Washington Hebrew Congregation

Martin Luther King’s Legacy Is a Source of Unity

2012-01-18T19:02:00.006-05:00

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

― Martin Luther King Jr.

A man of words changed, and I contend is still changing, America by what he preached, by what he believed and by what he showed us could be achieved if we were not afraid to act on our beliefs. Dr. King knew that the world was imperfect; he had seen its cruelty. He grew up in a world where civil rights were not automatic, when segregation and inequality were the norm. But he did not run from fear, hatred and difficulty; nor did he turn bitter or rage at the world’s injustice. While others lost patience or even turned to aggression, he dedicated himself to the survival and renewal of America. He lived and preached these tenets: “We must meet hate with love. We must meet physical force with soul force…we must follow nonviolence and love....”

Decades after his untimely death, we still seek to bring his vision of a just society to fruition. All over America his speeches will be read, religious services will be held in his honor. Men and women, children and grandchildren, black and white, Jew and Gentile will gather in his name to measure their lives against a dream he articulated and a hope he inspired. Why? Because the message still stirs the soul and the dream is still worth pursuing.

Americans by nature have both hope and faith in the future; we believe that tomorrow can be better than today. We firmly believe that we hold the power to bring about positive change. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day reminds us that there is more that unites us than divides us, that we can work together for a more perfect commonweal, and that doing so feels right. Dr. King invoked the call of the ancient prophets: that faith is more than prayer, it is expressed through action. So to many Americans it is a day of service, a day of giving to those in need through acts of loving-kindness.

In my own congregation we will gather Friday with congregations from across the city and we will remind ourselves in prayer and sermons where we are in relationship to that dream. Then on Monday morning, we will gather to bake casseroles, pack clothing and box books, so that we might feed those who hunger for food, feed those who hunger for knowledge, and clothe the naked. Why? Because we were once strangers in the land of Egypt, and thousands of years later, we still believe in the dream that all may someday live in freedom so long as we act on our faith.

By Rabbi Bruce Lustig

Poem for Shabbat

2011-04-01T16:30:00.000-04:00

Krakow Yizkor Book

Earlier this week I was reading the Arts & Academe blog at the Chronicle of Higher Education, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful Jewish poem, Erika Meitner's "Yizker Bukh."

Yizkor books (The poem title uses the Yiddish spelling.) were created by Holocaust survivors to preserve the memory of the Jews and Jewish communities of Europe. Working from memory, survivors would record the history of a village or town, often going back hundreds of years. They would describe families - all the relationships, births, deaths, and weddings - as best they could. The books include recollections of businesses, important events, and daily life. Many describe the destruction of the community during the Holocaust. They list and memorialize those who were killed. (Read some yizkor books online here.)

Meitner's poem is a reflection on her grief after the death of her grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor. I find it quite moving ("Memory is / ... / an animal with- / out a leash"), despite the fact that the rabbi in the poem is pretty obtuse.

For Discussion: Varying the length of the lines, the poet creates a very intentional shape for the poem on the page (or screen). How does this shape contribute to the meaning of the poem?

Go See a Jewish Movie

2011-03-25T20:13:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, a man came to meet with me to talk about converting to Judaism. I gave him an overview of the process - a course of study, participating in the life of the community, spiritual reflection, and the traditional rituals of initiation. I also showed him a "syllabus" I've put together with suggested books and activities for those in the process of conversion. Looking over the list, he said, "I didn't expect you to assign so many movies."

Why not? Movies are an important medium of Jewish culture. How many of us learned most of what we know about shtetls from Fiddler on the Roof? In a few weeks, Jews across the country will participate in the hallowed Passover tradition of watching The Ten Commandments. I use Woody Allen and Mel Brooks movies to talk about Jewish humor (and neuroses). Israel, the Holocaust, the American Jewish experience - movies are shared Jewish experiences and great conversation starters.

You may remember from a previous post that I like pop culture lists. So here are two very different and highly debatable lists (one and two) of "top" Jewish movies.

If there are movies on those lists you haven't seen, think about renting (Netflix-ing, streaming, etc.) one. Or better yet, go out and see a new Jewish movie that might be a future classic...

Last night kicked off the 3rd Annual Jewish Film Festival at the JCC of Greater Washington in Rockville. They're showing a different movie every night this week.

For the D.C. contingent, think about seeing Sippur Gadol (A Matter of Size) this Sunday at the DCJCC downtown. It's about a group of Israelis who decide to become sumo wrestlers. It's one of my favorite Israeli movies of recent years, and proceeds from the showing will benefit relief efforts in Japan.

Check out the trailer below. And if you want to LEAVE A COMMENT, I'll give you a topic: What's your favorite Jewish movie? (Define "Jewish" however you like.) Why?

On Purim: Don't Forget Those in Need

2011-03-18T13:10:00.000-04:00

Flickr user joshbousel

This Sunday is Purim. As in most Reform congregations, our Purim observance is primarily focused on children. They wear costumes, sing songs, and of course, there's the Purim carnival. But Purim is not meant to be only a children's holiday. For one thing, the themes of the Purim story - antisemitism, assimilation, jealousy, sex, revenge - are far from pediatric. Purim also has four mitzvot, four commandments that are relevant and potentially quite meaningful for adult Jews today.

1) Megillah - It is a mitzvah on Purim to hear the book of Esther ("the Megillah," "the Scroll") read in its entirety. This is a tough one, since a complete reading of the Megillah is not customary in our congregation. Still, you could read Esther online (or in any Jewish Bible). You could even listen to a little of the scroll being chanted.

2) Seudah - It is a mitzvah on Purim to have a festive meal. This is the mitzvah we fulfill with our congregational celebration. This is also the origin of the custom of drinking alcohol on Purim - but any festive food and drink will do!

3) Mishloach Manot - It is a mitzvah on Purim to give gifts of food to family and friends. Normally, these are ready-to-eat snacks like candy or - of course - hamantaschen! Sending mishloach manot is a nice way to reconnect with family and friends, or just to reach out and tell someone, "I'm thinking about you."

4) Matanot l'Evyonim - It is a mitzvah on Purim to give tzedakah to the poor.

This last mitzvah is the one I want to highlight, since I think it is most often forgotten in our celebration of Purim. At the end of the book of Esther we read:

...observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, every year – the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy...observe them as days of feasting and merry making, and as an occasion for sending presents to the poor. (Esther 9:20-23)

Commenting on this mitzvah, Maimonides writes:

One should rather spend more money on gifts to the poor than on his Purim banquet and presents to friends (mishloach manot). No joy is greater and more glorious than the joy of gladdening the hearts of the poor, the orphans, the widows and the strangers. He who gladdens the hearts of these unhappy people imitates God, as it is written: "I am…to revive the spirit of the humble, and to put heart into the crushed" (Isaiah 57:15).

According to Maimonides, it seems that giving tzedakah to the poor should be the MOST IMPORTANT way we celebrate Purim. Whatever we spend on Purim costumes, we should be giving more to the poor. Whatever we spend on hamantaschen, we should be giving more to the poor. Whatever we spend on our festive meal, we should be giving more to the poor. Our joy in this holiday is best expressed by bringing joy and relief to those in need.

In the Orthodox community, there are very specific guidelines for matanot l'evyonim, the tzedakah of Purim. The Reform Movement has generated numerous creative ways to incorporate this tradition into our modern lives and families.

Purim can be a lot of fun, but it also has a serious side. We deepen and enrich our Judaism when we take our holidays and traditions seriously. Let's honor and observe this Purim by making a special donation this Sunday to those in need.

What's More Jewish?

2011-03-11T15:37:00.000-05:00

Is seltzer the most Jewish?

