A Statement of Jewish Beliefs

Reform Rabbis and Cantors are signing this statement of Jewish Beliefs.  I am proud to be among them.

In this time of swirling events and governmental chaos, it is important to remind ourselves of our core beliefs as American Jews.  These are some of the values we hold dear and which guide our lives and our actions.

  1. We believe that all people are the children of God, endowed with holiness, all equal in value. (Gen. 1:27)
  2. We believe in welcoming the stranger, the alien in our midst, the one who lives with us. (Lev. 19:33) We are commanded to love the stranger as ourselves.  We are a people of repeated migrations, descended from strangers in Egypt.
  3. We believe in honesty, commanded not to bear false witness (Ex. 20:13, Lev. 19:11)
  4. We believe in listening respectfully, valuing the ideas of those who disagree, and seeking peace. (Avot 1:12, 1:18)
  5. We believe in fairness in business and all transactions: not engaging in fraud, paying workers promptly, honestly representing what is offered. (Lev.19:13; 19:35-6)
  6. We believe in respect for others, especially for the strangers among us, for elders and those less fortunate, and all who struggle. We are commanded not to take advantage of the weakness of others, not to place a stumbling block before the blind. (Lev. 19:32; 19:14)  We feel it is important to engage in acts of kindness and believe that we are in relationship with all people and should behave with compassion and empathy. (Avot 1:2)
  7. We call what we give to others tzedakah, giving based on justice. We believe in the importance of compassion, but what we give to others in need is based on seeking justice in society.
  8. We believe in knowledge and the exchange of ideas, including minority viewpoints. We value learning and the advancement of knowledge, in science, in literature, sacred and secular. (Avot 1:16)
  9. We believe in respecting and caring for our world, for tending the land and acting as dedicated stewards. (Gen 1:29-30 and Lev. 19:23 ff.)
  • We cherish the religious freedom in the United States and celebrate the diversity of beliefs and practices in our country. We deeply value the American Constitutional guarantees separating religion and state that have made possible the flourishing of all religions in our country.

 

How do you deal with an enemy that won’t capitulate?

The end of World War 2 came at a significant human cost.  Eisenhower continued to bomb cities in Germany so that the Germans knew with certainty they had lost.  Not one, but two atomic bombs were dropped on Japanese cities, unleashing their death and destruction.  And yet many did not put down their arms.  5,000 Japanese soldiers refused to surrender at the war’s conclusion, remaining loyal to their oath to the Emperor, the deeply ingrained values of Bushido, emphasis on honor, and self-sacrifice at their core.

Shouichi Yokoi courtesy of Wikipedia

The most famous among them was Shoichi Yokoi, who returned to Japan from Guam in 1972, 27 years after the war’s end.  He is quoted as saying, “It is with much embarrassment that I return.” (Smithsonian Magazine; https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-japanese-wwii-soldier-who-refused-to-surrender-for-27-years-180979431/)

There may be invaluable lessons from the Japanese fighters who held out even after the war ended when dealing with Hamas.

To understand the fighters loyal to Hamas, we must understand the profound philosophical, existential commitment to the idea of fighting to regain the land perceived as stolen.  Leaders with bona fides that these Hamas fighters will respect must arise and offer a different path forward.  This can initiate a process where, eventually, those committed to Israel’s obliteration will be overcome by those committed to a peace wherein both sides live in safety and security, side by side.

The sheer brutality of the current war in Gaza would, under normal circumstances, make any leader want to stop the suffering of the people and compromise in the name of peace.  However, Hamas is not normal circumstances.  The human suffering they use in the service of their ideology is perfectly acceptable to them and is, in point of fact, one of the weapons they have employed in dealing with the Palestinians and the hostages.

Similarly, the hatred on the Israeli side of the equation is equally brutal.  The invasion of October 7 was viscerally felt as an existential moment.  Hatred and the desire for revenge only build with the cynical bargaining chip that is the hostages.  As those lives hang in the balance, Israelis must also find courageous leaders to lead their people to peace.

One of the few things made clear is the current situation is a meat grinder consuming human victims with impunity.  This is morally and ethically reprehensible.  Moderating voices must arise to quell this war machine and find a better path forward.

There will be those who see victory only as the destruction and capitulation of the enemy. It is an unrealistic goal.  The price is astronomically high in lives lost and is ultimately unachievable.  These ideologues and zealots must be marginalized.  It may take generations for this view of the world to fade away, and only with perseverance and strength can we support those seeking a way forward that can permit a peaceful coexistence to form.

 

Shabbat Shalom

The traveler’s prayer is shared as we embark on a journey hoping:

May it be Your will that You should lead us in peace and direct our steps in peace, and guide us in peace, and support us in peace, and cause us to reach our destination in life, joy, and peace.

This Shabbat lets pray that our journey might be so and that our destination itself is Peace.

Shabbat Shalom

Thanks to the gifted Marni Loffman.

 

The Masks We Wear

Courtesy of Vlad Hilitanu

As we approach Purim, I began thinking about our holiday and our celebration, which includes costumes.

I’ve always thought that Reform Jews needed better uniforms.

In our desire to embrace modernity, we’ve adopted the clothing commonly worn by others, rendering us indistinguishable as we blend into the broader culture.

Our more traditional brethren have uniforms—items that set them apart and make them easily recognizable: payot, kippot, shtreimel, sheitels, long black coats, and other garments depending on the particular denomination. Many of us will dress in costumes to celebrate Purim, but we wear masks as part of a wardrobe that reflects aspects of who we are all the time.

