Behar-Bechukotai 5775

Creating Blessings Amidst Life’s Difficulties

The final portion of Leviticus may well be the most difficult to read.  In Bekhukotai, we read a series of blessings following a long list of “Tochechot” curse-like punishments.  There is a tradition that when the “Tochechot” are read on Shabbat morning, the reader is instructed to read them as quickly as possible so as to not overwhelm the congregation. It is not simply the terrifying descriptions of “Tochechot” that make them so disturbing; there is also the fact that the blessing section is so much shorter in length. Why are the blessings outnumbered by almost three to one?

The great commentator Ibn Ezra suggested that while the blessings are in fewer sentences, they are actually more numerous as they, unlike the curses, are written in general categories. In this sense, they are far more encompassing.  This may be true and evident to someone who has the luxury of sitting and reflecting on passage but for one enduring the suffering of “Tochechot” it can be very difficult to focus on the blessing.   But that perspective can make all the difference at a challenging juncture in one’s life.  This is why I believe the Torah put the blessings before the “Tochechot”.  As hard as it is blessings should be our starting point.

Over the years I have sat in admiration watching people faced with great physical challenges choose to see the blessings amidst the “Tochechot” of illness.  One of those people is Shelby Lerner who has endured a number of surgeries in the past six years.  Yet, when speaking with Shelby what you will hear about are the blessings in his life beginning with his remarkable wife, Michal.  In addition, Shelby speaks glowingly about our community which has rallied around him and his family driving him to treatments, making play dates for the kids, visiting, and sending over meals.  For this family the kindness and caring of a community has made a significant difference, allowing them to see the larger blessings in the midst of the challenges.  

This Sunday, May 17, 2015 in Chicago’s Lincoln Park at Diversey Harbor, the 3rd Annual Join the Voices! Chicago Run/Walk, organized by Voices Against Brain Cancer ("VBAC") will be held. A 5K run/walk will begin at 9 AM.  A team entitled Shelby’s Shining Stars will be amongst the participants.  They are committed to VABC’s mission to find a cure for brain cancer and brain tumors by advancing scientific research, increasing awareness within the medical community and supporting patients, their families and caregivers afflicted with this devastating disease.  

We want to encourage the members of our community to participate.  You can contact the synagogue office for information about registering and where Shelby’s Shining Stars will be gathering. 

If you cannot be there, please consider making a donation in Shelby's honor and visit http://www.voicesinmotion.org and search under team name “Shelby’s Shining Stars”.

We have an opportunity to make a powerful lesson of the Torah come alive by helping to create the blessings that others can focus on amidst the vicissitudes of one’s life.  

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael Siegel

Achrei Mot-Kedoshim 5775

Shabbat Shalom. My name is Gabrielle Xilas and I am a senior at Walter Payton College Prep. I will be attending The University of Michigan in the fall. The last time I was here on this bimah delivering a D’var Torah on a Shabbat morning, it was for my Bat Mitzvah almost 5 years ago on June 12, 2010. On that morning I was one shacharit prayer away from fainting on the stage, so let’s hope this D’var goes a little smoother than that.  In this week’s portion, K’doshim, God gives the Jewish people a list of things they must do in order for them to be holy in His eyes. As some of you already know today’s Shabbat service is honoring all of Anshe Emet’s high school seniors going off to college next year. And so, this week’s Torah portion, K’doshim, acts as our “packing list” of what Jewish values and ideas we need to bring with us on our journeys next year and beyond.

To start off, we really are all who we are today thanks to our parents. Our success in life is due to their nurturing, lessons taught, and sometimes overbearing involvement in our lives. The very first thing on God’s list of what we must do to be holy, in Leviticus Chapter 19, verse 3 is: “Every person shall revere their mother and father.” The fact that this commandment opens the chapter is not at all arbitrary; respecting our parents is the most important thing we can do. For many of us, next year will be the longest time we will be apart from our parents. Regardless of the physical distance, their influence on us will remain. I am going to sound like my mother when I say this, but it is vital that we check in every so often to let them know that we are making good choices, and that we continue to make them proud. It’s the least we can do.   

In life, we have the choice whether to help others or not. Core to God’s list of how to be holy is the importance of consistently choosing to help others. Leviticus 19:14 says: “You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind.” It can be tempting to take advantage of other people’s weaknesses, and exploit them to make yourself better off. Not only is that a selfish thing to do to someone else, but hurting others also hurts yourself. In life there are two versions of success. There is success through cheating, manipulation, and disrespect, and there is the second version of success which is a whole lot sweeter where you get somewhere honestly and can take full credit for earning it the right way. All of the seniors sitting in this sanctuary are very familiar with this second version of success, as we all have achieved our goals of getting into amazing schools as a result of a lot of hard work and being committed to helping others through our involvement and commitment at Anshe Emet for all these years. It is really self- punishment to not allow yourself to feel that pure joy that comes with true success by taking advantage of others to succeed. Next year, those temptations are going to arise, but I am confident in all my peers, that we will rise above, and follow our strong Jewish values which teaches us otherwise.  