The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) has launched a website with a game that is definitely worth a look. It's called "Most Jewish." The concept is simple: The site gives you four options, and you have to decide which one is--as you might have guessed--"most Jewish." Each time you play, the four options change. The fun is in the diversity of the options; strange juxtapositions abound.

Which is more Jewish: "Skepticism" or "Young Frankenstein?" "Teach for America" or "Storytelling?" Give your answers, and you can see what percentage of players agree with you. (There's also an option to leave comments explaining your decision.)

Since it was developed by a rabbinical seminary, this is clearly meant to be more than a brief amusement. How do we decide if something is "Jewish?" Even if we can't articulate a rationale, the game forces us to adopt one. Most of the options are geared toward contemporary American society, highlighting the issue of Jewish identity in our integrated community. Thanks to RRC for a great conversation starter.

For Discussion: If you play the game, let us know what your favorite "most Jewish" thing was. Were there any very difficult decisions? How did you decide?

Have You Ever Thought About Hebrew Fonts?

2011-03-04T17:37:00.000-05:00

Flickr user Nir Tober

OK, probably not. But you probably have thought about English fonts, at least a little. When you start a new document or a new e-mail, what font do you like to use? Perhaps there's a font that you absolutely can't stand. Perhaps there's a font so excellent, they should make a movie about it.

There are some classic Hebrew fonts you might recognize: There's the square script of the Torah scroll. There's the "Frank Ruhl" of many prayerbooks. But there aren't many clean, modern options.

All of this is to introduce this great video about the creation of a new Hebrew font. The artist, Scott-Martin Kosofsky, has attempted to digitally replicate the hand-cut Hebrew type from a 16th-century Bible. The process is fascinating, and the result is beautiful.

And if you want to see for yourself, Kosofsky's font, "Le Bé," is used in The Selected Poems of Yehuda Halevi, a free e-book from Nextbook Press. It includes just 35 poems, a great introduction to one of the most important poets and philosophers in Jewish history. And if the poems spark your interest, I highly recommend Nextbook's Yehuda Halevi, by Hillel Halkin. Halkin is a distinguished scholar, and the book is a very accessible introduction to its truly exciting and underappreciated subject.

(For now, the official font of this blog is Georgia.)

Holocaust Stories Forgotten

2011-02-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

Bet El synagogue, Casablanca

Last night I participated in an interfaith panel discussion at the National Cathedral, following a screening of the PBS documentary, Among the Righteous. The film traces the efforts of Robert Satloff, a Near East expert who heads a think tank here in Washington, to find the story of any Arab Muslim who saved a Jew during the Holocaust.

After 9/11, Satloff came to believe that one of the major divides between Arab Muslims and the West is the attitude of Muslims toward the Holocaust, which ranges, he observes, from denial to "glorification." He further notes that out of the more than 22,000 people recognized for saving Jews as "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem, Israel's institution dedicated to Holocaust scholarship and commemoration, there are fewer than 100 Muslims and not a single Arab Muslim. In order to present the Holocaust to the Arab world in a different light, Satloff began his search for righteous Arab Muslims who saved Jews.

His journey reveals a little-known part of Jewish and Holocaust history. At the outset of World War II, there were more than 400,000 Jews living in Arab countries in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya). Though the experiences of these Jews were perhaps less extreme than those of the Jews of Europe, they nonetheless faced terrible persecution. As a French colony, Algeria instituted many of the antisemitic policies of the collaborationist Vichy France. Tunisia was actually occupied by the Germans, who brought their campaign of destruction with them. There were over 100 concentration camps in North Africa, with ghastly, inhumane conditions similar to the camps of Europe. Thousands of North African Jews were killed.

Why is this story forgotten? Following the establishment of the State of Israel and the rise of Arab nationalism in the 1950s, the relationship of North African Jews to their longtime homes grew very strained. Many left voluntarily for Israel, and many were forced out by antisemitism. Arabs opposed to Israel did not wish to acknowledge their prewar and wartime friendship with their Jewish neighbors. And Jewish memory of the Holocaust was dominated by the Jews of Europe, who had suffered by far the greatest magnitude of persecution and destruction.

So, did Satloff find any Arab Muslims to add to the Righteous Among the Nations? He did. He found living survivors, family members, and witnesses and was able to record their stories. They are a heartening and important part of our history.

THE ENTIRE MOVIE CAN BE WATCHED HERE. Satloff has also written a book, with a richer account of this history and his research.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Satloff spoke excitedly of his efforts to bring these stories to leaders, historians, and the public in the Arab world - particularly through his partnership with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is not easy work, but he has made wonderful progress. As a Jewish community and as people who care about peace in our world, we should be grateful.

Photo by David Lisbona

Reform Judaism's Belief Problem

2011-02-18T13:59:00.000-05:00

Theological Disputation, 1483

This week, the Forward published a thoughtful editorial by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, a Reform rabbi and scholar. In it Kaplan argues that Reform Judaism has a major theological problem. Our liberal theology, which embraces a wide diversity of beliefs and allows (I would rather say "requires") individuals to make their own decisions about religious living, prevents Reform leaders and institutions from establishing standards. Without standards for belief, participation, and observance, Kaplan argues, identification and commitment will inevitably be low.

As a Reform rabbi--especially as a rabbi at a large synagogue--I feel very keenly the dilemma Rabbi Kaplan describes. On one hand, my commitment to pluralism is strong; I honestly believe that there are many different way of leading an authentic and meaningful Jewish life. I am also an advocate of theological humility. The Jewish community has always embraced many ways of believing and speaking about God, and especially in the modern world, I am skeptical of most attempts to impose specific doctrines about God, prayer, etc. that must be accepted on faith.

But there are also many days when I wish our standards were higher. What if being a member of a Reform synagogue came with the expectation of attending services every Shabbat? What if Reform rabbis started teaching that to be a "good" Reform Jew, regular in-depth study is required? If we agreed that belief in God (even in the most abstract sense) was a prerequisite--not just an option--for Reform Jews, would it make our community stronger? Would it make our lives better?

(Personally, I would advocate at most two of the three standards above. Leave a comment to debate which ones.)

Often, this conflict between openness and expectations is framed as a social or demographic challenge: How will these approaches affect synagogue membership? Kaplan identifies a deeper conflict that we talk about far less often: What do we really believe about Judaism? Do we believe that attending the High Holidays and an occasional life cycle event is enough for some Jews? Do we even have any way to decide?

Kaplan does not choose sides in this debate, and that is a wise choice. The subject is too complex to be treated adequately in an op-ed (or a blog post, for that matter). But this is a major issue for the future of Reform Judaism. It's a discussion we've been avoiding for decades, and I sincerely doubt we can avoid it much longer.

Shabbat Reading

2011-02-11T16:41:00.002-05:00

Flickr user rubberpaw

When I decided to make Friday my regular blogging day, a number of people said to me--"So you're doing parashat hashavua?" "Parashat hashavua" means "the weekly Torah portion." It also describes weekly lessons or commentary on the Torah portion that many rabbis write or--more commonly now--post on the Internet.

So "no," I have not been doing "parashat hashavua" on this blog. This is partly because I like the freedom of taking on all kinds of topics outside the weekly Torah portion. But it is also because there is a wealth of high-quality, weekly Torah learning already available. I would like to share some of my favorites.

1) Reform Voices of Torah. The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) has a long-running weekly Torah commentary, featuring perspectives by two different Reform rabbis (or cantors or educators) each week. Rabbi Shankman wrote a piece for them just last week. They also have an archive of more than ten years of commentaries for each portion.

2) Torah from JTS. The Jewish Theological Seminary, the Conservative rabbinical school in New York, posts parashat hashavua commentary by faculty members. This is the one I read every week. This site also provides the complete text of the Torah portion and Haftarah portion in English, which is great for a quick review.

