Weekly D'var Torah

Not just Fundraising… But Friendship!

Adath Shalom pilots a Bridge-Building program with our Sister Community in Israel

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayechi, the long-estranged tribes of Israel are finally united once again.  The burden of generations of rivalry and hatred that stretch throughout Genesis from Cain and Abel through Isaac and Yishmael, Jacob and Esau and finally Joseph and his brothers is lifted at last and the Children of Israel are finally ready to become a nation.

It is as if a veil of divisiveness has fallen away and our ancestors recognize their love and kinship.  Even though the way ahead through slavery and oppression is long and bitter, because the brothers and the tribes they father are united, the pathway to redemption is already set.

In these dark days following Black Shabbat, October 7th, the people of the State of Israel, and us, their brethren living in the diaspora, have also come together in a way that would have seemed impossible.  More than just as a response to the war imposed upon Israel and the renewed antisemitism that threatens us, it is as if as the world grows darker around us, we recognize and are drawn to the light within each other.

The City of Ofakim in Southern Israel, a community of 34,000, bore the full brunt of the brutal attacks on October 7th.  Caught unawares and with little military resence, the citizens of the town turned out in numbers to defend their community.  Many made the ultimate sacrifice to save their families, friends and neighbors.  Now, Israelis are calling Ofakim Ir Shel Giborim - The City of Heroes. Arad Levy, an internationally-known Israeli graffiti artist has created a mural at the entrance to the neighborhood where many of the attacks occurred:

City of Heroes

But the trauma of that terrible day and additional losses and attacks as Israel’s war to eliminate the threat of terrorism continues are grave challenges for the city that refuses to evacuate in the face of the reckless hatred of Hamas.  Ofakim is also a partner community of the Greater MetroWest Jewish Federation.  We have close friendships going back decades.

I met Rabbi Rafi Tvizer, an Ofakim community leader, principal and town council member ten years ago when he and a group of high school athletes who had come on a friendship tour from Ofakim volunteered with a group of volunteers from Adath Shalom and other MetroWest synagogues doing coastal cleanups and reclamation of houses following Hurricane Sandy.  We have been friends for all those years and I see Rafi as a personal mentor and Rabbi.  Rafi and his community have been on the front lines in confronting this evil and speaking as his friend and friend of Ofakim, we need to be there for each other, now more than ever as both our communities face hardships and challenges.

Rabbi Rafi and I would like to invite you to take part in a six part ongoing series of meetings to get to know each other, share perspectives, support each other and learn about and from each other once a month for a short forty five minute set of Zoom conversations.  Please see this link for details. 

This is not about politics, religious instruction and certainly not about fundraising - it’s about friendship.  That sacred connection, Chaverim, is what I believe we are called upon to seek out and to offer.  I somehow believe that we can yet wrest blessing, meaning and hope out of all this and perhaps even a renewed chance for peace with Israel’s neighbors.  All progress in the world begins with relationships and whether between those fractious brothers, the sons of Israel or us today, every opportunity for understanding and friendship can bring about great things from small beginnings.  The superpower of Adath Shalom is our friendliness and embrace of all who come here - now we can share that with a sister community.

Please join us in this adventure of building a living bridge; and may 2024 be a year of peace, renewal and blessing for Adath Shalom, for Ofakim and the world -  Amen!