Speaking of manipulation and temptation, I had the opportunity this year to get my real first taste in politics, and fortunately my experience was not filled with either of these things. I, and my good friends Meredith Leon, Emma Siegel and Bryson Shelist, were lucky enough to travel to Washington DC with Rabbi Russo for the AIPAC Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit. We got to sit down in the office of Congressman Danny Davis and discuss the importance of Iran not gaining nuclear power. I wish I could tell you that our chat resolved that very complicated and controversial issue, but as we all know, the talks and negotiations between Iran and the US continue.  However, as we walked through Davis’ office, I did take notice of all his Israel themed paraphernalia that he had displayed. While the district he represents isn’t very Jewish, he made a point to tell us that it was people like us who reinforced his love and support for Israel and all it stood for. He reminded me how honesty and respect is just as successful a way of achieving ones goals than manipulation and cheating.  Rather than putting stumbling blocks before those who are vulnerable, we can reach the “finish line” simply by speaking our truths, about Israel and our values for example, plainly and honestly.

I also sort of had an epiphany at that moment which was, whether we realize it or not, we are all representatives of the Jewish community, and how we act shapes how others consider that community. It is extremely important that we all keep that in mind as we venture off into our brand new college communities where Judaism may not be as accepted as it is in our current communities. Perhaps on our packing list of values, we need to include a sense of pride and awareness in how our behavior and our choices will reflect on the wider Jewish community.
   
When the sage Hillel was asked to summarize the Torah in one sentence he turned to this week’s Torah portion and said “What is distasteful to you, don’t do to another person.” “Love thy neighbor as thyself” is found in Leviticus 19:16. That value is also one of the first things you learn in Hebrew School at the Synagogue, or at The Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School. I was fortunate enough to attend BZAEDS for 10 years from junior kindergarten through 8th grade. And now that I am involved as a madricha in the Religious School, every Sunday I get to be reminded of all of the things I learned in my decade at BZAEDS. As a Madricha for first graders, I believe that by far the most important things they learn are the Jewish values that can be taken with them from the stories they hear in the Torah. Next year, we are all going to be living in very different much more diverse communities than we are a part of now. The number one rule we must follow is to be respectful of other people’s differences, and give them the same respect that we expect from them. In other words, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Welcoming strangers into our community is something that makes the Jewish community so special. Leviticus 19:34 adds this value of welcoming the stranger to our packing list: “The stranger that journeys among you shall be unto you as the home-born, you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” My dad, Peter Xilas, isn’t Jewish. However, before I was born, he and my mom decided that their kids were going to be raised Jewish, and that is exactly what they have done. My dad has been welcomed into the Anshe Emet community with open arms, and had that not been the case, I would not be able to stand before you today as a young woman with all of the Jewish values that are now such a huge part of my identity.

Another time, I felt the power of being welcomed in my own life here at Anshe Emet was in the fall of last year when Aaron Fogelson came up to me in AP Biology class and told me that I “absolutely had to go to USY Lounge Night on Tuesday.” I was a little nervous to go because I thought I was a bit too late to the party, and that people would be unwelcoming. The second I walked in I realized that that would not be the case, and that SHMUSY was a group I was meant to be a part of. Coming to SHMUSY gave me a time to reconnect with my Jewish peers and at the same time allowed me to stay connected to the larger Jewish community. Since I know how good it feels to be welcomed I have no doubt that I will continue my involvement in these types of groups and organizations in the years to come. “Welcoming the stranger” is a value I hope we all take with us on our journey.
   
In K’doshim, God says that if someone is going down the wrong path and making incorrect choices, it is our job to show them the right way and get them back on the right track. Literally the parshah says, in 19:17 “You shall rebuke your neighbor.” Many, anti Israel movements, amongst them BDS campaigns, are gaining popularity on more and more college campuses every day. . It is our responsibility as Jewish students on campus to stand up for our beliefs, and defend the honor of the state of Israel by teaching the truth.  Sometimes, we will have to rebuke our neighbors. However, it is emphasized in the Torah that this must be done in a respectful manner that doesn’t belittle the person or bring them embarrassment. Rather, God tells the Jewish people, we must do so in a manner that reflects positively on the State, on the Jewish people, and on our own dignity and integrity.

It is truly my honor to accept the Rabbi Seymour Cohen Award for Youth Leadership on behalf of this senior class, and I am so beyond thankful to have had my experiences at BZAEDS, teaching at the religious school, reading Torah at Rosh Hashana services for the past 4 years, being a part of SHMUSY, going to an AIPAC convention, and being raised in a loving Jewish household.

For all of those amazing reasons I would like to thank my parents, the Anshe Emet clergy, my teachers at BZAEDS, and all of my friends who I have gotten to share these experiences and memories with.

At our Bar and Bat Mitzvahs we “officially” became adults within the Jewish community, however now we are adults in the real sense of the word because we are about to go off on our own for the journey of our lives.

I am speaking for all of the Seniors, when I say that the lessons we have been taught through our Jewish education and experiences, the same ones spelled out for us in K’doshim (honoring our parents, not placing stumbling blocks, loving our neighbors as ourselves, welcoming the stranger, and speaking Truth to those who are straying from the right path), have prepared us to move out into other communities and to be the best versions of ourselves and represent the Jewish community the best way we know how.