3) Torah Sparks. Very accessible, with lots of discussion questions. This comes from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), the Conservative equivalent of the URJ.

4) Bar Ilan University Parashat Hashavua Study Center. Not for the faint of heart! These essays are written by faculty members at Bar Ilan, an Orthodox university in Israel. Some are accessible, some horrifically technical. But if you want to make the effort, they make terrific connections between the Torah and later Rabbinic texts and Jewish thought.

5) Haaretz. For an easier Israeli take, try Portion of the Week from Haaretz, one of Israel's major daily newspapers. There's no permanent link for future weeks, but you can always go to their "Week's End" section and scroll down until you see the "Portion of the Week" article. Can you believe this appears in a regular (secular) newspaper? Only in Israel...

Of course, you probably aren't going to check out all of these every week. (I don't.) But taking a little time on Friday or Saturday to study parashat hashavua is a deeply traditional way to stay connected to the Torah cycle and a meaningful ritual that I highly recommend.

Shabbat shalom.

For Discussion: Is there a weekly Torah commentary you read online that I missed? Let us know in the comments.

Do Jews Have Horns?

2011-02-04T22:01:00.001-05:00

Despite not being in the Superbowl this weekend ("Bashanah ha'ba-ah"...maybe next year), the Redskins continue to generate the top news stories in Washington sports. This week the big story centers on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, who has filed a $2 million lawsuit against the owners of the Washington City Paper. (The full complaint is here.) The suit alleges that Snyder was libeled and defamed in a November article.

One of the suit's most provocative claims is that an image of Snyder that accompanied the article (seen here...the top one)--with scribbled horns, mustache, etc.--is antisemitic. In a letter on Snyder's behalf, the Redskins' general counsel writes, "How would you react if you were vilified by an anti-Semitic caricature of you?"

Without debating the merits of Snyder's claim, I thought it would be interesting to discuss the strange origins of the misconception and sometimes-accusation that Jews have horns.

It all starts with Moses. In the Torah portion Ki Tissa, which we will read in two weeks, Moses returns to the people from his encounter with God on Sinai. "And it was as Moses came down from Mount Sinai and the two tablets of the testimony were in the hand of Moses when he came down from the mountain and Moses was not aware that the skin of his face was beaming when he spoke with Him" (Exodus 34: 29).

"The skin of his face was beaming"--in Hebrew, "karan or panav." "Or panav," "the skin of his face," is the easy part. But what does the verb "karan" mean? It's a little hard to tell, since it doesn't appear in this form anywhere else in the Bible. What does appear is the related word "keren," a common noun that means "horns" or "antlers" of rams, gazelles, oxen, etc. Early Jewish interpreters decided that "karan" was a metaphor, that rays of light emanated from Moses' face, just like horns appear from an animal's head.

Some Greek translators of the Bible thought that "karan" meant that Moses had literal "karnayim" ("horns," plural of "keren"). Following them, the Vulgate--the major Latin translation of the Bible--rendered the phrase, "cornuta esset facies sua"--"[Moses'] face was horned." The horns of Moses became a standard image in the Christian world. Michelangelo's statue of Moses (pictured here...the bottom one) is perhaps the most famous of many examples.

Note: the idea that Moses had horns was not originally derogatory. In the ancient world, horns were associated with power and authority. During the Middle Ages, the image of the Jew with horns took on a more sinister meaning. It was used to make Jews seem like animals, or worse, like the Devil.

This week's controversy over the Dan Snyder lawsuit shows that this particular Jewish stereotype remains a highly sensitive issue in the our community. What a remarkable impact for a 2000-year-old confusion over a single Hebrew word.

Shabbat Shalom.

The Bright Side of Being in the Dark

2011-01-28T16:07:00.000-05:00

Flickr user [F]oxymoron

Snow: here we go again. Again this week, our schools and workplaces were delayed and closed. #thundersnow became a trending topic on Twitter. Local news revived last year's favorite portmanteaus, "snowpocalypse" and "snowmageddon." And perhaps most vexing of all, many of us were left without electricity for hours or days.

Having no electricity is a strange experience. For most of us, thankfully, it is not a major hazard. It is certainly an inconvenience: no refrigerator, no clean clothes, no hot water. But for those who haven't sought refuge with friends or family, it also poses a lifestyle challenge: No television...no computer... What should we do with ourselves?

Often, I think, how we respond to that question can make up for all the inconvenience. Maybe you will have a real conversation with a spouse or a child. Maybe you will play cards (or Monopoly or Scrabble) or do a crossword puzzle. Maybe you will eat a meal by flashlight or break into the stash of Chanukah candles. Without electricity, life slows down. We are much more aware of the time we are spending with others. We are more aware of the cycling of day into night, of the rising and setting of the sun.

Of course, in many Jewish households, this special kind of time is a weekly occurrence. It is the character of Shabbat, the day of rest. The Orthodox prohibition on using electricity on Shabbat helps families to focus on each other and to make space for reflection in our always-busy world.

When we are without electricity, we are forced to live a different kind of life. And indeed, Shabbat is often described as an entirely different world. Rabbi Irving Greenberg writes:

Shabbat is the temporary anti-reality of perfection. For approximately twenty-five hours (Jews traditionally add some extra time to expand the realm of the good), all things are seen through the eyes of love, as if all of nature were perfect, in harmony with itself and with humanity. Normally, all the world conspires to persuade people that business cannot function without their personal presence, that great opportunities are being missed, that catastrophe looms, that crisis has struck and demands immediate attentiveness. For a day, Jews, dreaming, hear none of this. On Shabbat, it is not really that one is forbidden to work, it is that all is perfect, there is nothing to do. (The Jewish Way, p. 131)

Although the Reform observance of Shabbat is different from the Orthodox, we strive for the same measure of peace. I suggest that being "unplugged" for a while–even against our will–can point us toward achieving it.

Soon the Sabbath will begin, and I do hope that everyone's electricity has been restored. But on our day of rest, let us try to recapture the stillness, the quiet, the patience, and the togetherness of a day in the snow and the dark. Shabbat shalom.

For Discussion: Do you have a GOOD memory from being without power this week or in the past? Leave a comment and share it. (I'll go first–check the comments!)

Return to Haifa and History

2011-01-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

Graffiti Tribute to Ghassan Kanafani

This past Wednesday night, many members of Washington Hebrew saw a performance of Return to Haifa, based on the novella by Palestinian author/activist Ghassan Kanafani, appearing until January 30 at Theater J at the DCJCC. I will not summarize the play, since many reviewers have done the job already. But as we saw Wednesday night at the panel discussion led by Rabbi Lustig, the play provokes strong reactions, controversy, and even protest.

Many thoughtful commentaries on Return to Haifa have been published online and are worth reading. Leon Hadar writes about the cultural fusion the play represents, the relationship of the source novella to international "resistance literature," and the potential incompatibility of the play's perspective with any two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These two articles discuss an Arabic version of the play that was performed in Beirut last month (courting different controversies). This post on an Arabic literature blog talks about how the endings of both the Arabic and Hebrew versions of the play differ significantly from the ending of the original novella. I also recommend the Theater J Blog, where Artistic Director Ari Roth is chronicling his experiences and many reactions to the play.

One aspect I wanted to address personally is the charge that the play's portrayal of history is "false." In our panel discussion, this was the strongly-voiced objection of both Naomi Rosenblatt and the attaché from the Israeli consulate.

This argument over the historical events of 1948 is hardly surprising. For more than 60 years, Israelis and Palestinians have maintained completely different, largely conflicting accounts. For Israelis, it was "The War of Independence." For Palestinians, it was "al-Nakba" ("The Catastrophe").

