Local Synagogue Attacks

Dear Friends,

Contrary to popular belief anti-Semitic incidents have not been on the rise in America in recent years, according to the statistics on hate crimes compiled by the FBI.  Unfortunately, they haven’t disappeared or abated either. 

Just this past week Bergen County witnessed two deeply disturbing incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism.  One was perpetrated against Temple Beth Israel of Maywood.  The other occurred on Tuesday night, the first night of Chanukah, at Temple Beth El of Hackensack.    Our thoughts and prayers are with these two synagogues as they heal from the emotional and physical damage done to their synagogue communities.

Joy Kurland  (director) and Rabbi Neal Borovitz ( chairman) of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Northern New Jersey told me that both synagogues reported nearly identical markings: swastikas, the numbers ‘14/88’, and the phrase “Jews Did 9/11.”  Police believe that the perpetrators in both cases are the same people.

According to the JCRC, “The use of “14/88” is significant because it is a coded term used by white supremacists.  It combines two different white supremacist concepts.  The “14” is shorthand for the so-called “14 Words,” a slogan used by white supremacists worldwide to justify their acts (“We must secure the existence of our race and a future for white children”), while “88” stands for “Heil Hitler” (because “H” is the 8th letter of the alphabet; therefore “88” stands for “HH” or “Heil Hitler”).  White supremacists frequently combine the two as “14/88” or  “88/14.”  While swastika graffiti is often the work of malicious juveniles rather than extremists, the appearance of “14/88” strongly suggests an extremist connection on the part of the vandal(s).”

I tell you about these incidents this not to arouse the “Purim Jew” in you or make you anxious.  While we do need to be vigilant and keep an eye out for anything or anyone suspicious I don’t believe we have anything to fear as a community.  Why?  Because of something else that happened last Tuesday night.

Last Tuesday night a special interfaith Chanukah menorah lighting service was held at the Temple in Maywood in which the mayor, civic leaders and clergy of many denominations came together under the auspices of the Interfaith Brotherhood and Sisterhood Committee of Bergen County.  In addition to Rabbi Jarah Greenfield of Temple Beth Israel, Rabbi Neal Borovitz and Dan Kirsch of the JCRC of Northern New Jersey spoke.  Most importantly Reverend Pitches, the President of the Bergen County Council of Churches spoke.  Even as the bigots and anti-Semites were plotting their attack that night in Hackensack, we and our non-Jewish neighbors stood side by side in Maywood in a moving protest against that very evil.  This is how we fight anti-Semitism in America.  This is the American way. 

And this is the modern story of Chanukah.  I offer each of you two the opportunities to show this Chanukah spirit:

1. Please join us tonight at our community Chanukah menorah lighting in front of Temple Sinai at 7:15 p.m., when we will demonstrate that bigotry and hatred will not deter us from publicly proclaiming our pride in our identity and commitment to the faith of our ancestors.  (Those who have made a reservation for dinner and our indoor Chanukiyah lighting come at 6:00.  Shabbat Chanukah service in the sanctuary at 7:30.
2. On Tuesday night, December 27^th, there will be an 8^th night of Chanukah interfaith menorah lighting service at Temple Beth El in Hackensack, 280 Summit Avenue, Hackensack at 7:00 p.m.  I invite you to attend and show your solidarity with our fellow Jews and with people everywhere who recognize that the best way to fight anti-Semitism and bigotry is to join together with people of all faiths in common cause against it.

One of my favorite Chanukah books is called The Christmas Menorahs:  How a Town Fought Hate, by Janice I. Cohn.  While written for children, it is based in the very adult, true story of an outbreak of racism and anti-Semitism in Billings, Montana, in 1993.  Skinheads and other white supremacist groups had increased in the town of Billings and as Chanukah approached Jews increasingly became a target.    Windows in Jewish homes displaying Hanukkah menorahs began to be smashed. Jewish families were advised to remove their menorahs until the perpetrators were caught, but they resisted. The Christmas Menorahs focuses in on the bravery of one boy, Isaac Schnitzer, and his family as they stood up against anti-Semitism after a brick was thrown through his bedroom window while the family displayed its Chanukah Menorah. 

How were the white supremacists and anti-Semites defeated? First, the small Jewish community in Billings was not cowed into silence.  At the same time many members of the largely Christian community spoke out against the attacks.  The Billings Gazette, in an editorial, called on everyone to put menorahs in their windows in solidarity with their Jewish brothers and sisters.  Ten thousand paper menorahs decorated the windows of homes in Billings that Christmas. 

Let us remember this Chanukah story along with the story of the Maccabees as we light our menorahs tonight at Temple Sinai and throughout this Chanukah and Christmas week.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Urim Sameiach – a joyous Festival of Lights to you all.

