Author Archives: Hazzan Jesse Holzer
Thoughts for a New Year 5772
“A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven: A time for planting and a time for reaping, a time for keeping and a time for discarding; a time for loving and a time for hating; a time for embracing and a time for refraining; a time for slaying and a time for healing, a time for laughing and a time for weeping; a time for dancing and a time for wailing, a time for birthing and a time for dying; a time for speaking and a time for silence, a time for seeking and a time for losing.”
The words of Kohelet, of Ecclesiastes are recited in two distinct settings. Its words are chanted, depending on the tradition, on either the Intermediate Sabbath of Sukkot or on Shemini Atzeret. As a reflective piece, Ecclesiastes chapter 3 gives us an opportunity to look back at the 3 weeks of the holiday season, over the entirety of our season of repentance, and say, “What kind of time was this for me? For my family? Did I plant the seeds so that this period of time, this year, my life will be a season not only of repentance but of forgiveness, growth, laughter and love?” In this context, we have been afforded time in our Jewish calendar to think about…time.
You will also hear the words of Kohelet chanted at a Jewish funeral, at a time when individuals search for answers, where time means something completely different…We reflect on memories of a loved one when we struggle to find the words and when our ancient texts offer some source of comfort.
When it’s time to say goodbye, whether to the year or to a loved one that has passed, the moment can be abrupt or prolonged, and yet there is never enough time to say goodbye. In fact, there is never enough time to say “hello”- to initiate deeper relationships with people around us, never enough time to fill all the moments in between the “hello” and “goodbye” with all the moments, conversations and memories that make up life. This is not meant to force us into a sense of urgency, but rather a sense of gratitude for every moment we share with one another.
As we look to our Torah portion, Moses begins his swan song, his calculated, very much scheduled goodbye. He must deliver a message to his successor, Joshua, and to the Jewish people. As the leader who has taken the Israelites from bondage to freedom, what advice can he give to the next generation?
Chazak V’ematz– “Be strong and of good courage.” Our source sheet today will provide us with a glimpse at what these words meant to God, to Moses, to Joshua, and to the Jewish people today. I premise this list with the notion that the Torah does not arbitrarily repeat words or phrases. Each phrase is there for a reason.
At the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is instructed:
“Give Joshua his instructions, and imbue him with strength and courage, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he shall allot to them the land that you may only see.” (Deuteronomy 3:28)
Moses learns early on that to replace the leader of the Jewish people is a daunting task. Joshua will need encouragement that the he will have the strength to succeed.
Our next verse, taken from this week’s sedrah:
“Be strong and resolute, be not in fear or in dread of them, for the Lord your God marches with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 30:6)
This charge is given in the plural- not to Joshua, but to the Jewish people. Joshua has a partnership with the nation of Israel that must be strengthened on both ends. Notice the rhetoric changing as well. It’s not enough to take advice from Moses, but God will be with us. We need to know that someone will be there for us.
Finally, Moses empowers Joshua in the next chapter, in front of his now empowered community:
“Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: ‘Be strong and resolute, for it is you who shall go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their fathers to give them, and it is you who shall apportion it to them. And the Lord will go before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Fear not and be not dismayed.” (Deut. 31:7-8)
If that wasn’t enough, Moses again makes a charge to Joshua a few verses later:
“And He charged Joshua son of Nun: “Be Strong and resolute: for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised on oath, and I will be with you.” (Deuteronomy 31:23)
Moses passes on and Joshua is now leader. God speaks in the beginning of the book of Joshua:
“Be strong and resolute, for you shall apportion to this people the land that I swore to their fathers to assign to them. But you must be very strong and resolute to observe faithfully all the teaching that my servant Moses enjoined upon you…I Charge you: Be strong and resolute; do not be terrified or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-7, 1:9)
For a text that likes not to repeat itself, we have seven examples of the same message being portrayed.
“Chazak v’amatz, chazak v’amatz, chazak v’amatz.”
These words still have meaning for us today. We have remnants of this charge in our Torah services constructed over the centuries. The Hasam Sofer, in the early 19th century, writes that this triple use of “chazak v’amatz” in the book of Joshua is the origin for our present day tradition of saying “chazak chazak v’nitchazek” when we conclude each book of the Torah. In 12th century France, the Hazzan would shout “Hazak” in a loud voice to each who read from the Torah. In Sephardic synagogues, the custom is to say “chazak ubaruch”- be strong and be blessed, to each oleh to the torah, who then replies, “chazak v’amatz.” And so we see a conversation back and forth, each one blessing the other.
In reading the book of Psalms, we see a variation of this charge. Psalm 27 concludes: kavveh el Adonai, chazak v’ya’ametz libecha, v’kaveh el Adonai; literally: Wait patiently yet expectantly for Adonai; be strong and determined in your heart, and wait patiently yet expectantly for Adonai.
