This week, we mourn the passing of Joe Lieberman. He served four terms as U.S. senator from Connecticut and in 2000 was nominated for vice-president on the Democratic Party ticket, becoming the first Jewish candidate to represent a national party platform. Like many Jews, I will never forget seeing that make headlines.
Much has been written about his policies, and tributes have poured in from allies and rivals, all of whom recognize his uniqueness as a decent and honorable man, dedicated to his faith, family and country, and a staunch advocate for the Jewish people and Israel. The part of his story I would like to highlight today is that Joe Lieberman was also a very proud and observant Jew. As a man who kept Shabbat, there was a time he famously walked five miles from his home in Georgetown to Capitol Hill for an emergency vote on a Saturday. Less known is that he also kept kosher, wrapped tefillin every weekday morning, prayed three times daily, and regularly studied the weekly Torah portion. He was a regular synagogue attendee, and even during the busy campaign seasons, everyone knew that on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah, he would not be on the trail, but at services. He had a deep commitment to Torah observance, and he showed all of us that it’s really possible. In a public address several years ago, he related a humorous anecdote about how he managed to keep kosher while campaigning for vice president, and even while traveling abroad. “When I traveled, the Secret Service kept my hotel location classified for security reasons. Yet somehow, in city after city, when I arrived at the secret location, there was a kosher meal waiting for me there from the local Chabad.” Lieberman said he was never sure how Chabad accomplished that; did they have a connection at the CIA, or perhaps his mother told her Chabad rabbi where her son was going? His life and dedication can be a good lesson to all of us. We are not being asked to walk five miles to keep Shabbat, nor do we need to perform security gymnastics to keep kosher. Let us honor his memory by doing an additional mitzvah. This week let's be like Joe.
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This Sunday, we will celebrate Purim and read the Megillah. The two most famous words in the Megillah are “venahpoch hu - it was reversed,” alluding to the overturning of Haman’s genocidal decree against the Jews. More broadly, these words encapsulate the essence of the Purim miracle when everything was turned upside down.
It was these words that came to mind this week when I read a letter from over 1000 Jewish Hollywood figures, proudly standing up in defense of the Jewish people and steadfastly refusing to renounce or refute their Judaism. This stands in stark contrast to the actions of three infamous university presidents who couldn't bring themselves to condemn calls for the genocide of Jews. The irony that there could be more moral clarity and human decency in Hollywood than in today's academia, which clearly suffers from moral decay and ethical erosion, certainly took me by surprise. But then again, if that isn’t an example of “venahpoch hu,” I don’t know what is. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi explained that Haman’s genocidal decree had an interesting loophole. If Jews renounced their faith and identity as “Mordecai's people,” Haman would leave them alone. Yet, remarkably, not one Jew even considered the option! This profound sense of faith and commitment stemmed from Esther, who risked her life to approach the king. Contrary to what may have seemed more rational, popular, or less risky behavior, Esther didn't abandon or refute her Judaism; she stood firm. As Mordechai told her, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and rescue will arise for the Jews from elsewhere, and you and your father's household will perish; and who knows whether it was for a time such as this that you ascended to the throne.” The lesson for us from Esther is clear. When we find ourselves at a crossroads or facing an important decision, where proudly expressing true Jewish values matters most, we must realize that we may have been gifted with our unique set of talents and abilities specifically “for a time such as this.” It might just be the very thing that you or I say or do at that moment, that will prove to be pivotal and alter the course of history. Queen Esther requested we read the Megillah on the 14th of Adar. Her wish has been honored by the Jewish people ever since, and the Book of Esther is included in the canon of our sacred texts. Join us on Sunday, March 22nd, the 14th of Adar, and hear the Megillah just as Esther requested. I recently participated in the signing of a bill that will make it easier for South Dakota law enforcement to hold antisemites accountable. Though anyone can stand in the street and say whatever they’d like, HB1076 makes it easier to protect Jews in our state from hateful conduct.
