MAY 6, 2007

By Rabbi Robert H. Loewy

            The Jewish calendar and the synagogue calendar are not always in sync, but occasionally they mesh just right. This Shabbat we will read the end of the Book of Leviticus, including a series of blessings that come from fulfilling God’s commandments and curses if one does not. Next week we commence with the Book of Numbers. So too, with this annual meeting we close one book, one administration of leadership and reflect on the year past, as well as look to the next administration and the year to come.

The Haftarah, from Jeremiah continues on the theme of blessings and curses with the verses: “Blessed are those who trust in the Eternal, whose trust in the Eternal! They shall be like a tree planted near water, sinking its roots into the watercourse, never noticing when the heat comes, its leaves green, careless of times of drought, never failing to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)  The suggestion is that faith, not simply belief in God, but active faith, which includes prayer, study and ongoing acts of goodness, can be an anchor to people; faith, which links an individual with a community of likeminded men and women, can make a difference in people’s lives.

Interestingly, recent studies in our Jewish community have indicated the truth of this. Those who are faithful, who are linked to their religious communities, who attend services statistically feel less stress than those who do not, as they deal with the ongoing challenges of post-Katrina New Orleans. Specifically they have less trouble concentrating, sleep better (not during the services), have more energy, are not as nervous and have less difficulty settling down. While I would like to tell you that this is unique to the Jewish community, that would not be true. Nonetheless, this study simply validates what Jeremiah taught over two thousand years ago.

Our goal this past year, even more so than in other years, was to provide outstanding programs, recreate a sense of the normal, build upon the strengths of the members who are here and start thinking about the future. I believe that we have been eminently successful in our endeavors, as you will hear from our President Miriam Latter in a few minutes.

This was a year where lay and professional leadership really needed to step up and I believe all have succeeded. I begin with our lay leaders and as you read in our May bulletin, I cannot provide any more accolades for Miriam. Her caring soul was the perfect fit at this time in our congregational history. Through her commitment to outstanding programming, she has nurtured, fed, entertained and led us with excellence. She wisely surrounded herself with capable officers, board members and past Presidents, taking charge where she deemed it appropriate and strategically delegating as well. Chazak, you have been strong as you complete this term of leadership and with a new slate of officers to be approved later today, Chazak, we will continue to be strong as we move to the future.

Our professional team continues to be creative and responsive to the challenges of New Orleans synagogue life. The addition of Melanie Blitz as Nursery School Director has already lifted that program tremendously. Many of us knew Melanie primarily as a gifted caterer. However, her talents, insights and abilities extend beyond the kitchen.

With her life-long links to this congregation, she fit in perfectly with the total operation and the rest of the professionals. We continue to be blessed with Phil Gaethe as our Temple Educator and I am so pleased for him that this summer he will participate in the NATE Educators Seminar in Israel; with Victoria May, whose multiple talents both musical and editorial and care for this synagogue are apparent to all; with Louis Geiger, our Temple Administrator, who has the duty of managing this physical plant and the constant level of activity, making sure we are fiscally sound, while calming the nervous B’nai Mitzvah parents, who want everything to go perfectly. They all work hard and do a marvelous job, supported admirably by Dianne Green, Monica Dittfeld, Sheila Freedman, Jenny Ermatinger and Michelle Bassham, along with the various men and women who comprise our custodial staff. This is a big operation and it takes quite a team to make it run smoothly.

I must confess that as I look at the coming year, I am excited about the opportunities that are before us. Our members can continue to sink their roots.

Twenty years ago, we celebrated Israel at 40 with a year long program of activities relating to Israel on a variety of levels. This year, the entire community unites to celebrate Israel at 60. We will try to coordinate, so that the whole community can enjoy activities without overlapping on individual programs. Our Fall and Spring Continuing Education classes will relate to Israel and I am hopeful that our friend Rabbi Micky Boyden will be back to share a weekend of learning. I am encouraging Brotherhood and Sisterhood, always vital components of our synagogue life, to plan Israel related programs as well in addition to their other numerous possibilities.

