On Israel's Response to Hamas in Gaza

I do not celebrate the news that Israel launched massive airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza on Saturday morning. I do not, however, condemn Israel's actions. They represent Israel's necessary response to terrorist attacks launched from Gaza against Israeli civilians - especially the residents of Sderot and the surrounding area. It would be silly to state that one "supports" the operation. Over 200 dead in the first wave of Israel's strikes precludes anything but sadness and frustration. The terror and damage inflicted on Gaza's civilians is not righteous or deserved. But again, Israel must defend itself. I offer my opinion not because I am an expert in Middle Eastern diplomacy or history. The mission of Hamas, like Hezbollah and the terrorists who struck Mumbai, is rooted in antisemitism - hatred of Jews as Jews - and their mission is not just political or nationalistic. It is racist and anti-Jewish. I am not proud of a single death caused by Israel. But I am proud that Israel represents the hopes of Jewish people for peace, freedom, democracy, and a life free of hate. I am proud that they do whatever they must to protect and advance those ideals.

The following statement, issued by Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston (the local Jewish Federation), is one of the best and most clear statements on the situation. I have slightly edited their original statement in order to shorten it:

"Confronted by escalating rocket and mortar attacks against its citizens, Israel had no option other than self-defense against Hamas in Gaza. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union, Canada and the United States. They have fired over 3,000 rockets and mortar bombs into southern Israel, a daily bombardment whose purpose has been to kill and terrify Israeli families.

In recent days, Hamas intensified its attacks on Israeli civilians, firing over 200 rockets and mortar bombs. The attacks targeted Sderot, Ashdod, and Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 people.

Earlier this year, President-elect Barak Obama stated: "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that and would expect Israel to do the same thing." While Israeli and Palestinian Authority security forces were successfully working together to ensure a peaceful Christmas celebration in Bethlehem, Hamas fired more than 100 rockets and mortars at Israel's cities and towns. Moreover, as The New York Times reported, the terrorists "increased the range and intensity" of their assault. As a result, more Israeli citizens than ever before face an ongoing, lethal threat.

Most Israeli citizens support peaceful co-existence with Palestinians, but they demand safety and security. Israeli author Amos Oz, a prominent peace activist, wrote in a recent piece entitled "Israel Must Defend Its Citizens" that, "The systematic bombing of the citizens in Israel's towns and cities is a war crime and a crime against humanity."

No country can tolerate such deliberate assaults indefinitely - and Israel has shown extraordinary restraint, publicly calling upon Hamas to stop the attacks and seeking to extend the fragile lull in hostilities that had been in effect for the last six months.

Hamas's disregard for Israeli life is matched by its disregard for the lives of Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas purposely fires its missiles from homes, schools and community centers, confident in the knowledge that when Israel finally acts, Palestinian civilians will also inevitably be harmed. The use of Palestinian civilians as human shields is not only unspeakably cruel, it is a violation of basic human rights.

Israel cares deeply about protecting the lives of civilians, both in Israel and in Gaza. Its efforts this weekend to stop the Hamas attacks represent classic self-defense, undertaken reluctantly by an Israeli nation that longs for peace.

Israel must defend its citizens. A loyal ally of the United States, Israel has rushed to our aid at times of crisis - rushing rescue workers to Nairobi, Kenya, in the wake of the bombing of the U.S. embassy there and sending planeloads of relief supplies to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Now our friend needs our support - our strong backing for its right to defend itself from terrorist attack."

The URJ also issued a statement on the Israeli military operation, read it here.

The more things change...

You know the old expression: the more things change the more they stay the same? A quick trip to the Lower East Side today showed how true it is. Today's Lower East Side is hardly the Eastern European Jewish immigrant neighborhood of the 1890s and early 1900s. It's a hipster paradise full of exclusive clubs, boutiques, and renovated buildings. It's also home to the ever expanding Chinese immigrant population and growing Chinatown area of the city. Almost half the residents of the Lower East Side speak a language other than English at home and were born outside the U.S.

But Barbara, the docent who guided me through the beautifully restored Eldridge Street Synagogue (photo above), reminded me just how much things have not changed. Her review of the synagogue's history and its building sounded like the woes of any modern congregation. They could not proceed with the building until they finally got the funding of a wealthy but uninvolved Jewish businessman. They pursued a lofty buildling plan in the hopes of attracting more new members. They suffered a split in the congregation when several members left over a series of disagreements. They gained an influx of members as another nearby congregation suffered a similar row. The synagogue installed electric lighting early in its availability, again because they believed it would be a selling point for potential new members. Again and again we heard about the issue of growing and keeping membership among a fickle population and competitive synagogue environment.

That's good news, right? It should remind us not to take our situation as too grave. Or maybe it's bad news... After all the Eldridge Street Synagogue is basically a museum today (they actually hold services and still survive as a small congregation but their real stock-in-trade is the museum). Or maybe it's both and neither. Maybe it depends who you ask and how you already feel about the future of the Jewish community in America. Maybe any discussion of the lessons we can learn from Eldridge Street and the Lower East Side will only prove "two Jews; three opinions."

I told you. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

If you build it they will come

Kol HaKavod (translation: "kudos") to Alyssa Marchiano and her entire family. She celebrated her bat mitzvah this past weekend and set a new standard. All future bar and bat mitzvah students should strive to hit the same mark. I usually do not single out a particular student for doing such a great job with the ritual duties and d’var torah. Ally is no exception. She did very well with her Torah and Haftarah and all her parts but that’s not the standard she set. I don't uniquely celebrate her service leading or Torah reading. I celebrate how she built community.

Ally’s service was so special because there so many little things in place that morning. Specifically, I mean that there were so many "little" worshippers in the congregation. Ally had invited her entire seventh grade religious school class to her bat mitzvah and most of them were there. I can not overstate the joy it gave me to see Sam, Mel, Rachel, Jesse, Zachary, Jacob, Molly, Brandon, Sara, and Jacob at services Saturday morning (and equally nice to see Jacob and Madison on Friday night). Inviting the group is a simple little thing, but it’s so much more.
I tell every student that they become leaders in the eyes of the Jewish community when they become bar or bat mitzvah. They lead us in prayer, in Torah study, in deeping our connection to mitzvot, and in building community. The first three tasks are accomplished through the services and their school work. They lead us in building community by gathering people together on the day of their celebration.

It is a rare but incredible thing when a seventh grade student takes this leadership role seriously – as Ally Marchiano did – and consciously works to build community. She may not be such "good friends" with all the members of our temple seventh grade. She also had plenty of school friends and basketball and soccer teammates on her guest list. However, I have heard several reports from seventh grade parents about how much their children enjoyed being together on Saturday. We do a good job creating community and connections at the school but nothing can replace the social bonds and strenghtening connections that come from a day of celebrating together. I hope all our families will follow Ally’s example and lead the community by building it. They really will come.

Complacency: Don't Let it Happen

Complacency is our problem. We have become smug in our distance from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their extensive tenure has fatigued our attention spans. We are on to the next thing and again to that which follows the next thing. With the domestic economy so poor, we are even less drawn to the story of our overseas commitments. So many people here at home need help this holiday season. So many financial institutions - too big, we are told, to let fail - are on the verge of falling that we must pay them heed. We are beyond complacent about the wars. We've not even thought of our own soldiers, including the 3,000 New Jersey National Guard troops who have been deployed to Iraq since the summer.

In partnership with American Recreational Military Services, we will "adopt" a unit of the NJ National Guard stationed in Iraq. We will correspond with them directly and send them care packages as needed. Once I have the contact information and permission to communicate with their officers I will share it with you. The second project is a holiday gift drive.

American Recreational Military Services (ARMS), based in Red Bank, provides support to troops and their families. Donations to ARMS are down, their volunteer commitments have flagged, and their need is higher than ever. They are in the middle of their annual "Little Soldiers" program. They need toys and gift cards for the children of deployed servicemen, volunteers to wrap, pack, and transport packages, money to underwrite shipping costs and materials, and letters of greeting and support to the soldiers. ARMS sent me this list of gift needs: GIFT CARDS FROM TARGET, WALMART, BEST BUY, TOYS R US, AND BABIES R US, ($25 VALUE), BASKETBALL, SOCCER BALLS, BARBIE DOLLS, WEBKINZ, ARTS AND CRAFT SUPPLIES, TONKA TRUCKS, WARM COATS, BABY CLOTHES, DIAPERS.