If sometime in the future, a Jewish child in South Dakota will be safer and more protected, it will be because of this bill. That is why I wholeheartedly supported it and am grateful to the South Dakota legislature for their overwhelming and bipartisan support, and to Governor Noem for making it a top priority this session. Will it destroy the haters and completely eradicate antisemitism? Unfortunately not. So what, if anything, can be done to stop Jew hatred? Some argue we should be less visible and hide our mezuzahs, megillas and menorahs. Others suggest we need to be less supportive of our brothers and sisters in Israel and that Israel should defend itself less, to pacify and win over the rest of the world. The news and rhetoric today can be frustrating and isolating. During the time of the Purim miracle Jews were threatened with genocide by the evil Haman. It all changed when Mordechai met a group of children and asked them what they learned that day, and they began reciting verses of Torah to him. It was at that moment that Mordechai knew the Jewish people would be okay. When there is proper Jewish education, there are knowledgeable Jews. When there are knowledgeable Jews, there are proud Jews, and where there are proud Jews there is a Jewish future. Incidentally, it was at that moment that Haman also knew that, try as he might, he would not succeed in getting rid of the Jews. When it comes to finding a career and making a living, we understand this idea well; if we want our children to succeed we must provide them with an education. We know this for their lifestyle and hobbies too. A parent recently told me they want their child to show an interest in soccer. So they started showing soccer games and championships on their TV screen at home and hope will build an interest in the child to sign up for the neighborhood soccer team. The same applies to Jewish identity and lifestyle. When a child can hold a siddur the right way up and read the Torah in its original Hebrew, they will be passionate as a teen and adult to attend services and participate in Torah classes. If they introduce themselves to their college friends as a proud Jew, it will only happen if they've been educated as one. This is also our best weapon against antisemitism, as we say in the Passover Haggadah “In every generation they rise up to destroy us, but the Torah that has stood by our ancestors and for us, and You (G-d) save us from them.” Yes, we must always do what we can to ensure hateful perpetrators are held accountable, but as individual Jews, we can’t forget that the most important thing is to focus on and invest in Jewish education. Imagine what the Jewish community would look like if every dollar spent on educating the world about antisemitism was spent instead on educating Jews about Judaism; Jewish education. Think about the astonishing fact that you and I are here today as Jews continuing our 3,500 year old heritage and tradition. Answer these questions to yourself Who are we? What in fact is our heritage and tradition? What makes us Jewish? The “Chosen People”? What is our purpose here on earth? What is our privilege and responsibility as a Jew in 2024? When we have a good sense of our Jewish identity, we may not be able to change the haters, but we will accomplish something far greater: We will have changed ourselves in ways that the antisemite will no longer be able to instill fear in us as they did before. When we are fully confident and proud of who we are, much of the antisemitism won’t matter anymore. And if there is indeed any way to change how others look at Jews, this itself might be the best approach after all. In the words of the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, "Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism." This past Wednesday, Governor Noem signed HB1076 into law, incorporating the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitism into the Human Rights Code. This bill received overwhelming, and bipartisan, support in the Legislature.
Contrast that to Georgia, where for five years, the Klan (Neo-Nazis) and CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) joined forces to oppose the legislation. Incredibly, what brought the KKK and CAIR together, was their common Jew hatred. In preparing this bill, experts from national Jewish organizations offered insights into the legislation. Kenneth Marcus, Chairman of Brandeis Center for Human Rights told the committee that "passing this bill is the number one thing the State of South Dakota can do right now to protect Jews." These experts shared that while they encountered challenges and opposition in other states, their experience in South Dakota was unique. Here, legislators debated not whether to support the bill, but how to strengthen it further, intensify the fight against antisemitism, and provide even greater protection and support for the Jewish people and Israel. This reminds me yet again how fortunate we are that in South Dakota the vast majority of citizens stand in solidarity with the Jewish community. Later this month we will be celebrating Purim. Mordechai is referred to in the Megillah as “Mordechai Ha-Yehudi.” The term "היהוד Ha-Yehudi" holds several significant meanings: היהודי means "the Jew" from the word "Judea," in the Holy Land of Israel. It means the one who was מודה (“modeh”), recognizing and accepting G-d while rejecting the popular idol of the day, even at the risk of his life. And it means the one who is אודה (“odeh”), giving thanks. These three connotations carry relevance in our daily lives today. To be a Jew means recognizing our identity, origins, and heritage. Only by understanding and embracing these aspects can we truly live life to its fullest, all while maintaining an attitude of gratitude. This week, a Jewish woman in New York made one of the single largest charitable gifts ever: Ruth Gottesman donated one billion dollars to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine to provide free tuition to all its students in perpetuity.