I am pleased to see that our Friday evening worship attendance is picking up a bit. Tot Shabbats have been enhanced by the involvement of Melanie Blitz, who has created complimentary art projects to go along with the worship. Similarly our Family Shabbat services have been popular and well attended by and large.

However, I would like to introduce a new program a few times in the coming year called “Synaplex”. Just as you walk into the Cinemaplex of the Palace Theater and choose among a variety of options, the same can take place here on a Shabbat. All begin with dinner, but then there will be a variety of Shabbat activities from which you can choose: a Jewish theme related movie, yoga, Jewish meditation, a regular service, Israeli dance, Torah study, art activities and I can go on. This kind of program has energized many a congregation throughout the country and I would like to see us give it a try. I think it will be fun.

I envision new liturgy in the coming year. The much anticipated and delayed Mishkan Tefillah, the new siddur for the Reform movement, should be available shortly. We will examine it carefully and then decide if we would like to adopt it for the congregation. In addition our Yom Kippur Reflections service continues to be popular, but could use revision. I invite any who are interested in working on that project to let me know. We are also searching for new High Holy Day youth service options.

I’m also looking forward to renewing our Shabbat morning Torah Study program. Minimally it will entail me leading the study generally on the first Shabbat morning of the month, beginning with Bereshit in October. Hopefully the group will build and we will have weekly study offerings before we know it.

Our teens will be quite busy this Fall, as we host NFTY Southern’s Fall Conclave. With the theme of Jews Around the World, they will become more aware of what Jewish life is like beyond our borders. As a congregation we will have the responsibility of hosting teens from around the region, offering them home hospitality, so please be available the weekend of November 2-4. Phil Gaethe will present a special curriculum for Post Confirmation students and parents, called “Packing For College,” a URJ program to look at the Jewish challenges of selecting and going to college.

Katrina is still influencing who we are and what we do. We are preparing for the coming storm season with the lessons learned in the back of our minds. If you have not submitted updated contact information, please do so. The Religious Action Committee and Katrina Response Committee have provided us with opportunities to physically repair our city, gutting one house and building others. We continue to try and create a meaningful relationship with the Upper 9^th and 7^th Ward Women’s shelters. I am a bit frustrated that more of our members have not stepped up in these endeavors. I realize that some are still in the process of repairing their own lives, but many others do not have that excuse. In the year to come it is my hope that we will do better. Tikun Olam, repairing our world continues as one of our essential mandates.

Of course a fascinating outgrowth of Katrina has been the relationship with Congregation Beth Israel, which is still evolving. Last year we cooperated in one or two programs and I anticipate more of that in the coming year. They have hired their own rabbi, Uri Topolofsky, a man who is fully supportive of pluralism in the Jewish community. Truly, the linkage of our two congregations may be ground breaking in American Jewish life, but rest assured that it will not impact our approach to Judaism.

And so, as one year ends, a new one begins, just as in our ongoing reading of Torah. We pray that it will be another year of blessing.

Thank you

March 30, 2007

By Rabbi Robert H. Loewy

      We are in the midst of March Madness, the time of year when many of us become

avid fans of college basketball. I was listening to two sports reporters the other day describe a classic past battle between University of Michigan and Southern Illinois, teams which included NBA legends, Magic Johnson and Larry Byrd. The commentator recalled how while watching the game, his co-announcer said, “looking at these two teams, if I was to start an NBA franchise, I would select… Greg Kelso.” So much for insight and prognostication!

In a similar vein, but on a much more serious subject, I am here to say that I was

wrong! As many will readily tell you, I do not use those words too often, but tonight I am here to tell you that I was wrong. Granted I was wrong along with many others and I was wrong due to misinformation. Note, I am qualifying and rationalizing, but nonetheless I was wrong.