You can bring your donations to the temple (332 Hance Avenue, Tinton Falls, NJ), contact me at 732-747-9365, or contact Ronnie, Executive Director of ARMS. They are packing and shipping Little Soldiers parcels from the Tom's River Armory.

ARMS forwarded to me an email from a marine stationed at Camp Korean Village near the Iraqi-Syrian border. His words were gracious and upbeat but his online photo album depicted difficult living conditions and a grave seriousness about complacency. One photo showed muddy pools and unwashed soldiers outside the tents and equally spartan conditions inside. Running water and electricity are scarce. Fresh food with a sit-down mess hall are recently added luxuries.

The Marine shot two of the signs that mark exits from the camp: "Is Today Your Day? Complacency Kills" and the photo shown above defining complacency: "being overly satisfied or comfortable with an existing situation or condition; often while unaware of some potential hazard or danger. Don't Let it Happen to You." I know that, for us, complacency is not such a matter of life and death. But when comes to supporting soliders and their families we still shouldn't let it happen.

I am not alone

Last Shabbat I delivered a d'var torah in which I claimed Obama's "Yes We Can" as a Jewish slogan. I stated that I was shamelessly taking it back from him. To my conservative members and friends, that probably sounded like typical Reform liberalism - overidentification with Democratic politics. It turns out that I am not alone.

Rabbi Reuven Hammer, a reknowned scholar of the Conservative Movement, just published a commentary in the Jerusalem Post doing the very same thing. Citing Herzl, Hatikvah, Genesis and Zechariah, Rabbi Hammer concludes "Yes We Can" is Jewish.

Kids Can't Vote

Why in the world would I schlep my kids around an economically depressed, high crime district in Philadelphia (Ward 17, see right) to canvass for a political campaign? I took them because my 10 year old son will likely participate in choosing the next president after Obama. Both my boys have a lot to learn about individual civic duty, the practical implications of policy and political action, and the diversity of challenges that any president must face.

I took my kids with me to Pennsylvania for the days just before the election because they need to learn about voting. There is good reason why kids can’t vote. They can parrot my statements about anything from economics to foreign policy. But they don’t and can’t really understand what they’re talking about. Kids can’t vote because it would be detrimental to our nation if we gave them such power. We would not be able to ensure our own continuity and stability if kids were allowed to vote. I don’t think anybody disagrees on this point (right?).

So why allow kids to have a vote, and in some cases a veto, regarding the nature of family religious observance and connection to Judaism? In recent weeks I have been disappointed by the lack of turnout and lukewarm engagement at important temple events. Shabbat Hallelu-Simchat Torah-Consecration was the most striking example. A few parents had organized a S’mores Oneg and BYO Dinner before the service. We publicized it widely. It had no cost associated with it. We had the professional “Hallelu” band. We had consecration of new students (each of whom had been personally invited). We had our celebration of the Torah cycle (see my previous post on that subject). We had a chocolate fountain and smores and we danced like wedding crashers with the Torah. But we had a relatively paltry turnout. Our regulars, of course were there. The two sets of parents who specially organized the oneg were there along with two other families who helped. A few of our religious school teachers were there. But the vast majority of our religious school families were not. Almost none of my seventh graders or confirmation students were there with their families (with few exceptions – you know who you are!) . Half of the consecration students and families were absent.

Many of our school parents have told me over the years that their children are among the only Jews in their schools. The parents want the kids to have some Jewish friends, a Jewish “home,” and sense of the Jewish community. Many have shared their outrage at their school's refusal to close for one or more of the High Holy Days. Others come with concern for antisemitism directed at their kids. Some blame the temple as part of the problem. One parent recently told me of his disappointment in the lack of social opportunities and community building in our temple. He "really wants his kids to have some Jewish friends," and doesn't understand why that hasn't happened through MRT. But when I asked about Simchat Torah, he told me that they didn’t come to the social gathering or the services because his attempts to arouse interest were met with dull protest. “Hey! They’re makin’ smooooores!” he cajoled. “Nooooo, we don’t wanna go,” they replied. The veto had been issued and he didn’t feel he had the power to override it - or maybe he was happy to have the "political cover" to avoid something he himself really doesn't want but refuses to admit.

But who gave these kids the power to vote, let alone veto their families' Jewish identity? When did otherwise smart adults cede the wisdom, authority and responsibility for raising their own children and passing on their most important values. This is not the Jewish way (see "teach them to your children" in the v'ahavta) and it's not the American way (see the 18 year old requirement to vote). During my volunteer work in the Pennsylvania campaign, I attended a Get Out the Vote Rally with hip hop superstar Jay-Z. He's no political genius or enlightened philosopher but he is a self-reliant, hard worker who talks about personal responsibility. Addressing the mostly young crowd he simply said: “We can’t hold your hand any further. You’ve got to get out and vote. It’s the only way you bring about the change we need.” I imagined he could be telling me something about my own work at MRT. So I'll pass it on to you: Take back your vote and take back your Judaism. Take back your responsibility and your parental authority. We can’t hold your hand any further. The rest is up to you… not your kids.

Simchat Torah, Shmimchat Torah

We do not have services at the temple on Simchat Torah. We do not have services at the temple for Shemini Atzeret even though they traditionally include Yizkor. We do not have services for the first day of Sukkot. I would be more accurate to say that we didn't this year (or last). Sure, we'll have a special service on Friday night to celebrate the essence of Simchat Torah - we finish Deuteronomy and start right in to Genesis. We'll present consecration certificates to our newest religious school students. We'll march around with the Torah and dance to the rhythms of our Shabbat Hallelu band. It will be great. But, technically, Simchat Torah is tonight and tomorrow day. On one hand, our offices are closed in observance of the holiday but on the other, we have a board meeting tonight. On one hand, we celebrate the cycle of Torah reading, on the other, we don't do it on the "right" day.

Why all the ambivalence? Good question.

At a Reform temple like ours, we try to balance tradition with contemporary pragmatism. As a rabbi, I try to balance my personal beliefs and practices with the culture of the congregation. I firmly believe that this is not my temple; it's your temple. Sure, my voice carries weight and you look to me for guidance and leadership. I believe that Simchat Torah is tonight. I believe it's important to celebrate Simchat Torah. I also believe we should try to avoid hypocrisy or ambiguous standards. I also believe that we should not tilt at ritual windmills. We tend to have scant participation in weekday festival observances. We get more involvement and better quality engagement with the rituals when we do them at a time that draws people in. It doesn't seem right to cancel a board meeting because of the importance of the festival's date when we don't also hold service for the same reason? That seems like the decisions of pure convenience that are usually the target of stereotypical critiques of Reform So we're left with this quandry: simchat torah, shmimchat torah. Does it really matter when we observe it? And if we don't have services, should we still "observe" the holiday in other typical ways - i.e. closing the building and cancelling meetings?

I know what I'll do for myself. I'll find a place to go to services tonight. That's easy because it's my personal practice. But what about the community? How do we shape a practice for the community that hews to the traditions of Judaism, responds to the realities of today, and doesn't sell either one short?

scripted

I had on my desk a stack of certificates to sign for presentation at an upcoming ceremony. I do this almost every week - bar mitzvah certificates mostly, but also an occasional Certficate of Appreciation, Eagle Scout Certificate or some such thing. Come to think of it, I sign my name a lot considering the letters and thank you notes my office generates weekly. With about three certificates left to sign, I noticed that I always wrote "Rabbi" in print but signed my name in script.

