Shabbat Across Stamford Photos (Courtesy of UJF)

The Aftermath, for "Us" and "Them"

It begins

The dust has only begun to settle following Israel’s elections this week. So let me sort out some what seems to have happened and what it means for the future.  I do this with the clear disclaimer that these observations are evolving by the minute, and that as an American rabbi who has always placed the fate of Jerusalem above my chiefest joy, I have an obligation to speak out.  The mere fact that I have to affirm that is very sad.  But that's the world we live in, a world of "us" and "them."  

My first reaction to the late night news of the stunning margin of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s victory was not a pleasant one.  I did not sleep much Tuesday night.  Not because he won, because he was expected to be the most likely to form a coalition – and in fact I’m among those who thinks Israel needs to stand tough against the multiple external threats it faces. I am still skeptical about the pending US deal with Iran, for instance. 

But it was the way he won, and the things he said, particularly during the final week.  I watched lots of it on Israeli media, and it wasn’t pretty.

Predictably, Netanyahu is now walking back his rejection of the two-state solution.  It will be harder to roll back the tone of his entire campaign, which, even by Israeli standards, was of the scorched earth variety.  When your campaign slogan is “It’s us or them,” it’s pretty hard to say “Just kidding,” especially given the frantic Election Day comments made about Arabs voting in droves.  So as he builds his coalition and platform, an important goal will be to coax the many shades of “them” back from the ledge.  In this case, “them” would include not only left wing and centrist Israeli Jews, but Israeli Arabs, the Obama administration, and any who still believe in the two-state solution which, a recent survey indicates, includes 78% of American Jews.

Predictably, also, the world responded with a complete lack of understanding for Israel’s predicament.  Few media outlets seem nuanced enough to understand the psychological blow of having rockets raining down on Israeli cities and towns all last summer, or the attacks in Jerusalem that have been ongoing ever since and the still-smoldering legacy of last decade’s bus bombings. 

These scars are still real, and Netanyahu played on that – throwing in a Holocaust reference here and there (and everywhere) – and he managed to turn even some of Israel’s best friends into “them.”  This past week, the man seemed unhinged, his paranoia unfiltered.  Yes, some of Israel's enemies are very real.  But some of Bibi's aren’t enemies of Israel at all.   By the end of the campaign, everyone from Israel’s staunchest human rights organizations (the demonization of the New Israel Fund has been shameful), to America’s President, to the entirely of Scandinavia, were turned into “them.” True, as Jeffrey Goldberg wrote this week in a lengthy expose, things ‘aint great for Jews in Europe these days – and many of those things have do with anti-Semitism in all its ugly forms, but Netanyahu’s performance during the final days of this campaign did not serve the cause of European Jews.

It did not help Jews on campuses in the US either.  Those championing BDS will have a field day trumpeting that Israel has abandoned the two-state solution.  Google the word “apartheid” in Hebrew (אפרטהייד) and you’ll find nearly 85,000 results.  The topic that used to be the domain solely of anti-Semites is no longer taboo in Israel, and the future of the two-state solution, while not openly discussed during much of the campaign, was in fact the prime cause of this election.  It was the infamous “Jewish nation state bill” that Netanyahu wanted to push through.  When that bill met resistance, he went to the polls.  This bill eventually could lead to prioritizing the Jewish nature of the state over democratic values.  And this same bill would also define “Jewish” on Orthodox terms, thereby wiping out years of progress for more pluralistic visions like those of the “Women of the Wall,” creating more chaos with weddings, conversions and divorces (and if you don’t believe it’s already crazy, go and see the film “Gett,”  which is playing here in Stamford). The end result of a "Jewish state bill" would be to lay the groundwork for annexation of the West Bank and the subsequent adjustments to ensure a Jewish voting majority.  That's the great unspoken fear that overshadowed this election.  The A word.

So I went to bed Tuesday night wondering how I could continue to defend such an Israel, and how I could inspire my students to continue to do so, in the face of the blistering attacks they would face.  And how could I defend an Israel that had ceased to be a bipartisan cause sharing American values?  How could I help to stop the two natural allies, Israel and America, from continuing this inexorable drifting apart?