What was I wrong about?…. Supporting the war in Iraq in 2003. Four

years have passed, more than the time of U.S. involvement in World War II. I’m not sure which is more frustrating for us in New Orleans, the governmental response to Katrina or the handling of the war in Iraq. There are many similarities. It began with high expectations, then plummeted by reality. Clearly we are witness to a failure of Federal Government to do what it says it will do. There has been open deception, which leads to suspicion and lack of faith in leadership. The big difference is that 3000 U.S. troops have been killed, along with hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians and there is no end in sight.

The War in Iraq is continually in the news, as it should be. Congress has now voted for a pullout with timetables. President Bush threatens a veto, trying to paint opponents as undermining the good men and women fighting for freedom and democracy and the War on Terrorism, appealing to a macho mentality when suggesting that his opponents simply wish to “cut and run” by surrendering.

Let’s be clear on what all of us support: We all care about our men and women, and other nations’ soldiers, who risk their lives for duty; this includes the chaplains who serve them. We all want to see continued funding for the troops who are in Iraq to be able to do their jobs. This includes armor, supplies and weaponry, some of which have not been adequately provided throughout this war. We also recognize the need for generous health care and benefits for military members and their families. The effects of war last long beyond the battlefield. The Veterans Administration must also be provided with quality facilities and funding in order to offer life-long care for the wounded and their families.

So far what I have said is no different than what you can read in the newspaper, Newsweek or Time. What is it that I can say that is different? You should know that I am prompted to speak at this time based on a resolution passed by the board of our Union for Reform Judaism in recent days. What is a URJ resolution? These resolutions are a way that we as an organized Jewish community bring the strength of numbers as we speak what we see as truth to power. Our message reflects an interpretation and application of Jewish values to critical issues of our time.

They are not simply Jewish Democrats outnumbering Jewish Republicans. As in all Jewish matters, there are different opinions, so that the resolution in its body makes it clear that it does not represent the views of every Reform Jew, nor does it imply that if you do not agree, you are a not a good Jew. It reflects consensus and is consistent with earlier resolutions.

In preparing for tonight I looked at my archives and the sermon I wrote for January 31, 2003. At that time, using traditional Jewish legal understandings, we spoke of a possible war with Iraq as a “milchemet reshut- a discretionary war.” This type of war was permitted, only when there was a clear threat, following serious and honest deliberation with appropriate authorities, and only then with a variety of restrictions. And so I wrote the following in 2003: “I believe it is fair to say that Iraq is a threat to the United States and its allies. Iraq has attacked Kuwait and Israel in the past, both allies of the United States. Iraqi links to Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups which have attacked either the United States or its allies seem clear. Whether it is an imminent threat or simply potential is no longer meaningful in our day… The goal is to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. The goal is to end the regime of Saddam Hussein, to rid them of a reign of terror that has swept that nation for a generation or more.”

The problem is that not only me, but most Americans reached this same conclusion, but based on erroneous information. The bi-partisan 9/11 Commission has made it clear that “Saddam was not close to developing or obtaining nuclear or biological weapons, that his chemical weapons capacity was almost eliminated, and that he did not cooperate with Al Qaeda in attacks on the United States.” (URJ Resolution) I now believe that the Bush Administration had this information and did all in its power to mislead the American public in order to proceed with a tunnel vision agenda.

I am certainly no fan of Saddam Hussein and I might still have wanted to see him removed regardless of the faulty information, but the missteps that followed are grounds for a reassessment. David Saperstein, the head of our Reform Religious Action Center has put it this way: “The war has vividly demonstrated the limits of American power to reshape the world in accordance with our vision and interests…. Our bombs may be smart, but our tactics from the moment the occupation began, have not been. American setbacks curtail our ability to project our power and pursue our interests.”

So where are we now and how do our Jewish values speak to the situation? Jewish tradition teaches us to continually “seek peace and pursue it.” U.S. policy has been heavy on military and light on diplomacy from the very beginning. With the factional fighting, outside influences and a light base of support for U.S. involvement within Iraq, the diplomatic path is required, including to dialogue with those with whom we disagree.