The historical narratives particularly conflict on the subject of Palestinian refugees. According to the Zionist narrative (terribly oversimplified), Palestinians in the newly-declared State of Israel left their homes voluntarily. Arab leaders used radio transmissions and public announcements to urge evacuation to Jordan and Lebanon, at least until the war was over and the Jews defeated.

The Palestinian story of these events is quite different. They teach that the Jewish "colonists" used violence and the threat of violence to force Palestinians from their homes.

Return to Haifa, by a Palestinian activist author, is clearly based on this Palestinian understanding of history. This explains the heated reaction of many of those raised in the Israeli/Zionist tradition, who have been taught to view the Palestinian story as a pernicious lie, a tool of propaganda

But which version is the "true" history? What really happened? To the best of my knowledge, many questions remain unanswered. Almost certainly, there are aspects of truth and propaganda in both the Israeli/Zionist and Palestinian versions. The best resource I know on the subject is Benny Morris's book, The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem. Morris is the leading figure in a group of Israeli historians (called "New Historians," "post-Zionists," or "revisionists") who are critical of the heroic historical narratives crafted by the Zionist and Israeli establishments.

In the book, Morris finds many examples of Jews using violence and intimidation to force Arabs from their homes. But he also finds examples of voluntary evacuation and of Palestinian refugees being used cynically by their leaders for politically ends. Morris's scholarship has been strongly criticized by the Israeli right for undermining the ethical legitimacy of Israel's early history. Intellectuals on the left criticize Morris for relying too much on Israeli archival documents, instead of Arabic sources. Personally, I find it difficult to evaluate Morris's objectivity, but I consider being criticized by both sides to be a good sign.

It is true that little of this historical complexity is portrayed in Return to Haifa. It chooses different complexities—questions of identity, parental legacy, home, and reconciliation. To let our discomfort at the play's historical and political claims prevent us from appreciating the themes it does treat with nuance and insight would be a terrible missed opportunity.

For Discussion: This is a perfect opportunity for a blog discussion. If you've seen the play or read about it—what was your reaction? Leave a comment!

Remembering Debbie Friedman

2011-01-14T12:11:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, Debbie Friedman passed away at the age of 59. It is possible that you don't recognize her name. But if you have been involved with WHC or any other liberal synagogue in the past 25 years, it is certain you have been touched by her music. Debbie was, quite simply, the most influential Jewish composer and musician in the second half of the 20th century (at least).

You can find a complete obituary here, but I want to highlight a few aspects of Debbie's work that reflect her beautiful Jewish soul and help explain her unique influence.

1) Debbie gave us "new" prayers. Many musicians have written folk-style arrangements of traditional Jewish prayers. Debbie's settings of prayers--Sh'ma, Mi Chamocha, Oseh Shalom, and countless others--are among our best-loved melodies. But Debbie went further. She wrote songs based on texts that were not commonly used in Reform Jewish prayer. The most famous example of this, of course, is "Mi Shebeirach." She took the prayer for healing--a minor part of the traditional Torah service--and gave it a melody and English text that gave voice to contemporary Jewish ideas about healing, strength, and blessing. "Mi Shebeirach" is now an indispensable part of Jewish worship around the world, due in large part to Debbie Friedman's insight.

And there are more examples. Debbie's melody for the Havdallah blessings helped make the Havdallah service an essential aspect of the Jewish camp and youth group experience. Debbie's "Kaddish D'Rabanan" ("For our teachers, and their students, and the students of the students...") introduced to Reform Judaism, and especially to our children, the traditional Jewish prayer honoring teachers. Her English version of "V'ahavta" ("And thou shalt love the Lord thy God...") helped us appreciate the true meaning of a prayer many knew in Hebrew only by rote.

2) Debbie's songs advocated values. Debbie Friedman was at the forefront of some of the most important cultural and intellectual movements in American Jewish life. In particular, her music celebrated and helped shape Jewish feminism. With "Miriam's Song" and "Devorah's Song," she argued for (and achieved) the recognition of female role models. "L'chi Lach" (the feminine equivalent of God's command to Abraham, "Lech L'cha"), emphasized the divine calling that women receive. She pioneered the "Women's Seder," which she led several times here at WHC.

Debbie was also a key figure in the Jewish healing movement. In addition to "Mi Shebeirach," many of Debbie's songs speak to the power of spirit and community to create a sense of peace and wholeness in a person's life. She helped create and lead meditative "healing services," which have become a staple of Reform prayer.

3) Debbie's music spoke to all ages. Some of Debbie's most popular songs were written for children. Her call-and-response Hebrew alphabet ("Aleph, bet, vet... Aleph, bet, vet...") is universally known. What Chanukah would be complete without "The Latke Song" ("I am a latke, I'm a latke...")? The list goes on and on.

With teenagers, she was a rock star. In camps and youth groups, songs like "The Youth Shall See Visions" and "Not By Might, Not By Power" became anthems, defining Jewish identity and spirituality for generations of young adults.

And of course, from Carnegie Hall to synagogues throughout the world, Debbie's melodies for prayer and inspiration were sung and appreciated by countless adults.

That range, that versatility and insight, is truly a rare blessing. She will be deeply missed.

Tributes to Debbie Friedman have been written by the hundreds this week. You might want to read this one by Rabbi Paul Kipnes or this page from Central Synagogue in New York. A recording of her funeral service in California is also available.

Washington Hebrew Congregation will honor the legacy of Debbie Friedman at Shabbat services on Friday, March 4, 2010. Check the Temple bulletin and weekly e-mail for more information.

What is the Greatest Jewish Song of All Time?

2011-01-07T17:01:00.000-05:00

Contemporary Jewish Museum via Flickr

Every year around this time, I love all the "best-of" lists. Movies, television, video games, gadgets--if you want to know the "10 best" anything of 2010, somewhere in the past month, a list has been published for you.

And then there are lists that are even more ambitious. Tablet, an online Jewish magazine, recently published a list answering the question, "What Are the 100 Greatest Jewish Songs of All Time?" It's a very fun list, mixing vaudeville with the High Holidays, Broadway and "Dayeinu." Before I give you the link, I want you to think: What would you choose as the greatest Jewish song of all time? Use any criteria you want. [I'll wait while you think.] OK, now you can look at the list. (The original article, with explanations for the choices, is here.)

Now share! Leave a comment telling us your pick for the top song. What do you think of the list? What would you have done differently?

New Year, New Resolution

2011-01-07T16:28:00.000-05:00

Flickr user *Sally M*

Has it really been since Sukkot? It was only going to be a short break. It turns out: like meaning to call a far-away friend or write a thank-you note, the longer you neglect a blog, the harder it is to get back to it. Bloggers are filled with shame for disappearing on their readers. As many as 94% of the blogs on the internet have been abandoned completely. I even recognized this danger myself, promising in my very first post that this blog would be updated frequently.

I apologize. But I certainly have not given up, and since we are starting a new year, this is the perfect time for the WHC blog to get back on track.

The Plan: At Least One Post Every Week, on Friday. There may be more, of course, but the Friday post is a definite. (I'll post the first one right after this.)

For discussion: Do you have an idea for a post for the WHC blog? Would you like to write a post for the WHC blog? Leave a comment by clicking on the link below!

Amazing Sukkot!

2010-09-23T14:03:00.000-04:00

Matthew McDermott's Flickr

Earlier this week, there was an incredible display of artist-designed sukkot (plural of "sukkah") in Union Square in New York City. The exhibition/competition was organized by Reboot, a very cutting-edge organization dedicated to revitalizing Jewish cultural life and ritual.

