Category: America

Shalom

Shalom-

 This Shabbat I urge us to commit ourselves to civility and decorum. The debate on Iran is extremely important to us, as Americans and as Jews, and discussion should be be robust. But we are standing at a crossroads. This conversation can quickly deteriorate. We cannot allow ourselves to be ripped apart by internecine hatreds. We remain Klal Yisrael only when we choose to be so. Let us argue ideas passionately, but let us not argue against each other. Even when we come from a place of strong conviction about the Iran deal, there remains room for multiple ideas without the need to vilify those who hold other views.

 There is too much at stake here, Shalom for the world and Shalom Bayit, peace within the House of Israel.

Shabbat Shalom

A Deal with Iran- Good, Bad; Yes

 This morning the President announced we reached a deal with Iran.   It is complex. It is less than what we wanted, and it is more than what it could be. Pardon my cryptic ambivalence, but it is both more and less at the same time. Negotiating, particularly with an adversary, requires both sides compromise to reach a deal.

 I necessarily place my trust in my President and his Secretary of State to negotiate what is in the best interests of the United States and hope that these interests align with those of the State of Israel. Congress must now take a deep dive into the details necessary to properly understand the terms of this deal and then act accordingly. And we too need to take the time to learn the details before concluding whether the deal is good or bad and then we prepare for the ramifications of this deal. But for the time being, the fact we have arrived at a negotiated settlement is in itself important. For it is extraordinarily difficult to talk to an enemy in a peaceful process and reach a conclusion.

 Dealing with a country that regularly promotes demonstrations where the chant “Death to America, Death to Israel” is a mainstay, we know that we are not dealing with a friendly nation. Reigning Iran in was the goal. This is far less than complete permanent dismantling of their nuclear programs, but far more than nothing. Might we create rapprochement and Iran become a friend? That is a very long way off. But we have bought time where such entente can be cultivated.

 A nuclear Iran as an avowed enemy is a terrifying prospect. The road ahead continues to be difficult and dangerous. I hope that this agreement scales back the hatred and today’s historic settlement is a step toward a world that is just a little bit safer than it was before.

Happy July 4th and Shabbat Shalom

This Shabbat we also celebrate the Fourth of July.

 By any standard, we have truly made it here in America. With gratitude and with joy we celebrate Independence Day. We are fully part of this great nation. We have so many blessings for which I am profoundly thankful. Nowhere in our history have we enjoyed such bounty and freedom.

 Let us not forget however from whence we came, and that for some, the dream of full acceptance and access to the abundance and opportunity that we enjoy remains unfulfilled. This Fourth of July let us commit ourselves to work towards creating an America where all have access.

 Happy 4th of July and Shabbat Shalom

A somber Shabbat

Last night I participated in the vigil at Mother Bethel AME church. People of all faiths joined to grieve these senseless tragic murders based in hate. We countered with a message of love and a call to action. In that sacred space we declared, “We are all AME” and we will move forward together to put a stop to this kind of violence that is all too common in our country.

 It is incumbent upon each and every one of us, not only to speak out but to also take action. Words are not enough to affect change. Without actions, words alone are hollow. All of us are diminished by this tragedy. Serious conversation about the underlying issues must lead to thoughtful and deliberate actions to stem the tide of hatred and violence. It is long past time. President Obama admitted to being stymied by the constraints of Washington. So we must look to ourselves, our communities and our states to find solutions to this horrible blight. It all begins with us.

 Today we grieve. Tomorrow we must act.

 Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom, a Shabbat where we might find Peace

Poor Diane Rehm, Poorer us.

The recent flap over Diane Rehm’s inappropriate and improper question about Bernard Sanders dual citizenship is less about the interview and much more about what we deserve from the “Fourth Estate,” the institution of the free press.

 In today’s fast paced twittering environment, things are released into cyberspace without regard for accuracy only for speed. It is more important to get the story out than to get the story right. Half-truths and lies permeate the environment and we have no way to know these from truth until eventually a correction or clarification reins in the rumor. Unfortunately that happens too long after sustained damage is done.