The reality of the war has been that thousands of Iraqis have been killed. Their land is in turmoil including their agriculture and economy. The URJ resolution looks at the Jewish value of Baal Tashchit, the Biblical idea that we are not to destroy fruit trees in the course of war. In later Rabbinic teachings, this principle has evolved into the idea that “war should be fought in a manner so as to allow normal civilian life to resume after the war…. The failure of the U.S. government to secure the civilian infrastructure in the aftermath of the successful invasion and the failure in the following three years to rebuild effectively ignores these values.” (URJ resolution)

These are not simply the views of the URJ, but they are cited as a major reason of the failure of U.S. policy in Iraq by the bi-partisan Baker-Hamilton Report, a group created and then ignored by the Bush administration.

In halacha, Jewish law, we learn that if the rabbis apply law to a situation and unintended consequences are the result, then the implementation of the law can be changed or suspended. In other words, as any fool knows, “my mind is made up don’t confuse me with the facts” is not a sound maxim for foreign policy. There is a time to say “I was wrong.” and change course. The American people have voted to make that statement. Now the Congress reflects that vote. I concur with the URJ and many others that now is a time for a change in policy.

Last March in a statement on Iraq by the CCAR our Reform Rabbinic body shares our dilemma in trying to decide what is right. “Some who supported the war now think we should withdraw immediately, while some who opposed the war believe we cannot begin to leave until the situation stabilizes. Opponents of immediate withdrawal argue that the U.S. should not establish a timetable for withdrawal because if we withdraw too soon, Iraq will devolve into civil war and become a haven for terrorists. Opponents also note that if we set deadlines and then fail to meet them, we will be perceived as weak by our enemies. Supporters of a more imminent withdrawal argue that Americans and Iraqis continue to die as a result of the insurgency, and that rather than maintaining order in Iraq, the presence of the United States as an occupying power engenders resentment and resistance from the populace and creates sympathy for the insurgents to continue fighting.”

That was last March. This is now and hundreds of lives have been lost in between. I don’t pretend to be an expert, but can see that the current policy of our government is not the way. Stay the course, does not always reach the desired destination. Stubbornness and arrogance are closely related.

I support the basic message of our URJ resolution which begins by first calling for the moral and financial support of our troops in the field and when they come home, along with economic support for Iraq to rebuild its infrastructure. Most significantly the resolution states that the President should announce a clear timetable for the phased and expeditious withdrawal of troops from Iraq and opposes an escalation in troop strength. Third there is a call for reconciliation talks among all effected interested parties, including international involvement. At this time, this seems to be the prudent course of action to bring peace and a future to the region and the world.

Friends, I could be totally wrong again. But I can not be silent and we should not be silent. I approach this issue not in a partisan way, but according to the Jewish principles that I believe apply to this situation. I certainly can respect those who disagree and interpret tradition and the political possibilities differently than I do.

I conclude with the same words I wrote in 2003: “May God bless America with the vision to see the full diplomatic landscape with clarity, with the wisdom to discern between truth and deception, with the strength to bring greater peace and security to our land and the world. Oseh Hashalom- May the ultimate source of peace bring peace.”

AMEN

MARCH 16, 2007

By Rabbi Robert H. Loewy

Friends, I have just returned from Atlanta, the home of CNN, Coca Cola, Martin Luther King, baseball’s Braves, basketball’s Hawks and those dirty birds the Atlanta Falcons. It is also home for the Carter Center, founded by former President Jimmy Carter to advance human rights and alleviate unnecessary human suffering.

I was in Atlanta attending the 118^th annual convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, of which I had the honor and responsibility to be chair. This has been a project on which I have been working for two years. We had one controversy going into the event. We planned a variety of pre-convention trips to various Atlanta sites, one of them being the Carter Center.