The psalmist expands beyond the courage and strength that Joshua and the Jewish people needed in creating a Jewish homeland. It is a charge for us, today, as Jews.
The message of this Psalm for the Season of Repentance is three fold:
1) Be strong- spiritually, mentally, intellectually, collectively
2) Be determined in your heart. Fill this world with love, do not second guess your heart.
3) “Kaveh el Adonai”- Hope in a higher being. Have faith in a brighter tomorrow, hope in the goodness of this world.
It’s during this season of reflection that I often think of someone who was taken from this world too soon, someone I had the opportunity to get to know, but regrettably never took the opportunity to get to know beyond the “hello.” At holiday celebrations and family gatherings, Jeremy Glick was the cousin’s other cousin, from the other side of family. I was an introvert; it was already tough interacting with my blood relatives let alone a muscular former collegiate judo champion.
On Thursday morning, the 23rd of Elul, I recited the Mourners Kaddish and chanted the El Malei Rachamim, a prayer in memory of Jeremy. A loving husband and father, Glick along with a handful of other brave souls, rushed the hijackers of United 93, saving lives while losing his own. In those last moments of his life, Glick called his wife. As the two expressed words of love, Lyz said, “You need to be strong.”
Amidst the chaos on board, Jeremy responded, “Whatever decisions you make in your life,” he said, “I need you to be happy and I will respect any decisions that you make.”
We should never forget the words and values of those we’ve lost; never take for granted an opportunity to express our own emotions, to enforce and reinforce over and over again the lessons we want to imbue to others.
In this broken world filled with uncertainty; be strong and courageous, but at the same time be hopeful, open your heart to love everyone around you. Give the extra-long hug, the extra embrace. As we think of family and friends this season…go the extra mile. It’s not just “A happy and sweet new year.” It’s a happy and sweet new year because you are a part of my life and I am part of yours. It is relaying messages of guidance and knowledge, of appreciation and recognition, of joy and gladness, of love and tikvah, hope. Hope that tomorrow, in the coming days and year, we continue to make every day count. “Chizku v’ya’ametz l’vavchem”- may you be strong and determined in your heart. May this be a season of reflection, a season of openness, a season in which our relationships are enhanced by the strength of our own hearts. Shabbat Shalom.
MAKOM brings Jews and Sports to life!
This semester, I’ve decided to take a few Lambeau leaps of faith by teaching electives for our MAKOM Hebrew High program that do not revolve around music. I’ve loved teaching History of Israeli Music, JJGlee and even Modern Jewish Music a few years back. What else could I teach about you ask? Well, as you could guess, Jews and Sports! No, this is not a class on memorizing the top Jewish baseball players by position (although I do recommend the book The Baseball Talmud for that), but rather an exploration into how sports have shaped our cultural our identities, for better or for worse.
As I’ve tried to figure out how to frame our sessions, two books on my bookshelf have become more and more helpful: Judaism’s Encounter with American Sports by Dr. Jeffrey Gurock and Ellis Island to Ebbets Field by Peter Levine. Both works speak to the history of sport as an avenue to acculturation and the sensibilities we must have to those who paved the way for us to live in a world where you don’t have to choose one religion, be that Judaism or Sports (one could argue that sports is in fact a religion- its sacred sanctuaries, places of worship, fanatic followers,set of rules, personalities worth emulating etc).
The class’ opening session was modeled after a Jews and Sports class taught at Temple University by Rabbi Rebecca Alpert. I made reference to a scene from the movie Airplane (also made reference to in the documentary Jews and Baseball).
Rabbi Alpert had been surprised that the stereotypes she thought might still exist were no longer prevalent among her students. Our MAKOMers, did feel that a strong stereotype still exists. What ensued was a brief discussion on how stereotypes are formed and how we can find ways to get rid of them.
Living in Jacksonville, we still experience many of the issues brought up by Gurock: “The problem for Judaism with this belief system has been that, until very recently, the sports world’s clock, calendar and social group dynamics were highly inimical to the religious sensibilities of many Jews and most certainly their rabbis. When Jews were chosen in, they were admitted at the expense of their religion. Game or practice schedules that clashed with the Sabbath or Jewish holidays were an issue for all that hallowed that day.” Our Sunday sports leagues here in town have aided in this effort, but major sporting events and especially High school events (be they sports, theatre etc) are all on Shabbat. This will definitely be a fun topic to discuss….
Be it Samson battling the Philistines or a Jewish sportsman who wanted to feel like a Hellenized man in ancient Greece, sports have always acted as a gateway towards acceptance in society. Even if you can’t play every sport, our society makes it known that you must be in the know about sports. As clergy, sports metaphors and references in sermons or even in dialogue with students, makes us “legit. ” How can we make that bond between Judaism and Sports stronger so its not “pick one or the other.” I won’t give too much more away, but I’m looking forward to a semester of spirited discussion and learning.
