Protecting the Children

January 1-2, 2016  /  21 Tevet 5776

Shabbat Shemot

Torah - Exodus 1:1-6:1  /  Haftarah - Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23

“Protecting the Children”

Dear Friends,

This shabbat we begin reading the second book of the Torah, the book of Shemot or Exodus.  It contains the story of our people’s descent into Egyptian slavery, rise to freedom and journey to the Promised Land of Israel.

In this week’s Torah portion, Pharaoh decrees that all male children of the Hebrews shall be put to death.  This will be his way of destroying the Children of Israel at its root.  Kill the children.  There are strange echoes of this in modern times when we consider the million and a half Jewish children that were murdered during the Holocaust.  In other acts of genocide throughout the world over the past 200 years and in recent wars throughout the world, especially in the Middle East, children have been specially targeted as a way of destroying ethnic and racial groups.

We Jews, who sanctify and celebrate life itself for all individuals, must dedicate oursleves to the protection of children from the ravages of war and terrorism.  Beyond the devastation of murdering the children, the psychological trauma of their exposure to horrific acts of violence creates lifelong damage to them as individuals and to their contributions to their communities as adults.

We Jews declare every day at worship time, “L’dor vador nagid gawdlecha – From generation to generation we will declare your praise.”  The principle of ‘dor va dor – from generation to generation’ requires of us to protect the children – all children.  As we begin a secular New Year, may we see to it that all children are able to grow, learn and become valued and wise leaders of their communities.

Our prayerbook includes this reading:

In each age

we receive and transmit

Torah.

At each moment

we are addressed by the

World.

In each age

we are challenged

by our ancient teaching.

At each moment

we stand face to Face with

Truth.

In each age

we add our wisdom

to that which has gone before.

At each moment

the knowing heart

is filled with wonder.

In each age

the children of Torah

become its builders

and seek to set the world firm

on a foundation of Truth.

  - Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro

Shabbat shalom.

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

The Young Adults in our Lives

Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

December 18-19, 2015 / 7 Tevet 5776

Torah - Genesis 44:18-47:27 / Haftarah - Ezekiel 37:15-28

“The Young Adults in our Lives”

Dear Friends,

This week, my daughter Elana will be discharged from the Israeli army after serving two years in the Education Corps.  During these two years I have carried a copy of the Prayer for the State of Israel in my wallet and recited it often, slowing down for the part about blessing and protecting Israel’s soldiers.  I have often paused to gaze on her many photos in uniform (yes, my daughter wears army boots).  Lately, I find myself tearfully wishing that my deceased father could have seen her induction ceremony and the day she became a sergeant.  He was a World War II veteran and a strong Zionist.  He was so moved by the miracle of Israel, especially the prowess of her armed forces, and would have been so proud to know that his granddaughter was the first person in his family line to serve in the Jewish army in 2,000 years.

No doubt, as adults we spend so much of our time guiding and ‘parenting’ our children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or friends’ children.  We expect and hope that they will follow our judgment and our lead.  Thankfully, there are many times when these children emerge and step up to lead and guide us.  They make choices and go off on adventures that impress and amaze. We see in them wonderful young adults ready to make difficult decisions that they will own – often options that inspire the rest of us. For me, these past years with my daughter in the army and my son volunteering in Nepal even after the earthquake, have certainly been some of those times.

This week’s Torah portion recounts another such time when Judah steps up to Pharaoh’s minister and offers himself in place of his youngest brother as a captive in Egypt.  Judah recognizes and admits previous wrongs – doing the highest form of repentance, not repeating a wrongful act.  He took a path that he knew to be right and followed through.  Judah’s mature act of leadership not only inspired Pharaoh’s minister, who then revealed himself as the long-lost brother Joseph, he inspired his brothers, his father, and in fact our whole people.  The word ‘Judaism’ derives from the name ‘Judah.’

In that spirit, I urge you to take some time this week to notice the amazing things that the young adults in your lives are doing.  Notice how they are stepping up and doing their best to make great decisions and chose great life paths for themselves.  Let them know what you see in them and how proud you are of them. Recognize that in them is the future of our people, our country, and the world.

