Messianic Mishegas

by: Rabbi Jill Jacobs

Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 13:35:09 PM EDT

It takes some chutzpah for the Meshichist Lubavitchers to run a full-page ad in the New York Times seemingly suggesting that Maimonides predicted the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, or that the Lubavitcher Rebbe is the natural inheritor of the Maimonidean tradition.

For those of you who don't read the paper version of the paper--the ad shows a picture of Maimonides on the left, and a picture of Schneerson on the right.  Under the Maimonides picture, the ad quotes a section of Hilkhot Teshuvah (section of Mishneh Torah dealing with repentence) in which Maimonides says "A single righteous act can tip the balance and make all the difference." (their translation)--in context, Maimonides is talking about the case of a person whose sins and virtues are the same.  One mitzvah can land this person on the right side during the Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur judgment period.

Under the picture of Schneerson is a quote of his--"Do everything you can to bring Moshiach."  This quote refers to the Lubavitcher idea that every individual act (putting on tefillin, lighting Shabbat candles, etc.) helps to bring the Messiah (this explains the masses of Chabad shlichim exhorting college students and others to do just one mitzvah). 

At the bottom of the page, the ad lists Maimonides thirteen principles of faith, the last of which is belief in the eventual arrival of the Messiah.

Where even to start?

Lots of modern Jews claim Maimonides as their intellectual and ideological forbear.  Depending who you ask, he may have been the first Conservative Jew, the first Modern Orthodox Jew, or apparently the first Lubavitcher.  I have no special insight into what shul Maimonides would daven in today, but I don't think it's a stretch to assume that the consummate rationalist would be unlikely to support a Hasidic movement that truly believes that a dead rebbe will return as the Messiah. 

There's more to say, and much that has been said, but I'm thinking that I should return the included commitment card (which asks you to check of which mitzvot, such as "purchasing new Torah books" or "putting kosher mezuzahs on all my oor posts," you're willing to do) and check "other"-- "studying Maimonides without killing him all over again."

To see and be seen: Pesach, American Jews, and social justice

by: Rabbi Jill Jacobs

Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 17:59:15 PM EDT

Just a few hours before Shabbat--a d'var torah that I wrote originally for this month's Mechon Hadar newsletter:

As we approach the fortieth anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (April 4), I cannot help but think about the ways in which Jews were involved in justice work then, and the ways that many of us are involved now.

American Jews love to boast about our community's involvement in the civil rights struggle.  And we are right to be proud:  in disproportionate numbers, Jews went south, often risking their lives (with at least two losing their lives), to register voters and participate in marches.

Jews went south for many reasons. Some saw in Jewish tradition and history a mandate for justice work; These Jews found inspiration in the prophetic calls for justice, the biblical claim that all humanity shares a common ancestor, or the knowledge that earlier generations of Jews had played pivotal roles in the creation of an American labor movement and in other justice struggles throughout the world.

Others were motivated by the still-recent memories of oppression. In his famous speech at the 1963 March on Washington, Rabbi Joachim Prinz, then the president of American Jewish Congress famously told the assembled crowd:

When I was the rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler regime, I learned many things. The most important thing that I learned under those tragic circumstances was that bigotry and hatred are not the most urgent problem. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful and the most tragic problem is silence. . . America must not become a nation of onlookers. America must not remain silent.

We hear frightened men, confused men, say This is not a Jewish problem. This is not for outsiders. . . I see these gentlemen, Jews, under their southern manners, trapped. If the Klan marches, and they are gathering, if violence breaks, they know they will get it. . . My sympathy goes to them, even though their speeches are absurd.

Throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, many individual Jews and some Jewish organizations remained deeply involved in justice struggles, often out of the same motivations that compelled Jews to go south in the 1960s. But the Jewish community as a whole slowly drifted away

Pesach roundup

by: Rabbi Jill Jacobs

Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 16:48:29 PM EDT

The web runneth over with Pesach resources, social justice-y and otherwise. (I was going to gripe that everything starts to sound the same after a while, but then I remembered that Jewish ritual is supposed to be repetitive. . . )

First, my top three ways to spice up the Seder in a justice-y way (note:  this is not an elitist list --I'm open to additions)

--Ask each guest to bring one object that, to him or her, represents liberation.  Create a separate seder plate of these objects and, during the maggid (storytelling) portion of the seder, ask each guest to explain what s/he brought and why.

--Have each guest tell his or her own family's immigration story and/or bring a photo or other object that represents this story.