Shabbat Shalom,
Gabrielle Xilas

Emor 5775

In this week’s parasha, Emor, we read a verse that is critical in both ancient and modern Jewish discourse (Lev. 22: 32):

וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ, אֶת-שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי, וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי, בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל  אֲנִי יְהוָה, מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם

“Do not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelites, I the Lord who sanctify you.”

Beginning in the late Second Temple period, Israel battled the Seleucid Greeks and Antiochus IV, and later the Roman Empire, both of whom sought to outlaw Jewish practice.  Rabbi Jonathan Sacks identifies that this is the first time that martyrdom became a significant feature in Jewish life. The question arose: under what circumstances were Jews to sacrifice their lives rather than transgress Jewish law?

While Jewish tradition affirms that saving a life takes precedence over most of the mitzvot, and that the preservation of life supercedes almost anything, Judaism simultaneously holds sacred the lives of Jews who have been murdered by virtue of the fact that they are simply Jewish. We remember all of our brothers and sisters who have given their lives under this overarching category of Kiddush hashem, of sanctifying God’s name, as found in this week’s Torah portion.

Rabbi Sacks explains that central to Jewish self-definition is the notion that while God is the God of all humanity, that God has chosen Israel to be God’s witnesses, God’s ambassadors, to the world. When we fulfill this role, we are sanctifying God’s name.

We at Anshe Emet are honored to host the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, as we fulfill this command of sanctifying God’s name as being witnesses to one of the greatest tragedies in world history. Next week, you can join us for a riveting presentation by Dr. Wendy Lower entitled Some were Wives, Some were Mothers. Dr. Lower, a former Museum fellow, will speak about the research from her chilling book on the role of female perpetrators during the Holocaust.

I hope that you will join Michelle and Glenn Holland, our co-hosts, as we fulfill this week’s parasha’s affirmation to stand as God’s witnesses in our world.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi David Russo

Emor 5775

A New Pair of Spectacles for the Guide for the Perplexed

The expressive nature of the Hebrew language is revealed in its sound, its cadence and in the remarkable connection between words.  Because Hebrew words are constructed from three (3) letter roots there is an interconnectedness between a vast array of words.  Consider the word for eyeglasses: "Mishkafayim".  The same root word is used to form "Hashkafat Olam": world view.  The internal lesson is that our "Hashkafat Olam", world view, is a form of spectacles through which we view the world.

I was reminded of this notion of spectacles and worldview while reading the opening verses of our Torah reading this week.  In Parshat Emor the Torah offers us an in depth look at the reality of the Priesthood.  Who can offer a sacrifice, who amongst the Priesthood can participate in the holy rites of the Mishkan and who may not.  The list of those forbidden  to partake and the causes are disturbing to the modern ear.  Physical challenges render Kohanim unfit for duty in the most important rituals.  While we can attempt explanations the fact is that the entire system of sacrifices, of ritual purity and impurity appear so foreign for the vast majority of the Jewish community, as well as a God who demands such worship appear difficult and foreign to a significant number of Jews in the world today.

What are the proper "Mishkapfayim" to view such passages in order to gain a perspective that speaks in a meaningful way to those who live in a different world than that of the Torah.  One person who understood this dilemma was Rambam.  Amongst Moses Maimonides' writings was an extraordinary book entitled “The Guide for the Perplexed” in which he offers a bold, rational and thoughtful approach to an array of some of the greatest Jewish philosophic and theological issues of his day.  The problem is that the "Moreh Nevuchim" proves too difficult for most readers to penetrate.  It does not help that at times Maimonides writes in code to his reader.  One would do well to have a pair of Jewish "Mishkafayim" in order to gain some understanding of The Guide for the Perplexed!

Recently, Micah Goodman published a book to address this exact issue entitled: “Maimonides and the Book that Changed Judaism: Secrets of the Guide for the Perplexed”.  As a precocious young boy Micah Goodman began reading the guide and set about mastering its contents.  He fully appreciated its importance and relevance for Jews living today and so he wrote a book for the modern Jew.  The book became an immediate best seller in Israel with secular and religious Jews alike.  The book has now been translated into English and it is a remarkable accomplishment.  

I am so pleased that Micah Goodman will be our scholar in residence this Shabbat.  Please join us on Friday night at 8:00 pm when he speaks about his book, or on Shabbat morning when his topic will be "The Judaism of the New Israel".  At 1:30 pm I will be joined by Rabbi Shoshana Conover and Rabbi David Wolkenfeld as we respond to his thinking on Jewish leadership.  During my studies at the Shalom Hartman Institute I have had the privilege of studying with Micah and can tell you with a true sense of surety that he has offered me a new "Haskafah", perspective,  on whatever he has taught.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael Siegel

Achrei Mot-Kedoshim 5775

This week's parsha begins with the phrase kedoshim tihiyu - you, in the plural shall all be holy. Due to the plural phrasing of these two words, our rabbis traditionally assume that this Torah portion was uniquely recited with all of the Israelites gathered together. (Vayikra Rabbah 24:5)

We, similarly, are so proud of our USY chapter, and how they were publicly gathered and celebrated this past weekend. At CHUSY's (Chicago Region of United Synagogue Youth) regional convention, our teens were recognized as the Chicago area's chapter of the year!! We are so proud of all of you. Please see the moving letter from Rabbi D'ror Chankin-Gould by clicking here.