Rules of the Game: Do not bear false witness against thy Jaguar
Parshat Shoftim (meaning “Judges”) deals with many legal scenarios- the role of the prophets, the clergy, and royalty to name a few. We are also introduced to the notion of “cities of refuge.” Above all, the torah teaches the importance to help those who are most vulnerable against those who are most powerful. As we are to pursue justice, we learn that law knows no favorites.
One concept that might appear harsh is that of multiple witnesses to a crime. An Israelite could be found guilty of an offense only on the testimony of two or more witnesses. On one hand, this law doesn’t show the law protecting those most vulnerable. I interpret it differently. The onus is on us as law abiding citizens to always keep our eyes peeled. We have the responsibility to protect each other and not to judge without being witnesses ourselves.
As we look to the Jaguars opening their season in a few weeks, I hope we will all find the importance of “bearing witness” by attending as many games as we can. Blackouts on television imply that not only are we not attending the games, but that we can’t bear witness on television as well. We have the responsibility to protect our vulnerable yet precious asset- the Jaguars. By being present, by bearing witness, we can also properly judge their performance on the field- to better serve the team and our community.
Re’eh: How to reach the Summitt
This week’s torah portion Re’eh, states the following: “If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. Rather, you must open your hand and provide him that which is sufficient for all he is lacking.”
Most interpretations of these two verses focus on the needs to give monetary assistance to those who don’t have enough (focusing on the “needy person” ). It can easily be interpreted to mean that we must come forward to aid those who are in any kind of need- financial, emotional, spiritual. How do we create a culture where we volunteer, no strings attached, to help those who are in need? Maybe its a task as simple as opening a door or as complicated as going to battle.
With all of the great mascot names in college sports (horned frogs, artichokes, banana slugs, fighting camels to name a few), one mascot, above the lions, bears, and tigers, shows this need to step up to the plate. No matter the score, come out to play and play hard. I’m talking about the Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee is known as the “Volunteer State,” a nickname earned during the War of 1812 because of the prominent role played by volunteer soldiers from Tennessee.
Amidst the scandals that have marred the men’s basketball and football programs, the Lady Vols basketball team, and its longtime coach Pat Summitt, have shown that you can create a powerhouse program without breaking the rules. A charismatic, insightful and caring coach is all a program needs to recruit the best and brightest athletes. The Lady Vols are a blessing to the University of Tennessee. It was difficult, then, to hear Pat Summitt deliver the news yesterday that she has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. Her response? “There’s not going to be any pity party and I’’ll make sure of that.” Coach Summitt is a fighter and I’m confident she will stand up and fight; she will thrive and overcome any obstacle in the foreseeable future. But it’s in these moments that we often ask- why her? A brilliant basketball mind- it’s as if God is playing some cruel joke. In a somewhat unrelated story, Coach Dean Smith of UNC has also struggled with memory loss and other health issues.
The opening line of this week’s parsha states “See this day before you a blessing and a curse.” On the surface, the parsha seems to contend that if you follow God’s ways, you are blessed; if you don’t follow, you are cursed.
First off, the word bracha, often translated as blessing, can also mean “bounty” or “plenty.” When faced with an adversity, a disease in this case, we have a choice- to wake up each morning and think of this disease as a curse- to shut down, to stay down when we’ve been pushed over. Or, we can consider looking at our lives- seeing the blessings and the bountiful sources of love and support around us. As Coach Summitt fights this battle, there will be days that she wants to curse out to the world. Pain, and more significantly public pain, is hard to handle at any moment. Summitt always has the summit on her mind- to remain at that championship level, to teach young basketball players the fundamentals of basketball and of life. Summitt stated “If anything, it’s going to inspire me more to help them.” May we all take a moment to look out at our lives- to count the bountiful riches of strong friendships and families, to see every day as a blessing.
Moses: the role of the veteran QB
This week marks the beginning of a new book- the final one in fact, of the five books of Moses. It’s name “Dvarim” is taken from the first phrase uttered in the book: Eilu Hadvarim- These are the words or “things”. Moses recaps a long journey with his family throughout the dessert land as he begins to embark on his farewell tour. Moses never did get to the Promised Land. He died at the mountain top, viewing his dreams from afar. It’s tough for any individual to be told, “hey! You did a great job doing all the work, but we’re going with the young gun to lead us to the promised land!” How does Moses respond? Can he be a mentor to Joshua?
