Rabbi Linda's blog

The first seder of Passover falls on the evening of Monday April 22, under the light of the full moon and amidst the beauty of Spring. We recount our story of liberation with props from the seder plate and songs from the Haggadah, celebrating redemption, which along with creation and revelation form the three defining narratives of Judaism. Pesach holds the message that motivates our community to work toward freedom and justice while it lends comfort by reminding us of the promise of redemption. This Pesach, we sorely need that reminder.

The displays of antisemitism that we have been witnessing are both distressing and alarming and for many of us downright baffling. As painful as this is to confront, we learn from Torah and from Jewish history over time that we must name and understand our experiences and this phenomenon in order to engage constructively.

While this is critical for the Jewish community, many teach that antisemitism is dangerous on additional
fronts. In early 2017 I heard a presentation from Eric Ward, a racial justice activist and strategist, who
taught that antisemitism is the foundation of the racism espoused by white nationalists in our country. The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks took this further and wrote that antisemitism is the world’s most reliable early warning sign of a major threat to freedom, humanity, and the dignity of difference. While I’d prefer to engage in more uplifting topics, I believe that it is incumbent upon us to turn to one another in order to share, to learn and to strengthen ourselves as we engage with this sad and frightening reality. 

So, back to Pesach for inspiration.

On Pesach we raise up the number four through the Haggadah: four questions, four children; four cups of wine and four expressions of redemption. The Haggadah quotes the biblical texts raising up these four expressions:

I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians and free you from their slavery.
I will deliver you with a demonstration of My power and with great acts of judgment.
I will take you to Me as a nation. (Ex.6: 6‐7).

At Beth Israel we will offer four opportunities to share, learn, and engage with current discussions about antisemitism, its abhorrent roots and devastating branches.

1. This month we will gather on zoom to share personal experiences and to reflect on an educational resource that will be sent out in advance.

2. On May 5 we will gather in the sanctuary with a guest teacher, Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, to learn more and to share concerns.

3, 4. In the summer, we will offer two learning modules, each based on a different article. We are hoping to set these up for asynchronous learning and discussion enabling those who are unable to commit to specific time slots to engage with one another around this important topic.

We hope that one or more of the opportunities will work for you, if you feel moved to engage on this topic. Please let me know if you have other needs or ideas.

In the meantime, let’s continue to strengthen ourselves through our regular practices of connecting, learning, celebrating, supporting, praying, and doing tikkun olam together. Let’s lift each other up when we are despairing and nourish our spirits as well as our bodies. If you are in a hard place, remember, you are not alone. And finally, remember the essential message of our redemption narrative: Redemption comes. Let’s stay strong and work together to raise up the beauty of this world.