My favorite part of "Sukkah City" is that the entries had to conform to the construction requirements for a sukkah established in Jewish law. This is something the ancient rabbis talked about a lot. The contest describes some of the more offbeat requirements here.

FOR DISCUSSION: Browse the Sukkah City entries. Leave a comment on this post, saying which one is your favorite and why.

I will start us off. I am very attracted to the simplicity and geometry of this sukkah. I admit, it does not look the most comfortable for sleeping.

Chag sameach!

Chag Sameach — Happy Sukkot

2010-09-22T11:04:00.000-04:00

Jerusalem Municipal Sukkah, 2008 (RahelSharon's Flickr)

Thanks to all of you for your good wishes on my wedding. Now that I am settled back at Temple and we have made it through the High Holidays, I look forward to returning to my regular blogging schedule.

Tonight we begin the festival of Sukkot. Coming only five days after Yom Kippur, I think there is definitely a sense every year that Sukkot sneaks up on us. We are exhausted, not ready to observe another major holiday. But this is really a shame, because as one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals and as a holiday full of meaning and symbolic ritual, Sukkot is one of most significant days (a week, actually) on the Jewish calendar.

During this week of Sukkot, I want to share with you a number of texts and thoughts, so that even if you don't have the opportunity to shake a lulav, eat, and sleep in a sukkah each day, we can experience the course of the festival as a community. (I see this as one of the great potential benefits of online discussions for congregational life.)

The text I've chosen for today is from Franz Rosenzweig. Rosenzweig (1886-1929) was a German-Jewish philosopher; he was also a master teacher, the founder of a tremendously influential institution for Jewish adult education in Weimar Germany. He wrote:

The Feast of Booths [Sukkot] is the feast of both wanderings and rest. In memory of those long wanderings of the past which finally led to rest, the members of the family do not have their merry meal in the familiar rooms of the house but under a roof which is quickly constructed, a makeshift roof with heaven shining through the gaps. This serves to remind the people that no matter how solid the house of today may seem, no matter how temptingly it beckons to rest and unimperiled living, it is but a tent which permits only a pause in the long wanderings through the wilderness of centuries. For rest, the rest of which the builder of the first Temple spoke, does not come until all these wanderings are at an end, and his words are read at this feast: "Blessed be He that has given rest unto His people."

Rosenzweig captures the sense in which Sukkot, like all Jewish holidays, concerns both the past and the future. Dwelling in the sukkah, we reenact the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness. But we also acknowledge that we too are wanderers—that our lives, our relationships, even our community...are fragile. The "rest" Rosenzweig speaks of—quoting King Solomon's dedication of the Jerusalem Temple in I Kings 8:56—is the ultimate achievement of peace and tranquility we still seek as a "Messianic Era." Sukkot is an opportunity to connect to that greater sense of history and meaning.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY — For those of you who would like to begin Sukkot with some in-person study, there will be a Sukkot Adult Study Session at Temple TONIGHT (Wed., 9/22) at 7:00 p.m. in the Library. We have some great texts to discuss, and we will visit the sukkah for lulav-shaking and blessings. Please join us!

For discussion: Do you build a sukkah at your home? Tell us about it! (Click on the "comments" link below this post.)

On Sunday the Rabbi Got Married...

2010-09-13T15:08:00.005-04:00

In case you haven't noticed, the flow of blog articles has slowed down in the last week or two. It seems that our blogging rabbi has had some other things on his mind...like getting married. In fact, the nuptials for Rabbi Fabricant and Alexandra (Ali) Harwin occurred on September 5, 2010 in NYC. The official public announcement appeared in the New York Times at: Wedding Announcement

On behalf of the entire congregation and all the WHC blog readers, we wish Ali and Noah a hearty and heartfelt Mazel Tov.

Poem for Rosh Hashanah

2010-08-27T10:54:00.000-04:00

Flickr user rbarenblat

As part of my preparation for the High Holy Days, there are certain texts I read and study every year at this time. One is The Last Trial, Shalom Spiegel's classic essay on the midrash on the Binding of Isaac. Another is Days of Awe, the inspirational anthology edited by S.Y. Agnon, the only Hebrew writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

One shorter piece I return to every year is the following poem by Enid Shomer, a contemporary American Jewish poet. The title refers to "Tishri" (usually spelled "Tishrei"), the first month in the Hebrew calendar. The "first of Tishri" is the Hebrew date of Rosh Hashanah.

Freestyle, on the First of Tishri

The metaphor here is the pool, regular
and deep as the tradition itself. First I float,
still and buoyant in what I don’t
accept. Then I shatter the surface, a scholar
dissecting text not to destroy but to enrich,
a farmer plowing and disking the earth
before planting. On land, I forget breath’s
noisy ball bearings, the flutter kick’s
fringes blazing like tangible will. I imagine
that faith is nothing but a grudging promise
of repetition, like these laps, until this
continual splash in the mind begins—
not with grievance or prayer
but as gasp, a momentary bargain struck with the air.

The progression Shomer describes is familiar to us. Jewish tradition is vast and unfamiliar, and it seems as if we “float” on the surface, unable to truly enter. But eventually we can “dive in.” Through study, prayer, and communal participation, we start to swim; our kicking and splashing is our struggle with tradition, and we make our own unique “waves” in Jewish life.

The true impact of Shomer’s sonnet, though, comes with the closing couplet. Judaism is not “grievance or prayer,” the formal—sometimes impersonal—religious language. Judaism is like the swimmer’s gasp for breath—desperate, intimate, life-giving. Though repeated countless times, it is not routine, but dramatic and purposeful.

As we approach the month of Tishrei, we have many opportunities to refine our strokes, to plumb new depths, to gasp for breath, and even to breathe deeply. We have many holidays and services and plenty of time to reflect in between. Let us do this hard work and build better Jewish lives for ourselves, our families, and our community.

For Discussion: Are there any books, poems, etc. you return to read again and again? Share by leaving a comment!

Note: This post is based on a bulletin article I wrote while I was the rabbinic intern at the Rockdale Temple in Cincinnati. If any of my friends there are reading this, I hope they don't mind.

Rabbi Lustig on NPR

2010-08-18T11:41:00.005-04:00

Flickr user coreycam

In case you missed it, Rabbi Lustig was on the The Diane Rehm Show on Monday morning with his partners in the Abrahamic Roundtable, Professor Akbar Ahmed and Bishop John Chane. They discussed the controversy over the planned Muslim community center in Lower Manhattan—widely described as the "Ground Zero Mosque." They also spoke more generally about the attitude toward Islam in the United States.

You can listen to the whole show here. The program begins with Rabbi Lustig, Bishop Chane, and Professor Ahmed. After a political discussion, they return at the 27:30 mark.

In his remarks Rabbi Lustig mentions several prominent leaders of Reform Judaism who have expressed support for the mosque/community center project. See this editorial in the Washington Post by Rabbi David Ellenson, president of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and Rabbi Robert Levine, senior rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Manhattan. Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judiasm, and Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center here in Washinton, released a joint statement. Rabbi Lustig also responds to a question about the ADL, which has taken a stand against the project.

For Discussion: What are your thoughts about this controversy? What are your reactions to the radio program or the articles? What do you think are the most important factors we should consider when addressing this issue?

(Reminder: To post a comment, click the "comments" link below this post. Let's make this a [respectful] discussion!)

Jewels of Elul

2010-08-13T15:11:00.000-04:00

Martin LaBar's Flickr

This week we began the Hebrew month of Elul, the last month of the Hebrew calendar. Because it leads up to the High Holidays, Elul is a time for reflection, self-examination, and study. During Elul, it is traditional to blow the shofar every weekday at the end of the morning service, to call us to repentance. (During my year in Jerusalem, I learned this custom the hard way, being awakened—literally, if not spiritually—at 6:00 a.m. every morning by the shofar from the shul nextdoor.)