Then along came President Carter’s book, released this Fall, “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” The title alone is offensive and incendiary, so much for even handedness. My committee recommended we not go to the Carter Center and the CCAR Board created and distributed a statement as to why. Of course one group of rabbis felt this was wrong and decided they were going on their own, that by not going we were making the wrong statement, either because they felt Carter was right or at least that we should engage in dialogue with those with whom we disagree. I, and my committee, and the vast majority of the reform rabbinate disagreed.

Much has already been written on this book. You may have read about it in the Deep South Jewish Voice. I could have delivered this sermon based upon all the articles written. However I wanted to be open minded, so I hesitantly purchased the book and read it over Mardi Gras. After all, this is Jimmy Carter, not a great President but a contributing past President, always a seemingly just and upright human being, a religious man, without trying to impose his religion upon others, a great humanitarian, working on human rights around the world, and a strong supporter of Habitat for Humanity. He deserved my openness to what he had to say. And so I read it and was absolutely disgusted.

What was so offensive? It starts with the title and the picture on the cover. His title indicates that there will either be peace, which will come from those peace loving Palestinians, you know, the ones who turn down every opportunity for peace, the ones who send in suicide bombers into hotels, schools, restaurants and markets, which Carter acknowledges, but barely OR when the oppressive Israeli government withdraws to pre-1967 borders and ceases its persecution and denial of human rights to the Palestinian. For Carter it is the Israelis who have created apartheid- a heavy laden term indicating suppression of a people in its own country. For Carter that country is Palestine, the land on the other side of the 1967 borders, currently occupied by Israel. He totally discounts Israeli attempts to forge peace in the past including the withdrawal from Gaza. He ignores the fighting and bloodletting amongst the Palestinians.

Rather he shows a picture of what Israeli’s call the “security fence” and which Carter calls the “imprisonment wall”, a combination fence and wall which Israel has created as a defensive measure to limit access by would be terrorists, an unfortunate eye sore and regrettable strategy, but one that has proven effective in saving Israeli lives.

Then there is a picture of him looking at the wall and the Palestinians who are blocked out of coming into Israel. Perhaps this image is the whole book, for all Carter sees is the suffering Palestinian.

Friends, I do not support all actions of the Israeli government. I particularly see the continuing creating of West Bank settlements as an obstacle to peace, The War in Lebanon was a horrible miscalculation and abuse of military power. A recent picture of Israel’s Defense Minister looking out on the battlefield, with covers still on the lenses says a great deal. At the same time, Israel has bent over backwards, taken courageous positions for the sake of possible peace.

Let me share with you some of his positions in his own descriptions and words. Early on after describing in a fair handed way, what some of the basic issues are for there to be peace he writes: “It is Israel that remains the key, the vortex around which swirl the winds of hatred, intolerance and bloodshed.” (p. 17) This refers not only to the crisis between the Palestinians, but that all wars in the Middle East are because of Israel and Israel’s supporters.

Looking at the Camp David Accords, when Israel returned the entire Sinai Peninsula and offered Gaza, but was rejected, he writes: “We all knew that Israel must have a comprehensive and lasting peace, and this dream could have been realized if Israel had complied with the Camp David Accords and refrained from colonizing the West Bank, with Arabs accepting Israel within its borders.” (P. 53) He discounts the response in the Arab world, including the assassination of Anwar Sadat.

He spends time describing the key players with a very sympathetic description of the Palestinians, but when coming to describe the Israelis he begins with their connection to the land with 19^th century Zionism, ignoring centuries of national hope through prayer and ritual, discounting a continuing but small Jewish presence in the land, limited by expulsions, not willingness and depicting Israel’s leaders in unsympathetic ways. He describes the many Palestinians “forced out of Israel”, but makes no mention of the thousands of Jews expelled from Arab lands.

There is a chapter on the other neighboring countries, which have impact on the situation, but barely refers to Iran the nation that pays rewards to the family of suicide bombers, which provides arms and funding to Hezbollah and other terrorist groups.