As a child I had very good penship. And I began to think of Mrs. Polio, my first grade teacher, and her penmanship lessons. I actually don't remember the lessons so much as I remember the tests. After spending a more intensive few weeks on penmanship, she gave us a test that, she said, would be sent out for evaluation and grading. We would be evaluated both individually and as a class. Gold seal was the highest honor followed by gold star then darker colored stars with red star indicated the worst. I shuddered to think of who could possibly get such a red star. Who, after all, couldn't write the letters neatly enough to warrant some measure of gold?

I decided that I would do the last three certificates with my full signature in proper script - title and all. Mrs. Polio - not to mention my first grade self - would have been mortified to see that I could did not write "Rabbi" in gold seal script. I had grown so accustomed to making the "R" in print that I began with a print "R." The worst problem, however, turned out the be the lower case b's. Halfway through the first one, I realized I could not finish the letter without thinking about it. The pause produced a jarring dent in the letter and the following attempt to compensate completely butchered it. Not only had a failed a first grade level task, but I had ruined the certificate. How do I explain to our staff that I needed a new certificate because I could not remember how to sign my name on the first one?

(This is a work in progress.... Have you ever experienced this kind of memory lapse? Something so basic but, it turns out, more complicated than "riding a bike?").

Avodah Yom Kippur - Working towards Synaplex?

We had a very interesting and (by most accounts I've heard so far) successful Yom Kippur afternoon program. We did not hold the service that we had run in previous years at temple. Instead, we offered four simultaneous programs: a healing service with Cantor Clissold, a text study and discussion of the Book of Jonah with me, a screening of the short film, Pigeon, with discussion led by Lisa Calderwood and Jay Wiesenfeld, and seminar-style talk with NJ Superior Court Judge Bette Uhrmacher on the image of God as Judge.

One of my teachers, Rabbi Herring (executive director of STAR) likes to remind us not to worry about the numbers of attendees at a program but about the quality and depth of their experience in it. I think we succeeded by both measures. The number of people in attendance equaled or exceeded our usual afternoon Yom Kippur turnout (and we didn't need to lure anyone into coming by giving them special parts). More importantly, so many of the attendees reported outstanding experiences in their sessions. Most complained that they could not decide which option to choose because all looked so good.

This program was a small taste of the model used by STAR's Synaplex initiative. What's Synaplex? STAR's website describes it like this: "While most Jews think of a synagogue as Beit Tefilah (a house of prayer), a synagogue is also Beit Midrash (a house of learning) and Beit Knesset (a house of gathering). It is these three classical functions of the synagogue that inspire Synaplex. Through innovative and concurrent programming that include Beit Midrash and Beit Knesset, in addition to Beit Tefilah, Synaplex synagogues strive to offer programming that is relevant, inspirational and significant so that more people will want to come to synagogue on Shabbat. The underlying goal is to strengthen Jewish Identity and build community." Maybe it's time to try this model on Shabbat - or on a few Shabbatot. Maybe we could actually bring together more of our community and make it more meaningful for them.

Sure, synagogues have been trying to do exactly that through gimmicks and "new" ideas throughout history. There's nothing new under the sun? If Yom Kippur was any kind of test case, I think we can use Synaplex to make our congregation an even stronger Jewish communal center for its members. Let's check it out.

"This is the fast..."

Yom Kippur starts tomorrow night and, if you are anything like me, you are weaning yourself off the caffeine and avoiding salty foods (too much salt before fasting makes it more difficult). You also probably have a list: dozens of bagels to pick up in one place, juice and milk in another, babka in a third.

These tasks have become common pre-Yom Kippur rituals and I wish you Godspeed in getting them all done. But don't lose sight of the essential meaning of the holy day. Regarding the fast and all the traditional rituals of the day, our prophetic teacher exhorts us: don't do the rituals without making the world a better place. Specifically, don't starve yourself without feeding those who go hungry everyday. Don't recite the prayers for this to be a good year without reaching out to those whose situation is worse than you'll ever know. Isaiah: "Is this the fast that I desire? For you to starve your bodies? NO! This is the fast that I desire... To share your bread with the hungry,and to take the poor and desperate into your home; When you see the naked, to clothe him,and not to ignore his suffering…"

You can be part of this effort by helping me with CROP Walk. CROP Hunger Walks help children and families worldwide - and right here in the U.S. - to have food for today, while building for a better tomorrow. Each year some two million CROP Walkers, volunteers, and sponsors put their hearts and soles in motion, raising over $16 million per year to help end hunger and poverty around the world - and in their own communities. And you can be part of it!

Click here to go to my CROP Walk page and JOIN THE TEAM or donate by credit card.

Have an easy fast, an easy pre-fast errand run, and may you be inscribed for a good year!

Additional Note to "No Small Thing"

Regarding the post below ("No Small Thing"), I did not include some important information: yes, we called the police and the local ADL office. The police responded quickly and respectfully. They took photos and then they took the sign down for us. Thanks especially to Lt. DeLaune and Patrolman Pierson. We have security measures in place to help us prevent these actions and respond appropriately. Most important, we look forward to the new year and know it will be one of happiness and good health despite any of these bumps on the road.

No Small Thing

One of the first things I ever got published as a rabbi was a letter to the New York Times Magazine in 2003. A German scholar had urged readers not to worry about the rise of antisemitism in Europe because it was not the violent, worrisome kind but "mostly verbal" and symbolic (read his article). My letter argued that we can not allow ourselves or others to dismiss antisemitism by rationalizing acts of hatred into categories of decreasing severity (read the full letter). When my letter was published, I felt a bit of the "I-sure-told-that-guy" hubris at having the last word.

But life has a way of bringing things back around on us. This past Sunday, one of our younger students informed me that there was a swastika on a sign in the parking lot. He and his dad had tried to wipe it off but couldn’t. I found a small but clearly visible swastika scratched onto a sign right next to the side entrance.

I know of synagogues and cemeteries that have been desecrated with extensive damage. I know of recent, violent attacks against Jews. I know the swastika represents terror, hate, and violence. But this was just one, tiny, no-comments-attached swastika. Doesn’t that make it a small thing and nothing to worry about?

On the one hand, I don’t worry. I have found our community and its leaders to be supportive, responsive, and protective of our temple. We have a very good relationship with the Town of Tinton Falls and its Fire and Police Departments. We work closely with local churches and the local mosque on many issues. I know that we have many friends and we are a welcome and vital part of the community. On the other hand, I know that antisemitism has always flourished and worsened under tough economic times, protracted overseas conflict, and periods of declining national standing vis-à-vis the rest of the world. This is not Germany in the early 1930s, but it’s not the best of times either.

During our Israel trip, Roni the tour guide shared with me a photo that he felt was an important symbol for all Jews and something he kept on his computer as the desktop background: Israeli fighter bombers in a fly-over above the Auschwitz death camp on the 50th anniversary of its liberation. To see the magen david (star of david) painted on the side of the most powerful weapons in stark contrast to the ruins and emptiness of today’s Auschwitz is the best reminder that we don’t need to worry too much. Not just because Jews today have the ability and will to defend ourselves, but because we are the ones who survived and triumphed while Nazism was ultimately reduced to ashes and fringe elements.

I still think that German scholar was wrong and I would write the same letter today. I also think that the swastika at our temple does not represent a full attack on the Jewish community of Monmouth County. The sign with the swastika will likely be gone before you even read this posting. While I really don't worry too much, I am keeping Roni’s photo as my desktop background for a little while longer.

The power of "yes"

In my bulletin article from September, I mentioned Taylor's bat mitzvah. You can see some video clips from her service on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpQWXunA8Mo

The Asbury Park Press also ran an article about Taylor, her family, and the bat mitzvah:

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809050395

It was a great day and we are all still so proud of Taylor and her family.

DNC: Livin' on a Prayer?

The heavy participation of religious figures, especially rabbis, at the Democratic National Convention has turned a lot of heads. The convention opened with a multifaith ceremony of prayer and scriptural reading on Sunday. The DNC’s “Faith in Action” committee has made a concerted effort to tap into the energy of faith that caught so much attention after the last presidential election. Rabbi David Saperstein (photo at left), Director of the Reform Movement’s Religious Action Center, offered the invocation at the start of tonight’s proceedings.