Dear Anshe Emet: 

We are filled with overflowing pride as we share the incredible news that on Sunday, April 26 our USY Chapter was awarded the Chicago region's Chapter of the Year award! This is an incredible honor for Anshe Emet and we cannot stop smiling and kvelling.
Mazal tov to all our SHMUSY kids and their parents! An especially hearty Mazal Tov to SHMUSY President Aaron Kamel who led the chapter to such growth and success this year. Mazal Tov also to the SHMUSY board of 2014-2015: Emma Siegel, Emily Schwartz, Meredith Leon, Sydney Schwartz, Ryder Kamins, and Bryson Shelist. Our youth leadership is simply stellar! 

In celebrating our youth, we ask the community to please mark your calendars for Saturday, May 2. On May 2, we will celebrate Senior Shabbat by honoring all our 12th graders in the main sanctuary service. Rabbi Siegel will bless the seniors. Gabrielle Xilas, recipient of this year's Rabbi Seymour Cohen award, will deliver a D'var Torah on behalf of the senior class. Aaron Kamel, our outstanding USY president will be honored for his role in our youth programs and will lead the Prayer for the Country. SHMUSY members, Emily Schwartz, Meredith Leon, and Adina Cohen will read Torah. ALL our seniors will be celebrated. Don't miss out! 

A private Shabbat lunch for high schoolers and their friends and family will serve as an Awards Ceremony for SHMUSY. The outgoing board will be celebrated. The incoming board will be honored. The basketball team will be lauded (winner of the Annual Sportsmanship Trophy!). All parents, siblings, special friends, and family of high schoolers are welcome. RSVP to Rabbi D'ror (dcgould@ansheemet.org) 

Finally, May 2 will conclude with a SHMUSY v. Men's Club Basketball Game. All are welcome to cheer on your favorite team (or both!) 

Rabbi D'ror Chankin-Gould
Youth Director, Anshe Emet Synagogue 

Shemini 5775

This week's Torah Portion, Shemini, opens with the consecration of the Mishkan, the portable wilderness sanctuary. The ceremonies and rituals are described, with meticulous detail, as Aaron and the other priests get the Mishkan ready for use. But beyond whatever historical interest the story might hold, why does the Torah place so much emphasis on the Mishkan's inaugural rituals?

The Torah wants us to understand that the institutions we build - whether physical spaces or social structures - exist not as ends in and of themselves, but in order to serve a higher, sacred purpose. The Mishkan stands distinct and unique among all the tents and compounds in the Israelite camp not because of its design, its furniture, or its location, but because the priests dedicate it for God's service.

The same holds true for us today: we see Anshe Emet as a sacred community not because of the grandeur of our sanctuary, or because it holds Torah scrolls, siddurim, and other holy objects, but because our community comes together here to serve God through prayer, study, and acts of social service.

This Shabbat, we have the privilege to learn with one of the current leaders of Conservative Judaism, Dr. Arnold Eisen. Dr. Eisen, one of the world's foremost authorities on American Judaism, serves as the Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary. In his time at JTS, Chancellor Eisen has become a prominent voice for our movement, working with rabbis and communities to promote the sacred values of Conservative Judaism in a new century.

On Friday night, Chancellor Eisen will join in dialogue with Rabbi Michael Siegel on the topic of "The Land Of Israel: Land Of Longing, Land Of Promise." We'll begin the evening with Friday night services at 6pm, dinner at 7:15pm, and the dialogue at 8pm. You can RSVP for the dinner on our website. On Shabbat morning, Chancellor Eisen will offer a d'var Torah at the conclusion of the morning services, and following Kiddush he will lead a discussion on "The Role of the Conservative Movement in American Jewry."

We hope you can join us for some or all of our weekend with JTS's Chancellor Arnold Eisen as we consider the sacred purpose of Anshe Emet and the Conservative Movement as a whole.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Abe Friedman

To RSVP for dinner, click here.

Re'eh 5775

At the seder, we celebrate a tension. On the one hand, we are meant to imagine ourselves as if we ourselves were slaves in Egypt. We sing solemnly avadim hayinu, we were slaves. We dip vegetables in salt water representing our tears.

And on the other hand, we celebrate. We sing with joy, ata benei chorin, we are now free. We drink wine, we eat a celebratory meal.

Our seder begins with genut, with degradation, with oppression, and we transition to great joy.How are we meant to feel as the seder ends? What is the goal of the conclusion of Pesach?