He often makes reference to his religious roots in Hebrew scripture. Pre-1967 Israel was the good Israel, moral and cultural, just as in the Good Book. Post 1967 Israel- has “policies shaped by a refusal to acknowledge and respect the basic human rights of the citizens.” (P.112) again failing to acknowledge the reality that the people he wants respected desire Israel’s demise and actively work towards that end.

There is a full chapter on visits with the Palestinians as they share tales of persecution, validated by Carter by a left wing Israeli group hyper critical of Israel-

which can happen in an open society. In Palestinian territory anyone who dares to be supportive of Israel or critical of Palestinian leaders is killed. There is no chapter on his visit with Israelis and their tales of losing sons and daughters.

He attributes the perceived Christian exodus from the Holy Land to the Israeli government, again not referring to the Islamic attacks on Christians in Bethlehem and Nazareth. His reading of every peace initiative from Oslo onward depicts Israel as the winner and the Palestinians made to suffer.

He does mention how Arafat and the PLO may have squandered opportunities for peace, but never does he detail what Arafat and other Palestinian leaders told their own people, nor the anti-Semitic propaganda taught in the schools and spread through the media.

Not until p. 147 of the book does he mention suicide bombings that gave Netanyahu the election over Peres, who would have continued the path of peace established by Rabin.

Carter blames all the woes of Gaza since withdrawal upon Israel. In his chapter on the most recent Israeli and Palestinian elections, he dedicates 10 pages on Hamas being elected as response to Fatah corruption and ineffectiveness and one paragraph on Ehud Omert’s election and what it represents.

He saves the worst for last. Describing the wall/fence, he writes: “Utilizing their political and military dominance, they are imposing a system of partial withdrawal, encapsulation and APARTHEID on the Muslim and Christian citizens of the occupied territories.” He refers to it as a unilateral border, which ultimately it may be, but there is no mention of any Israeli perspective, how Israel’s courts at some points have modified the path, and how terrorism incidents have decreased since its creation.

Carter believes if Israel recognizes the Palestinians and creates a state, it will bring full recognition from all the Arab world. Somehow I don’t see Iran, Malaysia and other Islamic countries jumping on that band wagon. It’s all Israel’s fault: “Israel’s continued control and colonization of Palestinian land have been the primary obstacles to a comprehensive peace agreement in the Holy Land.”(p. 208)

Then in what sounds like good old anti-Semitism, he writes: “because of powerful political, economic and religious forces in the United States, Israeli government decisions are rarely questioned or condemned, voices from Jerusalem dominate in our media, and most American citizens are unaware of circumstances in the occupied territories.” (p. 209) The “religious forces” may refer to the religious right as well as that Jewish lobby. And of course there all those powerful Jews who control the media. .

I am sorely disappointed by this book and the man who wrote it, someone I admired and I am not alone. Dr. Kenneth Stein was one of President Carter’s key advisors on the Middle East. A Professor at Emory University he was one of the first directors of the Carter Center, accompanied the past-President on his early visits to the Middle East and has now publicly resigned his relationship with the Center, along with 14 other members of a community board. I’ve known Kenny Stein, son of Holocaust survivors, since I was in Junior High. He was a friend of my older brother’s. I recall having lunch with him in Jerusalem in 1973, as I was a rabbinical student and he was pursuing his doctorate. I can only imagine how difficult it was for him to dramatically break from and criticize a man he had admired.

In a scathing, scholarly article in the Middle East Quarterly he writes of  this book and President Carter as follows: “He does what no non-fiction author should ever do: He allows ideology or opinion to get in the way of facts. While Carter says that he wrote the book to educate and provoke debate, the narrative aims its attack toward Israel, Israeli politicians and Israel’s supporters. It contains egregious errors of both commission and omission. To suit his desired ends, he manipulates information, redefines facts and exaggerates conclusions. Falsehoods, when repeated and backed by the prestige of Carter’s credentials, can compromise an erroneous baseline for shaping and reinforcing attitudes and policymaking.