Rabbi Jordan Millstein   

Hineini from Washington

Dear Friends,

It was a moment like no other.  This afternoon over 5000 Reform Jews from all over the U.S. and Canada gathered together in one hall to hear the President of the United States speak for the first time to a Union for Reform Judaism Biennial convention.  "Hineini," he said.  "I am here."  The President was quoting our ancestor Joseph in this week's Torah portion.  He delivered an excellent D'var Torah, as a matter of fact, as part of his address to the assembled crowd.  Among other highlights of the President's speech was a discussion of our Reform Movement's deep, historic involvement in civil rights,  the fight for equality for all Americans and tikkun olam, the repair of the world.  All of this was in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Religious Action Center, the Reform Movement's office in Washington, which is so respected on Capitol Hill.  He also included a hilarious riff on his daughter attending one bar/bat mitzvah after another, echoing the very same concerns and talks we have with our kids going through the same experience.  It was a privilege to be present for such an electric and historic moment for our Reform Movement.

"Hineini," we are here.  Fifteen members of Temple Sinai are here in D.C. for the URJ Biennial, a historic moment for our congregation and its leadership.  There hasn't been a delegation even close to this size from our congregation at a Biennial in at least a generation, if ever.  We are learning an enormous amount about how to make Temple Sinai a more vibrant congregation, more effective at serving your needs, more passionate and connected as a community.  And we are making a statement that we are proud to be part of a vibrant and powerful Movement, the Reform Movement in Judaism.

Attached is a photo of our delegation.  We will share many more with you when we return.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanukah!

Jordan

Ps – If you would like to see and hear President Obama’s speech, it and other selected sessions from the Biennial are available online at www.urj.org/biennial11/webcast. The following sessions will be webcast live at urj.org/biennial11/webcast and on JLTV (find your local listing):

•           Friday 6:15-7:15pm Kabbalat Shabbat Services

•           Saturday 10am-12:30pm Shabbat Services and Rabbi Yoffie's farewell sermon

•           Sunday 8:45-10:30am Closing Plenary

The Coca Cola Salesman in Israel

I enjoyed this and hope you will too. Thanks to Dan Sherman for sharing it with me. To view a larger version, simply click on the image.

Right?

Dear Friends,

The problem with democracy is the people. If only people would vote the right way everything would be alright. Unfortunately, they often don't so things are not right. What is the right way to vote? Well, whatever you think is right, right? In America, if you're conservative then right is right. If you're liberal then right is left, but make no mistake, it is right.

In Egypt it turns out that right may be a lot more to the right than many of the ostensibly right-minded protestors in Tahrir Square, who started the recent democratic revolution, think is right. It also seems to be a lot more to the right than is right for the United States or Israel. The Muslim Brotherhood appears to have taken 40% of the vote in the first round of elections for the new Egyptian Parliament. As if that wasn't right enough, Salafi parties may have taken an additional quarter of the vote. That is not alright. Salafists are ultra-conservative, right wing Islamists who oppose women's rights and want the state to follow strict Islamic law. If those two groups join together to form a government,Egypt could easily pursue policies that tilt strongly to the Islamic right, including a foreign policy that opposes the U.S. and undermines the Camp David Peace Treaty. That would not be alright at all.

In conclusion, democracy may be right but people are often not right, so things are not alright. It's too bad, too. For years most Americans have believed that if only the rest of the world would embrace democracy then everything would be alright. At the moment it appears we may have been wrong.

Oh, and one more thing: If you don’t think I’m right or even if you do, I would welcome your comments on my blog: rabbimillstein.blogspot.com.

* * *

In the meantime, one thing I know is right for us as Jews is to support the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. This Friday night, December 2nd, our Temple, along with many, many others is celebrating the vital role our Federation plays in supporting the Jewish community locally, in Israel and around the world. Carol Silberstein will share a brief talk entitled, “Super Sunday – It’s Not About Football.” Carol is Vice-President (and Past-President) of Temple Sinai, as well as the current Campaign Chair of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey (formerly known as the UJA of Northern New Jersey). She recently chaired the Israel and Overseas Allocations Committee of the JFNNJ. Carol and her husband, Alan, have been members of Temple Sinai for over 30 years.

Please come to our services at 7:30 p.m. on Friday to listen to Carol and worship with us. Then on Sunday, which is the Jewish Federation’s “Super Sunday,” please answer the call that comes to your home from the JFNNJ and support the Jewish community!

L’shalom.

Jordan

p.s. And don’t forget to “get trivial” with the Brotherhood on Saturday night. This Saturday night is the always fun “Brotherhood Trivia Night” at 7:30 p.m. Please rsvp to the Temple Office at 201-568-3035 or email brotherhood@templesinaibc.org. See below for more details.