. So I recommend that you explore a newish website, Rabbis for Repro, which was created by the National Council of Jewish Women, in preparation for a battle they knew was coming. I have signed on to their rabbi's pledge. Download their Abortion and Jewish Values Toolkit. This essay by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg explains matters. Also, watch Ruttenberg talking about abortion in an interview with Samantha Bee, We need to organize - to organize for life. We have ceded that high ground for far too long. It is pro-life to support the legality of abortion, even as we may wish for it to be rare. You can find out more about what NCJW is doing, and how you can help. Meanwhile, take a look at these four crucial questions below. These are prime talking points to understand consensus Jewish positions regarding abortion. Sure it's about choice, freedom and the right to privacy (which is the foundation for so many other rights we hold sacred). But it all comes down to life - and health - of the mother. A society owes that kind of protection to those are alive, from all socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.

IN ISRAEL

Click on the logo above or here to watch Israel's 74th Yom Haatzmaut celebration Israel turns 74 today, and the celebration is in full swing. But rather than a bombastic display of military might, Startup Nation hubris or high tech wizardry, Israel has opted for a more subdued celebration this year, with the focus on support for those most vulnerable. The logo this year focuses on hands reaching out to their neighbors. At a time when we are fighting the profound loneliness of isolation, the program began with a quote from Ecclesiastes:

Those honored with lighting the opening ceremony torches primarily work behind the scenes at social service organizations or have overcome their own challenges: a para-athlete, a survivor of domestic abuse, the diaspora-born founder of Shalva, an organization that cares for thousands with various disabilities. I've never seen so many wheelchairs at an event in Israel. Anyone who has tried to walk from the Western Wall to Jaffa Gate knows that, try as they might Israel is not the most accessible country on earth. Admittedly, there have been improvements). There was a special focus on Mt Herzl last night and at Memorial Day ceremonies during the day, on those suffering from various forms of PTSD. And not just soldiers. Remember all the rockets that Hamas fired at Israel last May? At the celebration, the pyrotechnics over the skies of Jerusalem were silent, and the fireworks in Tel Aviv were cancelled altogether. "The barrage of fireworks is the same as a burst of gunfire for us," Ehud Amiton, a former soldier with PTSD who has worked to cancel the firework displays, told Israeli Army Radio Monday. "We don't oppose the celebrations, we oppose the noise." My dogs would very much appreciate the city of Stamford taking up this idea next July Fourth. Ha'aretz had a feature on the topic of PTSD in the military this week, describing how "the past years have seen the appointment of psychologists with security clearance, and the senior commanders are required to identify those showing signs of distress and send them to see a professional. In addition, a social worker is stationed in every operational unit, and clinical psychologists are integrated in the field units." it is clearly a topic that needs to be discussed openly, not easy to given the default toward secrecy in the military and a tendency among some Israeli men to overdo it on the macho image and refuse to admit to vulnerability. (Watch Apple TV's new series "WeCrashed" and you'll see what I mean). But not this week. At one of the memorial programs, two famous singers sang a popular song about PTSD. It's called "Haruach Hatova," "A Good Spirit" (or Wind, which is the same word). Here are the translated lyrics, and you can listen to the song below. (Here are the Hebrew lyrics.) The Good Wind You have everything but you don't have "you" They shout that you're a king and there's no kingdom here you're a hero at winning war but always falling in a fight against yourself   you have everything but you don't have "you" you understand that you're a slave working on yourself and there's no drug that will overcome PTSD whoever will fly with you will just crash with you   until the good wind comes it will caress and peel off of you layer after layer let yourself grow a wing and another wing to live without fear to die from love   You have everything but you don't have "you" They shout that you're a king so where's a kingdom you're a hero at winning war but always falling in a fight against yourself   until the good wind comes it will caress and peel off of you layer after layer let yourself grow a wing and another wing to live without fear to die from love

This song was written just last year, an indication that Israeli society is fast maturing, at age 74. It's one thing to have social services. But it's another to make the defense of the most vulnerable front-and-center at your biggest celebration. I suspect that seeing the discarded bodies of Russian soldiers in Ukraine must bother Israelis almost as much as the atrocities those soldiers committed. It's unthinkable for them to leave a soldier behind, dead or alive. A society that cares for its own is one that respects and values life, as our Jewish sources demand. It's a society that doesn't see its victories as notches on its belt. People are not trash to be discarded when they are no longer useful. The Torah teaches us never to mistreat the defenseless, the orphan, the widow - and a woman impregnated by rapists. Israeli history is drenched in tragedy. Memorial Day encompasses every decade, nearly every year, because there have been so many wars and terror attacks. And each time young people have died, and young people grieve, and their parents grieve. Do yourself a favor and click here to watch a sampling of the memorial programs that took place in virtually every town, every kibbutz, every city in Israel on Tuesday night. They all are constantly grieving. Their post traumatic pain has little to do with noise and rockets. Silent fireworks can not really dull the pain. All the memorial services are necessary but one is very special, because it recognizes the pain that people have inflicted on one another. The ceremony that Israelis and Palestinians do together is quite moving. You can watch it by clicking below. And the song on the video on the left was played at that ceremony. "Wanting Memories," by the Jerusalem Youth Chorus, a multi ethnic group that never fails to instill me with hope and put a smile on my face.

