Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh La Zeh,

Or, we’re all in this together

(and always have been!)

Last summer, our Hazzan Sheni, second cantor for the High Holy Days, Andy Silikovitz, got together with me to begin to review the liturgy for the holidays. In passing, Andy mentioned to me that he was heading down to the Prudential Center in Newark that week for the try-outs for the new X-Factor TV Series. Only half paying attention, since my mind was on the matter of the rigorous set of liturgies facing me in the two months ahead and the sermons yet to be written, I had not realized at the time that X-Factor was a new American talent show competition for TV produced and moderated by none other than the sometimes funny, sometimes annoying, Simon Cowell, for better or worse, a legend in his own time.

   Fast forward to Rosh Hashana. Shortly before services, Andy announced to me that he had been selected for the competition and was going to be on television in the week between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. He asked if David could record the show so he could watch it. After Yomtov, David and I watched Andy’s ‘fifteen minutes of fame’ with our sons and their girlfriends and we were all utterly amazed on a number of counts. First, Yasher Koach to Andy for a) his courage in trying out, b) making it to an actual stage performance, and c) being so personable as to engage with one of the show’s judges, the pop star Paula Abdul, off the podium in front of the judges’ desk. At the end of his performance, Simon invited Andy to come down and meet with Paula, a half-Jewish Lebanese woman, who had taken a ‘liking to him.’ Although Andy did not win in the traditional sense (remember, winning isn’t everything), he certainly won in a Jewish sense. Having reviewed his bio, Paula knew Andy was a Torah Reader – although that was not mentioned on air – clearly she knew this and actually announced the words “Baruch HaShem” to Andy in front of millions of viewers, as she hugged him and wished him success in future endeavors,

   The point is Andy and Paula connected as Jews in front of millions of viewers, most of whom, of course, were not Jewish and had no idea what “Baruch HaShem” meant. But they had a special connection because of their Jewishness, a common bond that has kept the Jewish people together despite all of our differences, for many, many centuries. And that common bond of Jewish identity, immediately brought two total strangers together in a sameness of shared history that made them instantly each other’s symbolic ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ in front of the whole world.

   Fast forward again, now to just a few weeks ago, when the Jewish world rejoiced at the release after five years of the young, Israeli soldier captured by the Palestinians in Gaza, Gilad Shalit. No matter what your politics and feelings are regarding the Israeli-Palestinan conflict and the grossly imbalanced trade of over a thousand Palestinian murderers for a single, innocent Israeli victim, the entire Jewish global community felt a relief that one of our own, captured under false pretenses and held by Hamas for five years,was finally free, free to return to his family, friends and loved ones, now a community of Jews all over the world. All of us reveled in Gilad’s release as if he were our actual ‘brother.’ Surely, he was our symbolic ‘brother.’

   In the Talmud there is the phrase, ‘Kol Yisrael Arevim zeh la-zeh.’ Loosely translated it means ‘All of Israel is bound up with each other, ’ or ‘All of Israel is responsible for one another.’ (Babylonian Talmud, Shevuot 39a). I remember as a youngster at Camp Ramah, the summer camp of the Conservative movement, learning this phrase and being extremely moved by it. It empowered us as campers to care about each other’s welfare. It has remained with my throughout my life for many decades since first hearing it. It speaks to an unspoken responsibility that we have for our Jewish ‘brothers and sisters.’ In these ecumenical times, of course, we can expand the notion to all our human ‘brothers and sisters’ on the planet, and that, of course, brings us to our Tikkun Olam – Healing the World – efforts, which are never restricted strictly to the Jewish community. A spirit of charity and caring – truly remembering to love one another – is always with us.

   It is with deep sadness that I make reference now to one of our closest ‘brothers’ who has departed from our midst just after Yom Kippur. A long-standing member of our congregation, and most recently first vice-president, Abe Langer, passed away suddenly and there is indeed an empty space in my heart as I think about all of Abe’s Ma’asim Tovim, his generosity in the world, to his family, and especially to us, to his beloved congregation, B’nai Jacob. Abe was a big champion of the Friday Night Live! service when it was instituted seven years ago. He, together with Gloria, enjoyed the Actors Shakespeare presentations both at the West Side Theatre and at the synagogue and often sponsored free tickets for congregants to attend performances as a group over the years. And he enjoyed our community diners and was always happy to provid wine for the occasions! Abe was always there to support and encourage my efforts toward new ideas and innovation at B’nai Jacob. He was one of my stalwart cheerleaders and I shall miss him deeply. We reach out to Gloria, ‘a sister,’ as she begins her next life chapter without Abe by her side. Remember ‘Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh la Zeh’ when it comes to being there for Gloria in this time of need.

   And so, with the High Holy Days behind us, and new year ahead of us, let us remember that ‘We are all bound up with one another’ and ‘We are all responsible for each other,’ that caring makes a difference. As a demonstration of our togetherness, let us gather more frequently to celebrate our holidays and simchas this year, and be there when we can for others’ inevitable sorrows that also accompany us in life. The important point is to be ‘arevim zeh la zeh,’ connected to and responsible for one another. To that end, in addition to attending services regularly and Lox ‘N Learning on Sunday mornings, be sure to put on your calendar two important dates, one in November, one in December. On November 11th, Friday evening, we will have our Fall Speaker Series featuring New York City Community Director of Dorot, Judith Ribnick, following our Friday Night Live! service at 8 PM. Judith will speak about some of Dorot’s wonderful elder care programs including a distance learning phone-in course series that our members can participate in! An Oneg Shabbat will follow her presentation and Judy will join me before, on the bimah during the services with her clarinet. And on Friday evening, December 23rd, we will have our annual Shabbat Hanukkah dinner with an abbreviated Friday Night Live! musical service. Be sure to mark your calendars now and check the events page in this newsletter for further details.

   Once again, I wish each and every one of you an excellent 5772 and let us keep in mind “Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh la Zeh’ – ‘We are all bound up with one another’- as we move through the year, reaching out to one another in times of need and in times of celebration. I look forward to seeing more of you at B’nai Jacob more often! Remember, Congregation B’nai Jacob is Jersey City’s Jewish Place for Belonging. Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh la Zah! Amen!

 

Cantor Marsha Dubrow, Ph.D.

cantor@bnaijacobjc.org

(201) 910-4334