This Shabbat morning coincides with the eighth day of Pesach. And on this day, we recite a haftarah from Isaiah chapter 10. This is a haftarah comprised of a series of promises related to our national redemption - of a day of peace, victory, and fulfilment. Dr. Michael Fishbane identifies that we recite this on the last day of Pesach to conclude the festival of freedom with hopes of a great redemption to come. What is interesting to note is that this haftarah by many in Israel and abroad is also recited on Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel's Independence Day. As we are in synagogue on Shabbat, concluding our holiday about freedom from slavery, we are meant to think forward to Yom Ha'atzmaut - a day of celebrating Israel, and in particular an Israel where
gar ze'ev im keves - the wolf and the lamb dwell together (Isaiah 11:6).We at Anshe Emet are celebrating Yom Ha'atzmaut and Israel in meaningful ways. On the Shabbat of April 17-18, we will have the honor of hosting Dr. Arnie Eisen, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary with us at Anshe Emet. There will be a shabbat dinner along with a dialogue between Rabbi Siegel and Dr. Eisen, "Land of Israel: Land of Longing, Land of Promise." He will also speak on Shabbat morning about the place of Conservative Judaism today. These two opportunities are not to be missed.

On the eve of Yom Ha'atzmaut itself, Wednesday April 26, we are hosting a community celebration with a reading of the Declaration of Independence, followed by Israeli music, dancing, food, and more. I hope that you'll join us.

As we end Pesach and look to Yom Ha'atzmaut, may we celebrate an Israel and a world filled with, as the haftara says, redemption and peace.


Chag sameach,
Rabbi David Russo

Passover 5775

A Seder Discussion Starter on
the Role of Miracles in Our Lives

Soon Jews the world over will be sitting around their Seder tables with an ancient book in their hands all telling the wondrous story of “Yetziat Mitzrayim”, the going out from Egypt.  We will remind ourselves of the powerful symbols around the Seder plate, and we will taste the bitter herbs and speak of slavery and redemption then and now.   At one point we will hear those iconic words: “In every generation a person is required to themselves as if they were personally taken out of Egypt”.

But how?

Can we seriously imagine the plagues and the terror of that final night in Egypt? Can we really imagine that climatic moment when the sea split and Moses and the Children of Israel walked on dry land as the water rose in columns on the sides?  Many theorize that there are natural explanations for what the Bible presents as the greatest of all miracles.   The simplest being that Moses was familiar with the order of the tides and timed the march out of Egypt to take advantage of this phenomenon.  As for the Egyptians, the theory goes, their unfamiliarity with how dangerous a tide could be was their undoing.  Here is an explanation that satisfies our penchant for scientific thinking but falls short of touching our hearts or our souls.

Putting aside our scientific spectacles and donning those of the spirit, the splitting of the sea is the story of a people who chose to see the miracle in the moment.  Moses and the Children of Israel opted to see the presence of God’s hand intervening in their lives.  Here, we come upon a conversation that speaks to even the most scientifically minded.

Are we willing to allow for everyday miracles in our lives?

Yehudah Amichai was one of the greatest poets that our people ever produced.  His words and wit captured the spirit of Israel and continues to challenge us to look at things differently.  He wrote a number of poems about the Bible and our tradition.
I am including two poems on the Splitting of the Sea from his perspective.  Take a moment and read them aloud.

MIRACLES

From a distance everything looks like a miracle
but up close even a miracle doesn’t appear so
Even someone who crossed the Red Sea when it split
only saw the sweaty back
of the one in front of him
and the motion of his big legs,
and at most, a hurried glance to the side,
fish of many colors in a wall of water,
like in an aquarium behind walls of glass.
The real miracles happen at the next table
in a restaurant in Albuquerque:
Two women were sitting there, one with a zipper
on a diagonal, so pretty,
the other said, “I held my own
and I didn’t cry.”
And afterwards in the reddish corridors
of a strange hotel I saw
boys and girls holding in their arms
even smaller children, their own,
who also held
cute little dolls.

Like One Who Left Egypt:
In The Middle Of The Story

What is the continuity of my life? I am like one who left Egypt
with the Red Sea split in two and I passing through on dry ground
and two walls of water on my right and on my left.
Behind me Pharaoh’s force and his chariots and before me the wilderness
and perhaps the promised land. This is the continuity of my life.

In the poem “Miracles” how does Amichai perceive a women’s courageous step, or that vision of family continuity?  Do you share his perceptions?  In the poem “Like One who Left Egypt”, how do you understand his use of the story as a metaphor for life?  Do you agree?

This Passover, amidst the sensory feast of the holiday, let us determine to see differently to fully appreciate the power of our story.

Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Michael Siegel

Vayikra 5775

This Shabbat, we celebrate Shabbat Hachodesh, the Shabbat that introduces the month of Nisan. For some, the celebration of this Shabbat, and the sight of Passover in our grocery stories, induces the fear of the impending holiday.

What is interesting is how our rabbis prompt us to think about the advent of this month. Rabbi Gedalia Schwartz identifies that in the Shulchan Aruch, the major code of Jewish law, the first Halacha (or law) mentioned by the Rama is not regarding some of the minutia of Pesach (Passover) that one might expect. Instead, the first requirement, the first obligation related to Pesach is that a community must collect funds for "Maot Chittin," a fund that would support the poor in their preparations for Passover.