The same questions arise from this past week’s barrage of free agent signings and trades in the NFL. Three teams stick out as undergoing major facelifts at the quarterback position- the Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars. While the Jaguars have been able to ponder the dynamics of their quarterback duo over the past few months (one can contemplate even during the lockout), the Vikings and Titans signed veteran quarterbacks this week- Donovan Mcnabb in Minnesota, Matt Hasselback in Tennessee. Both men have started Superbowls, but both are being asked to be mentors to Christian Ponder and Jake Locker. This is always a dicey predicament- what happens when the veteran charged with the task of leading a squad for one or two years happens to lead them to the promised land (see Kurt Warner)? Do you give up on the young talent? These men are asked to play for mediocre teams without line protection when, ironically, their speed has left them long ago.
Once in awhile, we encounter a scenario like the one in Green Bay- a veteran qb (Brett Favre) who held back another future star (Aaron Rodgers) from leading his team to the promised land. It’s important to recognize the power and wisdom of “upper management” – to realize that leading an NFL franchise is a gift, a privilege. Hopefully, teams like Jacksonville, Minnesota, and Tennessee will find their veteran qbs to be strong role models, knowing that that when the time comes to hand over the team, they will do so gracefully and graciously.
Parshat Mattot: Fishing for a Free Market Spirituality
Fishing is a wonderful pastime. As the saying goes, Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. To be honest, I’ve never actually gone out on a boat to fish. The closest I came to such an experience was twenty years ago, it was my Ilanot summer in fact, at Camp Ramah in New England. For our edah play, we put on a theatrical production of the Muppet Movie. I was not cast as Kermit, I was a bit too shy at that stage in my life, but I was cast as the “fisherman”, a man who inspires Kermit to trek out of the swamp to audition in Hollywood. This lost talent agent, played by Dom Deluise, is a bit part in the movie version, but as Camp would rewrite the script, I sat in a canoe on our Beit-Am stage and sang the duet “Kesher shel haKeshet” with Kermit Hatzfardaya. Kesher, as we all know, is connection, keshet, a rainbow; the rainbow connection. I can still recall “Yom echad nimtzah et zeh, hakesher shel hakeshet, ha-ohavim, hacholamim v’ani.” By the way, the bunkmate who sang with me is finishing up cantorial school at HUC this year. Fast forward 7 more summers to my last year as a camper. The greatest production ever put on at Machaneh Ramah b’new England: Melech Ha’aryot– the Lion King. It’s actually our production at next week’s Camp Ki Tov Shabbat featuring Koltrain.
Such awesome music would be enough. What made this production over the top? Everyone in our edah bought in. Talented madrichim led the way. One madrikh, a costume design major at Rhode Island School of Design, helped a group of campers design intricate lion masks that would fit over our microphones as the lions grew from toddler cubs to king and queen of the jungle. Another madrikha, a featured vocalist in an award winning collegiate a cappella group, wove tight harmonies for the vocalists. Everyone in the edah had a part- behind the scenes or on center stage. And where are those lead characters now? Those who played Timon, the mongoose and Pumba, the wart-hog, are now Rabbis. It was through my experience as Simba, a big step up from “the fisherman”, that I became more and more interested in Jewish music and eventually a life in the cantorate.
Camp Musicals are transformative experiences- for one, camp musicals teach basic Hebrew. Kids figure out that if Chayim means “life” and Galgal Hachayim is supposed to mean something like “Circle of Life”, Galgal must have something to do with circles. By the way, it means wheel. More than a vocabulary lesson, musicals are a moment to bond as a community- to thrive under the spotlight; to prepare for what seems like months for one special performance. It is the collection of these shared experiences that makes places like Ramah or USY or any alternative summer experience so special. The group can say, “Remember when we put on Chaya V’fayfiya, Beauty and the Beast? Remember when we davened outside a 7-11 in Sioux City? Or how about when we repainted our Mo’adon, or meeting space, to resemble the Kotel?” These collections of shared experiences define a unique Jewish way of living. It is what we struggle to recreate during the year. We can recreate a scenario, a moment, an environment, for a moment, but we lack the simple fact that Judaism in all of these cases, operates in a bubble. There is automatic buy-in because there’s only one product to be sold. And yet sometimes there are moments when everyone buys in because they want to, not because it’s the only option.
Total buy-in. It’s not something we find prevalent in this week’s parsha, Mattot. The Israelites are at a standstill. They’ve been living the wilderness bubble. As they are ready to take over the land of Israel, two tribes make a peculiar request to Moses. The tribes of Rueben and Gad request to settle East of the Jordan, on the “other side of the River,” breaking away from the rest of the Jewish people. What’s the reasoning behind the request? The Jordan had lush pastures for their abundant livestock. They chose a comfortable life outside Israel’s borders instead of a spiritual one inside them. Numbers 32:16 states “Enclosures for the flock we shall build here for our livestock and cities for our children.” Rashi points out that the tribes of Reuben and Gad had their values in the wrong order- it should’ve been build cities for your children, and then be concerned with your flock.
