Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner
‘We prayed with our feet’
Mayor Corey Booker of Newark once said, “Democracy is not a sideline sport.” If ever one wanted to prove that statement true, one would only need to spend three days in Washington at the AIPAC Policy Conference.
This week, 76 members of Temple Emanu-El in Closter joined the ranks of 7,724 (close to 200 from Bergen County alone) others — Jews and gentiles, Republicans and Democrats, men and women, old and young — and ran on to the field of the American Israel relationship. Little did we know when we signed up for the policy conference, some as early as 11 months ago, that Israel and America would be embroiled in a public relations mess that would not only take some of the focus off of health care but would also serve as a re-examination and reiteration of the core principles of the 62-year-old partnership. It made for an exciting, engaging, and energetic conference.
Parshat Terumah
Recently, my young daughter received an invitation to a birthday party. That is nothing novel. She gets at least one a week. Not a testament to her popularity rather a statement about the regularity in which these parties occur. Each party is fun for her and her friends; they are a bit of a headache, however, for the parents. The carpools, the junk food, and the way these parties seem to wind them up just in time to go home and release all of their energy. And then there are the presents. What to give? How much to spend? Will this kid like this particular toy? Do they have younger siblings for whom such a present could be dangerous? All the while knowing whatever we buy will end up in a pile alongside the other presents from previous birthdays and relatives’ visits, rarely used or appreciated. I know this because the same applies to many of the gifts my children receive.
