This was a tough week. I want to reflect on two situations and three people who have stepped forward to act decently in ways that require some analysis and recognition.
The Israeli prime minister’s cabinet reneged on a deal designed to create a state-recognized egalitarian prayer section at the Kotel, the Western Wall. Reform and Conservative leaders naturally have expressed outrage. What I find especially heartening is that two Orthodox leaders, among others, have stepped forward to offer a critique of the cabinet’s actions.
The first, Knesset Member Dov Lippman, appeared on Israeli TV to say, even though I and many others don’t support praying in this fashion, allowing it to occur does us no harm. Moreover, it affirms that the Kotel belongs to the entire Jewish people, not just a particular segment of the Jewish people.
The second, Dr. Nathan Lopez Cardozo, originally from the Spanish Portuguese community of Holland, now of Jerusalem, was equally critical and proposed a different solution in an article entitled “The Kotel – Have We Gone Mad?” He wrote the following:
“We must free the Kotel of all denominations and abolish all synagogue services at the site, including bar and bat mitzvah celebrations. We must remove all sifrei Torah, tefillin and tallitot and restore the Kotel to its former state: A place where all are welcome and where not even the most lenient halacha can be violated. Where there are no mechitzot (partitions) and other sources of ideological or physical conflict. A place used solely for individual prayer and meditation, just as our ancestors treated it throughout our long history.
“The Kotel is not a synagogue. It never was a synagogue and should never become one. It is a place where we Jews can meet, pray and share what we have in common instead of focusing on what divides us. Where we can smile at each other and laugh about ourselves, even when we vehemently disagree.”
The events are disturbing. It is deeply insulting to think that the PM of Israel would abandon a plan that he initially endorsed, thereby disregarding the needs of many Jews in the Diaspora and in Israel. But it is heartening that at least two people came forward to say, even if certain modes of prayer are not my modes of prayer, I cannot support a Kotel framework that discriminates.
Second situation and its attendant decent response. Chicago recently held its annual Dyke March. A Jewish woman who was participating was holding a rainbow flag with a Jewish star as she had done for years at this march. She was told that she needed to leave because the flag “made people feel unsafe” and the leadership of the march didn’t want anything “that can inadvertently or advertently express Zionism” at the event.
As you might imagine, Jews were horrified by this exclusion which they rightly understood to be an expression of anti-Semitism.
I was heartened to discover the following response by a Muslim woman named Nadiya al Noor. She posted a picture of her pride flag, which contains the Muslim crescent, along with this statement.
This is my pride flag. It has the Islamic crescent and star on it, like the flags of Turkey, Pakistan, etc.. Should I and my flag be banned from Pride because of the countless horrific murders of LGBT people in Muslim countries, the state-sanctioned hatred and persecution of LGBT people? Because if you ban Jews and Jewish flags because you hate Israel, logically you have to ban me, too. Or you could just admit you're antisemites. What will it be?
Nadiya has done interfaith work at SUNY Binghamton and is an intern at A Wider Bridge, the North American LGBTQ organization building support for Israel and its LGBTQ community. She has noted that one of the causalities of intersectionality has been the exclusion of Jews from progressive causes. She decided to use her identity as a progressive Muslim woman to call out fellow progressives on their hypocrisy to which I say, Bravo.
As Orthodox Jews, MK Dov Lippman and Dr. Lopez Cardozo could choose to ignore the Kotel queston and just go about their lives. After all, no one is questioning their right to pray at the Kotel according to their customs.
As a Muslim, Nadia al Noor could choose to ignore the plight of her Jewish peer who was ejected from a Pride parade. After all, no one was (or is) kicking her out for walking with a crescent rainbow flag.
All three chose to speak out, to leave their place of relative privilege in order to advocate for inclusivity and justice.
In this week’s parasha, Moses is told that he will not be able to enter the land יען אשר לא האמנתם בי להקדישני ya’an asher lo he’emantem bee l’hakdishaynee – because he and Aaron failed to sanctify God before the people.
We could discuss whether this was an over-reaction on God’s part – punishing one moment of disobedience following a long sacred career of compliance. What I want to do instead is to compare this moment with an earlier moment in Moses’s ministry and to suggest what the contrast might mean.
Prior to God appearing to Moses at the burning bush, Moses left the comfort of Pharaoh’s palace ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלותם vayetze el ehav vayar b’sivlotam – he went out to his brothers and sisters and witnessed their suffering.
That was a shining moment for Moses as he left a place of privilege in order to witness, and ultimately address, the suffering of his brothers and sisters. The renowned Torah educator, Nechama Leibovitch, identified this moment as one of several which convinced God, as it were, that Moses was qualified to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
As he struck the rock, years later, he was in a very different place. This is my thought – I didn’t find it among the traditional commentators. Asked to do something a bit odd, a bit silly, in front of the people, like “talking to a rock,” he refused. He was no longer willing to risk discomfort, even so much as to act in a silly or odd fashion, in order to advocate for his brothers and sisters.
We move forward when we are prepared to risk discomfort for one another, to speak and act from a place of relative privilege on behalf of those of lesser privilege. It’s not fair that white people are more privileged than people of color, straight people more privileged than gay people, men more privileged than women, Orthodox in Israel more privileged than non-Orthodox. But privilege can be used for advocacy.
Just recently, for example, male leaders in Silicon Valley spoke out against sexual harassment toward women in their industry. This type of advocacy can be quite helpful.
With gratitude toward Dov Lippman, Dr. Nathan Cardozo, Nadia al Noor, Moses through most of his life, and all who have left places of privilege to help their brothers and sisters in need, we should be prepared to do the same.
To go out toward our brothers and sisters, to speak out and to act out on their behalf.