Reuben and Gad have their priorities out of whack. What’s more important? The Material? The Spiritual? How about the Ecological? Or is there a balance between the three?
We find a group who wants to be on the outside, that doesn’t buy in to the overall plan-so what does Moses do? Moses is able to obtain the tribes’ help in their conquest of Israel. And after first rebuking their request, Moses rewards Reuben and Gad for going to battle. Time passes, and the two tribes struggle to not become the “other”, the broken piece. They struggle to maintain their identity, and their support system on the western side of the river forgets its ties to Reuben and Gad.
Today, there is a river flowing across the Jewish landscape. On one side, we have the establishment- long standing Jewish institutions, federations, synagogues. On the other side of the river are new Jewish think tanks, start-ups, out of the box outreach groups. There are now 600 Jewish startups in North America that engage more than half a million Jews, up from about 300 startups in 2008, according to the findings of the 2010 Survey of New Jewish Initiatives. More than 150 of these Jewish startups – have launched since 2008. The study states, “We have a generation that is so well educated and so well connected and so empowered – partly by that education, partly by technology – to take their Jewish lives in their own hands, and create programs that work for them and for their peers. They come from the core of the Jewish community so they’re best able to identify holes in the system, what’s not working.” But the news is not all positive. The closure this past week of the not-for-profit record label JDUB Records, founded 9 years ago by two NYU students, is a cautionary tale of the lack of second-stage funding for these new initiatives. JDUB, the first record label for Chassidic reggae star Matisyahu, was no longer the start-up. They were a 10 year old successful organization who fought through the most difficult times for the music industry. There was an expectation that JDUB would suddenly be self-sustaining. But they were out on their own, on the other side of the river, and the Jewish community had no fishing line long enough to real them closer.
In truth, I’m not sure what side of the river we, as a synagogue, are on. Are we Reuben and Gad- taking the safe and comfortable route and not taking the plunge across the sea into the Promised Land.? Or maybe we’ve crossed over the river after guiding those start-up tribes through infancy, and now leave those groups to survive on their own? As the verse says, Reuben and Gad wanted to build cities for their children, but what can we do to maintain those cities, to nurture them post-infancy? How do we continually open passageways across the river? How do we buy in to each other’s products?
Under the Jewish microscope, we are and should be a Kehillat Gesher, a community of bridging. We can connect Reuben and Gad to the rest of the Israelites. One does not have to decide what side of the river to fully commit to. It’s a Free Market, a Free Spiritual Market- religious leaders, non-religious leaders, travel across the bridge, trading ideas and experiences. To an even greater degree, like on an old bridge Leora and I once visited, the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, we can set up shops directly on the bridge itself, as was once common. Like at the marketplace, we assemble looking for different things based on our varying interests. When the market closes up for the day, maybe we’ll travel over to the other side of the bridge- knowing full well that tomorrow, we will meet up again, open our arms and embrace one another. Above the uncertainty and craziness of the crashing waters we can create a safe haven for support, growth, and change. We should always be a continuing source of help and guidance. We, like the Israelites, go through growing pains, through aging pains. Let us taste the fresh produce of the marketplace, sustaining bridges and not boundaries. In doing so, it won’t matter what side of the river we live on. Support- both financial and emotional, flows freely. We can build stronger community when we all buy-in to that shared community.
A Possible end to the NFL Lockout? Look to Parshat Pinchas for clues…
The other day, my wife Leora asked me what it meant that the NFL was in a lockout. In that moment, I turned into my father- giving her a lot more information than she probably had expected or wanted (I love you dad!). I discussed what a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is, how the NFL is actually a 501 (c) non-profit (irony anyone?), and the different issues in each of the four major sports. For baseball, it’s salary cap- keeping the little guy in the race. For football, it’s revenue sharing. With all that surplus, how do you divide up amongst owners AND players?
In Parshat Pinchas, named for the man who took justice into his own hands (comparable to the qb who runs a player led workout? a stretch…), we get a second census of 20+ yr olds, taken to figure out numbers not only for the forming of militia groups, but designed to figure out the breaking up of land. The division of land amongst the tribes was decided based on lots as well as this census number. It’s as if this was the first and only CBA- there’s no mention that a census after this moment in time would reshape the borders, giving growing tribes more space. Under this provision, we may have been able to keep more teams like the Green Bay Packers for the long haul.
The torah portion does not end there. The parsha also includes topics such as Jewish holiday observance (thanksgiving football?), laws of succession (making sure that owners are accountable so a Mccourt situation doesn’t occur in football), and laws of inheritance. It’s in the section of inheritance that we meet Zelophahad’s daughters. They ask to inherit his land- and the torah grants them his inheritance because he had no male heir. It’s these times of details- unprecedented situations, that could be vital to preserving football this season and beyond. Finding contingency plans for every situation means that the NFL- it’s players and owners, will be prepared down the road. It’s also getting something in a contract earlier rather than later- it’s always harder to add in stipulations as time goes on.