Rather than bring peace, they can further fuel hostilities, encourage retrenchment and hamper peacemaking.” Stein then methodically demonstrates how this occurs throughout the book.

President Carter has responded to some of the criticism. In most instances he stands by his words, his recollections and methodology. He does regret one phrase, where he seems to actually endorse terrorism, but it is too late.

I am sad to say that this book will have negative impact on the attempt to find peace in the Middle East. My colleague Jeff Salkin in Atlanta reports that it has already precipitated anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements, including Jewish teens being harassed. Granted this is Atlanta, the focus city of the controversy. Others point out that this is part of an overall movement to blame Israel for all the problems in the Middle East. As if to say, if Israel and the Palestinians work out their problems, the Sunnis and Shia of Iraq will bury the hatchet; the King of Jordan will feel secure; and Saudi Arabia will end its authoritarian regime denying rights to its people.

Our role is to respond, to make it clear that Israel is not the villain in this ongoing saga. Rather, Israel continues to be the victim of false information, an international Islamic effort to isolate it. Let us do all we can to encourage our government to continue in its support for Israel, not uncritically, but realistically. Groups like Hadassah are pivotal in spreading this message. I encourage travel to Israel, inclusive of our congregational trip this June or the community trip in October. In the face of falsehood, we must not be silent.

AMEN

March 24, 2006

By Rabbi Robert H. Loewy

In New Orleans, we say: “Where y’at?” Others ask: “How are you?” On one of my favorite television shows, Joey’s line is: “How you doing?” In one form or another it is the question that all of us are asked by friends and family, or we are asking of ourselves. It has been almost seven months since, what Chris Rose has labeled, “The Thing”, or what some simply refer to as “The Storm”, while others use the name, “Katrina” descended upon us.

This Shabbat we read  Vayakhel/Pekude, the last portion in the Book of Exodus. It includes a review of the events in the life of Moses and the Israelites. With the portion as backdrop, we too can avail ourselves of the opportunity to take stock of where we are in our journey on the road to recovery, something we need to do periodically.

In case you had not noticed, rabbis don’t think like normal people. We are always on the lookout for parallels between life and text, seeking God’s hidden messages for us to manage our daily affairs in meaningful ways. Reflecting on the Book of Exodus I find a number of parallels to what we have all endured in the past few months.

So there we were at the beginning of the book, dwelling in Egypt, minding our own business, not bothering anyone. We were happy, content, perhaps a bit self-absorbed. Then along came an oppressor, who would steal our tranquility, rob us of our sense of security, and turn our lives upside down. On Purim, I equated Haman to Katrina. Tonight, Pharoah’s name is Katrina. She rose up to oppress us and we needed to escape.

Most of us departed and made the waters part to find the dry land in Houston, Memphis, Baton Rouge, Atlanta and various other points on the globe. Initially we felt safe and secure. I recall leading a service in Houston on the Monday night after the storm, before we knew about levee failure and canal overflow. At that time, like the Israelites reciting the Song of the Sea, having reached dry land, we thought we had dodged the bullet once again. And we were spared to some extent, but there was more hardship to come.

Then we began our wandering. For some it was from city to city, or from hotel to apartment, or from temporary shelter to a house. Our eyes would glance back in disbelief to what had been our home town. We were and still are incredulous over the extent of destruction and suffering.

And so, like the Israelites, we were forced to temporarily reorganize ourselves. In the Torah this is the period of formulating laws for guidance. For us it involved creating contacts, finding schools, re-establishing work habits, reaching out to others, and fashioning homes. All the while, we gazed towards the Promised Land, hoping to return to our real home in safety and security.

In the meantime, God instructs us to build a Tabernacle, a temporary abode for our wilderness travel, a place where we can connect to what is really important. That is where we find ourselves tonight in Torah and for most of us in our lives.

As the concluding portion in the Book of Exodus it includes a review and description of the building of the tabernacle and an accounting by Moses on exactly how all the donations were applied. Review, accountability and reflection are the elements that speak to us tonight.

