Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
September 14th 2012 -Volume 2,
Issue 44 –26th of Elul 5772
To
all of my beloved readers I would like to share with you the opportunity before
the High Holidays to share in the merit of supporting our programs and
projects. These weekly Insights are part of our larger project of supporting
our congreagation that brings Jews from all backgrounds together, encourages
and assists new Olim in moving to Israel as well as spreading Torah and love of
Jews and Eretz Yisrael to the world. It is a great merit to have in your hand
as you approach Hashem these Holy Days and your support can help us firther our
programs. Please click
on the link on our blog for our High Holiday Young Israel campaign. Online PayPal or
credit card contributions can be made in memory of a loved one, and in honor
of Simcha or a mere appreciation for
your weekly E-Mail J)
or
if you would like you can send a charitable donation to the International Young
Israel Movement and send it to
Ephraim Schwartz 25441 Gardner
Oak Park Michigan 48237
Or
in Israel to
Ephraim Schwartz
10 Eshel
Karmiel, Israel 21681
Thanks
so much for your support!
Nitzavim/ Rosh Hashana
A Father's Gift
He was so far from
yiddeshkeit. So very far. Anatoly was raised in Odessa in a completely secular
environment. No Shabbos, no Kosher, no Chanukah Menorah, he never even knew
about the High Holidays or Rosh Hashanah until last year. He had come to
America, made a life for himself, built a family, but Judaism was never
something that interested him. It was a new world, the faith of his ancestors
was exactly that; something his Old Russian grandparents had practiced and
gotten persecuted for. Even if there was a G-d, Anatoly thought he certainly
was never going to find anything to connect him with Him. That was until he
went to Israel for the first time to visit some relatives he had there.
Somehow everything seemed
to change for him over there on that trip. He felt stirrings somewhere deep
inside that he couldn’t identify. He felt that he had been there before. He saw
Jews of all hats and backgrounds and he felt an allegiance towards them. He
spoke with some Rabbis he had met there and they had opened up a world to him.
It was a foreign world, a world that he wasn’t sure he would ever have anything
to do with. But something spoke to him, a voice he couldn’t seem to shake.
On his way back home to Los
Angeles he had arranged to have a flight that would layover in Odessa , his old
childhood home. He walked around his old neighborhood and as Jewish fate always
seems to have it, he bumped in to an old man who recognized him. As he shared
with the old man his experience in Israel the old man told him about how difficult
it had been to be Jewish in Russia growing up. He then handed Anatoly the gift
that would change his life forever. One who’s lesson has certainly inspired
mine.
It was an old worn out Rosh
Hashanah Machzor-prayer book. Its pages were old and brittle but seemingly very
typical. Yet as he flipped through the pages something caught his eyes. He
noted that by one of the prayers the words were crossed out. In the famous
prayer Avinu Malkeinu- Our Father Our King- recited throughout the High
Holiday season the word Malkeinu-Our King was crossed out and replaced
with the word Czar. Then the word Czar was crossed out too, and
replaced with the name Stalin; which was also crossed out as well.
Seemingly the owner of this Machzor fearing for their lives from the
Czarist or Communist Governments had changed the text. Tears began to rush down
his face as he considered the conditions that this Machzor owner must have
lived under, and what he would've given to be able to live with the freedom
that Anatoly now possessed. He was shaken to his core that this Machzor had
some how made its way into his hand. He kissed the precious book and made a New
Years resolution. The Malkeinu- would know longer be erased, he Anatoly
would make God his King and find out about his tradition. This is the
first part of the story.
This week's Torah portion
the one always read before Rosh Hashanah contains in it the Eternal promise of
the Jewish people. After reiterating the blessings and curses that will come in
response to our observance of the commandments, Hashem says
"When all these things
come upon you and your heart will return to you amongst all the nations of
which Hashem your God has dispersed you; and you will return to Hashem your God
and listen to His voice … If your dispersed will be at the edges of the heaven
from there Hashem, your God will gather you in and will take you."
Reb Zalman Sorotzkin notes
that Hashem is not speaking here about merely the physical ingathering of
Exiles that is a principle of Jewish faith; for if so it should say "from
the edges of the earth". Rather it is talking about the spiritual
in-gathering that will happen. Those who have been pushed away from any piece
of heaven. Our brothers… our sisters… ourselves who sometimes feel we have fallen
so far we could never get back. We too Hashem will bring us back. But why does
He do this. Haven't we abandoned Him? The answer lays in part II of Anatoly's
story.
After Odessa , Anatoly went
back to L.A. a changed man. He found himself a Synagogue, began to study and
developed a relationship with a special Rabbi he had met. One day he worked up
the courage and showed him his precious Machzor. When the Rabbi saw the
Machzor he pointed out to Anatoly an even more incredible lesson. He told
Anatoly to note that the word Malkeinu was crossed out, but the first
word Avinu- Our Father, never was. There are times throughout history
when Jews have felt they had pressures, forces, and threats that were too
overwhelming; they crossed out the Malkeinu in their books. They came to
new worlds where different gods ruled in their minds. But they never could
replace Avinu- our loving caring Father in heaven.
We approach Rosh Hashanah
this week. Many of us have not necessarily lived this year as our King would've
wanted us too. We question if there's a place for us back home. Who are we to
come to Shul, blow a Shofar proclaiming Hashem as our King and hope to be
judged for a good year? The answer is that he is also Avinu- our Father. He is
our Father who has promised us that no matter how far to edges of heaven we
have floundered we can come back home. He will bring us back Home. We just have
to open our Machzors, open our hearts, and take our rightful places at our
ancestral heritage and heavenly palace. He'll take care of all the rest.
Fathers are like that sometimes. Hashem is like that always.
Have an inspirational last Shabbos of the and
may we all be written in the Book of Life and all that is good this coming
year.
Rabbi Ephraim
Schwartz
The
Young Israel of Karmiel J- my personal favorite shul in
Israel. The shul founded a year and half ago is the first of the new project Kehillot
Ha’Galil of the International Young Israel Movement, as we begin to develop a
synagoguge movement in Israel that views the Shul as the community center for
classes, programs, socials and a place to join together with your community.
The Young Israel movement as well is looking to bridge the differences between
our somewhat divided people bringing together Chareidi Jew, Religious Zionists,
Ashkenaz, Sefard, Olim, Anglos, Native Sabras and Secular Jews who are all part
of our community in a non-judgemental warm and welcoming environment where we
can grow together in our service to Hashem, the love of Jews and an
appreciation of Eretz Yisrael. In the Young Israel of Karmiel we delight in our
warm carlbach style Friday night services our weekly chulent Kiddush and our
growing Olim population as well as the many secular Jews who have felt
comfortable to join us for their simchas and services. We also love our Rabbi J
although he does have a tendency to speak a little to long. So if you’re
looking for a place for the High Holidays come join us and be part of this
special exciting Shul!
RABBI SCHWARTZES FAVORITE ROSH HASHANA PRAYER SONG OF THE WEEK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC-MEfJW1LU
(and he looks nothing like me!)
RABBI SCHWARTZES JOKE OF THE WEEK
It was Rosh Hashanah evening. In the old Jewish neighborhood, everyone was heading to services. And on his way to synagogue, the Rabbi notices one of his neighbors - an old timer - sitting on a park bench.
"Sam. Aren't you going to services."?
"Not this year, Rabbi."
"Why not Sam? Don't you think you should ask G-d for another year of good health?"
"Rabbi. I'm ninety-three years old. Most of my friends are gone. And I have a hunch. I think that in heaven they've forgotten about me. And the last thing I want to do... is remind them!"
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