~ RABBI'S CORNER ~
On Reaching ''250'': Some Thoughts
In addressing American involvement with Iran, President Trump recently made the (wildly?) bold statement that without the United States, there would be no Israel. Given recent current events, there may be some undeniable truth to his words. However, what Ambassador Mike Huckabee said in response is also undeniably true. Speaking at the opening of the International Conference on Israeli Heritage in Judea and Samaria, he declared:
''Without Israel, without the Jewish foundation, there would not be an America -- We owe our very existence to what happened in this land.''
Both statements bring to mind sentiments expressed in the Preface to a recently published (and highly recommended) anthology, Jewish Roots of American Liberty: The Impact of Hebraic Ideas on the American Story, edited by Wilfred McClay and Stuart Halpern. The editors express the hope that the book will give witness to the ''closeness and foundational character of the relationship between the American experience and the Jewish experience, and the nature of the Hebraic impact on the United States.''
They continue:
''(I)t would be an understatement to say that this closeness has eluded the awareness of both groups for much of American history. On the contrary, there has been a general assumption that the two traditions were intrinsically antagonistic to one another. But the workings of history have clarified that relationship. In recent decades, the rising challenge of a militant secularism in the West, openly hostile to Israel and to many elements of the traditional Judeo-Christian heritage, has made believing Christians and Jews able to see how much they have in common. A new awareness of a deep and intrinsic affinity for one another has begun to take hold - ''Jews owe an immense debt to America, which has been for them an incomparably generous and welcoming land in which they have been permitted to dwell in relative security and have been able to flourish as they have in few other places on the planet in their long and often troubled history --
''But it is equally true that America owes a profound and incalculable debt to the Jews. It is they who provided the deep metaphysical, moral, and anthropological foundation upon which much of the American experiment in democratic self-government was erected, and who have gone on to contribute in ways large and small to the soul of America -''(pp. vii-viii)
It is precisely that ''metaphysical, moral and anthropological foundation'' that John Adams had in mind when he famously stated:
''Because we have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion, Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Gallantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.''
That was then. What about now?
Given recent decisions by sectors of the American electorate that strongly suggest an undeniable growing affirmation of moral and political attitudes that are demonstrably antagonistic to the specific religious (Judeo-Christian) tradition to which he was referring, one might ask:
Would Mr. Adams still consider Americans today to be a ''moral and religious people'' -- especially when a major political party is distancing itself from -- indeed going on the offensive against -- the very group that has been the historic embodiment of that tradition, and whose members have historically supported that party and its political platform?
Responding to the recent election results around the country and particularly in New York, more than one Jewish pundit has declared the demise of that party as it transitions into something much more radical. They have declared that part of that transition has been an undeniable betrayal of the Jews -- one of its historically reliable constituencies.
In a recent op-ed ''Dan Goldman and the Decline and Fall of Liberal Jewish Democrats'' (JNS, 6;26;26), Jonathan Tobin writes:
The end of the political career of Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) is filled with irony. He was a child of immense privilege who may wind up best remembered for being a victim of discrimination - his career came to an abrupt end earlier this week, when he was brought down by an even more extreme faction of his party that had decided he wasn't sufficiently ideologically pure to suit the current political fashion of delegitimizing Jewish identity on the left.
This heir to the Levi Strauss jeans fortune - has led a life that is hardly typical of most American Jews, yet the arc of his political career may well illustrate the end of an era for American Jewry. He might have thought his good looks, money and impeccable partisan record assured him a bright political future; but in the end, his Jewish identity did him in.
The op-ed's heading includes these words: In Zohran Mamdani's Democratic Party, only those who bend the knee to antisemitic ideology have a place. Is this the end of an era for American-Jewish life?
On the same day that Tobin's piece appeared, similar sentiments were expressed by Benjamin Kerstein (''The Democrats' Betrayal of the Jews'', 6/26/26):
America is still a fine place and worth fighting for. Whether it will remain so is the question American Jews must now confront.
As we commemorate this nation's 250th birthday, all Americans should be grateful for the unique blessings this nation has provided. But we American Jews should be especially grateful that up to now, it has indeed been for us ''an incomparably generous and welcoming land.''