It’s now become clearer than ever before that Israel and American Jewry are also drifting apart, despite the herculean efforts of Birthright Israel, Hillel and other organizations. 

As Rob Eshman wrote in this week’s LA Jewish Journal:

If there is one lesson American Jews will learn from Israel’s election, it’s this:  they’re not us. Israel is not New York. Or LA. Or Chicago or Boston or Miami or Philadelphia. It is a Jewish “community” unlike any in America.  Israelis went to the polls this Tuesday and returned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to office.  Had Bibi run versus Isaac Herzog among American Jewish voters, he would have lost.  He would have lost almost as badly as Barack Obama would lose against Bibi in Israel.   The fact that Netanyahu garnered 29 mandates against his opponent’s 24 was as shocking to the majority of American Jews as the fact that  Jewish Americans voted overwhelmingly – twice – for Barack Obama is to most Israelis.

Jewish life is composed of tribes – Orthodox, secular, my shul, your country club, Ashkenzai, Ethiopian, etc.  But the two biggest tribes are American and Israeli.  Different cultures, different languages, different reality.   Israel and America are the twin study of Jewish life:  same birth, same heritage, but vastly different nurturing – and so very different natures.

For years the greatest myth American Jews have been telling themselves is that Israeli Jews are just like us. That works because we tend to prove this to ourselves by cherry-picking the Israel we most identify with.  We fell in love with Abba Eban like the French love Jerry Lewis.  Israelis, meanwhile, mocked him.  

So when I went to bed Tuesday night, in essence, I was asking myself how I could continue to be a rabbi – because, like it or not, to be a rabbi means, in this generation, to possess and impart a deep love for our Jewish state.  The love is unconditional, even when it has to come in the form of stern rebuke.  But do I have it in me to continue to rebuke and rebuke? Do I have it in me to risk being consigned to Netanyahu's (and his allies') growing list of "them" even as my every sinew since birth has been dedicated to the building of the Jewish state?

Then I woke up, took a deep breath and a long look at the numbers, and I felt much better.  Why?

Just a hunch, but just as Israel has had a knack of turning its greatest moments of promise into disasters (see: Oslo), it has also managed to turn the most foreboding lemons into lemonade (see: Yom Kippur War). 

In fact, what this election managed to do was to create a more moderate government. Perhaps.  Bibi’s last minute lurch rightward was sufficient to decimate some smaller parties to his extreme right, and the makeup of Likud is more moderate than it was, so some of the most extreme elements of Likud and the Jewish Home party are no longer there. Plus, the most extremist group, Yachad, with ties to Kahane’s racist legacy, did not make it past the 3.25% threshold.  The Haredim will likely be part of the mix, but their numbers were also reduced by Bibi’s blitz.

Plus, the remarkable showing of the unified Arab party has turned it into a significant player in the Knesset.  With the trend being toward consolidation of small parties, both Jewish and Arab, we are seeing the beginnings of a return to big-tentism, where there is strength in numbers.  Fewer and less ideological parties tend to veer governments toward moderation and compromise (except, of course, in America).  I see this as a government that will be more flexible in key areas.

And then there is the Cachlon factor, which I mentioned last week.  He indeed will be the kingmaker and his demands will be steep.  The finance ministry for sure.  But I hope among his demands will be one that for the rest of the world and for the American-Israel relationship could make all the difference. 

Four words:  Foreign Minister Michael Oren. 

Oren dealt himself a royal flush when he elected to go with Cachlon and the Kulanu party.  Oren, the American-born former ambassador to the US, was critical of the Netanyahu visit to Congress but has otherwise been very supportive of Israel’s positions regarding Iran.  He is as bipartisan as they come – as ambassador he knew how to play the DC game and everyone trusted him.  He can state Israel's case before the world better than anyone – including Netanyahu himself – since Abba Eban.  His positions on the most sensitive issues are reasoned and consensus generating. For instance, he believes that settlement expansion can only occur in those areas that the parties (including the US) have affirmed will be part of Israel in an eventual two-state arrangement.