Upon reading this news, I felt a sense of pride seeing the Jewish value of tzedakah being done in such a remarkable manner. It also made me think about the instruction G-d gave Moses in this week's Torah portion, where he was tasked with taking a census of the Jewish people. The reason why countries or locales conduct censuses is to assess the strength of their population for military or tax purposes. A larger census typically signifies greater power. Yet, counting the Jews poses a challenge; because our numbers are consistently small it could portray us as vulnerable. In fact, there is an interesting Jewish tradition that we refrain from directly counting Jews by number because of fear of the evil eye. Instead, when necessary, we count through the words of a verse. For example, when counting ten men for a minyan, we recite a verse with ten words like "hoshiah, es, amecha, etc.," rather than counting "one, two, three," and so forth. This brings us to the specific details of G-d's instruction in this week's Torah portion: Moses was told to count the people indirectly, by asking each person to contribute a coin, which would then be counted. As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks eloquently put it, while we may be small in number, our contribution is very big. Indeed, there have been no people who have contributed as much to the world as the Jewish people, whether in ethics, medicine, economics, sciences, arts, or, most importantly, in matters of G-dliness and spirituality. It's important to remember each morning as we awaken that this is also a fundamental aspect of Judaism: thanking G-d for giving us another day and recognizing that each of us has a significant contribution to make in improving the world. And we need not wait until we can write a billion-dollar check to do so. This week, Jews around the world, and all lovers of peace, rejoiced at the news of the miraculous rescue of Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, after 129 days in Hamas captivity. The stories the released have told of starvation, terrible medical treatments, physical and sexual abuse, are enough to horrify any decent human being.
So when they were rescued in a flawless and heroic operation with no IDF fatalities, all people of good conscience had reason to celebrate. But there was one specific detail in the story that caught my attention. As I listened to the recording of the soldiers' radio communications during the mission, after they eliminated the terrorists and located the hostages, one of them called over the radio the words that confirmed the mission had been accomplished: "The diamonds are in our hands." The US Secret Service famously assigns code names to individuals under their protection. Clinton was known as "Eagle," Bush was "Trailblazer," Obama "Renegade," and Trump "Mogul." The military also employs code names for missions; for example, the operation to eliminate Bin Laden was codenamed "Geronimo." For this mission, the IDF chose to use the code word "Diamonds." How appropriate and how Jewish! This is the way we should look at our fellow, and this also explains why Israel was willing to take extraordinary measures for such a daring mission to save hostages. It reminded me of a story. For decades, the Rebbe devoted three nights a week meeting privately with people in his office, where he listened, offered encouragement, advice, and blessings upon those who sought his guidance. Though they would begin in the evening, oftentimes these meetings went well into the night, sometimes until 6 or 7 AM, ensuring that each individual on the schedule for that evening had their chance to connect with him. As the demand grew and it became physically impossible to accommodate everyone, the Rebbe proposed something new. Starting on his 84th birthday, each Sunday he stood in the lobby between his office and Synagogue, and greeted each person briefly. Thousands flocked each week, forming lines that stretched around the block. The Rebbe would stand for as long as eight hours without pause, despite his advanced age, and personally engaged with each individual, offering guidance or a blessing, and handing them a dollar bill to donate to a charity of their choosing. He said that when two people meet, a third should also benefit. As a young child, I had the privilege of meeting the Rebbe several times during these occasions. Once an elderly woman asked him: "Rebbe, How do you do it? How is it that you do not tire of standing for hours and hours?" The Rebbe smiled and replied: "Every soul is a diamond. One does not tire from counting diamonds." Several weeks ago I got a call from a woman on the West Coast. She told me her father Rob lived in the Black Hills and his health was deteriorating. The doctors said he didn’t have much time left, and she wanted to know if a rabbi could spend some time with him. She was very thankful when I told her I would be glad to drive from Sioux Falls. "Oh, and one more thing," she asked. "Does your wife make chicken soup? He would love that!"
