blogs/rabbi-huberman

Unity Against Hatred?

See, ("Re'eh"), is the word which begins this week's Torah portion.

Indeed, there was much for Americans and the world to see this past weekend.

Torch carrying Nazis storming the streets of Charlottesville. Symbols which during the 1940's provided the backdrop for the extermination of millions of Jews and others, boldly flying in the streets of an American city.

How is this possible in a country which has throughout its history embraced justice, freedom and compassion?

See. How a synagogue in Charlottesville was approached by armed white supremacists, while voices on Facebook encouraged them to "burn down the synagogue."

See. How a request from a Jewish congregation for police protection fell on deaf ears.

See. How persons of color were taunted and in some cases beaten.

And listen. To debates in this country where there is no debate.

Listen. To the chants of haters claiming they are the victims of an increasingly diverse American society.

Listen. To the initial sounds of silence following last weekend's events.

See how they run.

If anything, this past weekend's violence has served as a wakeup call to the Jewish community. We can never let our guard down. As long as hatred lives within the hearts of humanity, so will anti-Semitism.

I have sermonized for many years that Jewish Americans are not as safe as they think. Indeed, this may be the longest continual period of peace and safety that Jews have enjoyed in one country within modern history, but this safety requires maintenance.

Yes, we are integral to American society. We are active in medicine, science, the arts, the judicial system, education, social action - and all other aspects of communal life.

Yet there is more to the United States than New York and area.

Step outside of the eastern seaboard into the heartland of America and you will experience pockets of ignorance, suspicion, resentment and alienation.

There is a midrash, a legend, told of events which preceded the parting of the Sea of Reeds.   The Israelites look ahead, pinned by forbidding waters.  As Egyptian chariots approach, the Israelites begin to panic.

They ask Moses "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?" (Exodus 14:11)

The Israelites begin to pray. And they pray and they pray and they pray.

But God is not moved. In fact, God is puzzled.

"Why do you cry out to me?" God asks Moses. "Tell the Israelites to go forward."

The Midrash tells us it was a tribal leader, Nachshon ben Amminadab, who possessed the faith to venture forward, and from there the sea parted. And so, like Nachshon, we must step forward.

Indeed, this has been a troubling week. I am not here to offer an official statement. There have been enough of those.

And I am not here to comment on words and perceptions spoken by political leaders. You have both seen and listened.

Rather, let us consider where we go from here. How do we step forward? For our tradition teaches that Jewish survival and the repair of an imperfect world require ongoing work.

We live in a time where Jews and Christians live within a more cooperative environment. Our children are teaching us through social media and other platforms that we can establish common ground.

Most of all, we can act. Indeed, this week's Torah portion teaches us that once we see, we must choose -- between the blessings and the curses.

We can choose to financially support those organizations which in turn support education, diversity and understanding.

We can choose to become more active and visible within community organizations, and become more involved with the political process.

We can choose to stand up against hatred, bigotry and prejudice.

We can choose to halt racist conversations in their tracks.

And perhaps most importantly as Jews we can choose to restate and reinforce the lessons of the Holocaust, to help ensure that the warping of society's values will never repeat itself for us, or for others.

For if we do not stand up for history, then others will revise it for us.

This Sunday at 2 pm, member of the Jewish, African-American and Hispanic communities will gather at the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove and unite in prayer, song and study. We will be joined by community leaders.

Our message will be clear: We stronger as one and that diversity is something to cherish.

Pastor Roger Williams and I, along with other clergy members, will encourage those in attendance to avoid sitting in familiar pockets, but rather sit next to a stranger and learn from the other.

We will unite in song, prayer and teaching, as we reinforce an additional Biblical message. "We are all descendants of Adam and Eve." And that no one's heritage is better than the other.

Yes, we have choices. We can either continue to stare at our television screens, or like Nachshon, move our feet forward, one step at a time.

The Kabbalistic tradition reminds us, that in order to achieve ascent, we must experience descent. Indeed, if last weekend was a low point in American history, let us seize the opportunity to build up.

I encourage members of our congregation to participate in Sunday's service. Let us reinforce our bridges.

The time of moaning and distress is coming to an end. It is time to move forward as we ask ourselves: Will we allow ourselves again to be victims, or will we take a step, as our tradition teaches, to pursue peace, justice and integrity -- for us and for others.

In the words of our ancient sage Rabbi Tarfon, "It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either."

It begs the question following the shock of last weekend's events -- what can we do?

Indeed, as the Torah teaches, once we see, we cannot turn away.

Shabbat Shalom, v'kol tuv,

Rabbi Irwin Huberman