And the most rational thing about that position is that it presupposes that a two-state solution is the goal.

It doesn’t matter what Israelis think about Oren - they barely know him.  A strong English speaker with intimate knowledge of America and impeccable diplomatic skills needs to be the face of Israel to the world. Netanyahu understands that more than anyone.

If Oren becomes foreign minister, all the problems won’t magically go away, but the tone will change significantly and immediately.  It almost goes without saying that the first thing this foreign minister will have to do is replace the current ambassador to the US.  If I were a major American Jewish leader or champion of Israel from either party, I would be recommending such a reset, as soon as possible.

And you know what?  I’m crazy enough to believe it will happen.  While the two-state solution will remain on life support for the foreseeable future, rumors of its demise will hopefully prove to have been premature.

Meanwhile, election politics are only a small part of the miracle that is Israel.  Read this letter from Nigel Savage of Hazon, describing the amazing things happening in Israel from an environmentalist perspective: an organic farm run by at risk teenagers, a new sustainability center in Gilo, a waste dump turned into Tel Aviv’s Central Park.  Thanks Nigel, I needed that!  

So Israel has not changed dramatically or irrevocably over the past couple of days.  Israel is always changing, even as its most intractable challenges never seem to go away.  But nothing stays quite the same, either. Israel will continue to amaze us, surprise us, confound us and anger us.  

And we will continue to engage with it, to love it and to struggle to help it realize its potential to be a light unto the nations and both a beacon of inspiration and a refuge of security for the Jewish people.

So I can continue to be a rabbi.  But for the next few years, I'm really going to have to earn my salary.

The Rarest Jewish Trifecta

Amidst all the hubbub of the Israeli elections, it’s barely been noticed that this weekend we will experience the rarest of Jewish seasonal trifectas: Rosh Hodesh Nisan, Shabbat Hahodesh and the 1^st day of spring will coincide.

In the 21st century, Rosh Hodesh Nisan has come out on Shabbat Hahodesh three times: in 2001, 2005, and 2008. Future occurrences in the 21st century will take place in 2021, 2025, 2045, 2048, 2052, 2072, 2075, 2079, and 2099.  Whenever that happens, we read from three Torah scrolls, another rarity, which we’ll do this week.

But how often does that take place on the date of the vernal equinox? Just this year and in 2020. That’s it.  Twice in a century.

Let me throw in another spectacular alignment.  This Friday, spring will commence at exactly 6:45 pm (EDT).  Now that’s well into Shabbat in Israel and elsewhere, but here in Stamford the candlelighting time is 6:48, almost to the minute exactly when spring will be sprung.

And to top it all off, snow is expected to be falling here at precisely that hour.  I can hear God laughing.

Oh yes, and there is also a total solar eclipse that night.  The next solar eclipse coinciding with a vernal equinox will not happen for another 19 years – which is precisely the duration of the Jewish calendar’s cycle (7 leap years occur in those 19 years).

So why is all of this significant?  When the vernal equinox, called Tekufat Nisan, falls on the first of Nisan, there is a special blessing, as detailed in this essay by Jill Hammer: Baruch ata adonai, eloheinu melekh ha’olam, oseh vereishit. Blessed are You, God, sovereign of the world, who makes creation. Hammer created an entire ritual to mark this occasion.

In a year of bountiful precipitation in Israel and here in this corner of the Diaspora, with the flowers beginning to proclaim the reemergence of life with incredible color, we can’t allow this rare trifecta to pass unnoticed. As we ruminate over how wrong the exit polls were and the fallibilities of human calculation, we can’t allow ourselves to miss this prime example of nature’s spectacular synchronicity.

In Pirke Avot, Rabbi Eleazar Chisma, himself an astronomer, called the calculation of equinoxes “the side-dish of wisdom,” of far less significance than actual Torah law. But at a time when so much is uncertain in the political world, we need to turn to the natural cycles of our planet, the sun, moon and stars to find some comfort and unity in their consistency – and to treasure this fragile ecological balance.