Rabbi Schwartz goes on to say that God’s role in the Egyptian drama conveys God’s will to rescue the weak and vulnerable. Those in a position of strength are mandated to protect and support those who are most endangered – the widow, the orphan, the stranger.

We at Anshe Emet take this mitzvah seriously. We have multiple groups of people who participate in Chicago’s own Maot Chitim, celebrating 100 years of giving to Chicagoland Jews, as we help deliver Kosher for Passover food for members of our community who are unable to secure it on their own. Many of the recipients originally come from the Former Soviet Union. For me and many others, this volunteer opportunity allows us a chance to hear about what it was like to move to the United States, what their experience is in our community, and to determine how we can continue to be supportive of those in our community who need our help. Our arrival is eagerly anticipated and we are traditionally greeted with bright smiles, and thanked with a bar of chocolate! To be a part of this effort, please contact Amy Karp at akarp@anshemet.org. She can provide you with the address where we'll be meeting Sunday, March 29th at 9:30 a.m.

If you are unable to volunteer this Sunday, we have additional opportunities to fulfill our communal obligation to support those in need as they prepare for Pesach. Stacey Wolin is leading an effort in our community to support those in need at this time of year, by collecting:

1. Donations of non-food items which are not covered by SNAP benefits: paper towels, kleenex, napkins, dish sponges, dish soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, ziploc style bags and aluminum foil.
2. Donations of a gift card from Jewel or Hungarian Kosher.
   One mother who received a gift card said, "... For the 1st time I can go shopping with my kids like everyone else, and no one knows how we are struggling to feed our kids and provide them with the basics. With your beloved gift cards, we can now shop and hold our heads up high." If you would like to contribute to this important mitzvah, please be in touch with Stacey Wolin at staceyella@aol.com

Thank you for making this month of Nisan a time when we can enable all in our community to celebrate the season of freedom.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo

Vayakhel-Pekudei 5775

Last Sunday more than 300 members of our community gathered to celebrate Opa! L’Chaim!: Hazzan Mizrahi’s 25 years of service to the Anshe Emet Synagogue. It was a wonderful evening filled with joy and song honoring a remarkable legacy. It is my honor to share with you my remarks from the evening that touch on our Torah reading for this week.

As we celebrate Alberto and a quarter century at Anshe Emet we also celebrate Debbie and Belina and the love and support that make so much possible.

When I was a young Rabbi I read a speech entitled the “Vocation of the Cantor” by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. He wrote: To sing means to sense and to affirm that the spirit is real and that its glory is present. In singing we perceive what is otherwise beyond perceiving. Song, and particularly liturgical song, is not only an act of expression but also a way of bringing down the spirit from heaven to earth.

I was very moved by Heschel’s words but I did not appreciate their meaning until I met Hazzan Mizrahi. I was at an event honoring the Jewish Theological Seminary at the Field Museum. Alberto was the featured performer for that night. As soon as I heard him sing I was mesmerized. I knew that I wanted him to be the Hazzan for Anshe Emet and so I called him. He was shocked that a Rabbi would call him! Well I could never have understood when I made that call what the next 25 years would be like. To stand next to him before the Ark and hear him chant Shmah Koleynu is to appreciate the power of prayer: the fact that I cannot hear out of my left ear aside! To experience Hazzan Mizrahi’s Kol Nidre or Neilah is to know the grandeur of the liturgy as few Jews can on Yom Kippur. That is our privilege at Anshe Emet.   

But Alberto always brings the best of himself whether it be a Friday night service or a regular Shabbat service. He is the consummate professional continually working on his craft with voice coaches. I am continually impressed by his willingness to try new musical forms, Anshe Emet live, world music and all the while maintaining the traditional melodies of our worship.  

Beyond his remarkable voice, beyond his deep understanding of the liturgy, is the spirit of the man. If you wish to understand Alberto Mizrahi then I suggest that you begin here. His love of other people, of our traditions and of life itself sets him apart. In our portion this week Moses calls upon the people to contribute to the building of the Mishkan: the indwelling place of God. “Take from among you gifts to the Lord: Kol Nediv Lebo, Everyone whose heart so moves him shall bring them."  

Ladies and Gentleman: the man that we honor this evening has followed that ancient tradition and brings the gift of his beautiful voice, his knowledge of our liturgy, his responsibility to the memory of parents who survived the hell fire of the Shoah in order to bring a Jewish son into the world, his uncommon Jui d’vivre and mentchlikite has made it possible for Alberto Mizrahi to make an uncommon contribution to the glory of God and the Jewish people. All because Nediv Lebo, because his heart moves him.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael Siegel

Ki Tisa 5775

Shabbat, The Home, and Thankfulness

This week’s parsha, Ki Tissa, contains one of the more famous statements about Shabbat, the Kiddush that we recite during the daytime. It begins (Exodus 31:16):

The children of Israel shall observe Shabbat, performing Shabbat throughout the generations...