For ultimately all the sadness of Yom HaZikaron is pierced by triumph and buoyed by hope.  Israelis, inspired by our glass-half-full religion, are and always will be a hopeful people. Their national anthem couldn't be more doleful - but it's called "The Hope." No wonder the Yom Haatzmaut celebratory concert of the Jerusalem Symphony was entitled, "Revival of the Dead." (Click on the poster below to watch it). So I am Jewish and Pro-Life. At a time like this, it's good to remember that to be Jewish IS TO BE Pro-Life. Let's reaffirm it wherever and whenever we can.

Recommended Reading

The Forward at 125: A Conversation with the Four Living Editors-in-Chief (YouTube) Never again? World response to Putin shows tragic failure to act on lessons of WWII (Times Of Israel) Poland and the Jews. It's complicated (R.N.S.) Poland is not just a Jewish graveyard. It is Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones. And yes, those bones can live. The JCC in Krakow has a thousand members. Among its clients are the children and grandchildren of Polish Jews who hid their identities. These are the children and grandchildren of Polish Jews who wound up with false baptismal certificates, in order to save their lives. Their heritage is there like lost luggage — waiting to be reclaimed. Perspective | An ornate desk, family history and the Jewish past (WaPo - David Perry)

Hag Samayach and Shabbat Shalom! Rabbi Joshua Hammerman

Temple Beth El

In This Moment, April 16: Yom Ha-atzmaut - a Wistful Hope; Bye, Bye Bernie; American Idle - Being a Bystander in a Digital Age; Reflecting on the Past Year

In This Moment The Shabbat-O-Gram is sponsored by Rebekah and Liran Raz in honor of their son, Liam, becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Shabbat morning. As we bid adieu to our scheduled Zoom-only services (though weather may impact some Friday nights including this one), here are some photos from last Shabbat. My thanks to all those who have made every service an oasis of calm and warmth at a harrowing time. We've often been graced with the presence of Hazzan Rabinowitz, who last week led the Torah service (while I carried the Torah "from out of Zion," in the split screen, with Jerusalem as my background). It will be the last opportunity for him to lead a service here for a while, since we are returning to the sanctuary, which made it a special thrill. You can watch the video here. As a bonus, you can also watch our discussion about why pigs are taboo, found later in the service.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Yom Ha'atzmaut. Mazal tov to Liam Raz, whose bar mitzvah will be celebrated in the sanctuary this Shabbat!

