We continue to see the pictures and devastation from Hurricane Milton. The Jewish Federation is taking donations to support those impacted by the storm with 100% of all contributions going to relief efforts. Please donate here.
Tonight begins Yom Kippur, the most solemn of Jewish holidays. It is the culmination of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe). Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement,” as the verse (Leviticus 16:30) states, “For on this day God will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before God.” This is a time for communal repentance for sins committed over the past year. And, as my father told me, “Yom Kippur is the day you say you are sorry and mean it.” At the conclusion of Yom Kippur, according to tradition, God seals the Books of Life and Death for the coming year.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once said: “It is the job of religion to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.” I suggest that Yom Kippur is also here to serve these two roles.
During Yom Kippur you are to “afflict your soul” (v’initem et nafshoteichem). This refers to the five prohibitions of Yom Kippur -- no eating, drinking, washing or anointing the body, wearing leather shoes, and marital relations. Yom Kippur – though a serious day – is not a sad one. Rather these prohibitions are about afflicting and withholding, bringing us discomfort.
Yom Kippur gives us a “kick in the butt” from our “normal lives” and reminds us that we can be better. That we can do better. That we have fallen short. We need to be reminded as we go through life that we are here to serve a higher purpose and have responsibilities to live up to. If we are honest with ourselves, we are probably not fully living up to all of them.
But some of us, instead, need an arm around our shoulder. Some of us need to be reminded that we are not that bad, that we are good people, that we have done good things. Perhaps we are even better than we think. We can also use this experience to practice our compassion for others.
Yom Kippur does not only afflict -- Yom Kippur also comforts. In fact, from Tisha b’Av until Rosh Hashanah we read seven Haftarot called the Shiva D’nechemta – "the seven weeks of consolation." These Haftarot take us from a place of mourning to a place of comfort; a comfort which culminates in the forgiveness of Yom Kippur.
G'mar Chatima Tova -- May you be sealed in the Book of Life and have a meaningful fast.
This reminds me of a story from my childhood days in Hebrew School. Right before Yom Kippur, our rabbi came to class, talked about the holiday, and then said “tzom kal, have an easy fast.” Immediately after the rabbi left the room, our teacher glared at our class and sharply said, “The rabbi is wrong. Fasting is not supposed to be easy. You are supposed to suffer.” For a moment I thought she was talking about both fasting and being in her Hebrew School class. Moreover, this teacher was also infamous for correcting adults when they would pronounce the holiday as "Yom Kipper" and not "Yom Kee-poor." She would nastily say, "Yom Kipper is the day of the fish" (think kipper salmon).
He is exciting news:
Our community study was very clear that many in our Jewish community do not get involved due to a feeling of lacking Jewish literacy. To address this issue, the Jewish Federation has hired Dr. Yosef Rosen as our inaugural Director of Jewish Life and Learning. Yosef brings a unique blend of academic expertise, innovative spiritual leadership, and grassroots organizing to our community. With a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from UC Berkeley, he has a rich background in teaching Jewish mysticism, Talmud, and contemporary Jewish thought at institutions ranging from UC Berkeley to the Aleph Ordination Program to the Jewish Community High School of the Bay.
Yosef will use his skills and talents to make Jewish wisdom accessible and relevant, merging ancient traditions with modern practices. He will work to create engaging Jewish experiences that speak to diverse audiences across the community. His vision for Jewish life and learning promises to bridge traditional scholarship with contemporary Jewish expression.
Yosef recently moved to Portland from the Bay Area with his wife, Amy, and their two-year-old son, Lev. We look forward to him starting on November 1 and bringing Jewish educational opportunities to people across our community.
I am pleased that the Jewish Federation is bringing best-selling author Dara Horn to Portland on Monday, October 28. She will have "A Conversation About Antisemitism in a Post 10/7 World." Her book, People Love Dead Jews, was the winner of the National Jewish Book Award. Her thoughtful, incisive essays provide a searing investigation of modern-day antisemitism, with all its complications. We hope you will join us by registering here.
Finally, yesterday, Deni Avidja, the new Portland Trailblazer and only Israeli in the NBA, posted the following on his Instagram page in Hebrew (here is a translation):
Tomorrow, on the eve of Yom Kippur, the first preseason game of the upcoming season will take place. When management informed me of this, it was clear to me from the first moment that I would not take part in the game. I feel that this time the best way to open the season would be in respect of Jewish tradition and in unity with my brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. Basketball has been an integral part of my life since I can remember and it was always first place for me, but specifically after this past year that we all experienced I felt that there was something more important. Am Yisrael Chai. Chatima tova l'kol beit Yisrael.
Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, and Harry Glickman would approve.
Shabbat shalom and gut yontiff.
|
0Comments
Add CommentPlease login to leave a comment