Pinchas is a parsha about details- dotting the ‘i”s and crossing the “t”s. May this be the week that we finish completing those last details. May the lawyers restore the NFL to health and to vigor. We hope and pray that football is at hand. And let us say Amen!
The US Open: Kol Am B’kol Ram
Golf. It’s a game of inches. A perfect swing is a pleasure to watch, and yet there’s awesomeness to the uncertainty, knowing that a gust of wind, a divot in the grass, can make your golf ball fall into the water or into the hole. I love watching this dichotomy of skill with uncertainty take place in a tournament. In particular, I love watching the U.S. Open Championship. It’s a field open, by way of qualifying rounds, to the regular-average Shmulik. It rotates each year, with play conducted on some of the most difficult public golf courses in the world, leaving grown men lying in the dust of the inconvenient sand traps and water hazards. With apologizes to our local TPC, it is my favorite golf tournament to follow. A few months ago, I may have done a double take when I saw the name Rory MCilroy, confusing it with Roy Macavoy, the title character played by Kevin Costner in the golf movie Tin Cup. By now, the golf world is well aware of US Open champion MCilroy and his talents. They are more than well aware in fact. Even before his victory this past weekend, Mcilroy was lauded by his European counterparts, praised by many of his peers for his stellar performances. Even more refreshing is how his peers praise Mcilroy’s character. In a world where sports heroes dub themselves “The Truth”, “The Great Aristotle” His “Airness” or even “King”, where athletes constantly refer to themselves in the 3rd person, Rory’s actions earn him the respect of his peers and the media. He is humble and appreciative. What’s not to like about that? In fact, everyone seems to love Rory. This past weekend was a true love fest- a pleasant surprise since spectators are often no better than ego inflated superstars- uniting to villainize high profile athletes. From the sports field to the political arena, we often unite because of a common enemy, not because of common goals. We breathe a sigh of relief when someone we despise struggles. We compare and critique, raise our role models so high when we know they are only human and can never meet those lofty expectations. Sometimes we think, “we can do better, we can be better role models if given the shot! Why do we raise others so high when maybe we ourselves deserve to be put on the pedestal, to sit on the dais, to wear the crown of fame and fortune?” As a free nation, aren’t we entitled to these things and more?
Some of these thoughts are easy to recognize- familiar to some more than others. They are also the thoughts of this week’s antagonist, Korah. On the surface, Korah is an advocate for egalitarianism and democracy. But in the Torah’s mind, Korah’s form of egalitarianism may be considered idol worship because it ultimately leads to believing that man and God are equal too. Dennis Prager states in the book The Modern Men’s Torah Commentary, “The Korah argument is appealing: We are all equal in our holiness, in our goodness, and in just about every way; no one is better than anyone else- not even the man who led the Jews out of Egypt and talked directly with God.” The dangers lie in the fact that …”no achievement is necessary. No excellence need be pursed. If you breathe, you’re holy.” Titles are not earned as recognition of time and effort.
With strong personal ambition, we could praise Korah for his raw honesty and candor, but there’s more to this story. Korah is different. If only he would think to “Leggo my ego.” His challenge to Moses is rooted in personal ambition, not love of God or of the Israelites. Unlike Moses, who hesitated to take the leadership that God offered, Korah seeks to grab it for himself. Tradition interprets the opening of the parashah–literally “And Korah took”-to mean that he took himself apart from the people. He had the “its all about me” attitude, a sense of entitlement, that he should receive a trophy simply because his parents signed him up for this group called the Jewish people. Unlike Moses, Korah sees the whole story as being about himself. Where was the humility? – taking away the I’s and the me’s, standing humble before God, earning your reputation by ethical action and proper demeanor. Let’s take a look at Moshe’s response to Korah’s challenge. In “falling on his face,” as the text describes, Moshe seems willing to accept the possibility that he is not God’s only chosen leader, and that, perhaps, the entire nation IS equally holy.
Our parsha is often difficult to grasp because there are important lessons we can learned from the much maligned Korah: So maybe it just wasn’t Korah’s time. One might think Korah might be appreciated after his death like Galileo or Van Gogh. I want to root for him. On the surface, it seems Korah argues that we are all equally holy, the Jewish people being an exclusive fraternity. But Korah thought this meant only he should be entitled entrance to the exclusive party. Korah operated under the guise of inclusivity. We understand, however, that it’s a tough balance- to have ambition for change without losing sight of the community’s needs.