Finally, keep in mind that the name ‘Judah’ means ‘I will give thanks.’ So, thank the young adults in your lives for being the unique people they are and are destined to become. Your support and appreciation for their leadership will enable them to continue to learn, grow, and soar.

Shabbat Shalom.

L’Shalom (In Peace),

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Hanukkah: Festival of Religious Freedom

December 11-12, 2015 / 30 Kislev 5776

Shabbat Miketz - Chanukah

Torah: Genesis 41:1 - 44:17

8th aliyah: Numbers 28:9 - 28:15 | Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Chanukah

Maftir: Numbers 7:42 - 7:47 | Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Chanukah

Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14-4:7 | Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Chanukah

“Hanukkah: Festival of Religious Freedom”

Dear Friends,

On August 17, 1790, the leader of the synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, Moses Seixas wrote a letter welcoming President George Washington to the synagogue.  In his letter, Seixas expressed his vision of an American government in words that have become a part of the national vocabulary. He saw in the United States “a Government which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance—but generously affording to All liberty of conscience, and immunities of citizenship: - deeming every one, of whatever nation, tongue or language equal parts of the great Governmental Machine: – This so ample and extensive federal union whose basis is Philanthropy, mutual confidence, and public virtue, we cannot but acknowledge to be the work of the Great God, who ruleth the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, doing whatsoever seemeth [to Him] good.”

Washington’s response drew upon Seixes’ words:  “The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for giving to Mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens… May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid… May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due time and way everlastingly happy.”

Hanukkah is our Jewish festival celebrating freedom from religious bigotry for everyone, freedom from religious prejudice for everyone, and freedom from religious persecution for everyone. It is our Jewish festival celebrating freedom from fear on the part of good people who worship as they choose.  It is our Jewish festival of religious freedom… for everyone.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

Do You Believe in Miracles?

December 4-5, 2015 / 23 Kislev 5776

Shabbat Vayeshev

Torah Reading: Genesis 37:1-40:23 / Haftarah Reading: Amos 2:6-3:8

“Do You Believe in Miracles?”

Dear Friends,

In 1980, during the waning seconds of United States Men’s hockey team’s incredible victory over the Soviet Union, television announcer Al Michael asked and answered a question that would forever be etched in the minds of American sports fans: “Do you believe in miracles?…Yes!” To this day, that victory is still called the “Miracle on Ice,” as a small band of college kids somehow vanquished the mighty Soviet sports machine. In truth, most Americans do believe in miracles—especially Jewish Americans, who proudly display their faith in the miracle of the small cruse of oil that burned for eight days and nights in the Temple in Jerusalem so many centuries ago.

Actually, not just one miracle occurred in the Hanukkah story, but two.

Before the miracle of the Menorah in the Temple could even be possible, the Jews needed a military victory. In the Al Hanissim prayer, we give special thanks to God for the military victory during which God, “stood by Jews in the time of their distress…waged their battles, defended their rights, and avenged the wrong done to them. You [God] delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous…”

Yet our Jewish tradition does not let us sit back and rely on miracles just happening.  Rather, we must be vigilant and prepared to do what needs to be done to make the world a better place.  For me, this may be in fact a third miracle of Hanukkah, that we are always ready to get to work in the cause of justice and righteousness, and actually make a miracle happen if necessary.

Today, no objective observer can look at the modern marvel of the Jewish state and consider it anything less than miraculous. Surrounded on all sides by aggressive enemies bent at its destruction, Israel rebuffed its enemies, settled the desert, harnessed the power of technology and is now considered a world leader in military tactics, self-defense, and in fields as diverse as cyber-security, water conservation and biotechnology. Yet, similar to the story of Hanukkah this modern miracle was only possible because Israel’s supporters refused to wait passively for a miracle, but instead committed themselves to making one happen. Like the Maccabees did so many years ago, today we do not wait for miracles to save the people of Israel. We work hard to ensure that Jews worldwide have the tools we need to protect and defend our people. But, after all is said and done, we must also look back at our efforts and still quote the letters represented on every dreidel and say, “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham”—“a great miracle happened there.”

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Hanukkah!

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow