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October 10, 2003
Our family needs our support
No matter what we think of Israel's policies, we must open our
wallets.
RABBI SHMUEL BIRNHAM SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
Shalom to my blessed Jewish community of Vancouver. My family and
I have been here for three years. We fell in love with our congregation,
Har-El on the North Shore, we fell in love with the entire Jewish
community, the city in general and we are still in love with you.
Because I care about you, I want to share some thoughts about a
critical issue in our lives: Israel. My eyes watered last month
as I saw on TV the remains of the exploded bus and mourned for those
who died and those who will continue to die as each side makes its
reprisals.
I want to share a few ideas with you that might push some buttons
here and there. But that's b'seder (OK) because, as a rabbi,
I am meant to comfort the discomforted and discomfort the comfortable.
I intend to comfort those who can say that Israel desperately needs
our support because she is our family and our country, too, even
though she is not a perfect nation. I intend to discomfort those
who choose to ignore Israel's profound needs and choose not to support
it generously. Last, but certainly not least, I want to tell you
how vital our contributions to the Combined Jewish Appeal (CJA)
campaign are.
Last year, our community's CJA campaign delivered $1.2 million to
Israel through Keren Hayesod. This year, in response to the continuing
global Jewish crisis, CJA is trying raise an additional $1 million
for Israel and other overseas needs. It is critical that all of
us give generously because our funds directly change the quality
of life for our brothers and sisters living in Israel and around
the world. And, if I may state the obvious, the majority of funds
raised that remain here affect our daily lives in Greater Vancouver.
Last February, I went to Israel as part of an international team
of rabbis. My trip was sponsored by our local federation and Keren
Hayesod. I represented Vancouver and met 39 rabbis from all over
the world. Even though some people here in town urged me not to
go in such dangerous times, I felt that it was important because
it had been a while since I'd been there and I needed to reconnect
to Israel. I've lived in Israel three separate times and it was
time to go back.
It was an immensely important visit, not only for me, but also for
the Israelis seeing us at a very low time. Hope was practically
non-existent among many Israelis with whom I met and spoke. Tensions
were high as the citizens of Jerusalem awaited the next terrorist
attack.
Our team of rabbis visited many significant places and were briefed
by a number of government and military officials. We spent an extremely
meaningful morning at the Zihui Korbanot Ason, the Identifiers
of Victims of Disaster. These are the men wearing those bright reflectors
you see on TV assisting the wounded and collecting body parts at
the sites of terrorist attacks. These are also the men who usually
arrive first at a simple, non-terrorist related car accident. They
are holy volunteers who save the lives of the injured and comfort
the mourners. This organization is directly aided by our contributions
from Vancouver. When you see them on the TV screen, know that you
have helped them in their holy service and that you can continue
to support them. Several years ago, the UN named them "Volunteer
Organization of the Year." And this is from the UN!
While in Israel, I spent a bit of time shopping (trying to support
a few shops) and sitting in cafés. Virtually everywhere,
my person and bags were carefully inspected by armed guards. I remember
similar treatment five years earlier, but this time there were far
more security agents and the atmosphere was much more intense. Imagine
if we lived like that here. The tension under which the average
Israeli lives is quite immense.
Add to that a terrible economy, staggering social divisions reaching
dangerous levels, civil rights of Israelis being challenged and
no hope in sight of ever living a safe and normal life. When we
acknowledge the Israelis' reality, we must realize that we must
help them by giving generously. As anyone who knows me knows, I
have my disagreements with various Israeli government policies but
I don't let my political views interfere with my basic obligations
to support my family in Israel.
Many brilliant speakers educated us during the February mission.
Each in his own way made it abundantly clear that both Israelis
and Palestinians need to let go of certain myths about themselves,
each other and their respective versions of their histories. Both
sides need to give up the black and white perspectives and see the
shadings of the deepest truths. The constant attacks and social
strains are eroding the ability to nourish all that is good in Israeli
society.
The annual CJA campaign is under way. In addition to developing
our own local community, it connects us with Israel and bonds us
to the daily lives of many Israelis in good times and in bad. Israelis
are our brothers and sisters, our parents and children, our extended
family. We must open our hearts, minds and wallets to help them.
What other response is possible?
Rabbi Shmuel Birnham is the spiritual leader of Congregation
Har-El in North Vancouver.
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