First of all, our Hanukat HaBayit was a wonderful event.
First of all, our Hanukat HaBayit was a wonderful event. Fifty plus folks celebrated the opening of the new Am Kolel Judaic Resource Center in Rockville. Many of us have not seen each other in years. The new Center represents the newest chapter in Am Kolel’s history serving the community. In addition to a hamish davenning space, we house the Rae Alice and Bernard Cohen Library of some 2000 volumes. We’re very grateful to librarians Susan Freiband, Ellen Sher and volunteers for setting it up. Most of the art in the house is art created by local Jewish artists and the room has been designated as a rotating gallery. We hope the new Center will be a place of meeting and learning for the artists and others. Several old timers from the Jewish Folk Arts Festival were present including Avrum Ashery, Nessa Spitzer and Danny Siegel, the poet. Theo Stone and Frank Sparber, of the Fabrangen Fiddlers, Rosana Azar and Janeane Marks lead singing.
The highlight was affixing the mezuzot to the entrances with several former presidents and board members helping out as we sang “If I Had a Hammer” and recited Brachot. Many thanks to Melissa, Diane, Bobbie, Hanna and Ralph for helping with refreshments. And appreciation to Miles Goldstein for his incredible shofar blowing.
Of course, this month of Iyar is also filled with other special days. Today is Yom HaAtzmaut, the State of Israel’s 75th anniversary. This year we are experiencing greater divisions amongst our people. Many Jewish communities, given the struggles over the past several months between anti-democratic forces and those who are fighting for human rights and democratic institutions, are at odds as to how to celebrate this year.
The prophet Amos in this week’s Haftarah warns the people about how they will be scattered as the result of unrighteous acts and the desecration of the Covenant. He also envisions a return to the Land based upon just and compassionate living.
We’re reminded this week of the words from Israel’s Declaration of Independence:
THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
…and the words of the Hebrew poet, Shaul Tzchernikovky, composed in 1894 in Odessa:
Freedom still my soul demands,
Unbartered for a calf of gold.
For still I do believe in man,
And in his spirit, strong and bold.
And in the future I still believe
Though it be distant, come it will
When nations shall each other bless,
And peace at last the earth shall fill.
L’Shalom,
Reb David