Later that day I called Rob to tell him I had spoken with his daughter and that I would be coming to visit him with a bowl of chicken soup. When he asked if my wife also knew how to make “kreplach,” I knew this was going to be a very special visit. Little could I have imagined just how inspirational it would be. After a long drive, I arrived at Rob’s place. He told me he had lived in the Black Hills for over fifty years. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he went to Hebrew school, his family went to Shul, and he had his Bar-Mitzvah. After serving honorably in the Navy he settled in South Dakota where he enjoyed the nature and freedom the state offers. We visited for over an hour. He told me that for all those years, he had no formal connection with Judaism. He often felt alone, but never forgot who he was. He said the attacks on Israel on October 7th, and hate marches against Jews in America since, had been deeply distressing and very awakening. He told me he was born as a Jew, and now that he felt his time had come, he wanted to be sure he would die as a Jew. When I asked him if he knew his Hebrew name, he proudly told me it was Ruven ben Avraham. I helped Rob put on Tefillin, his first time since leaving Philadelphia, but he still remembered the brachos and was able to say the Shema fluently. We also said Viduy together, the prayers traditionally said at the end of life. Not long after I visited, Ruven ben Avraham returned his soul to its maker. May his memory be a blessing. This evening is Yud Tes Kislev, the 19th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. It commemorates the liberation of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad, from Czarist imprisonment in 1798 for his Jewish beliefs and practices.
Rabbi Shneur Zalman, also known as the Alter Rebbe, laid the principles that guide Chabad to this day; the ability to have a meaningful relationship with G-d, based on wisdom, understanding and knowledge, the mechanisms we have as humans to keep our mind and intellect in control of our emotions and passions, and most importantly, the glue that must hold that all together, the fundamental and transformative Chabad approach to loving your fellow Jew as yourself. So why was he arrested? In 1788, Rabbi Shneur Zalman established Colel Chabad, a charitable fund to raise money for the impoverished Jewish community living in the Holy Land of Israel. At the time, the Holy Land was under Ottoman rule. Since Turkey was at war with Russia, his detractors fabricated false accusations of treason to create a pretext for his persecution, arrest, and incarceration by the Czarist regime. In the 235 years since its founding, Colel Chabad has operated without interruption providing for the Holy Land’s needy and most vulnerable. Incidentally, it is also another reminder that Jewish people have always been living in Israel, dating back over 3,300 years when the Israelites entered the land promised by G-d to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants to this day. About the importance of supporting our brothers and sisters in the land of Israel, the Alter Rebbe writes how one “should impose austerity on his own life and go far beyond the letter of the law [that one contributes 10% of their wealth].” This charity is so important that even those who struggle to make a livelihood “must give precedence [to supporting those living in Israel] over any fine apparel and family feasts, with meat and fish and all kinds of delicacies, for oneself and all of one’s household.” Over the last few weeks we have seen some of this spirit play out in real-time, as Jews from around the world have opened their hearts and generously contributed to our brothers and sisters in Israel as Hamas rockets rain down on their homes, schools and hospitals, terrorists shoot randomly in the streets of Jerusalem, and all of them face an unimaginable humanitarian crisis. As we say, 'In each generation, they rise up against us, but He (G-d) saves us from their hands.' Czarist Russia and the Ottoman Empire are long gone, but Yud Tes Kislev and the values taught by the Alter Rebbe are still celebrated, and the Jewish people still exist and thrive in the Holy Land of Israel. Like those who persecuted us centuries ago, our enemies and their enablers will no doubt disappear soon enough. Let us hope and pray it happens swiftly with no further loss of precious life so the people of Israel can live in peace. May G-d ensure the safe return of the hostages, bring healing to the wounded, and protect the brave men and women of the IDF and the people of Israel. As it's written, "The Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers..." and "I shall grant peace upon the Land..." I was in New York this past weekend for the annual conference of Chabad rabbis, the largest conference of rabbis in the world. Generally there are also about 1200 rabbis who come in from Israel, representing some of Chabad's religious, social, educational and humanitarian organizations in the Holy Land.