Click on the video above to the right to watch a unique colorized version of David Ben Gurion declaring the state in 1948. Above on the left you'll find the full Independence Day Ceremony on Mt Herzl. Some highlights: At 23:45 - musician Idan Raichel sings his song "Longing" ("Ga'agua"), assisted by young singers impacted by loss from terror or war; 36:30 - Koolulam stages one of it's patented mass sing alongs, this time with medical professionals singing the song "Teta'aru Lachem," "Imagine to Yourselves" by Shlomo Artzi, one of my favorites; expressing not the defiant, utopian idealism of John Lennon's "Imagine," which has it's place, but a more wistful Israeli version, replete with the scars of loss, but hopeful nonetheless - the perfect song for now. Imagine a beautiful world less sad than what it is and we walk in it with suns in our pockets imagine a beautiful world A city in the darkness a simple world imagine a little happiness It was a lovely ceremony, upbeat and confident, befitting the first country in the world to reach the almost-end of the pandemic. And it was surprisingly apolitical (there was an uncomfortable political moment earlier in the day, when the Prime Minister was chastised by a bereaved father. Read more about it here). As always, Israel is a complicated place, but last night's ceremony reminds us that this mishmash of resiliency is somehow thriving, with suns in their pockets - Jewish, Arab, Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrachi, Ethiopian, Orthodox and Secular, all the tribes, It's a mishmash, but it's our mishmash, and we cherish it. Click here for 73 Fun Facts About Israel. How about 73 Bible Verses honoring this birthday? And click here to read "73 +1 Reasons I Love Israel." Also, watch the Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony. Also see Modern Israeli History: A Timeline and How Hatikva Became Israel's National Anthem (MJL). To gain a better understanding of the stakes raised by the current Netanyahu trial, listen to this podcast, which describes the undermining of Israel's free press. Bye, Bye Bernie The death of Bernie Madoff brings to mind a destructive and humiliation chapter of American Jewish history. At the time of his arrest in 2008 I made some waves by advocating his excommunication from Jewish life. You can read my original open letter here - and you can read some of the reaction here and here and here and here. (See the reaction of other rabbis, in today's Forward). The damage caused by this man can never be understated. He nearly single handedly destroyed Jewish philanthropy. As i told the Jerusalem Post in an interview at the time.. "My synagogue's teens received free Israel trips three years ago because of the generosity of the Lappin Foundation in Boston, but because that money had all been 'invested' in Madoff's fund, that gift that we received was in essence stolen money. . . Even those organizations not directly impacted may have profited in some manner from this money that was stolen from innocent people. Every penny that Madoff ever donated is dirty money." Returning to the Sanctuary... Reflecting on the Past Year As we anticipate our return to in-person / hybrid services, let's look back and pay tribute to the Zoom services and events that sustained us for these many months. ones, and which are continuing on weekdays and Sundays at 1. You can watch videos of many of our services and other key events, which have been collected at this website. The Torah implores us to choose life. At a time when we have hit a wall and feel so fried at the duration of this pandemic, isolation seems to be creeping ever upon us like the afternoon shadows. And that's where only people can save us. Not places. People. TBE is nothing more and nothing less than the sum of its human parts. And those human parts have come through this year for one another. I am so happy that this long nightmare is coming to an end, But Zoom services were not part of the illness - at their best, they were part of what helped us to heal. We chose life. Hope Stanger has written a lovely tribute to our still-ongoing daily Zoom minyan, which she has given me permission to share: When Rabbi Hammerman asked our congregation on Shabbat morning if we dress differently for Shabbat on Zoom services, I said jokingly that I do dress differently for Shabbat, because I think about our daily minyan group seeing me in the same Brooklyn, NY sweatshirt on multiple occasions, and what they might think; it made me laugh and cringe that someone might say: Does she only own one piece of clothing??  The truth is that Shabbat signifies a new sacredness given to us each week, and I want to honor that by wearing something a little more festive. Over the course of two months, between mid-August and late October, both my brother and my mother passed away. I sat two shivas, almost back-to-back; each quite different from the other; both without the usual gatherings of family and friends. Post-shiva, I went through an extraordinary level of grief, and through that, what held constant in my healing process was knowing I was signing onto afternoon minyan. Each day, I felt my hands being held and my heart being soothed as I chanted the familiar prayers and supported others who their lost loved ones. Having this available to me every day was invaluable. I could just be myself; be wherever I needed to be; and have the support and love of the people in our minyan knowing I was suffering and holding me close. It’s been a very unique experience being a part of this virtual yet intimately connected group. Because of Covid necessitating a new format for synagogue prayer, we come together on small screens instead of in a chapel; connecting through energy, chat boxes and words rather than in person, and precisely because of this, we have become a minyan family. And my minyan family holds a sacred space in my heart every day. Being able to meet on Zoom was one of the biggest gifts during a truly difficult year for everyone. As a therapist, I was able to schedule my days with the space for daily minyan; this has allowed me to say the Mourner’s Kaddish every day, which would not have been likely pre-Covid. When my dad passed away in 2007, I came once a week for a year to say Kaddish. Now I get to say it every day, and I know that’s just what I've needed to heal and to honor my family. What touches me the most is that during minyan, we write in the names of those in our lives who need healing, and we say the prayer for refuah shlemah in the middle of the Amidah. Each day, I pause and focus my energy and attention on the names I write as well as all the names and initials that any member of our minyan family writes in. I envision each person thriving in their lives with whole health and well being. With those I know, I physically picture them happy, healthy and free, and with others’ names, I send them healing and energy and imagine them so happy in their lives. I can share that a dear friend of mine who has been dealing with metastatic cancer had a clear PET scan after being held in our chat prayer box. I know that we all hold the prayers and intentions for each other, and this means the world to me; to both give and receive. As life readjusts and we slowly come back to our in-person synagogue life, I still look forward to the privilege of being with our minyan family at one o’clock every weekday. Thank you, Hope, for articulating what we are all feeing, as we now are approaching reached the end - of the beginning.

How Have We Changed?

And so we ask, how have we changed? And what have we learned? This article describes some of the lessons learned from the pandemic: Not “Back to Normal.” Better! Reaffirming a bevy of classic Jewish values, starting with Pikuakh Nefesh, the sacrosanct supremacy of saving lives. Also including humility, kindness, patience, justice and community. Everything Is Connected Take the Long View "From racial justice to health improvements to ecological sustainability, our work is rendered imperative by the awful reality of COVID-19."

