FIRST: Please join us for all of our Purim festivities. This Saturday night we have an evening program and Megillah reading for adults. On Sunday morning we have a traditional reading, a wacky and silly Megillah reading including all of our youth, followed by what proves to be an AMAZING Purim carnival! Come one come all, bring a friend- and click here for details!
For some fun Purim videos, click here:
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The rabbis teach that when the new month of Adar arrives we are to rejoice and celebrate. As Purim is coming, we are to get ourselves in the proper frame of mind to laugh at life’s joys and absurdities as we celebrate our existence as a people. That is why it was so disconcerting, when joy turned into sorrow last week during Rosh Hodesh morning services at the Western Wall when a few of my colleagues were actually arrested for wearing a talit and praying with the Woman of the Wall . Check out the following article to read more about this incident:
One of the things that the recent Israeli election demonstrated is that many Israeli’s are no longer satisfied with the political status quo, particularly when it comes to the religious monopoly of the Ultra Orthodox parties, the Chief Rabbinate in Israel, and the exemption of many Haredim from army service. While Israel has serious problems with the Palestinians, civil war in Syria, and Iran- issues of religious freedom and Jewish identity are also being grappled with on a daily basis.
But even amidst the sorrow, there was hope as this week also saw a watershed moment in the Knesset when Ruth Calderon, founder of a secular yeshiva in Tel Aviv, and member of the Yesh Atid party, gave a political speech/Dvar Torah in the Knesset and even had a brief and positive exchange of Torah with MK Vaknin of the Ultra Orthodox Shas party during her presentation. The text of the speech is here and the video with subtitles is here:
For many who follow these issues, last week’s loss of a great Modern Orthodox scholar, teacher, and leader, Rabbi David Hartman, added a great deal of sorrow these current challenges in Israel as his voice and influence were so important in this discussion. To read more about Hartman and his work, click here, and then learn more about him by checking out the Shalom Hartman Institute and by purchasing or borrowing any one of his books to read.
As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and reflections and I am grateful for the holiday of Purim, that reminds us of the importance of joy and laughter, even amidst the sorrowful incidents shared above.
May you all have a Hag Purim Sameach, a joyous and silly Purim!!