Not everybody is so happy that the DNC is bringing so much faith and religion into the party and politics. Abe Foxman, Director of the ADL, criticized the DNC, noting that religion is no longer an element in understanding the character of the candidate but a central part of the party platforms. Barry Lynn, the director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State has pointed that while there's nothing illegal about religion at the conventions, it sends a troubling message. He told JTA, “It's a troubling trend to emphasize so often the connection between a party and a particular religious outlook.” Several members of our congregation stopped me at services and over the week to express their anger or disappointment in the DNC. Others are less surprised. One of our members has long told that the only difference he sees between the Democratic Party and the Reform Movement is the holidays observed by each.

Of course, the real problem is not the rabbis participating in the convention. The greatest introduction of religion to the convention will be the appearance of a voice more influential than any clergy. After Barak Obama's speech tonight, the stage will be given to a man who carries the weight of religious experience for millions of Americans: Jon Bon Jovi. It is not yet known if he will sing his signature ballad, “Livin’ on a Prayer” or one of the more recent Nashville inspired songs. In any event, Jon Bon Jovi is considered a god in many circles. His appearance overshadows the religious power of any prayer or scriptural reading. And I, for one, protest this infusion of religion into the election. It’s not just inappropriate to give a god a role in American politics. It’s plain unfair.


post-script from shortly after Obama's speech:
"Then Elijah said to the people... 'You will invoke your god by name, and I will invoke the Lord by name and let us agree: the god who responds is God'... So they invoked their god by name from morning until noon, but there was no sound and none who responded." (Abridged)

No Bon Jovi at the convention. Maybe the rabbis really did steal the spotlight. See more: http://app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/POLITICS/80828035

Team Redeem: Going for gold

Men’s basketball semifinals are tomorrow, finals are on August 24. USA men’s basketball has not won a gold medal in 8 years (Sydney Olympics). That has led hoops fans to a crushing disappointment in the players: the bling, the laziness, the hubris, the selfishness. The teams and their failures seemed to reflect something much greater than the game.

But, in both sports and Judaism, there is almost no thing so terrible that it can not be redeemed. This year’s men’s Olympic basketball team has adopted the name, “Team Redeem” (an obvious play on the “Dream Team” moniker bestowed on the 1992 lineup which included Larry Bird, David Robinson, Michael Jordan, et al.). As Prof. Neil Gillman teaches, Jewish ideas about redemption involve three levels: individual, group specific (i.e., the Jewish people), and universal.

In Beijing, the promise of redemption seems to be unfolding according to the Jewish model. The team and the Olympic men’s basketball program has regained credibility already. The story of individual redemption is best embodied (according to ESPN) in Dwayne Wade. Three years ago, Wade was at the top of his game and led the Miami Heat to the NBA Championships. Sportswriters called him “Flash.” In the past two years, he has floundered on the court and performed best on TV commercials with Charles Barkeley. Critics tagged him with the name, "Crash." Wade chalks up the hard times to poor health. He ran himself ragged in that championship season and never took time to recover and get strong again. So, he drained more energy, sustained injuries, needed two surgeries and it showed in his game. Dwayne Wade feels better, stronger, and healthier. He learned his lesson and got the rest and recovery that he needed.

On August 24th, if they make it to the finals, Wade and the team could bring group and national redemption with a gold medal. Even if they don’t, we can use the occasion to start preparing ourselves for the big showdown with redemption on the Jewish calendar. We have just over a month until Rosh Hashanah. That day we take over the role as Team Redeem. We have a month of Elul to prepare (our Olympic trials), Rosh Hashanah is our preliminaries round and Yom Kippur is the final. Get yourselves healthy and strong. Get your mind focused and bring you’re “A” game. We’re going for gold.

A minister and rabbi walk into a mosque...

Like a few characters out of the stock "walk into a bar" jokes, Reverend Myrna Bethke (of the United Methodist Church of Red Bank) and I joined a few other clergy for an introductory meeting with the Imam of the Islamic Society of Monmouth County today. The meeting took place in his study at the Masjid Al-Aman Mosque on Red Hill Road. Its name means “mosque of peace” and our experience today fit the moniker. There was no agenda. The goal simply was to meet each other and - as the imam requested - "build relationships." We mostly spoke through interpreters as he does not speak much English. Thanks to Rev. Bethke for helping arrange this meeting and for inviting me to it. And, of course, thanks to Sheila for connecting us.

The imam, Sheik Reda Shata (left in NYT photo), was featured in a story in the New York Times published in January 2007 (and a series of articles the year before). Our meeting was warm and friendly. Over tea and lemonade we talked about spouses and children, how imams, ministers and rabbis find, keep, and move on from job to job, and where else we've worked as clergy (the imam had the most interesting resume of the group including positions in Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Brooklyn). On several points, the imam and I found ourselves with much more in common than with the rest of the group. We both struggle with the challenges of having a foreign language in the central texts of our tradition and the ways our religious schools must also serve as language schools. We both struggle with the challenges of religious law and communities that contain a wide spectrum of observance and outlook vis-a-vis that law. We both struggle with assimilation and its impact on our members.

The imam and I are about the same age. We both have kids of similar ages (although he has a larger brood). We both were especially happy to see each other at this meeting. I don't mean to imply that Christian-Muslim dialogue is unimportant. But, at one point while the group was breaking up, the imam came around his desk to sit across from me. He put a hand on my knee and said simply (in some of his only English of the meeting), "I am very happy that you are here today."

This year the end of Ramadan coincides with the High Holy Days so we agreed to meet again after those festivals. We agreed to meet in October and since it will be Sukkot, I invited the group to join me in our temple sukkah one afternoon. It will be a great way to invoke that holiday's spirit of hospitality and sharing. I think it will be a pretty good punch line: A minister, an imam, and a rabbi walk into a sukkah....

SOS (Save our Synagogues) from Israel

The Reform Movement in Israel (called the IMPJ, Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism) is in trouble. They do not have the same strength of numbers that we have in America. They do not operate in a cultural environment that is as open and pluralistic as America's. They do have the same long history we have. They also have a financial crisis spurred by the dollar's collapse vis-a-vis the shekel. During our temple trip to Israel we spent two Shabbat evenings with IMPJ congregations - services and dinners with their members. We learned how much they offer Israeli society and how far they've come in the past few years. They seemed confident and strong. The shifting financial markets and their impact on the IMPJ comes at a time when we were just about to soar. Please read this letter from several Reform movement leaders and help if you can:

July 23, 2008 20 Tamuz 5768

As leaders of Reform Jewry we need your help to save the future of the Reform Movement in Israel.

With the dramatic fall of the U.S. dollar in the last few months, the IMPJ, the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, finds itself in a financial crisis. Through no fault of its own, the IMPJ has 2 million fewer shekels than originally budgeted, representing more than 30% of its funding. To stay afloat, the IMPJ has had to lay off half its staff and has drastically cut back on its operations.

The timing could not be worse. Never before in Israel’s history has the Reform Movement been so strong and vibrant. With almost thirty congregations now flourishing in Israel, its own Reform youth movement, two kibbutzim, the Har Chalutz community in Northern Israel and its own Religious Action Center, the Reform Movement has become, according to a recent Israeli survey, the movement that 34% of all Israelis identify with the most (compared to 23% for the Orthodox).

This is why we need your help. Unprecedented in our Movement’s history, every major North American Reform organization is working together to save the IMPJ. As chairpersons and presidents of these organizations we have pledged to raise $500,000 over the next six weeks to help the IMPJ over its immediate financial crisis. As someone equally concerned about our Reform Movement in North America and throughout the world, we are asking you to quickly respond to this email with your own gift that will be immediately sent to underwrite IMPJ’s budget and to alleviate IMPJ’s financial crisis.

