Here is a Link to the video of my sermon:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JhBibjTyePE
My Dear Friends, L’shanah Tovah!
Tomorrow morning, we will once again read the story of the Binding of Isaac – the Akeydah. We will hear as Abraham is called by God to sacrifice his only son as a test of faith and how, at the very last second, an angel of God calls out and commands him to stop – saving Isaac’s life and Abraham and Sarah’s legacy.
I have been writing and delivering Rosh Hashanah sermons
ever since my first High Holyday student pulpit in Walterboro South Carolina in
1983. Each year, I have wrestled with this text, and the many ethical,
theological, and psychological problems that it poses- and I am not alone.
Philosophers, commentators, and Rabbis from Rashi to Kierkegaard have tried to
understand the messages and purposes of this complex narrative.
As I approach my last year as your Senior Rabbi, the
quandary of the Akeydah still looms large. One of the key issues that Abraham
faces as he and Isaac go on their three-day journey to Mt. Moriah is the
difficulty of holding on to two completely different and contradictory
narratives. God is testing Abraham. God tells him to take his son, his only son
– whom he loves – and offer him up as a sacrifice. God has promised Abraham and
Sarah that their descendants will be plentiful and that Isaac will be the progenitor
of multiple generations.
Herein lies his dilemma: If Abraham sacrifices Isaac, then
God’s promise of future generations is nullified. But if he does not go ahead
with this horrible deed, then he is disobeying his Creator. Both outcomes are
untenable. Abraham is facing an existential crisis that challenges both his
faith and the reality in which he lives. Even the ending of the narrative is
chilling. When, at the last minute, Abraham learns that this entire ordeal was
a trial to measure his faithfulness, we are left with the question: “What kind
of god would torture someone with such a horrific test?”
During the course of this past year, in the aftermath of
October 7th, many of us have felt like Abraham.
We too have been tested. Of course, our experience here in Denver pales
in comparison with the pain that Israelis are experiencing. And yet, as the
one-year anniversary of the unspeakable horrors of the Hamas pogrom draws near,
and in the shadow of the recent attacks on Israel from Iran, Jews around the
world are dealing with several painful realities:
- The plight of the hostages in Gaza and the unbearable suffering that their loved ones are enduring as they wait for some glimmer of hope to emerge from this horrific situation,
- Yesterday’s missile attacks by Iran that made it perfectly clear that this war is not between Israel and Hamas, or Hezbollah – but, rather it is Iran that threatens the peace and stability of the middle East – if not the entire globe,
- The frightening rise of Anti-Semitism from both the Far Right and the Far Left here in America,
- The coordinated and well-orchestrated anti-Israel and anti-Semitic protests on school campuses, on the streets, legislative halls and public squares of every city around the country and around the world that utilize terms such as globalism, apartheid, colonialism, and racism to demonize Zionism and slander the State of Israel,
- The sense of abandonment that many in the Jewish world are experiencing as we see former partners with whom we worked side by side on issues of social justice, now spouting anti-Zionist and Anti-Semitic tropes that we thought were long buried in the ash-heap of history,
- The verbal attacks on Israel as it fights a war it did not seek – and when it targets enemies bent on its destruction it is blamed for the deaths of innocents who are deliberately placed in harm’s way,
…All of these have contributed to a sense of dread and
uncertainty that have shaken us to the core. And to top it all off - this is
taking place against a backdrop of social and political upheaval in America as
we approach another bitterly fought presidential election.
The situation for Jews - in America and around the world –
is rapidly changing. In the 42 years since beginning my journey to the
Rabbinate, I cannot recall another, more precarious time.
- The fact that armed guards are now commonplace in every synagogue we enter,
- The ever-increasing budget lines designated for protective personnel and defensive building upgrades that take away needed funds for education and other programming,
- The many security protocols that we have put in place
And perhaps, more unnerving than all these factors is the
increasing generational disconnect in our community as a not insignificant
number of Jews – especially young Jews - are questioning the values, history
and underpinnings of Zionism, and they are using the very same rhetoric and
language as those who strive to put an end to the State of Israel.
The phrases, “Free Palestine,” “from the river to the sea,”
and “globalize the intifada” are not new. We know what they mean. We understand
that they are calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. We expect to
hear them from our enemies. But the pain and shock of hearing these very same
phrases coming from the mouths of our fellow Jews– many of whom grew up in our
congregations and our homes - is quite another matter.