So this Shabbat, let’s take a moment to set aside our differences, share a deep sense of wonder as to the mystery of natural regeneration and rebirth and the never-ending promise of spring.  Together we should stop whatever we’re doing, whether at synagogue, at the mall or at the beach, and look up in amazement toward the sky – once the snow stops falling, that is.

A Shabbat Across the Bow (Jewish Week)

 

Israel's Elections 101: A Primer for the Casually Interested American

    

For those who follow Israel elections very closely (as I do), this year has been particularly interesting, with the possibility for big surprises on Tuesday night.  The threshold for entry into the Knesset was raised for this election (to 3.25% up from 2% of the vote), so no one really knows what to expect.  If a party doesn't make the threshold, it reshuffles the deck completely, which is why some of the smaller parties that used to gum up the electoral works have already fallen away.  Others have come together, including a number of small Arab parties  (the United List), which now may become the third largest party in the incoming Knesset.  Other parties, such as the left wing Meretz or Avigdor Liberman's Israel Beiteinu, may not make it into the Knesset at all - a true irony, since Liberman championed raising the threshold in order to keep out the Arab parties.   Ah, the best laid plans....

Speaking of best-laid plans, the Prime Minister called for these elections in the hopes of strengthening his hold on the government.  He may well be able to form a coalition (requiring a majority of the 120 seat Knesset), although his fortunes have been drooping markedly since his trip to Washington, which did not give him the bump he had hoped.  His best bet now seems to be some kind of unity government with the Zionist Union or a narrow right wing - religious alliance. 

The kingmaker and wild card in the whole shebang appears to be the new Kulanu party, headed by the former communications minister Moshe Kahlon, who is a natural partner for Likud - except that he was spurned by Netanyahu and, since his prime issues are economic, could easily be compatible with a left wing government.  He also represents some of the Sephardic have-nots who used to form the backbone of Likud but now feel displaced. His list includes former Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren (part of the reason Oren was so critical of the timing of Netanyahu's recent visit to Congress).  If Kachlon does as well as he is currently polling, or better, the prime ministership will go to the highest bidder. 

Another wildcard is the previous election's Flavor of the Month, centrist Yesh Atid and its charismatic leader Yair Lapid. Yesh Atid leapt forward by a good half a dozen mandates on Election Day last time and is rising again now.  It will be interesting to see if Lapid takes votes away from Likud or Zionist Union.  He could go into a new Netanyahu government but would prefer Herzog - it was his firing by Netanyahu that precipitated this electoral campaign.  The last election's other wonderkind Naftali Bennett, who advocates annexing some of the territories and expanding settlements, seeks to take Israel sharply rightward in a coalition with Netanyahu.

In order to be in the hunt for prime minister, I believe the Zionist Union needs to continue to run at least 3 seats in front of Likud, as it is now doing in most polls.  That would enable them to overcome some inherent electoral disadvantages (including that the Arab parties will not be part of a governing coalition).  Then potential partners will be more likely to fall into line and the President will look to Yitzchak Herzog to form the next government. 

 

 Separated at birth?

Americans don't know Herzog and Israelis have not been quick to warm up to him.  Think Steve Carell pre-Foxcatcher.  The voice, the look.... not prime ministerial - which is why he's been running commercials saying that Ben Gurion had a high pitched voice too.  His alliance with (proposed prime ministerial rotation partner) Tzipi Livni has had pundits calling into question his self-confidence and even his masculinity, but that move is what changed the game and thrust the combined parties into a close race with Likud.

In many ways we have something Israel has not had in a long time, a classic right - left battle with echoes of the ideological battles going back to Israel's founding generation.  In basketball terms, this is Lakers - Celtics (with the Spurs and Bulls vying for a piece of the action).  There is history here, there is DNA - the stuff of epic multi-generational novels.  Netanyahu's father Benzion was a Revisionist leader and personal secretary of Ze'ev Jabotinsky.  Herzog's grandfather was chief rabbi, and his father Chaim, a Labor party lifer, was UN Ambassador and then President of Israel.  And his uncle was Abba Eban, the most recognized spokesman for Israel the English language has ever known (with the possible exception now of Netanyahu).  Yitzchak's mother, Aura, is no slouch either.  When you look at the oratorical skills of his immediate ancestors, it's no surprise that Yitzchak is so soft spoken.   Imagine the kids trying to get a word in edgewise at those family seders!

