More White Supremacist Terrorism
More White Supremacist Terrorism
Dear Friends:
I sat this afternoon in Masjid al Rashid, Beacon's mosque, for zakat, or afternoon prayers. On my left was Pastor Bill Dandreano of Salem Tabernacle and on my right was Pastor Ben Larson Wolbrink of First Presbyterian Church.
Together, we listened to Mo Dabashi, one of the lay leaders of the Muslim community speak words of comfort to a community terrified following the white supremacist massacre in New Zeland, words not so different than the words spoken in this synagogue following the white supremacist massacre in Pittsburgh.
It is no news, of course, that there are hateful racists in the world, from Donald Trump, who is proud of his superior genes and German blood, down through Louis Weber, a young man of Phillipstown who vandalized Jewish homes with swastikas this past fall. The decendants of Amalek endure.
Amalek is rabbinic shorthand for the forces of evil that seek to exploit those who are weak and destroy those who are different. From this week's Torah reading through next weeks celebration of Purim, we are called to blot out Amalek, erase those forces of evil and superiority from the world.
How do we do that?
My in box is full of emails looking for an answer to that very question - an event to attend, an action to take. We all want to blot out Amalek, whether or not that is the terminology we use.
I wish I had a clear and easy answer to that pressing question, and to my great dissapointment, I don't, though I've been sitting here for over an hour, wondering what that might be.
We can, and should contribute funds to the Muslim community in New Zealand and send messages of love and solidarity to the Muslim families of New Zeland and needless to say, we should all be registered to vote. The white supremacists need far fewer bully pulpits than they currently have.
Perhaps, more than anything, we also need to remember the teaching of Rebbe Nachman which I have posted in my office - If you believe it can be broken, believe it can be fixed. These are moements when the gravitational pull of despair can feel overwhelming. This is one of them, and we cannot give into it.
I can't pretend to know how to blot out Amalek, but I believe, more than anything, that the Divine Presence rests most fully in the space between people, looking at each other face to face. I will recommit to finding and creating those opportunities where we can all sit face to face with our fellow humans - Jewish humans, Muslim humans, Christian and gay and black and white and Native and Hindu humans.
I don't know what the answer is, but I know the only way forward is all of us, together.
With blessings and hope for a Shabbat of peace,
Rabbi Brent
Fri, April 19 2024
11 Nisan 5784
Today's Calendar
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Friday ,
AprApril 19 , 2024Masa Meet-Up: All Ages & Grades
Friday, Apr 19th 4:00p to 6:00p
Join your friends and classmates and get ready for an immersive Shabbat learning experience. -
Friday ,
AprApril 19 , 2024Friday Torah Study For Adults Led by Rabbi Brent Spodek
Friday, Apr 19th 5:00p to 6:00p
Join us on Friday nights at BHA for a soulful exploration of the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Brent. -
Friday ,
AprApril 19 , 2024Mini Minyan Led By Luke Wygodny
Friday, Apr 19th 5:30p to 6:00p
Mini Minyan (for ages 2-12) is a service for welcoming Shabbat with song and dance that is led by our Music Director Luke Wygodny. -
Friday ,
AprApril 19 , 2024Potluck Shabbat Dinner & Kabbalat Shabbat at BHA Led by Rabbi Brent Spodek & Luke Wygodny
Friday, Apr 19th 6:00p to 8:00p
Please join us for a pot-luck Shabbat dinner in the BHA common room. We will communally clean our space in anticipation of lighting the Shabbat candles followed by Kabbalat Shabbat services led by Rabbi Brent & Luke Wygodny. -
Wednesday ,
AprApril 24 , 2024Morning Minyan at BHA and on Zoom
Wednesday, Apr 24th 8:45a to 10:00a
Whether you have been davvening with tallis and tefillin for years or you don’t know how to say those words you just read, come and be part of this most intimate of Jewish liturgical moments! BHA Members will lead services at BHA and on Zoom