Jewels of Elul is a project designed to keep us mindful of this time of spiritual preparation. Every day they post a short teaching or reflection. You can even sign up to have them e-mailed to you. Some are by rabbis, but many are not. Past contributors include President Obama, Desmond Tutu, Eli Wiesel, Deepak Chopra, and lots more. (Today's is by Lady Gaga.)

Elul is also an excellent time to come to Shabbat services, visit cemeteries, or read a good Jewish book. Any of these things will add depth and meaning to our observance of the High Holidays.

For Discussion: Do you have anything you do this time each year to prepare for the High Holidays? I will start us off. I always make an appointment for my annual physical during Elul.

First Gay Marriage

2010-08-13T14:52:00.001-04:00

by Stefano Bolognini

This past Saturday night I officiated at my first gay wedding. Since same-sex marriage has only been legally available in the District since March, I am guessing this was among the first (if not the first) legally-recognized same-sex marriage conducted under the auspices of Washington Hebrew Congregation.

With same-sex marriage such a hot topic in the news, I have been asked frequently about Reform Judaism's position. Answer: The major institutions of Reform Judaism have long been in favor of full civil rights for gay men and lesbians, including the right to civil marriage. In the mid-1990's, both the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis passed resolutions supporting the cause of same-sex civil marriage. (Available here and here.) The Religious Action Center lobbies on behalf of LGBT rights, including marriage.

The question of whether Reform Judaism supports Jewish marriage (kiddushin) between two men or two women is much trickier. The official position of the Central Conference of American Rabbis is that "the relationship of a Jewish, same gender couple is worthy of affirmation through appropriate Jewish ritual." But should that ritual be called "marriage?" Here, Reform rabbis still disagree. The CCAR's Responsa Committee (for answering Jewish legal questions) voted 7-2 against granting same-sex relationships the status of marriage. (The committee's opinions are advisory, not binding.) Currently, the CCAR affirms each rabbi's individual choice whether and how to officiate at rituals for same-sex couples. This is similar to the position on officiation at interfaith weddings, which is also left to the decision of individual rabbis.

Personally, I am among the rabbis who believe that kiddushin—the rite of Jewish marriage—is the appropriate ritual for sanctifying and celebrating the relationships of same-sex couples. I officiate at those ceremonies with the same awe and joy I feel any time I am priveleged to join a couple beneath the chuppah. And I am grateful to be part of a congregation that respects my choice in what is still, for many, such a fraught and controversial question.

For now, I am just thrilled to be the rabbi of one more happy, married couple. Mazal tov, Howard and Don! L'chayim!

Amar'e Stoudemire Jewish?

2010-08-04T14:22:00.000-04:00

Keith Allison's Flickr
via Creative Commons

Last week saw reports that Amar'e Stoudemire, the NBA all-star who just signed a $100 million deal to play for the Knicks, was traveling to Israel to explore his "Jewish roots." This led to some excitement on the Jewish blogs—if true, it would automatically make Stoudemire probably the highest-profile Jewish athlete in the world.

But not so fast... While Stoudemire hasn't ruled out the possibility that he has some Jewish lineage on his mother's side, he says his trip is more about connecting to Jewish history and culture.

Still, I think the press on Stoudemire's adventure has been very positive for Israel. He seems genuine and respectful, and the Twitter account of his trip (with Hebrew!) has been great.

If you're really interested in this story, you might want to check out the interview (posted below) that Stoudemire gave to an Israeli sports network. I will forgive him for consistently referring to Omri Casspi—the first Israeli player in the NBA—as "Omar." I will not forgive the reporter for seeming to define Judaism (at the 2:30 mark) as 1) wearing a yarmulke, 2) not eating bread on Passover, and 3) fasting on Yom Kippur.

I guess Jewish basketball fans will have to keep rooting for Casspi or Jordan Farmar. And if we're lucky, we may even get to see Jon Scheyer someday soon.

Yoffie on Fundamentalists

2010-08-02T15:49:00.000-04:00

URJ

Today in the Huffington Post, Rabbi Eric Yoffie writes an interesting editorial on what Reform Jews can learn from the ultra-orthodox. (Read it here.)

Of course, we abhor many aspects of Jewish fundamentalism (e.g. bigotry, chauvinism, close-mindedness, etc.) But Yoffie admires the cohesiveness and responsiveness of their community. When it comes to visiting the sick, consoling the bereaved, or helping those in need, ultra-orthodox Jews take responsibility and participate in ways that—in liberal Jewish communities—are often left to the rabbis or a few select volunteers.

For Discussion: What can we (at WHC) do to make it easer for our members to feel connected to each other and to participate in the mitzvot of community life?

P.S. — After 14 years as the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Yoffie has announced that he will retire in June, 2012. In an undoubtedly wise decision, the Union has asked our own president, Peter Winik, to serve on the presidential search committee. In a ~~much more questionable~~ very generous decision, Peter has accepted.

Verses in the Dark

2010-07-29T17:15:00.000-04:00

via Wikimedia Commons

As I write, the sky outside Temple has just gone black, and we’re hearing our first thunderclaps. Hopefully, this storm will not cause as much damage as last weekend’s—we had no electricity for about two days. What to do? No television, no light for reading—well, there’s always looking up Bible verses on my Blackberry. It went something like this:

     Lo, the storm of the LORD goes forth in fury,
     A whirling storm,
     It shall whirl down upon the heads of the wicked.
     (Jeremiah 23:19)

Well, I wouldn’t call us wicked, exactly. But I can see why our ancestors would think that. This wind is pretty terrifying.

     Look to the covenant! For the dark places of the land are
     full of the haunts of lawlessness.(Psalms 74:20)

Hey, you! When a traffic light is out, you’re supposed to treat it like a four-way stop. Lawlessness, indeed.

     Darkness is not dark for You;
     night is as light as day;
     darkness and light are the same. (Psalms 139:12)

This verse is about God’s omniscience—even our “dark” secrets are not hidden from God. But at the moment, I am pretty fixated on the literal meaning: It’s nighttime, and I could use some light.

     Who among you reveres the LORD
     And heeds the voice of His servant? —
     Though he walk in darkness
     And have no light,
     Let him trust in the name of the LORD
     And rely upon his God. (Isaiah 50:10)

It’s times like this we realize how much we rely on the utility companies. “Trust in the name of the LORD” is often not our strong suit. But it’s pretty good advice. Note: The “servant” mentioned here is identified in the Christian tradition as Jesus, but Jewish interpreters offer many possibilities (Isaiah himself, King Cyrus of Persia, the Messiah, the People of Israel as a whole, and others).

     You, O LORD, are my lamp;
     The LORD lights up my darkness. (II Samuel 22:29)

Finally, the power is back on! Thank God!

     The people that walked in darkness
     Have seen a brilliant light;
     On those who dwelt in a land of gloom
     Light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:1)

Now we just have to clean out the refrigerator.

We pray that everyone stays safe and cool during this storm and beyond. And if you find yourself stuck with just a phone for entertainment, My Jewish Learning has a great mobile site.

Can We Get Better Pictures?

2010-07-22T12:26:00.000-04:00

A few people have asked me why the blog images so far are heavy on old paintings and photos of 19th century Jewish leaders. The short answer: I am trying to follow the law.

It would be incredibly easy to search Google Images and find the perfect illustration for any given blog post. From what I've seen, that's what most non-professional bloggers (even rabbi bloggers) do. But that approach is neither legal nor ethical. A large portion of the images on the Internet are protected by copyright.

