Category: Prayer

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.

 

 

 

A light of Hope has Gone Out

credit: LBJ Library

We should pause and reflect on Jimmy Carter and the gift that was his life.

President Jimmy Carter engineered the peace between Israel and Egypt, and we are indebted to him, if only for that.

He was an exemplar of morality, committed to peace and human rights, and striving to improve the world.

During the High Holidays, we reflect on the balance between Din and Rachamim, the strictness of law and compassion. Many have thought Carter was too compassionate and not strong enough. Nowadays, the world seems to be seeking “strongmen” as leaders. We lose something when our leaders cannot access humanity and compassion.

As President and throughout his life, Carter was a remarkable human being,  a consequential force for positive change in our world.

May his name be for a blessing.

Chag Urim Sameach! Happy Chanukah

How do you light the Chanukah Menorah?

As you can imagine, this was a discussion among the Rabbis.  The Talmud famously pits the House of Shammai against the House of Hillel, our preeminent first pair of rabbis.

Do you light one candle the first night and increase another candle every night until all are lit on the eighth day?

Or do you light all the candles on the First day and decrease the number until you reach one candle?

Most of us know Hillel won that argument, so we increase the light with every passing day.

Do you use Applesauce or Sour Cream when you eat latkes?  They never decided on this argument, so we do both! (actually, I am pretty sure they never engaged in this discussion- I am making it up)

Do you light one Menorah for the family, or does everyone get to light their own?

 

Did you know the Menorah we use for Chanukah is called a Chanukiah?  (it is an eight-light, plus Shamash, candelabra as distinguished from the seven-armed menorah used in the Temple).

Do you put the menorah in your front window for the community to view?

Why do I always seem to lack the right number of candles?

And when I buy candles on sale after Chanukah, I can’t remember where I put them for the next year.

Last but not least, is it Chanukah, Hannukah, or Channukah, Hanukah, Hanukkah, etc.?

We can get all caught up in both the fun and serious questions as we determine how we want to celebrate our holiday.  But remember it is about celebrating the holiday.

It is a time of celebration and rededication. We remember the story of Jewish victory, which instilled pride in our heritage and gave us strength and confidence as we face seemingly enormous challenges today. We spend time with our family, sharing the light’s glow, the pleasure of the food, and the fun of the games. May your Chanukah be wonderous!

Chag Urim Sameach, Happy Hanukah!

What Does God Look Like?

The manger scene of the Baby Jesus swaddled in a Keffiyeh has created much commotion and attention.  Even though the Vatican has removed the display, the consciousness-raising alone means that the image has had the intended effect.

We are talking front and center through religion about the plight of the Palestinian people.

This is not the first time someone has reinterpreted something for their own purpose.  I have seen many iterations of Jesus: white, very white, swarthy, black.  Many religions that have Jesus at the center of their theology have him displayed realistically on the cross, his body cradled in his mother’s arms, lovingly gazing down upon us in a portrait or looking upwards in an icon. As a babe in mother’s arms, as a man spreading the Word, at a bountiful supper, and as a martyr.  And now swaddled in a keffiyeh.  We use religious symbols to motivate the audience toward a vision or narrative.  This is frequently for good and exemplary purposes and too often for malicious purposes.

The charge that this current manger display is Antisemitic is a particular, not universally shared Jewish perspective.  Some deliberately embrace that evil message.   I am sure that was not the intent of the Pope or the Church.  And if the manger is allowed to be a message of hatred, it will have failed miserably in its mission.

Raising awareness of the plight of the Palestinians is important.  Christmas is an essential Christian symbol of God’s love and our hope.  Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards men is the universal message of the extraordinary celebration.

Can this awareness-raising symbol be channeled into constructive forces to promote the welfare of the Palestinian people, who have been victimized for too long? It is time for the people of goodwill to lay down their arms and reach out across the divide to each other.  May love supplant the hatred that has kept both sides at war for too long.  May the promise of Christmas resound in that troubled place of Jesus’ birth so that two people learn to live together in peace and security.

Merry Christmas!

Shabbat Shalom

Prayer is universal. It transcends language, culture, and creed, uniting us in our deepest hopes and aspirations. This rendition of The Prayer blends its original message with the Hebrew translation by Rabbi Moshe Pomerantz z”l (1935-2024).

This Shabbat I share the beauty of The Prayer from Park Avenue Synagogue and Cantor Azi Schwartz.

Wishing you Shabbat Shalom.

May the hostages come home!

Shabbat Shalom

Greeting Shabbat as the evening comes, we sing a series of Psalms as part of Kabbalat Shabbat.  Mikolot Mayim Rabim is a verse from Psalm written by the extraordinary Hazzan Jessi Roemer and performed by the also extraordinary Hazzan Harold Messinger.

Be swept up in the beauty of the sound and the images as we wish Shabbat Shalom to all.

It is time for Peace

I was sitting with someone recently. He is a Muslim and active in the causes of his people. I am a Jew and active in the causes of my people. We are part of a dialogue group that builds bridges and develops relationships with people we usually do not get to know. But we are engaged, and through this process, a friendship has ensued.

The war in the Middle East is deeply painful for us both.  We both know people we deeply care about who are direct victims of this war.

My friend recently celebrated the birth of his child.  Mom and baby are doing well. He is so excited to be a father.  Like most fathers, he wants to provide for his family and nurture his child with love and a bright future filled with opportunities.  I recently celebrated the birth of a grandchild.  We are overjoyed to have a new addition to our family and cannot wait for the next opportunity to shower our love.  But in this beautiful moment was something chilling; it was an epiphany of sorts.  How different would this be if we did not all live here.

If the war between our people never ends, what would become of our children?   With the birth certificate, effectively, a death warrant would have been issued as well.  Whether warriors or innocent victims, they would be the fodder for hostilities between two warring nations; we bring them into a killing machine. Birth should represent hope- the idea that there is a future and tomorrow promises something good.  We do not have children so that they may be offered up, sacrificed on an altar of hate.

My friend and I shudder at this, as do many other mothers and fathers here and there. Birth is a miracle, and peace is no less.  It is time to find a path forward together.