I am a proud Zionist. And I am not alone. I know that many,
if not most of you here tonight share my views.
And yet, Increasingly, the connection between American Jews
and Israel is being challenged by new norms and expectations that pose
difficult questions we must ask ourselves:
- Are Zionism and Judaism really intertwined? Can one be a Jew and an anti-Zionist?
- How do we deal with the sufferings of innocents caught up in the crossfire between Israel and its enemies in Gaza, The West Bank, and Lebanon?
- What has been the impact of the policies of the current extremist government in Israel on Jews around the world who do not share in the triumphalist, fundamentalist and all too-often, racist views of some of the members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet?
- Christian Nationalism is on the rise in America. While not all non-Jewish supporters of Israel are Christian Nationalists, many Far Right, fundamentalist movements that love Israel often base their support on theological and ideological principles that share little, if anything, with our Jewish values. Can we truly feel comfortable marching side by side with those whose Zionism is based on a triumphalist, eschatological world view, and whose vision of a theocratic, Christian America that includes the subjugation of women, condemnation of our LGBTQ+ friends, family, and neighbors, and tearing down the sacred walls separating religion and State?
- And most important, have we failed to teach the next generation about the vital connection between the land and the people of Israel?
And so, we American Jews, like Abraham, find ourselves
holding multiple, sometimes contradictory narratives that expose both our fears
and our failures – at a time that we can least afford to be uncertain about
ourselves, our values, or our future.
Tonight, as we welcome in a New Year, we have no choice but
to acknowledge that we are facing a turning point in our history. One of the
main issues that the Jewish community must address in the short term is the
need to radically transform the way that teach our children - and ourselves,
for that matter - the essential call of K’lal-Yisrael- or Jewish peoplehood
We’ve done an excellent job of working for social justice.
The universal push for Tikkun Olam – the repairing of our all too broken world
has no less value today than it did before October 7th. But has this emphasis on Universalism moved
us away from the importance of peoplehood? As Hillel taught:
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”
We Reform Jews are experts on the second part of Hillel’s
Maxim: וכשאני ולעצמי מה אני? -- “If I am only for
myself, what am I?” – and we should be proud of that fact. But we have fallen
short in relation to his primary statement: אם אין אני לי מי לי?
“If I am not for
myself, who will be for me?” We have taught our children to look out and care
for others – and this is as it should be – the ideals that fuel our movement’s
social justice initiatives are essential. But they cannot replace the
importance of supporting our community in times of need – especially in the
State of Israel.
And this leads us to the third part of Hillel’s Maxim: ואם לא עכשיו אי מתי?
Im lo achshav,
eymatai? – If not now, when?
If we do not act quickly to increase our emphasis on K’lal
Yisrael, then we run the very real risk of distancing ourselves from the
history and values that have sustained our people for millennia.
We also cannot afford to cut off the young people whose anger and angst about the State of Israel has caused them to protest. As much as we might disagree with them, they see this conflict as a human rights issue. They are living out the very values we have taught them – if not in a misguided fashion.
- We have taught them that the pursuit of social justice is a central Jewish value.
- We have taught them to speak up for the powerless.
- We have taught them that we should not oppress the stranger for we know the heart of the stranger – having ourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.
And when they hear from others that Israel is an occupying
and abusive power; when they are told that everything that they learned about
Israel is false; when they repeatedly hear the lie that Israel is a racist,
colonialist enterprise that is oppressing an indigenous population, they do not
have enough information to confront and refute this sophisticated poison that
flows directly from our enemies.
This is on us, my friends. There is no short term “magic
pill” that can address propaganda. Education about the history of the Jewish
people and the values of Zionism takes time, resources, effort and consistency.
It also takes courage to tell the whole story – not a sanitized version of the
truth.
Let me be clear: Israel is not a utopia. The myth of Israeli
infallibility is dangerous. Mistakes have been made over the past 75 years.
Democracy and governance can be messy. Just look at our own country! When we
hold Israel to an impossible standard of perfection, we do everyone a
disservice and open the door to manipulation and misinformation.
My friends, the task before us is difficult, but not
impossible. For 2 millennia, Judaism has taught us how to disagree without
alienating one another. We can’t lose this now.
It is said in the debates between Hillel and Shammai that the
Halacha - Jewish law -often went on the
side of Hillel in part because he knew the opposing views and would lay them
out before presenting his own.