The truth is, we all wear uniforms.  It is easy to identify a firefighter, a police officer, or a member of the military; their uniforms indicate that they are part of an elite group with a specific purpose. Those of us who are slaves to fashion publicly claim we are au courant, while those of us who deliberately choose to rebel against such norms wear uniforms that proclaim we are iconoclasts.  These public displays of identity convey that we are part of a group motivated by pride, belonging, or sometimes even fear.  Are these masks, reflections, or projections?

Does our outward appearance reflect who we are inside, who we aspire to be, or how we want the world to perceive us?  When these aspects do not align, it’s essential to pause and reflect on why.  Why do we present ourselves in ways that do not match our true selves?  Sometimes this discrepancy is aspirational, while at other times it may stem from feelings of inadequacy or a fear of revealing our authentic selves to the world.

I hope my mask is revealing. It shares my identity and signals that I am approachable, an authority, and a source of comfort in whatever way my intended audience needs to see me, while remaining authentic to my true self on Purim and every day.  May we all find the space to be the best version of ourselves.  May we be unafraid to be who we are and grateful for that, even if we aspire to more.

 

 

 

 

Shabbat Shalom -Jerusalem of Gold

Naomi Shemer penned this anthem, expressing our longing for the sacredness of Jerusalem.  Rabbi Angela Buchdal and Cantor Dan Mutlu share their extraordinary voices to sing Yerushalim Shel Zahav.

May the sacredness and promise of Jerusalem live, peace come to the region, and our hostages are returned home.

Shabbat Shalom

#StandWithUkraine

Kippah

THE SUNFLOWER KIPPAH FOR UKRAINE

We are trying to raise critical funds for Ukrainian relief.  As Jews, we have a complex relationship with this region of the world and a vital role to play.

Thank you for supporting the humanitarian efforts of the JDC, “the Joint,” and the JCC Krakow, which provide services to Ukrainian refugees.

With your generous donation of $54, you will help feed, clothe, and shelter refugees who have escaped a brutal war.  We want to offer our thanks with a gift of this handcrafted knit kippah, designed as a sunflower in the Ukrainian colors of blue and yellow.

Please help us help them and #StandWithUkraine

 

 

Select up to 3 Kippot

This is available to anyone in the domestic United States.  If we need to ship elsewhere, email me at RabbiDavidLevin@gmail.com, and we will figure it out.

This is all about supporting the victims of the war against Ukraine.  Thank you for your generosity.

Rabbi David Levin

#StandwithUkraine

Shabbat Shalom

Playing for Change brings musicians from around the world together to perform songs of unity, peace, and love. Amazing Grace is not usually on the Kabbalat Shabbat Playlist for most of us, but if you watch and listen, the singers in Jerusalem and the lyrics convey hope and faith, which is what we need as we enter Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom

Parshah Terumah- A deeper timely meaning

Yoram RanaanThe key to a deeper message in Terumah, or Offering, is the phrase:

“They shall make for me a sanctuary that I shall dwell among them.”

The people bring contributions, or offerings, of precious items, Gold, Silver, copper, spices and gems, wool, animal skins, olive wood- precious materials- they bring so much that Moses needs to ask them to stop bringing any more.  And then, they proceed to build an elaborate Mishkan, a Home for God to dwell amongst the people.  This comes after two previous Parshiot discussions on the Ten Commandments and the Mishpatim, the details of the laws, and notably the application of Law without bias, that create a civil society as the people coalesce into a nation.

This has modern implications—not that any of you need to bring some olive wood to work or offer your wedding bands for ornamentation.

It IS about embracing the idea that this was to be a nation of Laws sanctified by God’s presence. People actively accepted this covenantal relationship with God and the law’s central importance so they could live together.  The idea that the Mishkan could be readily moved from one location to another– that there was portability means that the law went wherever the people were.  And it was the same law whether they lived in the desert of the Midbar or the Promised Land.

We are currently struggling with the notion that we are a nation of laws.  For some, the law is just only when it rules favorably for them and unjust when it does not or even limits what they want to do.  Trust in the system has been the bedrock of the national and local judiciary. The dedication to the ideal of serving justice, although not always lived up to it, was still the notion that kept our faith in the judicial institutions.   This is evidenced by the enforcement of rulings of law by another branch of government operating in support of this institution.  The erosion of trust, the questioning of authority, and the attack on judges and institutions all seriously undermine the capacity of the courts to hold civil society together.  The other branches of government have been held in check in a system expressly set up to keep guardrails in place when other branches of government step too far outside their lanes.

The system is flawed and has much room for improvement. Equitable application of the law for all is not a practical reality. An overwhelmed court system struggles to seek and deliver justice. Although “efficient,” Plea deals often deny justice for the poor, and outcomes are too frequently based on the accused’s ability to hire the best legal representation. The jury system is under pressure since serving is often seen as a burden rather than a responsibility and privilege of citizenship.

As Lady Justice depicts, the court should be a special and sacred place where justice is dispensed based on the merits. However, the system seems to be abused by the wealthy and against the poor. A lack of civics education contributes to a population that is unappreciative of its importance in maintaining civil society.

We need capable courts that enjoy the full support of the people. Although our system is resilient, it can only tolerate so much stress. As the new nation birthed at Sinai, our nation and government require its people from which to derive its legitimacy and also shine as a beacon to the world.  Our challenge is to imbue society with the embrace of the courts as a foundation for our way of life.  We must ensure jurists are seen as above reproach and incorruptible and that the dispensing of justice and the enforcement of the court’s rulings is done so that a nation of laws believes in this sacred covenant, maintaining a vibrant, healthy society.