Originally offered at Temple Israel of Great Neck on July 1, 2017
The Israeli prime minister’s cabinet reneged on a deal designed to create a state-recognized egalitarian prayer section at the Kotel, the Western Wall. Reform and Conservative leaders naturally have expressed outrage. What I find especially heartening is that two Orthodox leaders, among others, have stepped forward to offer a critique of the cabinet’s actions.
The first, Knesset Member Dov Lippman, appeared on Israeli TV to say, even though I and many others don’t support praying in this fashion, allowing it to occur does us no harm. Moreover, it affirms that the Kotel belongs to the entire Jewish people, not just a particular segment of the Jewish people.
The second, Dr. Nathan Lopez Cardozo, originally from the Spanish Portuguese community of Holland, now of Jerusalem, was equally critical and proposed a different solution in an article entitled “The Kotel – Have We Gone Mad?” He wrote the following:
“We must free the Kotel of all denominations and abolish all synagogue services at the site, including bar and bat mitzvah celebrations. We must remove all sifrei Torah, tefillin and tallitot and restore the Kotel to its former state: A place where all are welcome and where not even the most lenient halacha can be violated. Where there are no mechitzot (partitions) and other sources of ideological or physical conflict. A place used solely for individual prayer and meditation, just as our ancestors treated it throughout our long history.
“The Kotel is not a synagogue. It never was a synagogue and should never become one. It is a place where we Jews can meet, pray and share what we have in common instead of focusing on what divides us. Where we can smile at each other and laugh about ourselves, even when we vehemently disagree.”
The events are disturbing. It is deeply insulting to think that the PM of Israel would abandon a plan that he initially endorsed, thereby disregarding the needs of many Jews in the Diaspora and in Israel. But it is heartening that at least two people came forward to say, even if certain modes of prayer are not my modes of prayer, I cannot support a Kotel framework that discriminates.
Second situation and its attendant decent response. Chicago recently held its annual Dyke March. A Jewish woman who was participating was holding a rainbow flag with a Jewish star as she had done for years at this march. She was told that she needed to leave because the flag “made people feel unsafe” and the leadership of the march didn’t want anything “that can inadvertently or advertently express Zionism” at the event.
As you might imagine, Jews were horrified by this exclusion which they rightly understood to be an expression of anti-Semitism.
I was heartened to discover the following response by a Muslim woman named Nadiya al Noor. She posted a picture of her pride flag, which contains the Muslim crescent, along with this statement.
This is my pride flag. It has the Islamic crescent and star on it, like the flags of Turkey, Pakistan, etc.. Should I and my flag be banned from Pride because of the countless horrific murders of LGBT people in Muslim countries, the state-sanctioned hatred and persecution of LGBT people? Because if you ban Jews and Jewish flags because you hate Israel, logically you have to ban me, too. Or you could just admit you're antisemites. What will it be?
Nadiya has done interfaith work at SUNY Binghamton and is an intern at A Wider Bridge, the North American LGBTQ organization building support for Israel and its LGBTQ community. She has noted that one of the causalities of intersectionality has been the exclusion of Jews from progressive causes. She decided to use her identity as a progressive Muslim woman to call out fellow progressives on their hypocrisy to which I say, Bravo.
As Orthodox Jews, MK Dov Lippman and Dr. Lopez Cardozo could choose to ignore the Kotel queston and just go about their lives. After all, no one is questioning their right to pray at the Kotel according to their customs.
As a Muslim, Nadia al Noor could choose to ignore the plight of her Jewish peer who was ejected from a Pride parade. After all, no one was (or is) kicking her out for walking with a crescent rainbow flag.
All three chose to speak out, to leave their place of relative privilege in order to advocate for inclusivity and justice.
In this week’s parasha, Moses is told that he will not be able to enter the land יען אשר לא האמנתם בי להקדישני ya’an asher lo he’emantem bee l’hakdishaynee – because he and Aaron failed to sanctify God before the people.
We could discuss whether this was an over-reaction on God’s part – punishing one moment of disobedience following a long sacred career of compliance. What I want to do instead is to compare this moment with an earlier moment in Moses’s ministry and to suggest what the contrast might mean.
Prior to God appearing to Moses at the burning bush, Moses left the comfort of Pharaoh’s palace ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלותם vayetze el ehav vayar b’sivlotam – he went out to his brothers and sisters and witnessed their suffering.
That was a shining moment for Moses as he left a place of privilege in order to witness, and ultimately address, the suffering of his brothers and sisters. The renowned Torah educator, Nechama Leibovitch, identified this moment as one of several which convinced God, as it were, that Moses was qualified to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
As he struck the rock, years later, he was in a very different place. This is my thought – I didn’t find it among the traditional commentators. Asked to do something a bit odd, a bit silly, in front of the people, like “talking to a rock,” he refused. He was no longer willing to risk discomfort, even so much as to act in a silly or odd fashion, in order to advocate for his brothers and sisters.
We move forward when we are prepared to risk discomfort for one another, to speak and act from a place of relative privilege on behalf of those of lesser privilege. It’s not fair that white people are more privileged than people of color, straight people more privileged than gay people, men more privileged than women, Orthodox in Israel more privileged than non-Orthodox. But privilege can be used for advocacy.
Just recently, for example, male leaders in Silicon Valley spoke out against sexual harassment toward women in their industry. This type of advocacy can be quite helpful.
With gratitude toward Dov Lippman, Dr. Nathan Cardozo, Nadia al Noor, Moses through most of his life, and all who have left places of privilege to help their brothers and sisters in need, we should be prepared to do the same.
To go out toward our brothers and sisters, to speak out and to act out on their behalf.
Originally offered at Temple Israel of Great Neck on July 1, 2017
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