Please consider a one-time gift of $500. Please take a moment to make this gift online at our secure site: http://gm-link.com/tm.asp?c=40681&i=149865&u=. Canadian residents click here for a tax receipt form. Together, we can secure the years of hard work and the solid foundation that has been laid for the Reform Movement in Israel.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Peter Weidhorn, Chairman Union for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, President Union for Reform Judaism
Barbara Friedman, Chair Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institue of Religion
Rabbi David Ellenson, President Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institue of Religion
Rabbi Peter Knobel, President Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Steven Fox, Executive Vice President Central Conference of American Rabbis
Steve Bauman, Chairman World Union for Progressive Judaism
Rabbi Uri Regev, President World Union for Progressive Judaism
Rabbi Robert Orkand, President Association of Reform Zionists of America
Rabbi Andrew Davids, Executive Director Association of Reform Zionists of America
Joan Garson, President ARZA Canada
Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel, Executive Director ARZA Canada
Union for Reform Judaism www.urj.org/give

Kehillah Kedoshah

In the past few months, Cantor Clissold and members of our temple youth group have introduced several new songs. During Shir Chadash, our monthly musical service led by the Cantor and teen musicians, we heard Dan K. lead the song "Kehillah Kedoshah." This song was written and originally performed by Dan Nichols, one of the top songwriter/singers in Reform circles today.

Camp Harlam has been hosting Dan Nichols for the past two days. Tonight, I had the chance to join Carmel (youngest campers) and Arava (7th graders) for an intimate Dan Nichols concert in the "New Beit" auditorium/gymnastics arena. I recognized his second song immediately:

Another great thing about camp: exposure to so much music, so many songs, so many new melodies for worship. I'll need to email the cantor and songleaders from this session to remember them all!

The Meetings Will Continue Until Morale Improves...

In one of my first jobs after college, my boss had one of those office novelty desk plates that said, "The beatings will continue until morale improves." It was a joke that contained the kernel of truth: morale was not good in our office.

Here at Camp Harlam, the morale is very high. It's so high, in fact, that instead of beatings we have meetings. Sure, we have the usual morning faculty meeting and daily gatherings with our assigned camp unit. But we also have a steady stream of visitors who want to meet with us - "machers" from the movement, URJ department heads and others from Union HQ and "the field" (Rabbi Mike Mullen of the URJ Youth Division will be here tomorrow, Rabbi Rex Perlmeter, our new regional director is here today, Abbye Eisenthal, our regional youth director and her equivalent from the PA region have come through), Jewish recording artists come for artist in residence gigs (Dan Nichols is here now), etc... We have "meetings" with all of them to share best practices from their experience and ours. We seek synergy in our efforts and push each other to keep climbing to new heights.

I didn't stay in that first job too long. The endless beatings and data crunching weren't the biggest problem. It was the lack of morale and my realization that nobody wanted to meet with us because they'd rather beat back low morale than meet it (and potentially catch it). It's nice to have so many meetings. I assume they'll continue as morale only improves.

Meet Rabbi Frank, Meet the Camp

Yesterday we had an afternoon meeting with all faculty members and Rabbi Frank DeWoskin, Camp Director. It was unlike most Jewish professional meetings. We meet on the porch of Rabbi DeWoskin’s bunk in our shorts and flip-flops, snacked on Choco-Tacos and cold water while kids played on the field in front of us. Rabbi DeWoskin meets like this with each set of faculty at least once. As an employee of the URJ, he speaks to us about the state of the URJ camping program and answered questions about youth programs and Union stuff in general. As congregational rabbis, cantors, and educators, we give Frank direct feedback on how Jewish camping fits into our visions and programs at home, what we see at camp that “works,” and what could use some improvement. It is a great collegial exchange that produces constructive, forward moving ideas for all of us. I knew Frank as a student (he was two years ahead of me at HUC-JIR in Cincinnati) and I am very proud to see his success and be part of the vital role he plays in educating our children.

We reviewed the latest research about the impact of Jewish camping on the Jewish identity and practices of young people (see the book, “How Goodly are Thy Tents,” or the study, "Limud by the Lake," and the work of the Jewish Foundation for Camping). We talked about the financial and structural state of the camps (Kutz Camp in New York faces challenges, Camp Kalsman in Washington State is booming, Harlam is right on target). We also talked about the financial needs of our campers' families and the importance of scholarships like the JFC’s Campership program and the Jewish Federation of Washington’s Camp Scholarship program. This is our challenge: while camp is one of the most effective means for instilling strong, lasting, positive Jewish identity, it is also one of the most expensive. Camp Harlam has just hired an associate director who will take charge of future fundraising efforts, but the task is Herculean. Camp could use $3 million for facility improvements right now (bunk refurbishing, facility expansion and updating, regular wear and tear replacement)… not to mention scholarships. We talked a lot about Jewish identity, parenting, teaching, and creating a vitalized Jewish world. The bottom line is that Camp Harlam is in great shape and the Union’s camp programs are becoming more and more of a lynch pin in our vision for youth programming and education. I can not urge you strongly enough to come see this camp and send your kids here. The camp’s literature asks: what kind of Jewish children do we want to have? The camp’s program builds those children.

Later, I’ll post one of the great lessons from the meeting: it grew from the field before our eyes as we spoke. But now, we have a dinner out of camp with Rabbi DeWoskin and some other staff members to continue yesterday's conversation and thank the faculty as we approach the end of our tenure. New photos are posted on the album (click here or at right).

Shabbat: A taste of the world to come

An ancient talmudic tradition says: "Shabbat may-ein olam ha-bah (Shabbat is a taste of the world to come). Three things characterize Shabbat at Camp Harlam: Song (Shira), Spirit (Ruach), and Sweetness (Metukah).

The Torah's description of creation says that before everything, "ruach elohim merachefet al pnai hamayim - Divine spirit hovered over the surface of the waters." When Moses passed the leadership mantle to Joshua, the Torah says that the "ruach (spirit)" passed to Joshua. Throughout our tradition, there is a sense that Shabbat taps into that primordial spirit and renews the spirit within us. The spirit of Shabbat at camp is sometimes contemplative and sometimes raucous but always strong and meaningful. The song session at Friday night dinner best exemplified the energetic and exciting spirit that (literally) screams, "Am Yisrael Chai - The Jewish People are ALIVE with pride, love, joy, and community!" This video says it all:

I am so proud to have four MRT campers here to share this experience, proud that MRT supports them with scholarships and my presence here, and proud of my colleagues and all the college aged staffers who work tirelessly to build a strong Jewish future. Am Yisrael Chai!

Rabbi Roos with tonight's havdallah song leaders for the Galil group (Rabbi Doug Sagal of Westfield, NJ is just behind us with helmet and bike). You can see more photos of camp in my camp photo album.

Camp is Two Thumbs Up!

These MRT students (if you know them, you know which ones they are) are having a great summer! No lie... Rachel says, "Camp is awesome! I'm having the best time!" Sara says, "Two Thumbs Up!" Both girls report they are sleeping well (they slept right through a thunderstorm last night), eating well, making great friends (just look at 'em here), and "so excited" they came to Camp Harlam. I told you that you should consider sending your kids here, but don't take it from me. You can see it on their faces.

Big Blue is Green and Jewish

When you think of camp, you probably think: green - grassy ball fields, pine groves, open space, nature. Our camps have always been green in that sense of the word. But in the more contemporary sense of "green," i.e. related to environmental impact and sustainability, our camps are just getting on track.

The URJ camps are at the forefront of our movement's efforts to be green. The Union has entered a partnership with FUSE (Faiths United for Sustainable Energy) to make our camps more green. Here at Camp Harlam that effort is most clearly represented by "Kachol Gadol" (Big Blue). He is a giant blue recycling bin that sits right outside the dining hall - smack in the middle of camp, next to the main doors. Everybody must pass Big Blue in order to eat. One hand, it was not such a big deal to put Blue in place. On the other hand, it is a significant culture shift and only a beginning. Recycling has not fully taken hold at camp (one still sees some cans, paper, and plastic bottles in trash bins and on the ground) and there's more to greening camp than recycling cans. Ultimately, Kachol Gadol is only a bin. The recyclables do not walk to him on their own.

