There were two responses to the destruction of the Second Temple. One was to try to recover what was lost by force. That failed completely. The other was to create something new. That succeeded so well that the Jewish people far outlasted the Roman Empire.
Rafael Medoff describes President Roosevelt’s dealings with Rabbi Stephen Wise as being manipulative, dishonest and expedient. Charmed by Roosevelt's commitment to progressive causes, Rabbi Wise (who helped found the ACLU, was a board member of the NAACP and was active in women's suffrage, labor and disarmament causes), found Roosevelt politically admirable.
America is not just a powerful and vast country. It is also an idea, a compelling idea that has a message for all people in all lands. As American Jews, we are committed to the ideals of freedom and equality, human dignity and security, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have come far as a nation, but very much remains to be done.
As is true with all virtues, cultivating courage takes practice. We must come out of our comfort zone to grow. We must learn the art of when to listen and when to speak, when to act and when to hold back, when to paddle to ride a wave, and when to sit back to enjoy the calm waters. Courage allows us to move forward perpetually, and with the knowledge that meaning is found through navigating the tribulations of living a full, active life.
During the Covid 19 pandemic, synagogues have been closed for quite a few weeks. As we look forward to the re-opening of our synagogues, this is a good time to re-think the role of synagogues in our lives and how synagogues can more effectively serve our needs.
When we reach the end of days, the unity that we are currently missing will be manifest and the Great Faith will be the reality for all. Our task is to build toward that future by uplifting the world with our commitment to faith, to our connection to spirit, to love our fellow human beings and acknowledge doubt along the journey as a necessary companion.
I would like to maintain that truth matters; that Torah as I understand it teaches truth; that traditionally observant Judaism is the only form of Judaism that has a chance of long-term survival. But I also want to maintain that other forms of Judaism are Jewishly genuine and must be treated with respect, not just tolerated.
The current religious educational system encourages people to accept the authority of the major Torah scholars of the generation and to obey them unquestioningly, thereby creating a culture of dependency and submission. We must return to and deepen appreciation of independent thought, personal freedom and individual empowerment. Talmudic tradition and adjudication teach us that no Rabbi, no matter how great, is sacred nor should he be revered as a Lord over us.
This essay focuses on the articles by Menachem Kellner on Rabbi Elhanan Wasserman and Rabbi Aharon Kotler. These two 20th century luminaries cast Rambam into the mold of a Hareidi sage. When they read Rambam, they understood him in a way that Rambam himself would have found problematic.
Nathan Weissler, a member of our Institute's University Network, has written a very important essay on the obligation of inclusiveness, especially in religious communities. His perceptive and personal account should inspire all of us to do our best to help our communities rise to the challenge.