Reflections from Babi Yar

The first time I heard about Babi Yar was when I was in high school in summer camp.  We learned the powerful poem written in the 1960's by the Russian poet Yevtushenko which was a scorching indictment of Soviet Russia for neglecting and whitewashing the tragedy that took place in the forest on the outskirts of Kiev. Over 33,000 Jews were murdered there by the Nazis during three days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in 1941.  Yet as the poem's opening words which I still remember to this day hauntingly state, "There is no memorial at Babi Yar..."

The poet was referring to the lack of any recognition by the Soviet communists that over 100,000 Jews were shot in the forest.  Today a menorah marks the site.  The delegation of rabbis read poems, said prayers, lit candles, chanted Hebrew psalms and shed tears.  Our presence was a powerful repudiation of the Nazi plan to eradicate Judaism by attempting to annihilate the Jewish people. 

As I stood at the ravine I noticed that our non-Jewish tour guide was overcome with emotion and stood and cried with us.  

Although I had hand and feet warmers and long underwear I deliberately chose not to bring them with me.  I did not want to stand in comfort, but to feel the snow and the cold, to imagine the suffering that took place here.

Report from Kiev

I had heard of the work of the Joint Distribution Committee, the overseas arm of the American Jewish community helping to sustain Jews and Jewish life in remote recesses of the Former Soviet Union.  In the 1970's and 80's we rallied to allow Soviet Jews to emigrate.  Now we are involved in the largest scale effort to keep them and the spark of Judaism alive in areas we had written off as being impossible to sustain.  In the words of Rabbi Asher Ostrin of the Joint, "We are working to reclaim Jews for the Jewish people." 

In a day and age when we are constantly thinking about how to harness technology and use new techniques, the truth is we are doing what our ancestors before us have done throughout the millennia: creating the means and mechanism to support each other.  Through it all, we remain a community with a unique understanding of our responsibility to care for each other, and to provide for the needs of the weakest among us. 

I am in Kiev with the Rabbinic Cabinet of the JFNA.  With 32 colleagues we fanned out in 7 vans across the city of Kiev to visit some of the people the Joint helps to support.  I visited an older woman confined to a bed who receives a supplement to her pension, home visits, a health care aide 12 hours a week and other support.  Another visit to a young child confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy was reflective of the 160,000 Jews in some 2,900 centers across the FSU who receive help as a result of our donations to Federation.  

Another facet of the work being done in Kiev are programs sponsored by the Jewish Agency and Birthright to work with and provide educational outreach to the young, as well as to seniors and others, to encourage and foster an appreciation and love for Israel and Judaism. 

Tragedy in Newtown

As names were called at the graduation of my youngest son from college last week, I could not help but think about the names of the 20 young children who had been killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School and whose names will not be called at a graduation ceremony.

I want to share with you below the passage from the Midrash which I taught at services last Shabbat morning.  Our rabbis in this beautiful text show that God is a compassionate God who shares our sense of loss at a time of tragedy.

 “The Holy One Mourns”

It is reported in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi:  The Holy One summoned the ministering angels and asked them, “When a king of flesh and blood loses a dear one and he wishes to mourn, what is customary for him to do?”  They replied, “He hangs sackcloth over his door.”  God said, “I will do likewise.”  Hence it is written, “I clothe the heavens with blackness and I make sackcloth their covering” (Isa. 50:3).

What else does a king of flesh and blood do [when mourning]?”  They replied, “He extinguishes the lanterns.”  God said, “I will do likewise.”  Hence it is written, “the sun and the moon are become black, and the starts withdraw their shining” (Joel 4:15).

“What else does a king of flesh and blood do?”  They replied, “He walks barefoot.”  God said, “I will do likewise.”  Hence it is stated, “The Lord, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust beneath His [bare] feet” (Nah. 1:3).

“What else does a king of flesh and blood do?”  They replied, “He rends his purple robe.”  God said to them, “I will do likewise.” Hence it is written, “After the Lord did what He purposed, He rent His purple robe (bitza imrato)” (Lam. 2:17).

“What else does a king of flesh and blood do?  “They replied, “He sits in silence.” God said, “I will do likewise.”  Hence it is stated, “He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he was taken away” (Lam. 3:28).

I wish for you, your family and the world blessings of health, safety, security and peace in the coming secular new year.

Report from Israel Solidarity Mission

It is an old adage that things change quickly in Israel.  That was evident when we started our day with the Minister of Tourism, who just before our meeting had announced that he was taking a leave of absence from politics and would not be running in the upcoming election. 

From there we went to a factory where we met a visionary CEO, Daniel Birnbaum, who has the energy, passion, drive and enthusiasm of Steve Jobs and Howard Schultz of Starbucks combined.  He took a company on the verge of bankruptcy and turned it around to be extremely profitable. We toured the Sodastream factory which is committed to putting out a quality product which is environmentally sound and goes out of its way to employ Arabs and have exemplary employment practices.  We were all blown away and impressed by what we saw and heard and the contribution it is making to Israel's economy. 

Ron Dermer, special adviser to the Prime Minister, is to Netanyahu what David Axelrod is to Obama and Karl Rove was to Bush.  In his meeting with us he spoke about the Pillar of Defense operation and said the success of Iron Dome, as well as the international support for Israel, saved lives and shortened the war. He spoke about the Gaza operation, the UN vote and other policy and security matters. In the course of an extended open-ended freewheeling discussion we raised issues pertaining to promoting tolerance for the streams of Judaism and rolling back infringements on religious expression by non-Orthodox. The inability to further this openness and other options for Jewish religious expression is thwarted by the Israeli political system which caters to the small parties and disproportionally increases their influence. 

More tomorrow.