We have a similar situation at MRT. We've had two unsuccessful attempts in the past five years to launch an active "green team." We dabble in recycling. Sure, we have some bins for paper and bottles & cans but more often than not, we put that stuff in the trash, use too much of it, and don't pay attention to our consumption or environmental impact. I have often arrived at the temple on a Tuesday morning, after the building has been "closed" since Friday night, to find air conditioning had been set and left at 65 in one of our big rooms (sanctuary, social hall, school wing, or library). That's a lot of energy and cold air for a giant, empty room for three days. We post regular announcements about fragrances and perfumes that may irritate some congregants, but we don't do anything about using products and chemicals that may overly irritate the environment.

I am more cynical than most of my colleagues about the "green" movement (see my earlier post "Righteousness Run Amok"). I am, however, certain that we can and should do more to reduce our environmental impact at MRT. I have led several camp study sessions on mitzvot related to the environment. Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) is a mitzvah. Shomray Adamah (guarding the earth) is a core Jewish value. Bal Taschit (stopping unnecessary destruction of natural resources) is commanded in the Torah. If 500 kids and 200 staff people at Harlam can do it, so can we. I'd like to introduce you to Big Blue, he has a lot to teach us about being Green and Jewish.

On one side, Big Blue ain't pretty...... But from here, he's beautiful

This is how they shall camp...

Ever since Sinai, the Jewish people have been campers. We may have lost that rugged, outdoorsy feeling over the generations, but the Torah is very clear about our camping. The Book of Numbers explicitly instructs how, where, and when the camp was to be set. Exodus tells of the time we built our first sanctuary as a tent in the wilderness with the camp surrounding it. Balaam, sent to curse Israel, instead pronounces a blessing: "Mah Tovu Ohalecha, Yaakov! Your tents are so good, Jacob!" What a good bunch of campers you are!

I arrived at the URJ's Camp Harlam yesterday to begin my two weeks of service as a camp faculty member. I have been assigned to work with the Galil unit (not to be confused with Israel's crack army unit of similar name), whose campers are going into eighth grade. I am living in "The Ritz" - an appropriately euphemistic name for the faculty barracks.

I came to camp for three reasons: First, Jewish overnight camps are among the most successful programs for instilling a strong, lasting, positive Jewish identify in our kids. Unfortunately, MRT had not sent many campers here for a while (we had a few stalwarts - Sarah, Kelsey!) and I want to boost our enrollment and see more MRT families take advantage of this amazing resource. Thanks to generous scholarships from the Foundation for Jewish Camping and MRT, two of our students received signficant incentive grants to help pay for camp. We have four campers here this session! Second, I learn a great deal during my two weeks at camp. I live and work with ten other cantors, rabbis, and educators on faculty along with those who work full time for the camps and the Union. I am able to learn best practices from others, experiment with different curricula and programs, and see the state of the art in Reform Jewish education and youth work from a national sample. It is one of the most impactful experiences I can have this year. Third, my own children are here at camp and this is a great way to experience it together. I went to Camp Bauercrest, a Jewish overnight camp, for 12 years and look forward to my kids having the lifelong friends, growth experiences, and pure fun that I enjoyed there every summer! Be sure to consider camp for you kids and ask me about it when I get home!

Have a great summer... I know we will!

MRT's campers: Sarah (left on her bunk), Rachel with her family, and (right) the lice check line (a camp must)!

Reflections on a first time visit to Israel

Semmes wrote the following about her recent trip to Israel. She was one of the 20 who joined us for the temple's group trip.

"There are hundreds of experiences that resonate from my Israel experience. The archaeological sites surpassed my expectations, as did the heat; witnessing the radical differences between the areas clearly Arab-controlled (an angry aura) and Israeli (a constructive/productive aura); the Golan Heights' reality: bunkers, expended shell casings and land mines...brought modern history into focus.

I was somewhat nervous about traveling to Israel but when there I felt no more fear than in NYC. Israeli botanicals were the biggest surprise; they are tropical, but similar to all other floras in the tropics. It was a pleasure to be free from the American chatter about the upcoming election, and to be immersed in a new culture.

I recommend you travel to Israel. Use a guide or go on a temple trip as they facilitate everything!"

Re-visit the "Who you gonna call?" post below to see some newly loaded photos of the sofer and his miracle work.

Ehud Goldwasser (left) and Eldad Regev (right) were returned to Israel today (around 10 AM Israel time) after two years in Hezbollah's captivity. Both men were dead although nobody but their captors knew that for sure until today. Israel has confirmed their identities. Think of them and their families today and work for the release of Gilad Shalit, still held by Hamas.

Who you gonna call?

I had the pleasure of spending this morning with Rabbi Gedaliah Druin, a sofer, while he checked and repaired some of our temple’s Torah scrolls and led a study session with about 20 adults. I learned some new and important insights from him: The Torah is not a book, we do not read it, and a scribe does not write. The Rabbi explained that the service for publicly reading the Torah is called “kriyat ha-Torah” which literally means “the CALLING of the Torah.” We use the Torah for calling – calling God, our ancestors, and our deepest held values. Accordingly, the Torah is an instrument or a tool – like a phone. Rabbi Druin reminded us: Don't forget to make a call when you next take out the Torah. Then, as if on cue, his son called from Florida on his cell phone (Rabbi Druin held it up and asked us all to yell “Shalom” – that would let his son know that he was okay).

Before he fixed the small Torah scroll for us – one letter in the Joseph story needed to be repaired – Rabbi Druin wanted to make sure we knew that he was not going to write. In fact, he doesn’t write Torahs. He explained through some stories. First, Moses spent forty days atop Mount Sinai learning to form letters. It was the creation of the first alphabet and God taught it to Moses so he could create a Torah. Second, when the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile, they were led by…. a scribe named Ezra! Finally, Rabbi Druin reminded us that Genesis says God created the universe through words. We weren’t about to simply fix a letter. We would create a universe (like Genesis), lead Jewish redemption (like Ezra), and stand atop Sinai to commune with God (like Moses)… all that in a few minutes in our temple social hall!

In that vein, Rabbi Druin then explained that the ink he used was not, in fact, ink. It was liquid darkness. Just like in the creation story, we needed to combine darkness and light. The liquid darkness would be applied to the parchment, which is made of animal skin. Animal skin in Hebrew is called “OR” which is also the word for “light.” As Rabbi Druin explained, “the white part of the Torah is the soul and the black part is the body. When I make the Torah I have to put these together with such care. We can transform these things into something great.” The whole idea of Torah is to create reality and to change reality. He then made a simple blessing before putting body to soul. His only intention was that it would work.

He made a tiny stroke, an upside down Yod that transformed a Dalet back into a Hay so the word “Hinei” again emerged where “Dinah” had sat for the past few years. It was just a letter – actually only a piece of a letter. But the power of it was so much greater. Rabbi Druin explained: letters are called “OTIOT” in Hebrew. That word appears in a crucial description of the Exodus: God brought us out of Egypt with “MOFTIM” (Great Wonders) and “OTIOT” (“letters”?!). Could it really be possible? Did God really take us out of Egypt with letters? It must mean something else… something like “miracles.” Whether you believe in the Exodus story or not, the language is powerful. OTIOT are OTIOT. God took us out Egypt using them and Rabbi Druin produced one in the social hall today.

It was a heck of a morning and I wanted to share with everyone. You can bet I made a lot of calls.





(Thanks to Rich Sachs for the photos - click them for a close up)

The Take Away: It's about the relationships

We are home and tired but energized. It was a great trip that can hardly be captured in words. Thanks for tagging along with us via this blog and online photo albums.

Our last day was a beautiful Shabbat in Jerusalem. We had nothing planned so the group took it all in: HUC (the Reform movement seminary), the Old City, and a last chance to play Marco Polo and pool tag together. We boarded Shlomo's bus one last time and drove to the Arab village of Abu Ghosh, reknowned for its cuisine and its long history of peaceful integration into Israeli society. The meal was perfect for the occasion - again with the bar mitzvah comparisons!