As such – it is vitally important that, instead of cutting
off our young people who actively oppose Israel and Zionism, we should open our
doors and hearts and bring them close. We should listen to them and hope that
they, in turn, will listen to us. This doesn’t mean that we should agree with
or support their beliefs, but rather it does mean that we want to engage them
in true dialogue and let them know that they are not pariahs. We cannot afford
to lose them. They are our children.
Similarly, as we teach our children and ourselves about the
State of Israel we cannot sugarcoat the facts on the ground. Instead of
ignoring or rejecting the problems facing the Jewish state, we need to work to
improve them. One powerful way to accomplish this is by supporting the Reform
Movement in Israel.
Some of you will remember that a year and a half ago - in
April of 2023 - I served as a delegate for the Reform Movement to a special
meeting of the World Zionist Conference in Jerusalem. There, in addition to
celebrating Israel’s 75th anniversary, we also debated and voted on key issues
that faced the worldwide Zionist movement. The World Zionist Congress is a
non-governmental gathering of every facet of the Zionist movement. Its main
purpose is to set forward an agenda for education and allocation of resources
from the World Zionist Organization and its affiliates – including, ARZA – (the
Association of Reform Zionists in America), Haddasah, B’nai Brith, and other
groups from the most Ultra-Othodox, Far Right, to the extreme left. Prior to
the Congress, there is an election in which every organization and movement
encourages its members to vote. The more votes received, the more power and
influence on policy a movement has. The next Congress will take place in Fall
of 2025. Elections will take place from March to May next year.
Lest you think that this is a trivial matter, let me assure
you that it is not. While non-citizens
cannot vote in Israeli elections, we can have a say in promoting and sustaining
our values. Millions of dollars of funds, and key leadership portfolios will be
distributed from the Jewish Agency in Israel based on the results of next
year’s elections. The platforms and policies funded by these resources will
reflect the vote tallies. By registering
as a member and by casting your vote, you can and will make a huge difference.
The Far-Right Zionist camp did not do well in the last elections. This time,
they are well organized and have prepared a sophisticated smear campaign
against the Reform movement – calling us non-Jews and anti-Zionists. We cannot
let them win.
Why is this important? In the words of my friend and
colleague, Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Director of ARZA:
“Liberal Zionism is the insistence that there is no necessary contradiction between Israel’s dual identity as a Jewish and democratic state: that Israel can be a national home and refuge for the Jewish people while also embodying universal democratic principles of human rights and equality. Threading this needle, for liberal Zionists, means Israel must adopt a more liberal set of policies — most importantly, a two-state peace agreement with the Palestinians that allows both peoples to live with security and dignity, and to allow for greater religious freedom and pluralism.”
And so, I want you to do something tonight. As you leave services, you will notice
several posters in the Foyer about registering to vote for the World Zionist
Congress. There is a QR code on these posters that will take you to a website
that will give you information about the World Zionist Congress and help you
register to vote. Before you go home, take a picture of the QR code. If you’re not comfortable doing that, it’s ok
- all Temple members will be receiving information about the Zionist Congress
in the next few weeks – but it is vitally important that everyone register!
There will also be opportunities to get involved on a grass-roots level here in
Denver to help register as many people as possible.
My Dear Friends, we are living in difficult times. Our
hearts are turned towards Israel as it struggles against enemies – within and
without. But together we can make a
difference. Now is the time for us to work together to reinforce all of our
values: the Universal and the Particular - those of K’lal Yisrael and those
that teach us to care for others. They are not mutually exclusive. Now is the
time to remember the words of Israel’s National Anthem – “Hatikvah”
Od Lo Avda Tikvateynu – We have not lost our hope – the hope
of two thousand years, to be a free people in our land – in the land of Zion
and Jerusalem. HaTikvah means “The Hope.”
The late great Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote the following:
"Many of us confuse two concepts: optimism and hope.
They sound similar. But in truth, they are very different. Optimism is the
belief that things will get better. Hope is the belief that together we can
make things better. To be optimistic requires no courage. A certain naivety
suffices. But to hope requires great courage. No Jew who knows the history of
their people, much of which was written in tears, can be optimistic. But no
Jew, if they are a true Jew, can give up hope. And that is why Judaism is for me
the voice of hope in the conversation of humanity. And hope is what changes the
human condition."
As we begin a new year, let us journey together with hope in
our hearts. Let us work and pray for peace and reconciliation, and let us say,
AMEN – L’Shanah Tovah
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