 Diane Rehm should have known better. Someone of her caliber should have checked and verified sources and facts, she committed a faux pas of the first order. Ms. Rehm was embarrassed for doing her job so poorly in the public sphere and she did apologize. But we depend on stalwarts to do right by us. When they don’t, it means this new phase of “getting it first instead of getting it right” has permeated news and reporting in sad and unfortunate ways. We can no longer count on those whom we have traditionally counted on to be honest and straightforward in delivering news and reporting to us.

 At some point I believe that our desire for truth and the mission to deliver truth will again align. Those who report the news and hold its truthful telling as a sacred mission will ultimately prevail. Ultimately they will because we need them to, and hopefully we will not settle for less.

It is Time to Stake our Claim on the College Campus

It is time for the Reform Jewish Community to answer the call to the college campuses across the country. It is time that we commit to placing a Reform Rabbi on each campus with a significant Jewish student population. The goal should be to establish an endowed position so that the Reform voice will be heard. This Reform Rabbi will work with Hillel, but not for Hillel, freeing the rabbi to speak and act according to the best ideas of Reform including inclusivity, embracing modernity and Israel. Funding will come from donors who have a vested interest in their school of choice and the students who live and learn there. These groups include: Parents of Students, alumni and the students themselves.

 There is an active battle underway for the hearts and minds of the college students. College is a critical juncture in their development as thinking, feeling people. We have a profound investment in the outcome. These young people represent the future of the Jewish people in America and therefore an important future voice of world Judaism. If they do not develop connections with their Jewishness or with the state of Israel, then this generation will not embrace either their Judaism or Israel when they take the reins of leadership from us. If we do not demonstrate in meaningful and tangible ways that we care passionately about our young people, it is left to others to influence the conversations on campus during this critical period of identity formation of our students.

 We know that we can act boldly and when we do, we offer a vision that others will see and support. Whether or not you agree with him, Mr. Sheldon Adelson has clearly demonstrated both a passion for what he believes, and the ability to galvanize others into action, raising vast sums of money for his limited college vision. We are equally invested in our children and the future, which rests on their shoulders.   It is time we rise to the occasion and stake a claim on our kids and our future.

 Rabbi David M. Levin

this letter was sent to the leadership of the Reform Movement including CCAR, HUC and URJ

Memorial Day

Today, this Memorial day, we remember with awe and reverence those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in the defense of our nation. All lives matter, but they were among our best and brightest.

 We honor their memories best by re-dedicating ourselves to the struggle to make our country live up to its values, a place for all of us and worthy of the fallen and those who returned home willing to make that sacrifice and forever changed by their extraordinary service.

 A blessed and happy Memorial Day to all.

Pamela Geller and the Nazis

I recall concluding that I needed to support the Nazis marching in Skokie, IL back in 1977 on the basis of free speech. I was a college student at the University of Chicago and the debate was hitting close to home on multiple levels, for me as an American and as a Jew. The need to defend the right of free speech in this country was fundamentally important to both identities. I ultimately supported the right of the Nazis to march despite the despicable hate speech they spewed.

 So too it is with Pamela Geller. Like the Nazis she too spews a venom of hate. Like the Nazis she has dehumanized her prey and tried to mock their beliefs. Like the Nazis she too has painted her victims as threats to our way of life. And like with the Nazis, I support the right of free speech including Geller’s right to fan flames of hate, bigotry and fear in this country.

 We are stronger than Geller or her bile. Her thoughts and actions are both despicable and the world she envisions is more a threat to our way of life than anything she might accuse the Muslim community of perpetrating.

 Fortunately most Muslims see her for what she is, a hateful bigot. They mock and dismiss her insults. We, the Jewish community and the entire American community, need to admire and respect their ability to shrug off her offensive rants. Many Muslims in America are much like us. They come here to build a better life for their families based on the ideals of the American system including freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And they live here because this is their home.