As the sun began to set, we gathered in the restaurant courtyard for Havdallah - the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat and the separation between holy and regular time. There's no better way to conclude an experience like ours. The service marks the end of Shabbat and the call to return to your "normal" life. This time it also marks our separation from Jerusalem and Israel. We each felt, however, that the greatest change was within ourselves. Roni says that with all the thousands of people he has guided through Jerusalem, he has never seen a person remain unchanged by their contact with Jerusalem. We are no exception. We blessed that change with wine, fire, and the scent of fresh basil pulled from the courtyard. I asked everyone to share what is their biggest "take away" from the trip. Everyone agreed that the comraderie and the relationships we made on this trip were its greatest blessings. We sang of Eliyahu Ha-Navi and extinguished the flame. The change is complete.

Thanks, Roni and Shlomo. Thanks to the group. Thanks to Ayelet, IGT and all those behind the scenes who made this trip possible. Thanks to God and thanks to all Israel.

Shabbat Shalom! Happy Fourth of July!

Tonight is Shabbat. We spent the day at the Dead Sea and Masada, but Shabbat was back in Jerusalem. Actually, we went just outside Jerusalem to Mevasseret Zion for Shabbat services at Rabbi Maya Leibovich's congregation. We stayed for dinner with the congregants afterwards. We were taken to their homes in small groups for home hospitality. The congregation is amazing, the services beautiful, and the hospitality was most gracious and wonderful. Our friends have a beautiful new building and they are growing and succeeding thanks to our support. Rabbi Maya sends her regards and Shabbat shalom greetings to all of you!

I took the computer on the bus with me today and finally wrote many of the blog postings that have lapsed these past days. Be sure to go back to July 1st to read the posting that inserted along the postings that follow under this one (all dated today). I'll will put up pictures as soon as I have the chance. Some great shots from Dead Sea floating and Alex's naming ceremony will be up, hopefully, by tomorrow.

Shabbat services tomorrow morning at HUC and a tour of the campus. Sadly, we must depart this special place tomorrow night. We leave richer for the experience and happy to rejoin you. Each of us on this trip will definitely say at the Passover seder, "Next Year in Jerusalem" and really mean it! I hope you'll part of that next trip to Israel. See you soon.

MASADA WILL NOT FALL AGAIN

Masada is an amazing archeological site, an epic story, and a rallying point around which the country was built. In the early years of the state (and even before) the Jewish inhabitants of the land needed Masada as inspiration and foundation. As the Romans occupied Jerusalem, a group of Jews (often called “the Zealots”) fled here and held out for several years. After the destruction of the temple, the Romans laid siege to Masada and eventually breached the walls. They broke through at night but did not enter and take the hill because in ancient days they did not conduct military operations in darkness. The Jews had that one night to decide what to do. The rest is legendary. Roni told about his father serving in the wars of 48 and 56 – they had a slogan (a commitment) that they will not take me alive. Each man made sure to keep one bullet for himself. Roni went into service in the first Lebanon War and did the same thing as his father. But under fire he faced the reality of that bullet – and he felt how strongly he just wanted to survive and stay alive. He then tells us about Memorial Day on Masada when the sirens go off – he was with a group and had just finished telling the story about those who died for Israel and what they believed when the siren sounded. He immediately thinks of his brother and all the others who died. And he cries - he is NOT a guy who cries easily. At that moment, we heard the thud-thump of a helicopter, looking up to see the IDF attack chopper Roni says, “Masada will not fall again because of this.”

Maybe even more powerful than the helicopters was the naming ceremony for Alex Shapiro on top of Masada. We blessed Alex with the name Rachel bat Leah, a name of beauty, strength, and heritage. Lynn’s words at the close of the ceremony say it all: “When I brought Alex to the American embassy in Moscow 11 years ago, I didn’t think it could ever get any better. When I brought her to Newark for her naturalization as a US citizen, I didn’t think it could get any better. But standing here now, with thanks to all of you, I know it can not possibly get any better than this.” With Gunnar Wainright (just yesterday our bar mitzvah!), Ernie, Perry holding a tallit over her head like a chuppah, Alex re-stated her commitment to Torah and the Jewish people. To participate in such ceremony atop this plateau is to become part of the promise that Masada will not fall gain... because of this too.

Eitz Hayyim – A Tree of Life (from Wednesday)

At Yad Vashem there is a grove of carob trees. Each one is planted in honor or memory of a righteous gentile. These are people, like Oscar Schindler, Raoul Wallenberg, and hundreds of others, who risked their lives to save Jews and others during the Shoah. They were just normal people, not superheroes, but they showed us what righteousness truly means. Yad Vashem planted carob trees for them because after a long time they produce a sweet fruit, because there is a tradition that says the trees only grow on top of ruins, and because the Hebrew word for carob is “haruv” which is a cognate of the word “hurban” (destruction).

We came to Yad Vashem after a morning in the old city. We toured the western wall tunnels and got to the spot closest to the ancient holy of holies. This is the spot that has drawn our people from all over the world since the days of Abraham. Our tradition says “ki mitzion tetzei torah” from out Zion will come Torah, our “tree of life.” Exiting the tunnels to the kotel plaza we could feel the spirit of Judaism. Roni showed us a famous picture of the paratroopers who took the Old City in 1967 and rushed to this spot – the first Jews to take control of the holy site in almost 2000 years. They stood in awe and respect for the place and moment. They came back 40 years later (last year) to revisit. The place has power, but it’s the life force from the people that you feel here so strongly: normal people doing extraordinary things in this place. It channels this force and enhances its strength.

It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it.

It's like a bar mitzvah, part 2

Today's we celebrated Gunnar's Bar Mitzvah just under Robinson's arch at the corner of the Western and Southern walls of the Temple Mount.

Check out the pictures. They speak for themselves!

Ha-kol B'seder (everything's okay)

Everyone on the tour is fine. We heard about the attack in Jerusalem shortly after it happened. We were in the Old City at the time. It's such a land and experience of contrasts. Look at the pictures I just put on album #4 from the Kotel (western wall) and you will see what we were doing around the time the attack took place.

Today was a busy day. We drove through the Dung Gate to the Kotel and went straight into the under "ground" tunnels (they're actually just under the construction of the streets). This allowed us close access to the unexposed sections of the Kotel and the closest point to the Holy of Holies. We then went to the Kotel itself and, for the men, put on tefillin and said Shema. We offered words of wisdom to Gunnar and put tefillin on him (see the photos). From there we went to the Davidson Center/Robinson's arch. It was so hot that most of the kids bailed out and played cards with Elizabeth in the covered portion of the exhibit. Then into the Jewish Quarter for lunch and a hour of power shopping - Arab market, Jewish Cardo - as a group we acquired a lot (if you'll pardon the expression), but some were accused of being "not nice" for browsing in one Arab stall but buying in another. Lynn explained to the slighted merchants that this is what we call "shopping." Ahh, market place diplomacy! After the shopping, we boarded the bus for Yad Vashem - the Holocaust Museum and Memorial complex.

We ended that visit with a memorial service in the "Valley of the Lost Communities" - in front of the memorial stones for Czechslovakia. The Torah scroll in our temple lobby is a surviving artifact from the community of Breznice, Czechslovakia. We read the names of the Jews from Breznice who died in the Shoah and memorialized them along with all our brothers and sisters who died at the hands of Nazis. May their souls be bound up in the bond of eternal life. We carry their memory with us throughout the land and into our own lives. Through us, they will never be lost. Yad Vashem was packed with platoons of Israeli soldiers (we saw hundreds) who visit as part of their training and service. It was a powerful symbol of the promise, "Never Again." Though they are complete strangers, it's hard not to feel proud of them.

Tonight we are going to dinner on the midrachov (pedestrian and shopping area on Ben Yehuda Street). It's the first time we'll get to a "food court" that not's in a mall. The old courtyards and winding alleys have been converted in to shops, cafes, and restaurants.

Tomorrow, the group will go to the temple mount with Roni while Gunnar, Brook, and I prepare for his service. The bar mitzvah will be at 10:30 AM tomorrow back at Robinson's Arch (near the Kotel). Then we'll go the Israel museum, Knesset (from the outside), and David's Tower museum.