So what images am I allowed to use? I try to find images in the public domain or available via a Creative Commons license. There are lots of websites devoted to collecting images that can be used legally for free. Hopefully, I'll get better and better at using these resources, and the WHC blog will always have fun, interesting, and legally-used images to go along with our posts.

In paying attention to copyright, we are also following an important Jewish ethical principle:

Whoever says something in the name of the person who said it [first] brings redemption to the world. (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chullin 104b)

Giving attribution is also listed in Pirkei Avot (6:6, found here as "Mishna F") as one of the 48 virtues necessary for an individual to "acquire" the Torah. Based on this statement and others, intellectual property has become a major concern of Jewish ethics. Some go so far as to say that unfairly appropriating the words/thoughts/creativity of another person violates the Eighth Commandment, "Thou shalt not steal."

So, I apologize if the blog images aren't always the most exciting ones possible. We are just trying to do our part to bring redemption to the world.

Tisha B'Av

2010-07-20T14:00:00.001-04:00

Today is Tisha b'Av (The Ninth of Av), a day of fasting and mourning on the traditional Jewish calendar. Tisha b'Av commemorates the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E., as well as many other national disasters in Jewish history.

In addition to fasting, traditional rituals for Tisha b'Av include refraining from wearing leather, washing, or wearing perfume. Torah study is also prohibited, since that is a joyful activity.

On Tisha b'Av, the biblical book of Lamentations (Eichah) is chanted. This devasting set of poems is traditionally ascribed to the Prophet Jeremiah, who took refuge in a cave in the Jerusalem hills to lament the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. (see picture). Lamentations is chanted with its own mournful melody, not used for any other book of the Bible. (Except for parts of Esther and one haftarah, but that's another story.)

As I wrote in an earlier post, Reform Jews have a difficult time with the observance of Tisha b'Av, since our ideology demands the deemphasis of the Jerusalem Temple.

One interesting idea for reclaiming this observance is promoted by Rabbi Arthur Waskow, a leader in the Jewish renewal and environmental movements. Rabbi Waskow proposes that Jews observe Tisha b'Av as a day of mourning for the earth, with particular regard to the environmental disaster in the Gulf. He has even created a ceremony with several moving modern lamentations.

I may not agree entirely with his politics, but I am deeply impressed by his creativity. Reading Waskow's work, Tisha b'Av felt more relevant to me than it has in years.

Image: Rembrandt, Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem (1630)

Welcome, New Readers!

2010-07-15T17:52:00.003-04:00

If you are seeing this, you probably read about the blog in the WHC eNewsletter. Welcome! For a few weeks now, I have been practicing my blog writing, and a brave group of congregants have started posting comments. I hope now that we have "gone live" to the whole congregation, this blog will really become a place for online discussion and community.

While you're here, maybe you'll want to catch up by reading my previous posts (below). If anything interests you, please leave a comment by using the "comments" link at the bottom of each post.

Or, you can comment on this post. I'll give you a topic: What topics would you like me to write about in future blog posts? I am open to all suggestions!

Thanks for stopping by. Come back often!

Image by Thewmatt

Great Comments

2010-07-15T17:00:00.010-04:00

Responding to my post about the 200th anniversary of Reform Judaism, Mark D. writes:

A very interesting subject and article, and I hope it will provoke a lively discussion. As I am sure many of you have experienced, many Conservative and Orthodox friends will inevitably comment that playing an organ in the synagogue is -- in their eyes -- comepletely foreign and essentially something that "belongs in church." To me (and, I assume, to our congregation generally), the organ and the overall musical part of our worship service seem both fundamental and indispensible. Yet the suggestion of a "bell tower" atop the synagogue (even if playing Jewish melodies) seems beyond radical and makes me completely uncomfortable (albeit not for any sound reason that I can articulate). I suppose that this is just a natural reaction to change. Perhaps if we could develop a clever Midrash about why synagogues have bell towers, that might ease the way for their adoption.

Mark correctly observes that depending on one's background, the exact same custom can feel indisensably Jewish or uncomfortably non-Jewish.

I would add that even within Reform Judaism, the perception of certain customs has changed drastically over time. The Union Prayer Book referred to the rabbi as "minister" (until the 1922 edition). For generations, rabbis at Washington Hebrew were referred to as "reverend." (Rabbi Gerstenfeld may have been the last.) Both designations have fallen into disfavor as not very Jewish. WHC congregants are used to seeing their rabbis and cantors wear robes, but I doubt they would be as comfortable with the clerical collars and hats favored by some liberal rabbis in the 19th century.

Many many factors affect whether a "borrowed" custom feels authentically Jewish to us today. But from Confirmation to Sunday school to bridesmaids and groomsmen, Reform Judaism has done some excellent borrowing these past 200 years.

Image: Isaac Bernays (1792-1849), Chief Rabbi in Hamburg

Anat Hoffman Arrested at Western Wall

2010-07-13T09:16:00.003-04:00

Every Rosh Chodesh (first day of a Hebrew month), a group called the "Women of the Wall" (WOW) gathers to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. You can read a brief history of this groundbreaking group here. Although they remain limited to the "women's section" of the Wall, these women have been victims of harassment and violence for daring to do things like sing psalms and read from a Torah scroll in public.

Yesterday, Anat Hoffman, a longtime leader in WOW and Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), was arrested during WOW's monthly prayer service and questioned for several hours by the police. Her arrest was captured on video:

Sad, infuriating...unsurprising. As you can see, Anat was arrested for carrying a Torah (while being a woman). The struggle of women to be allowed to pray openly at one of the holiest sites of the Jewish world is intimately connected to the struggle of Liberal and Reform Jews to achieve equal rights in the State of Israel. Events like this stress the bond between American Jews and Israel and threaten the Jewish future.

We are reminded once again why our support of IRAC and the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism is so important.

Happy Birthday, Reform Judaism (Part I)

2010-07-08T11:58:00.004-04:00

On July 17, 2010, many will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Reform Judaism. Why not all? Well, it's difficult to pinpoint an exact day on which our movement started. But on July 17, 1810, something appeared that had never existed before in the Jewish world.

In the small town of Seesen (about 150 miles west of Berlin), a man named Israel Jacobson (see picture) dedicated an agricultural school. In this new school, Jewish and Christian boys studied side by side, a testament to Jacobson's belief that Judaism and Christianity were essentially similar—based on similar values and morals, separated only by different forms and rituals.

Even more strikingly, the school included a chapel for a new kind of Jewish worship. The bimah was moved from the center of the room to the front. There was an organ. Prayers, songs, and even sermons were delivered in the vernacular (German). The changes in the prayer service that have always been the most visible trademark of Reform Judaism had begun.

I want to write more about this anniversary next week, but I'm posting now because of an editorial I read in The Forward yesterday. Pretty much everything I know about the history of Reform Judaism I learned from Michael Meyer, the world's leading expert on the subject and a distinguished professor at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. (He also taught Rabbi Shankman and Rabbi Lustig.) He wrote this editorial, which reflects on Jacobson's reforms and on the evolution and meaning of Reform Judaism.

Please read the editorial and then COMMENT here on the blog. What did you think? Was there anything you had questions about? Let's have a discussion.

P.S. — Jacobson's temple in Seesen included a bell tower. Considered very Christian, that custom was not adopted even by the most radical Reform congregations that followed. Do you think Washington Hebrew should have a bell tower? (We could play Jewish songs.)

Great Comments

2010-07-02T14:02:00.007-04:00

Thanks to everyone who has commented on the blog so far! I look forward to even more people participating, and we'll really get some discussions going.

Note: To read comments or to leave a comment, click the link under any post that says "1 comments," "2 comments," etc.

Normally, I will respond to comments in the comments section. But occasionally, I want to highlight particularly interesting comments in a separate post (like this one).