This year, most of them did not attend. They are reeling from the barbaric massacres of October 7 by Palestinian terrorists. Right now they are remaining with their communities, serving in the reserves, and in the rabbinate identifying the dead, volunteering to assist the citizens of Israel, and keeping their families safe as they come under daily indiscriminate bombardment from Hamas rockets aimed at their homes, schools and hospitals. A most inspiring moment of the conference was when a young boy from Sderot, Avraham Pizem, addressed the conference. I encourage you to watch his speech here and how he describes the twelve seconds, T W E L V E seconds, he has to run to shelter every time he hears the sirens, and the opportunity to do good he has in those twelve seconds! This was his first time in America. His father told me when they came to the house they were staying in New York, the boy asked where the closest bomb shelter was… He has never experienced a reality without one. We Jews are not regular people. While our enemies seek to destroy us, we find more ways to grow and build. While they indoctrinate their children to hate (videos show kindergartens and camps in Gaza with children leading skits of murdering Jews), we teach our children to love. While those against Israel, march with calls for Israel’s destruction and the genocide of Jews (“Intifada! Intifada!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” i.e., the entire area from the Jordan River until the Mediterranean Sea will be free of Jews), we march calling for the security of our people and the release of all the hostages. Over the past few weeks, I have been inspired again and again by the outpouring of support for Israel and the Jewish people we have received from so many in Sioux Falls and across the state. As someone wrote to me: “The vast majority of South Dakotans have the good common sense to differentiate between Good and Evil, and they recognize Hamas for the antisemitic disease that it is [and] the public demonstrations in support [of it]. Rest assured that should this Evil creep into Sioux Falls, there will be thousands of Gentiles who stand ready to defend, and publicly stand with, the Jewish people of Sioux Falls.” Within the Jewish community, there has also been a spiritual revival, with so many looking for additional ways to proudly demonstrate their being Jewish, and doing another mitzvah. As the world puts pressure on Israel, and Jews around the world feel more vulnerable, we must be more united and more proud than ever. We must continue to be there for each other. There is not a single enemy of Jewish people who is not calling for a ceasefire. That should tell us something. No person who cares for Jews would demand they stop defending themselves against Hamas. A ceasefire would be a gift to the Hamas terrorists who want to murder, rape, shoot, burn and kidnap more Jews. They don’t hide their intentions and we can’t be naïve. Only our firm recognition that the Holy Land is an eternal gift given from G-d to the people of Israel, and a decisive victory by Israel that completely neutralizes the enemy, will restore peace and security. May G-d ensure the safe return of the hostages, bring healing to the wounded, and protect the brave men and women of the IDF and the people of Israel. As it's written, "The Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers..." and "I shall grant peace upon the Land..." In dark tunnels in Gaza, some 241 innocent men, women, and children are being held hostage by Palestinian terrorists.
The Talmud offers an intriguing teaching that even when faced with a sharp sword at one's neck, one should not lose hope or refrain from seeking Divine mercy. Some may view this as a lofty concept, perhaps only achievable with a dose of naivete . How can one maintain such resolve, and what follows even if they manage to do so? But this was not the response of Margalit Megidish. Her daughter, Ori, was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during the barbaric assault on October 7. The greatest fear a parent can experience is the unimaginable dread that their child is in the clutches of evil individuals in the worst possible place on earth. The idea that Jewish people share a neighborhood with such individuals is difficult to fathom. Margalit, however, did not succumb to despair. She clung to hope and strengthened her faith in G-d. Remarkably, she had a Torah scroll brought into her daughter's room, and she fervently prayed. In an emotional video captured by another family member, she is seen praying earnestly while preparing the Shabbat challah (a special mitzvah for women), even declaring amidst her emotions, 'G-d, I love you.' She seemed to be in a state of serenity and hope, rather than hysteria. Some may question the depth of such faith, and associate it with shallowness and lack of sophistication. 'How can I believe in G-d and love Him when I feel He has abandoned me?' they might ask. Yet, miraculously, Margalit's daughter, Ori, was rescued from Gaza and reunited with her family. To date, she is one of only five individuals to have left Gaza and the only one to be rescued. This profound level of faith, which transcends understanding and rationality, is aptly described by the 11th-century philosopher, Rabbi Bahya ben Joseph ibn Pakuda, in his work Sha’ar HaBitachon. He likens deep faith to someone locked in a dungeon, knowing that only one other person in the world holds the key, and your only hope lies in that individual unlocking the door. Similarly, one's faith in G-d should be absolute, recognizing that our fate is entirely in His hands alone. It may be difficult for us to experience such unwavering and deep faith, but let us take inspiration from Margalit Megidish who demonstrated that it is possible. As the verse proclaims, and we must always remember, “It is not by our strength or might of our hand, but it is He who gives strength.” May G-d ensure the safe return of the hostages, bring healing to the wounded, and protect the brave men and women of the IDF and the people of Israel. As it's written, "The Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers..." and "I shall grant peace upon the Land..." |
Rabbi Mendel Alperowitz BlogServing the spiritual needs of the South Dakota Jewish community. Based in Sioux Falls and travels the state. Archives
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