Keep checking in and checking the photos. My internet connection is not the best here, but I'll post whatever and whenever I can. I will also backfill photos from Jerusalem as I upload photos from other people's cameras (I'm not the best photographer).

Giants in the land

We checked out of Kibbutz HaGoshrin hotel and hit the road southbound. Our travels today followed the Jordan River from its source in the North to Jericho, which sits on the north shore of the Dead Sea. From there we turned off the highway to make the ascent to Jerusalem. We encountered giants everyone we went. The Torah actually says that a race of giants lived in the land before Joshua brought the Israelites here. The spies who had been sent to scout the land identified these giants and believed they could not be defeated. These giants were called "Anak" or "Anakites." And it turns out that giants are still here today. Ordering lunch at a foodcourt McDonald's this afternoon, I ordered the "supersize" fries. I followed the menu and accompanying pictures: katan (small), ragil (regular), gadol, (large), and.... could it be?!.... yes, supersize is called "anak" in modern Hebrew. The spies feared these Anakites would devour them. I assure you that the opposite took place today.

From lunch we went to Bet Shean, a giant Roman era archaeological site. Huge Corinthian columns proudly stand along the ancient thoroughfare. It is not hard to envision a great city in its heyday of 50,000 occupants. But Nature was the true superpower here. A massive earthquake brought this city to the ground. Half the city’s columns lie where they fell – still exactly parallel – from the day a huge shock wave literally pulled the ground from under them.

Next stop Tiberias. Here we encountered some of the Jewish people’s greatest giants. The grave of the Rambam, the site of the Talmudic era Sanhedrin (those who read “As a Driven Leaf” may remember this as an important setting in the story). We were most moved by the Kinneret Cemetery. The great halutzim – pioneers – built the first kibbutz, Degania, here. They are buried here and Israelis come to honor their recent history here. This cemetery is the Israeli equivalent of the old cemeteries on the Freedom Trail in Boston, burial site of Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and their generation.

Finally, Shlomo the driver pressed his bus up the new road from Jericho to the heights of Mt. Scopus. We passed through the ¼ mile tunnel through and into the golden light of Jerusalem’s skyline. We discovered that powerful, living giants had been with us all along, right on the coach. Emotion unexpectedly overwhelmed many on the bus. You could hear the collective gasp and see the giant emotion in tear filled eyes. We stopped to take it all in. We embraced Jerusalem, its heritage, and its ability to link us with every soul who ever connected with the Jewish people. We read Psalm 122, “We were pilgrims standing inside your gates… I became happy when they said to me, ‘Let us go up to the house of Adonai’.” We blessed and ate a giant, sweet challah and wine then thanked God with Shehechiyanu. The tears were real and unexpected. The land still holds giants.

Tzafon: The place of reckoning

We spent today in the North of Israel, "Tzafon" in Hebrew. The word literally means "hidden" or "place of mystery." Indeed much of the mystery of Israel is rooted here. Safed, the home of Lurianic Kabbalah and so much Jewish mysticism is here. This is the center of the Jewish quest for secret treasures embedded and hidden in the Torah. Safed is all about the mystery and the Divine hidden things that we seek to reveal.

It is also taught that things will be judged and great reckoning will take place here. The Bible tells us that in ancient Israel each tribe had its own assigned place. The tribe of Dan was given the coastal plain near today's Tel Aviv, but in the days of the Judges they moved north. During a period of civil unrest, the Danites marched through other tribal territories and took the northern land. Commentators point out that the word "Dan" is a cognate of the Hebrew word "to judge" (i.e. din, dayan). From a literary perspective the story of Dan's move to the North is a story about judgement - Israelites reckoning their difference with other Israelites, God closing some unfinished business with people, and nations versus each other in the Middle East.

This is the place where we started our touring today, at Tel Dan, a nature preserve and site of an important archeological dig. Here you can see the ruins of the ancient city of Dan and its gates. Here archaeologists found the only extra-biblical references to King David. Here we can see one of the springs that feeds the Jordan River. It's a beautiful nature preserve with hiking trails, pools, and flora ranging from eucalyptus to bamboo and all types of flowers.

But this is a place whose beauty belies its underlying tension and explosive potential (truly... there are volcanoes just over the Golan Heights, about 15 miles away). From here Israel staged its sorties and troop transports into Lebanon in the 80s and 90s. From here, Hizbollah kidnapped soldiers and drew Israel into prolonged conflict. From here, the most precious resource - water - can be drawn or dammed. As in those days when Dan first traversed the country, Israel today judges itself and reckons with its neighbors from here.

We hear that the Knesset voted to approve a swap: known terrorist murderers for Israeli soldiers, Regev and Goldwasser, and some information about Ron Arad, missing since the 1980s. We hear about possible negotiations with Syria and about giving back the Golan. This is a tense time and Israelis are conflicted. They want peace and they want security. They want their soldiers repatriated and they are willing to pay a steep price for them. They want water and all the luxuries that come with it (irrigation, lawns, cold drinks, etc.).

They look to the north like the ancient Dan ancestors. We can't make it by the coastal plain alone. We must go the place of mystery to the Tzafon. The country is moving and judgement moves with them. There will be a reckoning of Israel with its neighbors, with itself, with its water and resource supply. And no doubt, as in ancient days, that judgement will involve the Tzafon.

Photos uploaded today

See the new album with photos from today: Kibbutz HaGoshrin, Tel Dan nature preserve, the Golan Heights jeep tour, Safed. Follow the link at right under "web sites."

More later, after dinner....

"Af Al Pi Chen" - Nevertheless

Near the start of our trip, Roni, our tour guide said, "The country was not given to us on a silver platter." As we hit the road for touring in earnest today, that lesson came alive - in ancient and modern contexts. We started with the present and moved backward in time. The murder of Yitzhak Rabin at the hands of a Jewish, religious opponent of the Oslo Peace Process, marked a nadir in Israel's national life. Rabin had been the first prime minister who was a native born Israeli. He was, as Roni put it, truly seed of this land. Rabin had also survived nearly everything - the War for Independence, the Six Day War (he was the chief of army for it), the Intifadah and he came to understand that shaking Arafat's hand was more productive and important to peace than shooting him. Since Rabin's death, the Peace Process and Israeli society have never been the same. It really is a struggle.

At Haifa we stood below Mount Carmel site of the story of Elijah the Prophet. In biblical days, he stood against King Ahab and Queen Jezebel at the risk of death. They had forsaken the Traditions of the ancestors and worshipped the foreign god, Ba'al. Elijah challenged the prophets of Ba'al to a kind of holy duel - your god vs. mine - atop this very mountain. Elijah won but had to flee for his life. He fled to the desert where he encountered the "still small voice" of God. He wins a battle but the war is not over - nothing is handed to him on a silver platter.

From that base of Mt. Carmel, we then entered the museum of the Israeli navy. Its centerpiece is a display about the illegal immigration - the Ma'apilim Jewish partisans who ran the British blockades in the 1940s to bring Holocaust survivors to the Jewish homeland. The conditions were terrible. You may know the story of the Exodus ship and the internment camps on Cyprus. They looked a lot like concentration camps. We learned about this from a young woman (maybe in her mid-20s) who is an officer in the navy. Roni pointed out to us that she wore on her uniform the insignia indicating that she had served in the Lebanon war 2 years ago. She toured us around the grounds and through one of the ships that had been used to run the British blockades (now preserved in dry dock at the musuem). The ship we toured had entered service after the Exodus disaster when thousands of refugees had been repatriated to Europe by force. The ship's name captured the spirit of the ma'apilim efforts: Af Al Pi Chen, Hebrew for "Nevertheless." Even though the obstacles are great and history indicates we may lose many battles, NEVERTHELESS we will not be stopped. We will make our home in this land in peace, safety, and happiness. Nevertheless...

What commitments do you have in your life that you would name "Af Al Pi Chen?" What goals will you pursue with full vigor even against the greatest of doubts?