Yom Ha'atzmaut 5769
To be a free people in our land,
the land of Zion and Jerusalem
Israeli National Anthem
HATIKVA
- Naphtali Herz
Israel: a colorful land. We have richness surrounding us everywhere – in the colors that meet our eyes as we view the gorgeous land in which we live and in the colorful souls that make up our varied human landscape. What would Israel be without falafel, smiling faces, and the range from Ashenazi to Sepharadi, religious to secular. Happy Birthday to you, our State of Israel, our Jewish homeland. May you only grow to show off your G-d given greatness, with no more loss or sorrow; and may you be a light to the nations as the center for peace and goodness in the world. Chag Ha’atzmaut Sameach!
Yom Hazikaron 5769
O G-d, full of mercy, Who dwells on high,
grant proper rest on the wings of the Divine Presence -
in the lofty levels of the holy and the pure ones,
who shine like the glow of the firmament -
for the souls of the martyrs of the Israel Defense Force,
who gave up their lives
for the Sanctification of the Name
and the Conquest of the Land
“The sound of my beloved knocks”
Song of Songs 5:2
Did we indeed miss the moment, overlook the opportunity? I hardly think so. Just as the exile is a process of history, so is redemption a process -and this is only the “beginning of the sprouting of our redemption” (S.Y. Agnon)…. We have brought together exiles from every conceivable culture. We have fought interminable wars, suffered the sacrifice of our most committed and courageous with our morale still high and our mission still intact.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
Yom Hashoah 5769
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest
- Elie Weisel, Night
Yom Hashoah, 5769. Remembering the Holocaust with a single flame, or many. As the years advance, and survivors grow older, we risk the dulling of our collective pain, the dimming of our collective memory. We have difficulty fathoming the sheer enormity of the Shoah, the number of worlds we lost to the destructive forces of hatred. The challenge of seeing ourselves as if we all came out of Egypt two weeks ago on Pesach is revisited upon us today as we try to grasp what it means to live in a world that allowed such horrible destruction. We find symbols–buttons, paper clips–in attempt to convey a sense of what 6,000,000 means. We listen to the stories of the survivors. We try to find ourselves in their stories and make them our own, to take our own flame and unite it with those of our entire nation. How fitting to use a flame to remember, to show the vibrancy of life that continues and flourishes today washed in the ashes of those who were consumed by another fire, beyond their control, fueled by their memory and honor.
Here Comes the Sun
Blessing for the Sun – Every 28 years…and every day
As Jews all over the world made the special blessing for the sun’s return to its original home from creation, we prayed for peace and light for all. Pictured directly above is a site in the Judean Hills called EIN KOBI, dating from the ancient Roman period. The trail passes by a plethora of goodies including wild nuts and fruit trees, edible grapes, burial caves, ancient springs. Notice the sunlight – the source of life and warmth. Let us pray for light, in all its manifestations, to spread its potential for growth on the nation of Israel, and all humankind.
Spring Time!
Spring is here – Passover is on its way
This is one of the most beautiful seasons of the Jewish Year, in the Jewish Land. Despite possible pre Passover tension, take a few moments to look outside, take a drive near your home, or even a longer trip up north. Take in the colors and the richness.
For now the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The blossoms have appeared in the land. The time of the song-bird has come; the song of the turtledove is heard in our land. The green figs form on the fig tree, the blossoming vines give off fragrance (Song of Songs 2:11-13).
PURIM!!!!
It is a great mitzvah to be happy ALL THE TIME
-Rebbe Nachman
Purim is the holiday where we celebrate a great Jewish victory – a victory of perseverance and faith over those forces that wish to destroy us and our spirit. We can see, feel and taste the eternity of the Jewish People. The joy of reclaiming our place in the world over and over throughout history and our celebration of the power of our people to endure and flourish are deeply felt and beautifully reflected in the faces of our People. This year, we in Israel feel the immediacy of this victory as our people continue to flourish even in the fear of war and its wake. Finding joy, even in the complexity of our world, and letting it shine outshows the world that we are proud to be part of a larger plan, with miracles of greatness at its core.
Create New Beginnings
The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings.
- DaveDave Weinbaum
In the Land of Israel we recently celebrated Tu B’Shvat – the New Year for the Trees. We are told that there are four new years in the Jewish calendar year. We are all familiar with the New Year that is celebrated as the beginning of a clean slate – our holiday of Rosh Hashana.
There is so much we can learn from the fact that we mark ‘newness’ more than once a year. The concept of trying to refine and improve ourselves is a wonderful opportunity. The period of spring is a time of blossoming, growth and a symbol for Beginning.
We can all take a moment to learn from the almond blossoms scattered all over the land, and try to find the seeds within ourselves to create new beginnings and beauty in this world.
Operation Cast Lead
We are in the midst of a war. Young Jewish boys and girls are risking everything so the Jews can survive. These photos are NOT from Gaza. They are representative of what the Israeli Defense Force is: Soldiers training hard, on difficult terrain, under tough conditions, but with discipline and camaraderie. They have 2 forms of weapon – physical and spiritual. May G-d, and the support that all people who want to fight terrorism and cruelty, lead them and guide them to victory; to the few defeating the many; the evil falling into the hands of the righteous – and a Jewish State where all of its citizens live in peace, prosperity and without fear.
Cascais – Color, Water, and Fishermen
Upon revisiting Portugal, I came to the fisherman’s village of Cascais. Though it has begun to be overtaken by the tourist industry, its natural beauty is untainted. The rich colors of the water, the rustic features of the fishermen, and the wind blowing and lifting the everpresent flocks of birds, kept me there for quite some time.
In a combination of landscape photography and capturing the people of the place, I hope you can get a taste of the depth and richness in this small piece of Europe.