Rabbi Reuven Katz, in his 17th century book “Yalkut Reuveni”, quotes a passage from the mystical Zohar text, emphasizing that the word “ledorotam” is written in the shortest form possible, without the Hebrew letter “vav”. So, it could actually be read “lediratam”, meaning in their dwelling places. Rabbi Katz is emphasizing that Shabbat is not only something that is to be observed forever - but a day that centers around the home.

We are so lucky to have a community that prizes having Shabbat in the home. This Friday night (March 6th), dozens of families will celebrate Shabbat together during our “Taste of Shabbat.” They will get to live out this rabbinic notion that the calming, peaceful, song-filled, delicious Shabbat experience is enjoyable when we are invited in to each other’s homes.

At Anshe Emet, we celebrate the homey nature of Jewish life constantly. We convert our synagogue space to feel like our homes once a month, when we gather for Shabbat is Awesome. People play board games, sports, activities, and spend time together, making the synagogue feel like an extension of our homes.

And so this shabbat, and every shabbat, I wish that you and your family will experience Shabbat ledorotam, for many generations, and lediratam, in all of the places in which we reside.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo

Tetzaveh 5775

The Spirit of Amalek is Alive and the American College Campus

In a recently published study of more than 1100 Jewish college students it was found that 54% had experienced an anti-Semitic incident his past year.  Ariella Kasar, who headed the study and teaches at Trinity College, was quoted as saying: “We were surprised how prevalent it is. There are no pockets where it is in specific places, regions or universities. It’s kind of widespread,” Most surprising, perhaps, is that there is virtually no difference in the rates of experiencing anti-Semitism between those who are “never open” about being Jewish on their campus and those who are “always open” about being Jewish. 

The reality of anti-Semitism on college campuses is a clear and present reality around the country.

The Shabbat before Purim is called Shabbat Zachor: the Sabbath of memory.  We will read the passage regarding Amalek at the conclusion of our Torah reading:

Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt -- how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. Therefore, when the LORD your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!  (Deuteronomy 26:17-19)

Amalek was a tribal chieftain who attacked the Children of Israel as they marched through the desert directly after the splitting of the sea.   In this passage Moses reminds the people that Amalek attacked the most in the back of the caravan.  Had he wanted to simply fight the Israelites, Amalek would have chosen to focus on the front of the caravan where the fighting men were.  Rather, he chose to slaughter the weakest and most vulnerable element of the Jewish people.  For this cowardly and hateful act Amalek wins the eternal ire of God.  Moreover, Moses teaches us that the war against Amalek will be an eternal one.  Haman, who tries to destroy the Jews of Persia in the time of Mordecai and Esther was a direct descendant of Amalek.  In the eyes of Jewish tradition, Amalek was more than a historical figure, he was the very symbol of anti-Semitism throughout time.

The sad reality of the modern day is that the spirit of Amalek is alive and well throughout the world and as this recent study shows, on college campuses as well.  In the past weeks the students bodies of Stanford University and Northwestern University voted to divest from 6 major companies that do business with Israel.  The claim is that the products from these companies are used by Israel in human rights violations in the Palestinian territories.  The vote on the Northwestern Campus was 24 to 22.  The Jewish students who were involved in the struggle against the divestment experienced both abuse and the worst form of anti-Semitism thinly disguised as anti-Israel rhetoric.  I am proud to say that some of the Jewish leaders at Northwestern and Stanford were from Anshe Emet.

On this Shabbat Zachor Mitchell Caminer will share his experience of this struggle with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction Movement on his university campus as well as his encounter with anti-Semitism.   Sadly, the spirit of Amalek is not only present in terrorist acts in places like Paris and Copenhagen but in our halls of higher education as well.  Please plan to be with us this Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael Siegel

Mishpatim 5775

What the Death Penalty Teaches Us about a Society

Abraham Joshua Heschel once said that: a society is measured by the way it treats its elderly.   In watching the news this week I came to the conclusion that we can learn a great deal about a society by the way they administer the death penalty. The world had a terrible example of this in the past few days.  ISIS put a Jordanian pilot to death in such a grossly barbaric way that the world cannot pretend there is anything civilized or redeeming in this new Caliphate. Then, yesterday we heard the news that Kayla Mueller, an American aide worker, was put to death despite the pleading of her parents; despite the fact she was not an armed combatant, nor that her sole purpose for being in Syria was to help the innocent.

We can measure a society by the way it values human life—in the manner in which it administers the death penalty.

This week we read Parshat Mishpatim. It contains one of our people’s most ancient law codes. We learn that if one knowingly takes a life they must forfeit their own. Such is the holiness of every person created in the image of God. Even if the perpetrator claims sanctuary they must be removed from the very alter itself so that justice may be done. However, if the murder was unintentional then the Torah makes provisions to have a person live in a city of refuge where they would be safe from the vengeance of the family members of the slain person. While the Torah allows for capital punishment it also takes care to ensure that great care be exercised to ensure that the State not abuse such power. The Rabbis themselves adopted this attitude. It is recorded in the Mishnah: Makkot 1:10 that “A Sanhedrin that puts a man to death once in seven years is called a murderous one.” This attitude regarding the sanctity of life has been carried on by the modern State of Israel, which does not allow for Capital Punishment. In fact, the only recorded case of a person put to death was that of Adolph Eichmann whose Crime against the Jewish People could be punished no other way.