“Vayakhel Moshe: And Moses gathered all the congregation of the Children of Israel and said to them: These are the words which the Lord has commanded, that you shall do them.”

Two different commentators look at this text calling for gathering the people and offer us related perspectives. The first (Or Penei Moshe) writes, “As is known, the Second Temple was destroyed because of senseless hatred. Division and disputes always serve to undermine foundations of the social order. Therefore, before erecting the Sanctuary, Moses gathered all the people of Israel. The completion of the Sanctuary/Tabernacle depends upon the unity of the people.”

Prior to Katrina our community was also filled with sinat chinam, senseless hatred, regional parochialism, bickering, racism, cronyism and more. It all contributed to poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, violence and crime. We can revert to our former ways and if we do, we will surely fall. Katrina literally changed the landscape of our community, providing us with an opportunity to make a difference, to rebuild and improve, to get involved, but we must be unified in that vision first.

Another commentator adds (Mi-ginzeinu Ha-atik) “When it comes to gathering together people, there is no problem: there are countless committees and conferences, meetings and sessions, morning, noon and night. They speak and debate, argue and discuss, without end. That was why Moses commanded: ‘that you should do them.’- the purpose of all your meetings must be action.”

Meetings and committees are a rabbinic occupational hazard. I know that I am not the only one to suffer from this malady. However, of late I have participated in two committees of our congregation, both dedicated to making the lives of our members in Post Katrina time better. The energy, level of participation and involvement in those meetings were extraordinary. Most significantly, arising from the gathering will be a series of actions. That is what our commentator had in mind.

Certainly throughout New Orleans there have been a plethora of talking heads and meetings. The Bring Back New Orleans Commission worked hard to present a report and strategy to rebuild our city and I say “our city”, because regardless of where we live, the City of New Orleans is the engine that drives our communal life. We need to support the efforts that will initiate well thought out action plans into place as soon as possible. People have their lives on hold and are dependent upon clear understandings of the future. Yes, there will need to be necessary sacrifices and areas that do not rebuild. Those of us, who are white and affluent, tend to be more accepting of this than those who are black and poor, according to a recent poll. We need to be sensitive to this.

With city elections on the horizon, we need to hold the candidates accountable and demand specifics on what they will and will not do, recognizing that they are not autonomous. Nonetheless, we need people who will act, not simply deliberate and support those who we feel will do the best job, whether we live in Orleans or not.

Now is a time to gather the people for rebuilding. But our portion provides us with an additional thought. Immediately after calling for the gathering, we receive a caveat, a reminder that we must have our personal priorities in order. “Six days will work be done, but the seventh day is Shabbat.” Yes, we need to rebuild and plan for the future, but not 24/7. We need to be good to ourselves, take breaks, find pockets of pleasure and release.

Shabbat is holy time that we set apart for rest. I suggest that we create holy time, when we say or do nothing about or even peripherally related to Katrina. We can’t ignore her and her aftereffects, but neither do we have to allow her to dominate every aspect of our being. Go to a movie; enjoy a meal; watch sports; exercise; listen to music; take a weekend away; read a book; escape. She will still be there when you return to confront her reality.

Victor Frankel was a famous psychologist, who survived the concentration camps. Among his great teachings was that the Nazis could take everything away from him, except his capacity to choose how to respond. Katrina and her aftermath destroyed property and life as we knew it, but it is ultimately up to us to determine how we will react and cope. She can disrupt us, but she does not have to transform us, force us away from the lives and community we hold dear.

As we gather on this Shabbat, celebrating the first Bar or Bat Mitzvah in almost seven months, we look back and take stock. We have traveled a long way in that time and endured a great deal of turmoil and suffering. But we also have been blessed with bountiful gifts and support from family, friends and countless anonymous individuals, who touched our lives. We have discovered internal resources that we never knew we possessed. Like our ancestors we hold onto a vision of wholeness as we seek to personally rebuild and return to our Promised Land. May God give us strength as we continue the journey!

AMEN