In a sense, Netanyahu vs Herzog brings us back to Jabotinsky and Begin vs Ben Gurion and Rabin.  When all the other issues are pushed aside, Iran, housing, religion and all the others, it comes right back to the essential questions that have been in play since long before there ever was a state of Israel:  Will the land between The river and the sea ever be shared?  Will there be one or two states?  These questions are being played out again now, perhaps for the last time.

What are the stakes this Tuesday?  Whatever your viewpoint, they are enormous.  All those who love Israel should be praying hard this Shabbat.  (We should also be praying that the elections are not marred by terrorism or vigilante activity.  It has happened before, which is why the Palestinian Authority rounded up a number of Hamas activists this week).  Whatever transpires, there will be implications that will reverberate for years to come, far beyond Israel's shores.  It is hard to imagine that the Israel that wakes up on Wednesday will be the same Israel that went to bed on Tuesday.  What that will mean....time will tell.  

Keep up with the Israeli Elections with Knesset Jeremy's collection of the latest polls.  

Shabbat-O-Gram - Why Shabbat Across Stamford Is so Important, Purim

 

Purim at TBE, 2015

Purim in Jerusalem 2015 - The Lego Family

This week, I should also say, in memory of Leonard Nimoy of blessed memory, "Live long and prosper." I am reminded of that saying every day. Right outside my office sits an antique from early 19th century Philadelphia, a blessing chair that we use for brisses, namings and even some weddings.  The hand position is that of the ancient priestly blessing, which Nimoy used as a model for his Vulcan salute on Star Trek.  The threefold priestly blessing essentially expresses a desire that the recipient of that blessing live long and prosper.  You can read his rabbi's eulogy here and a moving tribute by Letty Cottin Pogrebin. 

Happy Purim!  Last night was nothing less than a Purim miracle for us.  In between the snowstorms, one day of warm rainy weather, just enough of a break to enable at least 200 people to be here for the megilla reading and carnival.  My thanks to everyone who made it possible.  This is the link to the photo album (the album can be accessed by link only).  Special thanks to our photographer Dan Young.  More photos will be added in the near future - send yours to rabbi@tbe.org.   Meanwhile, wend your snowy Purim away by reading Purim spoof sections from The Jerusalem Post, The Forward (50 Sheitels of Gray") and The Jewish Week (Deflated Matzah Ball Scandal).  Or if you are in a more scholarly mood, see these halachic discussions on:Why do Ashkenazic Jews Eat Hamentashen on Purim? Or Just How Drunk Should a Jew Get on Purim?  Also see Purim Articles from the Hartman Institute. And click here for an article about Purim's origins.  And since the great mitzvah of Purim is to hear the entire Megilla (which we read in its entirety last night), you can do that online here.  For those who might be interested, I have some brief Purim-related reactions to the current debate over Iran on my blog.  There is excellent analysis online from a variety of perspectives.  It behooves us all to be thoroughly informed.

Post Purim, we look forward to the National Yiddish Theater - Folksbiene event on March 19, as we honor the memory of Hesh Romanowitz by celebrating the wonders of Yiddish culture. Read this interview with director Zalmen Mlotek to find out more.  Also, by now you are aware of our new LGBT group - see flyer here and tell anyone who might be interested that we need to have rsvps today so that we can inform the facility.  On a related subject, this coming Tuesday at 7:30, the last of my Hot Topics for Cold Months will cover Marriage Equality.  Gay marriage is a hot topic these days everywhere from Alabama to Israel's elections to the Supreme Court.  We'll explore how Conservative Judaism has "evolved" on this topic.  Needless to say, this class is open to everyone. And do plan to come to our Interfaith Seder on March 26.  Topic - Befriending the Stranger: Fostering Peace in a Hostile World.  Invite your Jewish and non-Jewish friends!