The distinctiveness of our tradition can be seen in the last few sentences of this section on capital crimes. It is a familiar phrase: the penalty shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. It is of interest to us that the Code of Hammurabi, one in existence since during the time of Abraham, contains almost the exact same wording. The difference is that in Mishpatim these laws were administered to everyone equally and, in the Code of Hammurabi, based upon ones class in society. Furthermore, in our tradition it is understood from the start that the Torah was not advocating the simple meaning of the text, but rather monetary compensation. For our people the punishment must always fit the crime. 

To use the death penalty as an opportunity to publicize one’s cause, as ISIS does, is an affront to the very God they purport to worship and honor. Now that the world has had the opportunity to peer into the dark soul of these people, we can only pray that they will be dealt with in a way that is commensurate with their crimes. 

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Michael Siegel

Yitro 5775

Amongst the many dating websites that are around today, there is one called “Saw You at Sinai.” It serves Jewish singles of various ages, backgrounds, cultures and interests find their match (their bashert). And the origin of this website’s name appears in this week’s Torah portion.

It is in parshat Yitro that we read of God revealing the Torah to the people of Israel at Sinai. What is interesting is how the rabbis interpret this revelation. They claim that (Babylonian Talmud Shevu’ot 39a), that all Jews were present at the Sinai encounter, including those who had not yet been born or who were not yet Jews. Our rabbis assert that this was the greatest gathering of Jewish souls in history. Hence the website name, SawYouatSinai – we all were there.

Every year, I bring the book, “Present at Sinai” or in Hebrew “Atem Re’item” with me to shul on this Shabbat, when we read the Torah portion Yitro. Because in this book, Shai Agnon (Nobel Laureate in Literature) collected thousands of rabbinic interpretations on the Revelation at Sinai. And what is interesting is the title that he chose – atem re’item, which literally means “you yourselves (plural) saw.” Quoting a rabbinic commentary in the book, he emphasized this point that all future generations witnessed the Sinai revelation. This midrash was so important to him that it became the title of his book.

I think about this teaching often around this time of year, as we approach the 2nd largest gathering at Anshe Emet – Purim, and the Purim Carnival. It’s not as big as the rabbis’ vision of Sinai, nor is it the High Holy Days – but it is a time when over a thousand people gather together to celebrate the fun of Purim together. We hope to celebrate with you by reading and listening to the Megillah together (Wednesday night, March 4th and Thursday morning, March 5th), and by being a part of our Purim Carnival. The Carnival this year is on Sunday, March 1st. We would deeply appreciate any volunteers – so please contact Aviva Schnoll at 773-868-5152 or aschnoll@ansheemet.org to help us make this carnival the most exciting one in the Chicago area.

I so look forward standing with all of you, as the future generation that the rabbi envisioned, as we celebrate Jewish life together.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo

Vaera 5775

On January 14th, 1963, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was invited to Chicago to deliver a speech at a conference on Religion and Race sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. He opened his speech by offering a masterful re-telling of this season’s series of Torah portions injecting a powerful comparison to the struggles with racism from his day:

“At the first conference on religion and race, the main participants were Pharaoh and Moses. Moses’ words were: ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, let My people go, that they may celebrate a feast to me.’ While Pharaoh retorted: ‘Who is the Lord that I should heed this voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover I will not let Israel go.’ 

“The outcome of that summit meeting has not come to an end Pharaoh is not ready to capitulate. The exodus began, but is far from having been completed. In fact, it was easier for the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea than for [an African-American man] to cross certain university campuses. Let us dodge no issues. Let us yield no inch to bigotry, let us make no compromise with callousness…” (The Insecurity of Freedom, pg. 85)

Fifty-one years ago, Rabbi Heschel acknowledged with striking language that, in his time, there was a battle akin to that of the Exodus story, a struggle for freedom from oppression. One perhaps even more challenging then the crossing of the Red Sea!

Rabbi Heschel was even more condemning in a telegram that he on the eve of a meeting with President Kennedy in 1963: “I look forward to privilege of being present at meeting tomorrow four pm. Likelihood exists that [African-American] problem will be like the weather. Everybody talks about it but nobody does anything about it.”

This coming Shabbat, we at Anshe Emet are planning on doing something about it, as we commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On January 16 at Anshe Emet Live, Hazzan Mizrahi will lead a Friday night service when we will sing about freedom, and discuss how we can create a world with more freedom for all. And on Sunday, January 18, we are honored to host various churches, organizations, ONE Northside, and more as we talk about our respective faiths, the legacy of Dr. King, and systematic injustices in our community related to racism and gender inequality. We will also learn about how we can begin battling against these inequities. We’ll conclude with some food, breaking bread together as we reflect on how to make change as a community.

So this weekend, help us commemorate the legacy of Rabbi Heschel and Dr. King by doing something about it.

Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi David Russo