American Idle What does it mean to be a bystander in a digital age?

Next week Jews around the world will read in the Torah (Lev. 19:16) the commandment not to stand idly by the blood our neighbor.  There is no question that the sources stand on the side of active intervention rather than passivity. As the Talmud states (Sanhedrin 73a), “Whence do we know that if a man sees his neighbor drowning, mauled by beasts, or attacked by robbers, he is bound to save him? From the verse, ‘Thou shalt not stand by the blood of thy neighbor.'”      But recent events are demonstrating that idleness is no longer an option, now that most onlookers carry in their pockets small, hand-held instant-justice machines that can make star witnesses out of nine-year-olds. When a crime happens and you are there, either your cellphone camera is on or you are in someone else’s has you in the frame. Either way, you will be found – and you will be involved. What does it mean to be a bystander in a digital age? We’ve been asking that question a lot lately. The riveting testimony of the trial for the murder of George Floyd has been marked by emotion, especially from the mouths of the youngest bystanders.  Darnella Frazier, the teenager who filmed the viral video of Floyd’s arrest, said during her cross-examination that there have been nights when she has stayed up and apologized to Floyd for not doing more to save his life. “(Floyd) looked like he was fighting to breathe,” said another teen witness, Alyssa Nicole Funari, 18, who was outside Cup Foods during the arrest. Funari took a moment before proceeding, leading the prosecutor to ask whether she was having difficulty recounting the incident. “It was difficult because I felt like there really wasn’t anything I could do as a bystander,” Funari said. “The highest power was there and I felt like I was failing — like, failing to do anything.” “Technically I could have done something; but I couldn’t do, physically, what I wanted to do,” Funari said, because police were ordering bystanders to stay back. Again and again, we heard the voices of the bystanders, like off duty firefighter who wanted to give CPR. They’re now stepping up to take responsibility for their inaction. But was it inaction?  At the other end of the spectrum, we’ve seen bystanders fail to respond correctly to recent hate crimes directed against people of Asian descent. Two New York City apartment building workers were fired for failing to help a 65 year old Asian American woman as she was being violently attacked on the sidewalk outside. As she was being physically and verbally attacked, cameras show these workers not only failing to intervene but then then closing the door on the woman.  In Orange County, CA., an Olympic hopeful was in a park training for the summer games when a man targeted her in an incident that she captured on video. She became, in effect, her own corroborating witness, victim and bystander all in one. Research shows that most people are more than willing to intervene and help someone. A whole branch of psychology has grown from this question, based on the famous 1964 Queens stabbing attack on Kitty Genovese that was ostensibly witnessed by 38 passive onlookers who did nothing to stop it. It later was shown that the numbers were inflated, and that in fact New Yorkers did not deserve the reputation for apathy that has been given them. But recent events force us to ask ourselves, if we were outside of that Manhattan apartment building or Cup Foods in Minneapolis, what would we have done? And how has digital technology changed the equation since 1964? Or since biblical times. When the young Moses went out and saw his fellow Israelite being beaten, as he was about to strike the taskmaster the text says “he turned this way and that…” Perhaps he saw no potential witnesses and figured it was okay to strike. Or perhaps he saw lots of people around, but they all looked haggard and weary – like slaves – and he calculated that no one would have the strength to testify against him. Moses understood that moral paralysis is the mark of enslavement; the people had been cowed into complicity – to idleness – indifferent to the plight of their fellow and unlikely to get involved. So Moses got involved. In Leviticus 9:22, an older Moses is once again a bystander as Aaron blessed the people.  But then, curiously, in the very next verse, Moses joins Aaron in a blessing do-over, and this time “the glory of G-d appeared to the entire people.”    According to Rashi, Aaron’s initial blessing was a misfire. And Aaron, afraid he was not in God’s good graces, appealed to Moses, who immediately leapt once again and joined his brother in a renewed appeal to God, who this time responded with an appearance. The Baal Shem Tov takes from this the lesson that we are bystanders for a reason; not to stand in judgment -- and Moses did not -- but to share the burden. From that perspective of humility, Moses did not judge Aaron. He simply seized the moment when his moment arrived, and he ran to assist.    Those people in Minneapolis waited for their moment, having no idea that their moment to act would be delayed for nearly a year. That’s a lot of bystanding, but not a minute of idleness. They may not have been able to save George Floyd, but through their testimony, they may save the integrity of the American justice system. These heroic bystanders witnesses in Minnesota heard the clarion call of Elie Wiesel: “Don’t stand idly by if you witness injustice. You must intervene. You must interfere.”

Shabbat Shalom! Rabbi Joshua Hammerman