--Act out the story of Pesach as a contemporary justice drama.  Assign guests to take parts (Moses, Miriam, Pharoah, God, etc.) and give them a setting (modern workplace, immigration hearing, etc.) and see what happens.  You can also pull a few newspaper articles that talk about contemporary oppression, and have guests role play the situation in the article as Moses/Miriam/etc. would have. (for example:  check out this example of modern-day servitude)  (this one gets better with costumes--always a staple of my own sedarim)

And, of course, there are a gazillion readings, divrei torah, activity ideas, haggadot, etc. out there.  Here are just a few:

The Rabbi Oscars

by: Rabbi Jill Jacobs

Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 21:38:22 PM EDT

Mik has been bugging me to weigh in on Newsweek's second round of the top 50 rabbis in America list and its brand new top 25 pulpit rabbis list.  I could say much in praise of the people I respect who made it onto the list, question Newsweek's choice of a few questionable picks, or ask again why women are still not better represented.

But it's all been said before.  I'm fascinated, though, by Danya Ruttenberg's question on Jewschool --why is no one making lists of the top Episcopalian clergy? 

There are a few easy answers:

 1) The Jews really do control the media.  Or at least, we're disproportionately represented among writers and readers of national media.  Also doctors, who are the only people I know who subscribe to Newsweek (for the waiting rooms, that is).

2)  Because we're such a small community, we all have a better chance than your average Protestant would of knowing, being related to, or at least of having heard of someone on the list (OMG!  My friend Betsy's cousin's rabbi made it!)

3) We're neurotic, high achieving, and never satisfied (fill in your favorite joke ending "well, one of our boys made it" here.)

 But I'd like to broaden the question a bit-- what is it with the American Jewish community and exclusive clubs?

Fantasy camp

by: Rabbi Jill Jacobs

Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 11:02:15 AM EDT

The Foundation for Jewish Camping, thanks to a major grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation, has launched an incubator for Jewish specialty camps. 

I'm not about to go start a summer camp, but I have lots of hopes about the camp that someone else (jspot reader?) might start--my fantasy camp would combine the leadership training and progressive values of Habonim Dror with the Hebrew and Judaic focus of Camp Yavneh (my alma mater) or Ramah, and would be shomer shabbat. It would also not be denominationally affiliated.

What's your fantasy camp?

Politics for the Under-18 Set

by: Mik Moore

Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 15:32:21 PM EDT

Of course, there are many people under the age of 18 who take more seriously the electoral process than people over the age of 18. But if a line has be drawn somewhere, 18 is a defensible number; for many Americans it is the year they finish high school and begin college and/or full-time employment, sometimes moving away from home. Others have argued (persuasively, in my opinion) for lowering the age yet again, but without a motivating force serving the role of that the military draft did in the 1960s, the age will stay at 18 for the indefinite future.

So until the vote is extended to high school students, the website My Two Cents for Change may be the next best thing. The site is incredibly well designed, both the aesthetics and the navigability. MarketNet Blog provides a great summary of its features:

Jewish learning. . . of a sort

by: Rabbi Jill Jacobs

Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 16:41:56 PM EDT

"We travel to them," says Rabbi [Adam] Jacobs, a director of the Executive Learning Program, "So there are no excuses." He is one of four rabbis at Aish NY, the New York chapter of the larger Jewish education organization, Aish HaTorah, who are "on call" -- trekking at all hours of the day and night to add a jolt of Judaism to the lives of busy professionals, many of whom are smart, educated and successful -- but haven't cracked open a Bible since Hebrew school.

About 90 percent of the Torah study sessions are one-on-one, says Rabbi Jacobs, who has been studying Kabbalah, philosophy and Talmud with executives for the past seven years. In recent years, the number of participants in the Executive Learning Program has tripled to more than 40, he says, attributing the growth to the convenience of the program and word-of-mouth referrals.

They Don't Know They're White

by: Hannah Farber

Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 16:20:54 PM EDT

Why Guns & American Jews Don't Mix

by: Mik Moore

Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 16:10:22 PM EDT

BBYO, Jewish Teens & Social Justice

by: Mik Moore

Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 10:53:33 AM EDT

BBYO and Jewish Funds for Justice have teamed up to create a dynamic two-week summer experience focused on community service, advocacy training, Jewish values and college prep. Operation Shema provides Jewish teens (9th-12th grade) with a direct, hands-on volunteer service immersion that offers substantial community service hours, while addressing some of the key issues and underserved populations in urban Baltimore (including at-risk youth, the elderly, and the environment). Participants develop a commitment to social justice through skills sessions that teach the tools of basic community organizing and advocacy, using the direct service experiences as a case study for personal change and transformation.

Participants are housed at Towson University from June 29 thru July 13, 2008. The location offers a real taste of an activist campus life and a chance to hear from student and university leaders about gaining admission to a top college and making smart college choices. The program also takes advantage of social, cultural and recreational resources in Baltimore. Teens come away with close friendships and empowered to make a difference in the world.

Interested teens (or their parents) should contact Rachael Frydman, (414) 326-2808 for more information or register directly on the BBYO website.