22
Federation Star
COMMENTARY/ SYNAGOGUE NEWS
July/August 2021
Lasting stability Rabbi Mark Wm. Gross
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ave compassion for my poor kids, growing up. Being the children of a rabbi — i.e., someone who constitutionally takes symbols and ceremonies seriously — is not easy. On the Fourth of July, they had to listen to a reading of the Declaration of Independence before they got to play with the fireworks. Granted, it was only a highly digested version of the declaration to which I subjected my youngsters, book-ending the glorious beginning and inspirational ending while fast-forwarding past Thomas Jefferson’s bullet list of all the indignities imposed upon his American subjects by German George. But the fact that all those catalogued wrongs are in the original document serves to highlight an important point
for us American patriots: In spite of its glorious beginning and inspiring end, this watershed document from a long ago July, which matters so much to us today, was drafted first and foremost as a manifesto of insurrection and a declaration of war. It serves to define the temperament of this great nation as a certain rugged individualism (which can also translate just as well as truculent feistiness). The American conundrum is that, once independence was secured, the disruptive forces of rebellion are lauded as patriotic heroes. The corollary Jewish conundrum is that our fabulously ancient people, who are the fountainhead from which flows most modern social values, can bear witness from our long history that the most orderly societies are those in which a strong (and even despotic) ruler keeps the disruptive forces of rebellion in check. That has been the case since the Biblical era, when the prophet Isaiah describes the mailed fist of the arrogant Assyrian Empire as “the rod of God’s wrathful chastisement,” and when
Jeremiah lauds the neo-Babylonian emperor N’vuChadnetzar as a stabilizing influence in our corner of Asia. In Medieval Europe, when Jews were marginalized as both an ethnic and religious minority, our unique social status as servei camera, “property of the crown,” reflects our having been under the direct protection of the king. The same was the case in the 20th century, when (as a case in point) the island of Rhodes saw the establishment of the Benito Mussolini Yeshivah for Girls — one index of how an ironfisted dictator guarded the welfare of his minority subjects. Until, of course, he didn’t. In 1943, Mussolini buckled to pressure from his Axis ally north of the Alps and began rounding up and executing the Jews of Italy. This pattern, too, occurred over and over throughout Jewish history. The stability offered by a strong local lord was tenuous, at best, and could readily be reversed in an instant into race riots, massacres and expulsions. Strength makes for stability, perhaps, but strength unchecked
JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND
weakens the spirit and sickens the society (which is why the Psalmist twice urges us “not to trust in princes, but only in The Eternal One.”). Our longevity as a people gives us the perspective to recognize this, and to rejoice in the part we and our faith have played in laying the foundation for a social stability that lasts. The founders of this republic were Bible-readers who saw George III as pharaoh; the Americans as Israelites; and this continental nation as a new Promised Land. They saw the Torah as God’s Covenantal Constitution for Israel (they copied the requirement of presidential citizenship in II:1:5 directly from Deuteronomy 17:15), and they looked to the laws of the Torah as a template for a new kind of society built on a balance between personal rights and responsibilities, between individual autonomy and individual responsibility. Maintaining that balance is the ultimate exercise of strength that makes a society work. Rabbi Mark Wm. Gross serves at Jewish Congregation of Marco Island.
www.marcojcmi.com / 239.642.0800
The traditional celebration of July 4 returns to JCMI By Sue Baum, JCMI President
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ach year, as our snowbirds head north for the summer, the temple goes into a bit of a hibernation to rest and reboot for the upcoming season, with one joyous exception. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, which closed our synagogue March 12, 2020, it was tradition at the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island to celebrate our country’s birthday. This wonderful event brings the remaining local congregants together, with all proceeds donated to our local food pantry.
We are happy to share the good news that this July 4th at noon, we will renew our long-standing tradition! Our extraordinary chefs return — George Karpman, Don Schwartz, Bernie Seidman and Bert Thompson. What would a barbeque be without their excellent skills on the grill!? And our patrons, who make this event possible, are at it again — Roger and Joanne Blau, Dr. Eddie and Karen Saeks, Bert and Joan Thompson and me.
NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION
This beloved annual event brings together congregants and their guests. It provides us with the opportunity to celebrate, not just the love of our country, but our return to togetherness.
This year, especially, it is an occasion that marks the reopening of our temple to long-treasured annual events: Monday Night Bingo, The Saul I. Stern Cultural Series, the Sidney R. Hoffman Jewish Film Festival, the Barbara Katz Mah Jongg Tournament, the Abe and Jean Brown Duplicate Bridge, the concert series and more. If you’d like to join us, contact the Synagogue office at 239-642-0800.
www.naplesjewishcongregation.org / 239.431.3858
Dealing with challenging discussions Roberta Obler President
D
uring the pandemic, it was necessary for Naples Jewish Congregation to find a way, other than Shabbat services, to maintain a relationship with members. We did that through our NJC Connects and Talk Amongst Ourselves programs. We had many programs on topics, such as how to cope with the pandemic, legal issues and members’ own life experiences. One of the most attended and interesting programs was on “Civil Discourse in an Uncivil Age.” At the time, it related to differences in opinion on current events and sparked some of the most meaningful discussions. The lessons learned in that session on how to civilly have a
conversation with someone who has an opposite view can be applied in so many other parts of our lives. It has become quite relevant in light of the rise in antisemitism in the U.S. as well as around the world. While some antisemitism has long-standing historical roots, it also relates to the equating of Judaism in America with being an extension of Israel. This increase in U.S. antisemitism has been exacerbated by the recent fighting in the Middle East. The times we live in have emboldened people to say and do things they would not normally have said or done. It is not unheard of to find ourselves in a situation where we are being challenged as Jews in an open and antagonistic way. How might we react when confronted with people who lash out at us? This was what our “Civil Discourse” discussion was all about. Led by former NJC President, Steve McCloskey, and Rabbi Howard Herman, we discussed how to approach
any topic, no matter how offensive, in a civil way. We cannot always ignore people who challenge us. Instead, we should take a breath, calm down, and try to find out why that person feels that way. What are their facts? What do they hope to accomplish? What is the rationale for their opinion? You may not change anyone’s mind, especially if they based their view on misinformation or incomplete information. However, you may find you will be able to have a meaningful and rational discussion, possibly swaying their view, if not changing it completely. You may even find they sway your view. This is a general overview of our “Civil Discourse” series, which may be useful when encountering someone who inadvertently or overtly says or does something you find objectionable. Will this help stem the rise of vocal antisemitism? Most likely not. It is only one small way to act when confronted.
History has taught us of the potential horrors of unbridled antisemitism — the Inquisition, pogroms, the Holocaust, etc. These have all taught us that we cannot sit back. That is why it is imperative to challenge unchecked antisemitism when we are able. The skills we acquired in our “Civil Discourse” series have helped NJC members understand how to avoid confrontation and perhaps have a meaningful discussion, which may improve a situation. This is an example of how Naples Jewish Congregation’s NJC Connects and the Talk Amongst Ourselves programs provide interesting, educational, provocative and sometimes entertaining experiences for our members. Today more than ever, we all need to connect with people who we can reach out to and rely upon. These programs help to make NJC a place where all people are welcome and safe.