 When we repudiate the hateful speech and thoughts of people like Geller, we all move forward. We fight her by shining light on her repugnant hate-filled talk, by coming together around our fundamental American values and together declaring there is no place in our society for her loathsome ideas; we are better than that.

The Elusive Good Deal with Iran

 We have a framework of understanding with Iran in the negotiations on their nuclear program. This is a long way away from a deal, let alone a good deal. But we have arrived at an important place. Now the debate begins. That debate needs to be both vigorous and rigorous.

 I hope Congress is a vocal part of the debate and crafting of the final deal. The devil is in the details, they say, and certainly that is true here. Each side has a distinctly different interpretation of expectations, obligations and responsibilities of the framework, even within the P5+1. We need to understand what we want from this deal and how to achieve it before we can imagine how we move forward.

 Let us hope the debate is vigorous. The Congress will seek to clarify and demand accountability in ways that it deems appropriate and necessary. The President likewise, will work towards sharing what he envisions as the Deal and why. Like any collaborative work, the process is arduous and the end product likely will be different from the initial draft. But rarely have the stakes been higher. Let us remain vocal, sharing concerns and fears, hopes and aspirations.

 For those with a relationship to Israel there is another layer to the debate; for there is an existential threat that exists. Iran remains the sworn enemy of Israel and is committed to Israel’s destruction. When Israel’s agenda differs from the negotiated deal, how we reconcile them and work to secure Israel preemptively is critically important. We do not have the luxury of supporting Israel in the aftermath of an attack. In a nuclear attack, there would not be much left to support. So we must carefully consider what we are negotiating towards.

 What is the Iran we hope to see and how might the Deal move us towards that vision? History is replete with bad deals that have created situations far worse than the problems these deals were meant to resolve. Can we craft a deal with full forethought? An Iran that remains committed to destruction and not coexistence, intolerance instead of tolerance, an Iran that seeks to impose its values, or an Iran that becomes like a wild animal boxed into a corner will surely result in a less stable region and world.

 May the final deal result in a world that is safer and more secure. Let’s get to work.

The Twitterization of Journalism

 The scandal surrounding the Rolling Stone article ‘A Rape on Campus’ has revealed an interesting new phase in journalism. Reporting accurately with fact checking and story substantiation has given way to a twitter-like approach wherein what we feel like saying takes precedence. This is a dangerous development for any of us concerned with the search for truth.

 The search for meaning has supplanted the search for truth. So the reporter seeking to find the truth for all of us takes a back seat to the tweeter offering meaning. But in the TwitterSphere, it is only a personal meaning where facts no longer matter, only ideas and feelings about what has occurred. This is fine when people are chatting among themselves about themselves and their limited space. But it is dangerous when applied to the world around us. We all routinely see twitter buzzing with reports of things, a good first indicator of something happening, but what that might be remains only the stuff of speculation. The developing corroborated facts can dramatically shift the story into something almost unrecognizable from the initial reporting/speculating.

 We need to decide what we want, and we need to know what we are getting. If reporting truthfully and accurately is important then, tweeting is inappropriate. If the impact of events and immediacy of reaction is important, then long live the “tweet.” Both have their place. Reporters have coexisted with journalists for a long time. History is often told with a lens that does not focus on the recitation of facts, even when the facts are discernible, but rather a perspective drawn from certain facts. We need to be clear when we are engaging in which.

 The sins of the Rolling Stone include offering up a story that purported to be factual when in fact it was anything but. Another sin is that those responsible for this breach of trust are not being held fully accountable. And very sadly, besides the damage done to the public trust is the damage done to the original victim. Whatever happened to her is now deeply submerged. There is the damage done to the young people of the fraternity. We do not know what transpired in this place and who are the responsible parties. That is the story that has been lost in all this. #TheRollingStone has betrayed us all.