Responding to my post about the oil spill and Jewish ethics, Linda C. wrote:

If the ethical teachings are relevant and still resonate with issues of our time, which it appears from your passage that they do, they can form the basis for discussion and thought. If they do not serve as a framework, we are disregarding the traditions upon which our present day observance is founded. We ultimately may disagree with the teachings (as have Rabbis and teachers throughout time), but they offer a starting point for discussion.

Linda addresses the difficult issue of what role traditional Jewish texts—particularly Rabbinic legal texts, whose authority we question—should have in our Jewish lives. She describes them as a "framework" and as a "basis" and "starting point" for discussion. I agree with her completely. I might even go one step further—as Reform Jews, we have an obligation to examine our tradition, to seek out texts that "resonate with issues of our time." That's one of the reasons lifelong learning is so important. We will never master all of Jewish text or thought, but constant engagement and Jewish growth are values (and obligations) in and of themselves.

And of course, ongoing learning is one of the primary purposes of this new blog...

A (Very) Minor Holiday

2010-06-29T17:09:00.003-04:00

On the Hebrew calendar, today is the 17th of Tammuz, a minor fast day. Unlike the "major" fast of Yom Kippur, which traditionally lasts 25 hours, on a minor fast day, one only refrains from food from sunrise to sunset. The period from the 17th of Tammuz to Tisha b'Av (the 9th of Av, or this year, July 20th) is known as the "Three Weeks," during which some Jews observe mourning customs—not holding weddings or parties, avoiding haircuts or shaving, etc.

Why? According to the Mishnah (Taanit 4:6), five disasters befell the Jews on the 17th of Tammuz:

Moses smashed the original tablets of the Ten Commandments (because of the Golden Calf).
When Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonians, they had to stop offering a sacrifice at the Temple, because the city ran out of goats.
When Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans, on this day they breached the walls.
Apostomos (a Roman general?) burned a Torah scroll and...
...placed an idol in the Temple.

The Three Weeks of mourning lead up to Tisha b'Av, the major fast commemorating the destruction of the Temple (the "Second Temple" in Jerusalem) by the Romans in 70 C.E.

As part of their attempt to modernize Judaism, the founders of the Reform Movement removed the emphasis on the Jerusalem Temple. They eliminated prayers that referred to Temple sacrifices and all the traditional prayers for the Temple to be rebuilt. They deemphasized fast days like the 17th of Tammuz, which focused on Temple-related disasters in the past.

Those early Reforms have mostly persisted—very few Reform Jews will be fasting today. But being aware of the traditional Jewish calendar helps us stay connected to the larger Jewish world. And an excuse for some Jewish text and history is never a bad thing.

For discussion: In recent decades, WHC (like many Reform congregations) has reintroduced customs long absent from Reform Judaism. Would you like to see us re-engage with more observances from the traditional Jewish calendar? Should we commemorate the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple?

Image: James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902), The Chaldees Destroy the Brazen Sea

The Oil Spill: Jewish Reflections (Part I)

2010-06-23T16:40:00.013-04:00

There are countless Jewish ways to respond to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. These past several weeks, I have thought many times of Genesis 2:15, “Adonai Elohim took Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to tend it and to keep it.” How terribly we have failed at fulfilling this first, most basic human responsibility!

But beside our anger and anguish, our fear and sadness for the people of the Gulf region—the oil spill raises complex ethical and legal questions. How does Judaism address them? There were no oil spills in the days of the Bible or of the classical Jewish texts. As with any modern dilemma, we must mine our tradition for useful parallels.

For example, take this passage from the Mishnah, the compilation of Rabbinic law edited in Roman Palestine around 200 C.E.:

One may not set up an oven within a house unless there is a space of four cubits above it [to the ceiling]. If he sets it up in an upper room, the floor beneath it must be three handbreaths thick.... If it causes damage [by setting fire to the house and neighboring houses], he is liable to pay for the damage. But Rabbi Shimon says: The reason for all of these measurements is that [if they are observed], one is not liable to pay for any damage. (Bava Batra 2:2)

A house fire was a major economic and public safety hazard in ancient cities, and so the Rabbis regulate the use of ovens indoors. But what if one follows all the regulations, and a fire still results? Here the Rabbis disagree. The unnamed consensus says the oven owner must pay for the damage. Rabbi Shimon argues that if the oven owner has taken all the precautions required by the Rabbis, he is free of liability, no matter what damage may result from an accidental fire.

Now as then, we rely on government regulation to keep us safe from the unintended consequences of others' actions. A large part of our anger at the oil spill is based on the sense that adequate regulations were not in place or worse, that they were subverted or ignored.

This mishnah teaches us that in Jewish law, regulation is legitimate and necessary to protect the public welfare.

As for Rabbi Shimon? The Talmud and later Jewish law side against him. Even when one complies with all regulations, one is liable to pay for any damage accidentally caused. Just as in our day, regulation is no substitute for personal and corporate responsibility.

For discussion: As you know, most of the law in the ancient Jewish sources has been set aside in Reform Judaism. Should we still try to learn ethics from those sources?

Image © BP p.l.c.

New Jewish Magazine: A Must-Read

2010-06-17T09:47:00.009-04:00

I just finished reading the inaugural issue of the Jewish Review of Books, and I am in love. How can I describe it? In his welcoming introduction, the editor, Abraham Socher, contrasts his Review with the academic journals, pop-culture magazines, and special-interest newspapers that form the Jewish periodical landscape:

“We aspire to offer something different: a lively magazine of ideas and argument, criticism and commentary, written especially for intelligent men and women who believe, as I do, that Jewish subjects are worthy of attention that is serious, accessible, and occasionally even playful.” (Spring 2010, p. 4)

Amen. Finally, a magazine that offers sophisticated perspectives on important Jewish issues—and isn’t written only for rabbis. Hillel Halkin’s review of a new British prayer book gave me a lot to think about regarding WHC’s own explorations of prayer books and Mishkan T’filah. This essay by Michael Weingrad, “Why There is No Jewish Narnia,” is full of “aha!” moments for those Jews (like me) who grew up on Narnia, Tolkien, Harry Potter, or pretty much any fantasy adventure. And if you're looking for good suggestions of new Jewish books to read, the Review has dozens.

The whole first issue is free online, but I’m not waiting—I’m already a subscriber.

For Discussion: Are there any Jewish periodicals you read regularly? (Washington Jewish Week? Reform Judaism Magazine? The Forward? Commentary?)

Why a Blog?

2010-06-17T09:40:00.005-04:00

Washington Hebrew Congregation is a large and diverse community, and we are always looking for new ways to enhance the Jewish life and learning of our members. What will you find here?

Food for thought: Torah, ethics, philosophy, history…
Commentary on events in the Jewish world and the local Jewish community
Links to important(/fun?) Jewish articles, websites, etc.
Discussion of life at Washington Hebrew Congregation

Are you a college student or out-of-town member? Visit often and stay connected. Too busy for regular adult study? Visit often for Jewish enrichment. Not sure if a blog is a good idea? Visit often and we’ll all find out together.

My commitment to you: This blog will be updated frequently. You’ll be hearing from me a lot. As the blog gains momentum, our other rabbis, cantors, staff, and lay leadership may share their thoughts as well.

One more thing… Perhaps the greatest asset of a blog is the potential for open discussion. Please use the “comments” button below to become part of the conversation. Comments will be moderated, but anything appropriate will be posted quickly. For online safety, I recommend identifying yourself with first name and last initial (e.g., Noah F.) To start, I’ll give you a topic: What issues/topics would you like to see addressed in future blog posts?

As always, any non-public feedback can be sent directly to me at nfabricant "at" whctemple "dot" org. Let the experiment begin.