Also see last week's excellent B'nai Mitzvah commentaries from Emma Ostrovsky and Ben Goodman - and mazal tov to this week's B'nai Mitzvah (and their families), Sam Teich and Sarah Broder. .  We'll have a chance to greet them at our very special Kabbalat Shabbat service this Friday night featuring musical guest (and new TBE favorite) David Bravo. Mazal tov also so Jeannie Kasindorf and Craig Price, who are being honored by the JCC this weekend

Stamford's Historic "Shabbat Across the Bow" - Some Reflections

Next Friday, March 13, Jews will gather in over 500 locations for the annual happening that has come to be known as "Shabbat Across America."  But in only one community, ours, will congregations ranging across the denominational spectrum from right to left come together for this event.  True, Hillels do this kind of thing routinely, as do utopian gatherings like Limmud, and small, isolated communities where there is little choice.  But otherwise, according to the organizers, we're it and the press is taking notice. Nearly 300 people have signed up thus far, and the number is climbing.

THE DEADLINE IS TOMORROW (FRIDAY) SO GET YOUR RESERVATIONS IN NOW! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.  WE LIKELY WILL HAVE TO CLOSE OFF REGISTRATION FOR SPACE PURPOSES.

Please note that we will NOT have a Friday night service here that night (the 13^th); anyone wishing to attend the service at Rippowam that night without staying for dinner and the lecture will be able to enter without charge.  But I highly recommend registering for the whole evening.

So now, some reflections on why this is so important and how we got here.

It is nice - and unusual - to live in a community where Jews get along so well.  (Believe me - I've seen it all here and compared to other Jewish enclaves like, say, New York or the Knesset, we get along well).  I'm grateful to our Board of Rabbis, our local cantors and UJF for taking the leadership on this, and to Linda Spilka, the chair, and our newest UJF staff member Marcia Lane (who is herself a cantor) and to the hard working, visionary committee.  A very special shout out to Rabbi Elly Krimsky, formerly of Young Israel in Stamford who also works for NJOP (which has been running Shabbat Across America for over 20 years).  This was Elly's idea and we ran with it.  He continues to tell us that we are doing something that absolutely no other community is doing.

As Board of Rabbis president, I'm proud but also slightly sobered at how difficult it is these days to bring Jews together to celebrate something near and dear to us all - Shabbat.  There is still a prevailing notion, even here, that wherever two Jews dwell, there are three synagogues, one for each to belong to and one that neither would be caught dead in.  That's why Shabbat Across Stamford will be so important. 

But S.A.S.has not been easy to achieve.  They say God is in the details, so allow me to share some details of our deliberations as we prepared for next Shabbat.  Nothing was left to chance.  This will give you a glimpse into the possibilities for true Jewish unity, circa 2015.

Even though we'll be eating, singing and learning together, we won't be praying together.  There will be two services, one a traditional davvening in the Carlebach style, and the other using instruments, with a more progressive and egalitarian feel.  We could have opted for a many more service options (my preference, Synaplex style), but for the first year, we decided to keep it simple. 

There is no way we could have had just one service.  That ship sailed decades ago.  Few non-Orthodox Jews would want their female clergy to sit passively in the women's section.  Neither would the Orthodox want it to be egalitarian.  So in two large rooms not far apart, two large groups will be singing the exact same prayers (more or less), but separately. 

We'll be located on the side of town where most of the Shabbat walkers live.  That was a no brainer.  The hotel on Summer would have been nicer, but it was booked.  We'll all light candles together to begin the experience, at the traditional candle lighting time, of course.  The food will be kosher - another no brainer.  Aside from the progressive service, there will be no instrumentation or microphones used.  No money will change hands and we'll ask people to turn off of their phones. 

Check.

We found a speaker everyone could agree on - not an easy accomplishment.  Rabbi Joseph Telushkin fits the bill perfectly.  But his talk will steer toward issues of common concern, primarily personal ethics. The word "Iran" will not pass from his lips, nor will there be talk about Israel's elections, or his most recent book on the Rebbe.  We'll stick to consensus issues - and presumably loving your neighbor is a consensus issue.  (It probably isn't these days, but let's pretend).

Other decisions were not so easily made.  One would think it would be easy to eat together.  The blessings before the meal are more or less shared by all, and singing is a universally lovely thing, right?

 

Well, not completely.  Some feel the "Eyshet Chayil"  (Woman of Valor) passage, traditionally recited on Friday nights,is sexist and condescending.  Others think it is integral to the whole experience.  So we'll be introducing that selection, along with an array of family blessing options, and leave space for all participants to choose what to do at their tables.

Does that mean that people will need to sit only at tables with others of their ideological ilk, where they will be the most comfortable?  We won't assign seats, but we'll encourage people to spread out and make new friends.

I tell you, this 'aint easy!

The Kiddush and Ha-motzi are known to most, but the Grace after Meals is not.   Neither are the traditional table songs.  Some felt that their congregations would feel patronized and uncomfortable if too much time was spent on these less familiar aspects of their Shabbat experience.  Other voices suggested that this would be a good time to learn them.  But what they were forgetting is that many non-traditionalists still do Shabbat every week, just not as traditionally, and why should they be told that their Shabbat is somehow less authentic?

Was it always this hard to being Jews together?

And can a woman lead those songs?

When I arrived in Stamford, the female cantor of our Reform synagogue could chant a memorial prayer on Yom Hashoah in an Orthodox shul.  Not anymore.  The right has gotten righter and the left lefter.  In such a polarized environment, what can we do to please everyone?  So, in a grand compromise, female clergy will be leading various prayers and songs, as will men, but everything will be sung in unison.    

And which songs will we sing?  Generic old favorites like "Oseh Shalom" and "David Melech Yisrael," songs most everyone knows, rather than the complex traditional "z'mirot" or ideologically tinged songs like "Salaam" on the left and on the right, anything remotely suggesting that the messiah is here so let's rebuild the temple now.

There is no way to please everyone, but our prime goal is to emphasize unity and mutual respect.  That goal supersedes everything else, including teaching how to "do" Shabbat.   For this experiment to succeed, everyone needs to be equally comfortable - which means, in fact, that everyone will be at least slightly uncomfortable.  We all will need to, at some point, enter that third synagogue.  While some may bristle at this idea, Shabbat Across Stamford is based on the premise that nobody's Judaism is less authentic than his or her neighbors - or at least less deserving of respect.

Is it worth it?  Ask me on the 14^th.  But given the splits that have made Jewish unity a remote pipe dream, we feel it's important to remind ourselves that we remain, on some level, family.  So on the 13^th, no one will be completely satisfied but over 300 of will share our dissatisfaction together, and we'll be very happy doing it!  For us, Shabbat Across America will be a Shabbat Across the Bow, a last gasp attempt to forge Jewish unity.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Emma Ostrovsky on Ki Tissa

Shabbat Shalom!

I have always had an interest in fashion.  You might have figured that out already from the hot pink yarmulkes.

I have always felt that how a person dresses tells a lot about who they are and that every article of clothing has a story to tell.

This afternoon’s Torah portion, Ki Tisa, describes a veil that Moses used to wear because his face glowed after his encounters with God. The Torah does not tell us whether the veil was hot pink.  But I figure there is a fifty percent chance it could have been, because it had to be a color that would distract people from that glowing face.

As if that isn’t enough, this morning’s portion of Tetzave goes into great detail about the clothing worn by Aaron and the priests.  So between these two portions, this Shabbat is basically like New York Fashion Week for Jews.

The priestly clothes were extremely exotic and included a tunic, a turban, and a sash.  For me, that’s a pretty classy fashion statement.  But it could use a little something.

If I were designing an outfit for our ancient leaders, I would include platform shoes to give them height, a cool shiny gold vest, and of course, I would never design an outfit without throwing in a hot pink scarf.

