Jewish Relationships Initiative

Blog

  • Ani L’Dodi, An enduring relationship

    “Ani L’Dodi v’Dodi Li.” These poetic words from the Song of Solomon are spoken as words of commitment under the marriage canopy. “I am My Beloved’s and My Beloved is mine” is the symbolic joining and full commitment of one to another. We aspire to this in our deepest relationships. But as a people we have sadly failed to live up to this hope. Every Jew is integral to Israel and Israel is integral to every Jew. We are bound inextricably together emotionally and spiritually, a modern homeland and the diaspora, two parts of one whole. Together greater than the individual parts could achieve.

     We do however permit the separation and distance, a cleaving when we hear when some claim to be against Israel but fine with Jews; that it is possible to be anti-Zionist while not being Anti-Semitic. For Jews such parsing of words is false. It speaks to a reading of history that is biased and ultimately these two hatreds conflate.

     I was struck when Iranian President Rouhani offered New Year Greetings to Jews of the world while almost within the same breath recommitted his country to the extermination of Israel. “May our shared Abrahamic roots deepen respect and bring peace and mutual understanding.” This seems to be a disingenuous goodwill offering since his worldview requires the eradication of Israel, where approximately 6million of my fellow Jews reside and would be murdered for to achieve his political goal.

     Jews find themselves attempting to parse words and find something good in Rouhani’s outreach. This “olive branch” however is a straw man. It is an insidious attempt to separate Israel from its own people through the delegitimizing efforts by Israel’s enemies.   Even when we disagree with policies or politics within Israel, we cannot divorce ourselves from her, or permit others to divide us. Israel is a fundamental part of us. Who we are is in some measure defined by our relationship to Israel. Commitment to Israel’s growth and evolution as well as our commitment to the State’s survival is at the heart of what it means to be in relationship with another. An attack on our spouse with the caveat that you however are all right would be deeply offensive. And we would defend the one we love. How can we not rise to the defense of our brethren as well?

     I am in deep relationship. I have a vested interest in Israel’s success both as a nation and as an aspiration. When Israel falters, I have the responsibility to be constructively critical because of my relationship. Helping Israel to be better makes me better as well. We all are improved off as a result of such efforts. And when people stop calling for the destruction of a part of who I am, I will gratefully acknowledge offerings of good tidings for the coming year.

  • A Rosh Hashanah Sermon on Gender Equality | Rabbi Joshua Stanton

    “Man and woman were created in the Divine image. Male and female God created them.” Each year we reread the story of creation. We return to our story of origin as a signal that Rosh Hashanah is all about returning to our truest selves — or as we say in Hebrew, tshuvah.

    Source: A Rosh Hashanah Sermon on Gender Equality | Rabbi Joshua Stanton

  • Best Wishes for a Happy Sweet New Year!

    JRI NewYearsCard

  • Pushback on Israel’s obligation to Syrian Refugees

    I have received pushback on my call for Israel to join the humanitarian efforts and take in refugees.  I share my response below, to a comment to a post from someone who does not believe as I do.  But let me state for the record that this person, with whom I disagree on this and many other subjects regarding Israel, is someone who I know loves Israel very deeply.  And it is her love for Israel that compels her to take her stand and be in dialogue with me.  I am honored that she thinks enough of me to want to engage in this conversation. Please look to the sidebar to see her comments.

    Israel’s moral compass should continue to lead it to be a champion of human values and decency. It is compelled to act as a “light to the nations.” In other words, to be a Jewish homeland is to embrace Jewish Values.

    I understand your fear for Israel’s safety. But Israel has the finest security and intelligence capabilities in the world, from the Mossad to the people at the airport. I am fully confident that the Israelis can vet refugees.

    And another place where we agree, implementing is not easy. No one realistically would claim otherwise. But I find President Kennedy’s words stirring,
    “We do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard… because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.” We do it because we are Jews and that is what Jews do to live the values we cherish.

    May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life, L’Shana Tova Tikatevu

    Shabbat Shalom

  • How Jewish Skepticism on Refugees Boils Down to Double Standards – Opinion – Forward.com

    As some worry aloud about letting Syrians into Europe, Lisa Goldman wonders: do we have a blind spot when it comes to certain kinds of refugees?

    Source: How Jewish Skepticism on Refugees Boils Down to Double Standards – Opinion – Forward.com

  • The Time for Common Heroism is upon Us.

    Heroes, it is said, act without thinking of the fear before them. Fear can paralyze, placing us in what we classically describe as Mitzrayim, the narrow places. Although most of us are not heroes, most of us are people who respond with empathy and compassion to those in need.

     When we rise above our fears we can achieve great things. When we act out of fear, we are reflexive and often myopic and ultimately selfish in our self-protectiveness.

     The unfolding tragedies in the Middle East, the hopes of an Arab Spring becoming, to extend the metaphor, the harshest of Winters, have left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced. What was once considered home is now an impossible place of hopelessness and despair.

     As Americans, as Jews and as human beings we are compelled to answer the immediate desperate cry for help. World governments, first and foremost the United States, must tackle the underlying causes of this devastation work to resolve these problems. But you and I can make a difference to the people in immediate risk for their lives. We can support humanitarian efforts to provide sanctuary, medicine and food and further we can actively support efforts to resettle refugees.

     Refugees are carefully screened before granted permission to come to the United States. HIAS is in the forefront of coordinating with government agencies after these people are vetted. Our fear cannot let us turn a blind eye and keep us from engaging in the compassionate work our tradition commands.

     L’Shana Tova

  • We are called to act

    HTC. BTC. Woman Figure

  • Israel isn’t ‘too small’ to accept Syrian, African refugees – Opinion

    Just as when Israel took a share of the Vietnamese boat people in 1977, it has the chance in the current crisis to be a light unto nations.

    Source: Israel isn’t ‘too small’ to accept Syrian, African refugees – Opinion

  • Shabbat Shalom in a World Desperate for Peace

    We wish each other Shabbat Shalom, with the image of Aylan Kurdi’s lifeless body seared into our minds. This horrific image profoundly disturbs the peace we are supposed to welcome and embrace. The suffering of countless victims of war in places like Syria and Africa is unimaginable.   The willingness to risk life itself to escape gives us some measure of the conditions that exist in the places from which they flee.

     Europe cannot turn its back on these people and we here in the United States must also be ready to offer help to those that flee. Moreover, the world must be willing to address the circumstances that have created these desperate situations. The time to act is long overdue.

  • Secretary Kerry on the Iran Agreement

    I was privileged to attend Secretary of State John Kerry’s presentation at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia this morning. Mr. Kerry presented a straightforward and compelling case for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Iran Agreement), why it is best for all of us and an unequivocal commitment of support for Israel.

     My support of the Iran Agreement was reaffirmed.

     Now that the necessary votes to support the President exists in Congress. I hope the Jewish community can now engage in the next critical phases:

    • Support and demand for the full implementation of the Iran Agreement
    • Support and bolstered aid for the Israel
    • Repair the damage that has been done within our community as a result of the harsh debate in which we have engaged.

    We have much important work to do together.