But now to the question ''are Americans still a moral and religious people?'' is added this one: will America continue to be a generous and welcoming land to its Jewish citizens?
In response to a letter written to him by Moses Seixas, the leader of the Newport, Rhode Island Jewish Community, expressing gratitude for the kind of government that affirmed religious liberty, President Washington wrote back:
The citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy -- a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.
It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support…
May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the goodwill of the other inhabitants -- while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.
May the father of all mercies scatter light, and not darkness, upon our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in His own due time and way everlastingly happy.
In gematria (the system of equating numeric value to letters in the Hebrew alphabet), the letter nun equals 50, and the letter resh equals 200. Together they spell the word ner -- a candle.
As Jews, our mission in the world has been to be a candle, to be an agent of ''the father of all mercies'' to scatter light. In this time of bitterness and division, may these sentiments expressed by our first President be remembered by all Americans.
May ''the good will of the other inhabitants'' of this country be renewed and may it continue to be the oxygen by which we, ''the children of the stock of Abraham,'' may continue to be a candle -- helping to rid our nation of the darkness that now plagues it.
Rabbi Cary Kozberg
~ TISHA B'AV ~
Tisha B'Av is a day of mourning and occurs this year on July 23. A number of terrible things happened on or very near to the ninth of Av. The first great Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. We read the Book of Lamentations and chant mournful prayers called kinnot. Many people observe this day by abstaining from food and drink.
~ HIGH HOLY DAYS 5787 ~
Please take a moment to mark your calendar for the upcoming High Holy Days. Holidays begin at sundown on the day before the listing date. Details along with service times will be available soon. We hope you will attend and be part of these services.
Friday, Sept 11 Erev Rosh Hashanah
Saturday, Sept 12 Rosh Hashanah
Monday, Sept 21 Yom Kippur
Saturday, Sept 26 Succot
Saturday, Oct 3 Shmini Atzeret
Sunday, Oct 4 Simchat Torah
~ MUSICAL INVITATION ~
The Temple Choir is beginning preparations for the High Holidays services and is looking for volunteers to sing during the four services. There are usually weekly rehearsals in prior weeks so that you are familiar with the music. Please contact the office if you have interest in joining.
~ JULY DINNER ~
Mark your calendars for July 24 and plan to attend Shabbat service and stay for the monthly congregational dinner following. Everyone is welcome at this carry-in meal; cost is $5 for members and $10 for each guest. Join us for a time of fellowship and delicious food.
~ MEMBERSHIP BOOKLETS ~
The updated Membership Directory is being prepared and will be mailed to you soon. Please let us know if you do not receive your copy or may need an additional copy to reference. We hope you have alerted the office if you have any changes to last year's booklet; if not, please do so.
~ CONTRIBUTIONS ~
-In appreciation for receiving your monthly newsletter from Anita Kohler
GOLD
-In honor of the yahrzeit for Arthur Fred Willens from Barbara Willens
~ YAHRZEIT LIST ~
JULY 3: Sophie Friedland, Ida Friedman, Morris M. Levinson, Sidney William Rich, William Rich, Ben Rubinoff, William B. Zitsman, Irving Mandell, Arthur Marcus (father of Faye Flack), Jean Roeth (mother of Jo Marenberg)
JULY 10: Hyman Adler, Rose Edith Lapinsky, Helen Weiser, Willis Rider
JULY 17: Ethel S. Freed, Henry Kempler, Albert M. Bandman, Frank Friedsam, Anna Margolis, Dorothy Banks Steed, Robert A. Wile, Richard Melnick Wolf
JULY 24: Ethel Arnovitz, Manya Haas Klein, Lt. Robert L. Levine, Harry M. Stadler, Mollie Flack (mother of Sanford Flack), Jack Watts
JULY 31: Anne Arnovitz, Ben Broock, Reda Singer, Maisie Demmel, Samuel M. Draisen (brother of Bernice Goldman)
AUGUST 7: Joseph Friedberger, Julius Holzberg, Abraham M. Lapinsky, Dora K. Lebensberger, Pearle Romanoff, Dr. David B. Russack (father of Robert & Louis Russack), Riva Stessel, Ruth (Ricky) Kepnes (mother of Ellen Levine), Ben Mazur, Betty-Anne Zoldan