Category: Am Yisrael

#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

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.

 

Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater

A colleague shared ideas in a forum, ending with the words “unrepentantly Zionist and Politically Incorrect.”

He proudly resisted, and while I value his essential work and support as a rabbi, I wonder if he, like many of us, is “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” Now is the time for nuance, to stand up for our core values, and to eliminate much of the noise that makes those values challenging to embrace. Backlash often lacks focus; now, focus on our values is needed more than ever.

I am a Zionist.  But my Zionism is a belief in identity and rights to a safe and secure place to call one’s own.  It is precisely my Zionism that compels me to understand this same need for the Palestinian people.  Both are true; I must accept the other to validate the one.  Before railing against this, let me reiterate that this modern Zionism is premised on both people having the right to safety and security.  That requires people to be committed to peaceful coexistence, which requires serious and difficult compromises from each side.

Another colleague, friend, and teacher commented on the so-called Black Lives Matter movement. He is appalled by their alliance with radical pro-Palestinian groups that are also anti-Israel. I agree that they have betrayed their righteous cause of equality under the law. This is another instance where a core idea is co-opted, diluted, and ultimately betrayed by those with different political agendas. However, we cannot allow these individuals to deter us from our core belief in equality for everyone and our commitment to working with others to realize the promise of our nation’s founding principles.

Navigating through the fog is a significant challenge, but it is what we are trained to do. Our tradition of Makhloket l’Shem Shamayim, argument for the sake of Heaven,  revolves around how our values are understood when tested under various circumstances. This is precisely the challenge we face today. Whether we agree with our government’s current policies and procedures is an essential but separate conversation; how these impact our cherished beliefs should be our focus.  Our fundamental values of caring, including feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, and caring for the widow and orphan, are constantly threatened, now evermore so.  Therefore, the need to champion our beliefs has never been more crucial.

 

 

Shabbat Shalom

“Tamid Ohev Oti”- Always Loves Me is a very popular song, covered by groups here like  Six13 to major performers in Israel.  Yair Elitzur’s original version is here.

Its an uplifting song of hope, love, and faith. I’ve share the translation below, but enjoy the music as we welcome Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom

Chorus
God always loves me
I’ll only be given blessings
And things will be better
Better and better. (5x)
And it will only get better.

THE TRAGEDY OF THE HOSTAGES

One of the horrors of the current war is the holding of the hostages.  Their predicament is hopeless because their freedom depends on some level of trust, and there is no trust.

Israel and Hamas are avowed enemies.  Each is dedicated to the destruction of the other.  There is no middle ground, no reconciliation, no peace.  With this at each core, trust cannot exist.

Hamas has fully embraced the “civilian as a weapon” idea.  To give up the hostages means giving up one of its most potent weapons.  The hostages have been used as shields, and many believed as a bargaining chip.  But without trust, there is no incentive to use this bargaining chip, and once it is used, nothing is left. Hamas does not trust that Israel will live by an agreement; they believe Israel sees an agreement as only the means to obtaining the release of the hostages, nothing more.  Once the hostages are returned, Israel will continue to prosecute the war.

Israel has displayed its commitment to destroying Hamas.  As Hamas cannot be appeased, it must be eliminated.  Israel has a long memory and believes in retribution.  It does not trust Hamas.  Israel thought it could permit Hamas to exist as it did not pose an existential threat and accepted a tenuous ceasefire. Then, October 7 happened, and whatever trust existed was shattered.

A ceasefire is a lull until it ends, and the warring begins again. This is part of the cynical lack of trust, but it is one of the few things both sides can agree upon.

War is usually fought to capitulation.  One side is defeated unequivocally.  The victor then dictates the terms of surrender and peace over the vanquished.  This may not be possible. But until these two warring parties have more to gain by ceasing hostilities and learning to co-exist, the death and destruction will continue.

I pray that the current negotiations might prove me wrong and that the hostages will be returned. And perhaps peace might be seen as an alternative to hatred and carnage.