June 2007
Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
It makes such obvious sense that the leadership of a congregation should experience together the responsibility and love for, as well as the complexity of, a synagogue’s relationship to Israel. I have often spoken about Israel, and though I do not believe that a rabbi alone shoulders the accountability of speaking on behalf of Eretz Yisrael, it has often been with undue clerical pride that I felt alone in carrying aloft the banner of the Jewish state. Yet the experience of being in Israel changes most Jews. I have thought about the reasons why we are etched by the experience and realize that the explanation is different for every traveler.
I know that many of the Board members who just returned home will explain that whether this was their first trip (as it was for two of them), their first trip in many years (for about a half dozen), or the most recent among many visits, we all appreciate the complexity of the issues Israel faces. But that is the case for any vital nation. Vibrant evolving societies deal with complicated social problems, often uncertain international relations and pressing political matters.
But what makes Israel different for us is that it is family. It is the residence of millions of Jews who themselves are trying to figure out what is best for their nation. And, in some surprising way, it is “home.”
I have decided that, as it is with family, it is best just to love the land even more than to be advocates for the nation.
It is apparent that, while we have supported Israel in the past in many ways, it is now important to think of our synagogue’s relation to Israel in a structured format. I know that our Board will decide how to do that best.
But I believe that every Jew should study and know Israel’s history. I believe every Jew should care about Israel’s well-being. I believe that every Jew should engage in the challenge of Israel’s social complexities. I believe that every Reform Jew should support our institutions there. And most of all I believe, and want to help, every Jew to visit.
I hope that this will be our congregation’s next programmatic commitment, the focus of our collective energy.
Howard F. Sharfstein, President
I can only write for myself, but I hope that these few words will reflect some of the reactions and thoughts of my fellow Trustees who journeyed with us to Israel.
Israel is a beautiful country in its physical appearance and its content. The Israelis we met were warm, welcoming and interested in learning about Central Synagogue and about each of us. Israel is also a country of stark contrasts, complexities and conflicts.
We heard from leading scholars and experts about current Israeli issues, particularly the West Bank border with the Palestinians. We traveled to the "Security Fence" (or wall) and learned about the political and societal difficulties being encountered as the fence is being erected. We heard from a very successful Israeli venture capitalist and his Palestinian partner, both of whom believe that peace can be found through meaningful economic cooperation between the two sides. We walked and walked through the Old City, studying with scholars and visualizing how the focus of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish worlds come together in the same very few square miles.
Our trip was a truly spiritual journey. We celebrated Kabbalat Shabbat at Kehillat Kol Haneshema, an inspiring Reform congregation in Jerusalem, and prayed with the community of the Hebrew Union College. We prayed at the Western Wall and journeyed through thousands of years of history in the tunnel at the Western Wall and at the excavations surrounding the Temple Mount. Many of us also found our visit to the newly renovated Yad Vashem complex to be an incredibly moving experience. Together, we held a brief memorial service for the victims of the Holocaust as we were leaving Yad Vashem. Many of us were moved to tears.
We also came to understand the issues facing Reform Jews in the Israel of today. I had never truly focused on the fact that many expressions of Jewish life in Israel are controlled by the religious Orthodox. For example, if you wish to have a Jewish marriage in Israel, you must have an Orthodox ceremony with Orthodox clergy. A Reform rabbi is not permitted to officiate at a wedding ceremony in Israel! Notwithstanding its marginal status, the Reform movement in Israel is alive and well. Dedicated clergy, leaders, activists, and even politicians will not rest until the inequities are addressed and resolved. Many of us were particularly moved by the words of Rabbi Michael Melchior, an Orthodox rabbi and member of the Knesset and Cabinet, who is an outspoken critic of policies that fail to recognize the importance of all expressions of Judaism. We also met with Anat Hoffman, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), an impassioned activist for religious pluralism and freedom of thought and action.
I believe each of us was deeply affected by what we learned and what we experienced, individually and as a group. We felt blessed to participate and to be Jewish. Now we must consider our next steps in making the Israel of today part of our community at Central Synagogue.
In closing, let me share my most vivid memory of the trip. Many of us were overwhelmed as we held a Havdalah service, under a full moon, overlooking the Old City. We sang together and prayed for peace in Israel and the world. May it be so.