The US Open received bonus coverage on Monday for another reason that was not Rory Mcilroy. In an introductory video piece involving children reciting our pledge of allegiance, NBC dubbed out the words “under God”. Pundits complained of the lack of religious tolerance. What many people failed to realize was that NBC also took out the words “one nation” and “indivisible”. No matter what differences we may have, how important are these words as well? As with the story of the Israelite people, or even as a religious community today, how vital is it to be one nation, under God, undivided by petty ego and greed? How powerful can we become when we are one voice, kol echad, singing b’kol ram, a great voice? How can a collective voice inspire liberty and justice, gratitude and hope for all?
Ironically, one such voice is that of the Sons of Korah. Rabbi Perry Netter writes “One might think that because his end was so dramatic, so violent, and so final, that Korah was wiped out once and for all. Remarkably, even though Korahism was dealt a fatal blow in the wilderness, the line of Korah did not die. The sons embraced the claim of the father that they were indeed holy by writing holy words. His sons became poets; they wrote Psalms.” 13 Psalms in all, most notably Psalm 40, the psalm recited in a house of mourning. Korah brought dissension and tension into the world; his sons comfort the bereaved. The sons of Korah found holiness in humble personal prayer- knowing there’s a higher being than one’s self and having ownership, authorship over their conversation with the divine.
In the amidah, one of our most important tefillot, we have moments for ourselves. The common rabbinic line “please add in your own personal prayers and thoughts” is not a modern invention. The conclusion of our Amidah is a personal supplication- by definition it is about one’s own prayer moment. And yet moments before, it is all about us, all about communal voice and song. It’s as if we participate two parallel services in which we balance self with community. On top of that, we experience these prayer moments by euphemistically wearing what JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen describes as “stereo headphones.” One ear is always listening to this moment, to the voice of the service, while the other is tuned in to the voice of generations before us. The headphones help us monitor what we do here and have done for centuries, in this sacred space, in this sacred time.
As we strive to create what I’d call “kol am b’kol ram”- the voice of the nation in a great singular voice”, it’s time to try something a little different. Joey Weisenberg, Musical Director of the Kane Street Synagogue in Brooklyn, writes of what he calls the “Spontaneous Jewish Choir.” A niggun, a simple melody, repeated dozens of time, brings together a community of daveners to create one voice, again one simple melody. No harmonies, no extra notes- the power of one group singing one pitch. This morning, we’ll transition from sermon to song, easing into our Musaf through a new melody.
The idea is to lose count of how many times we’ve chanted it, to lose one’s self for a moment. We have to be in an unordinary mindset to accomplish this this morning. It’s not something we would post on Youtube saying, “Look what I did!” but rather perform with an appreciation of a shared and unorthodox musical experience. We’ll chant together- in the center of the sanctuary, creating a davening core. We will be the sound system. My only request is that as you pick up the melody, you join in. I invite you to take a moment to come closer to the middle of the sanctuary.
Our service combines personal prayer with communal song. We will attempt to fuse the two- to begin as one voice, carrying over into the Amidah and at its conclusion, finding a moment of peace, serenity and introspection. May the thoughts in our heads, the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be raw, be humbling and be meaningful to each of us who embraces the moment. May we find hope…and let us build towards a life in the pursuit of holiness, as one community.
Counting the H(omer) One Jewish Athlete at a time
You shall count for yourselves — from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving — seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days… -Leviticus 23:15-16
In Jewish practice, we count each night from the second night of Passover until Shavuot, with Shavuot beginning on the 50th night. (Learn how to count the homer here )
One tradition states that we should live each day of the omer to its fullest- never bringing in a new day until nightfall is upon us. On an even greater level, we are told to say “today/yesterday was the 16th day” as opposed to looking ahead by stating “tonight begins the 17th day.” A few days ago, I got the idea to introduce the Omer using sports stars jersey numbers. I let the congregation know that yesterday was Michael Jordan, and tonight begins Kobe Bryant. Why stop there? Here’s a list of some of the greatest Jewish athletes based upon their jersey number. I focused mostly on the 3 major sports taking place at this time of year (baseball, basketball, hockey), though a few exceptions creeped into the list. Please note that some of the greatest Jewish players of all time did not make the list because they played before numbered uniforms existed. Some portions of the list will be updated over the coming weeks to include anecdotes and honorable “menschen”
1. Amare Stoudemire (basketball)
2. Red Auerbach (basketball)
Honorable Menschen: Shay Doron
3. Mel Hirsch (baseball)
Honorable Menschen:: Dick Sharon
4. Dolph Schayes (basketball)- factoid: when he retired from the NBA, Dolph was the all-time leading scorer with over 19k points
Honorable Menschen: Donna Orender , Nadav Henefeld
5. Hank Greenberg (baseball) – I’m curious if the honorable menschen picked #5 in honor of the great Hank Greenberg. Food for thought.