Clothes can often tell us a story about who someone is. For example, people who wear bright colors seem to be more cheerful.  As a cheerleader. I know that most cheerleading outfits tend to be bright and colorful, which matches our spirit.

For some people, a simple necklace can tell us a lot about them.  For example, two years ago my grandmother gave me a necklace with a Jewish star, which I am wearing today 

My tallis also tells a story, as well as making a great fashion statement.  It belonged to my uncle Walter, who wore it as his Bar Mitzvah a few years ago.

And today, my dad, who was unable to celebrate a bar mitzvah back when he was growing up in Kiev, is wearing my grandfather’s tallis.  So I can appreciate the fact that I have the freedom to be able to wear this today, knowing what my family has been through.

My tallis, as you can see, is white with blue and gold trim.  Blue and white are Israel’s colors – and I have relatives in Israel.  I also have relatives in Ukraine, whose flag is blue and gold.  So this tallis reminds me of my family heritage and my Jewish roots.

Any discussion about fashion this week has to include the holiday of Purim, a holiday when Jews dress up in costume.   We wear masks on Purim.  Masks hide your face but in some ways they also allow your true personality to shine through.  Clothing plays an important role in lots of Jewish holidays, including Yom Kippur, where it’s customary not to wear leather, and Shabbat, we put on our best clothes to welcome in a very special day.

So as you can see, clothes are very important to becoming a Jewish adult.  So that is why I feel it would be a mitzvah for my mom to take me shopping next week. 

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Benjamin Goodman on Tetzave

Wonderful winter we’ve been having, isn’t it? If you haven’t heard, I have been appointed by Rabbi Hammerman as Temple Beth El’s top (and most accurate) meteorologist. I’ve been following weather patterns since I was 8, and this has been one of the worst winters ever (kids who don’t like school, might call it one of the best winters ever!)

I’ve been amazingly accurate this winter in my predictions using various models such as the GFS, also known as the American Model, the ECMWF, the Canadian Model, and the European Model. Yes, I did predict a 2-foot snowstorm before the “Historic Blizzard,” but I downgraded my forecast as models trended toward a less snowy storm.

My Torah portion is called Tetzaveh, and it focuses us on how technology can help us to make the right choices. I honestly thought this portion fit me pretty well, because not only do I love meteorology, but I also love to play and even create my own video games. For example, I made a game about 2 years ago called “Coin Chasers.” The main goal was to get through mazes and find your way to a key that would unlock a door to the coin you were seeking.                                    

Even though back in my portion they didn’t have advanced technology like we do today, they did have something that they called Urim and Thummim. The priests to determine what God wanted used these tools. For instance, if they were about to go out to fight a battle, they would use the Urim and Thummim to ask God if the weather was favorable. I would usually look at different weather models to predict what a storm would drop when and where. They would use the Urim and Thummim. Either way, they would be able to make an educated decision.

There is a Jewish side to technology. Rabbi Avraham of Sadigora, who lived in the 1800s, once told his Hasidic students that they could learn something from everything: “Everything can teach us something, and not only everything God has created. What man has made has also something to teach us.”

“What can we learn from a train?” one Hasid asked curiously.

“That because of one second one can miss everything.”

“And from a telegram?”

“That every word is counted and charged.”

“And a telephone?”

“That what we say here is heard there.”

      

          As technology continues to change our lives so rapidly, it is important to remember that change has been part of life for a long, long time. The key is to use these new technologies to become better people and build a better world.

                For my Bar-Mitzvah project, I worked with a cancer organization called Little Wonder. Little Wonder is an organization that helps people with cancer enjoy themselves a little bit as they go through treatment. They buy tickets to local sporting events, shows, and other entertainment. Little Wonder is currently working with 15 hospitals in the state of Connecticut. This Mitzvah project is dedicated to my grandparents Beverly and Fred, who I never met because they both passed away from cancer before I was born. I raised over $180 by having people bring in $3 at school and thanks to you, my family and friends; I was able to achieve my goal of raising $1000 in total.