Honorable Menschen: Ian Kinsler, Lou Boudreau, Mike “Super Jew” Epstein, Jordan Farmar, Sam Fuld (on rays)
6. Sid Tannenbaum (basketball)- I may be biased since he went to my alma mater.
Honorable Menschen: Tal Brody
7. Al Rosen (baseball) one of the easiest picks to make.
Honorable Menschen: Steve Yeager
8. Ryan Braun (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: Lior Eliyahu
9. Ralph Kaplowitz– wore both #5 and #9 in his career
Honorable Menschen: Sue Bird, Max Zaslofsky
11. Larry Brown (basketball)
Honorable Menschen: Doron Shefer, Brad Ausmus
12. Ron Blomberg (baseball)
13. Michael Cammalleri (hockey)- our first hockey player on the list. I’ll pause here to recognize Coach Red Holzman, who has his jersey , corresponding to his number of wins as Knicks coach (613- the same as there are commandments) hanging from MSG. One could argue Holzman deserved either spot #6 or #13.
14. Sonny Hertzberg (baseball)
Honorable Menschen- Ernie Banks*- while note a Jew himself, Banks did call up my father in law on behalf of a congregant requesting that he chant a certain L’dor Vador tune. Sounds like an honorable mensch to me!
15. Shawn Green (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: Jeff Halpern (hockey)
16. Harry Boykoff (basketball)- wore the #16 Jersey in 1951.
Honorable Menschen- Red Holzman wore #16 for the Rochester Royals from ’49-’53.
17. David Newhan (baseball) This is by far the greatest stretch on the list. Newhan wore #17 in 2007 for the Mets, plus while he considers himself Jewish, he has accepted Jesus into his life….
18. Omri Casspi (basketball) – not that he’s undeserving, just surprising how few Jewish athletes wear #18.
19. Moe Berg (baseball/spying) While Berg had a few numbers on his back, he wore #19 for both the Indians and Red Sox (the only number he had on both teams).
Honorable Menschen: Danny Valencia
20. Kevin Youkilis (baseball)- he gets the nod for his defense.
Honorable Menschen: Joe Horlen, Sid Gordon
21. tie- Jason Marquis, Elliot Maddox (baseball)
22. Ernie Grunfeld (basketball)
Honorable Menschen: Tamir Goodman
23. Jesse Lavis
24 Art Shamsky (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: Ossie schectman, Amit Tamir, Mike Lieberthal
25. Art Heyman (basketball)
26. Danny Schayes – wore #24 for most of his career, but did wear #26 for the ’94 Lakers.
27. Sam Fuld (baseball)- when he broke out with the cubs, Fuld made #27 a fan favorite.
28. Richie Scheinblum (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: David Justice- though not a Jew, a great Jewish name!
29. Ike Davis (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: Dave Newmark (baseball)
30.Ken Holtzman (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: Jon Scheyer (basketball)
31. Bernie Fliegel (basketball)
Honorable Menschen- Scott Radinsky (baseball)
32. Sandy Koufax- ‘nough said.
Honorable, though distant menschen- Steve Stone, Cal Abrams
33. Gabe Kapler (baseball)
34. Norm Sherry (baseball)- personal MVP for Sandy Koufax as his catcher
35. Rudy Larusso (basketball)
36. Scott Schoenweis (baseball)- although he wears #60, did wear #36 briefly for the Mets
37. #73 Adam Goldberg (football)- Since most Jewish football players wore numbers higher than 50, the easiest place to put one is here at spot #37. I could not find history of a Jewish athlete adorning this number. Props to Adam Goldberg for being the lone football player on the list.
38. Adam Henrich (hockey)
39. Scott Feldman (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: Skip Jutze
40. Dave Roberts (baseball) – no not that Dave Roberts, the other Dave Roberts.
41. Neal Walk (basketball)
42. Dylan Reese (hockey)
43. John Grabow
44. Aaron Poreda (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: Rick Fox. JCC basketball camp represent!
45. Eddie Zosky (baseball)
46. Jacoby Ellsbury- though not a Jew, I did grow up on Aylesbury Rd. Therefore I shep naches for him
47. Steve Ratzer (baseball)
48. Jason Hirsh (baseball)
Honorable Menschen: The other Jose Bautista
49. Brian Horwitz
Stay tuned for a special Shavuot #50.
Passover Chailights
Having a wonderful Passover here in balmy Jacksonville Fl, I thought I’d share a few links to make it through my email/facebook the past few weeks. Think of it as inspiration for next year’s seder.
First up, the Idelsohn Society’s listing of the top Passover songs of all time: check it out here
Next we have a few videos:
Here’s one from my good friend (and groomsman) Rabbi Jeremy Ruberg and his A Capella group Trey Kaley
Six13 presents Passover:
Best Seder in the USA:
And of course, my alltime favorite Passover parody song:
Hazzan Jesse Holzer 