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Divrei
Rabbi Jerry
Rabbi
Jerry Seidler
TempleSinai
Summer Memories, Summer Hopes
Eight summers ago, I enjoyed the sun on the beaches of Netanya, Israel, studying modern Hebrew at Ulpan Akiva. This language center was founded in 1951 by Shulamit Katznelson, a saintly woman who dedicated her life to building bridges of peace between Arabs and Jews. She passed away while I was in residence, and I was honored to attend her funeral and several shivah minyans at her home. Many dignitaries paid their respects, from the dovish poet Yehuda Amichai to the Likud Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. Palestinian leaders were also among the bereaved, including an East Jerusalem journalist studying with me to improve her academic Hebrew. Through her tears she asked whether Shulamit's legacy of peaceful co-existence would survive. We all hoped it would. My roommates that summer included two Americans about to enter rabbinical school, a Muslim Israeli Arab university student from Nablus, and a Jewish Israeli soldier (he was learning Arabic). Although most students were tourists, many were Palestinians who wanted to enhance their Hebrew proficiency for their jobs in government or business. One fellow, a policeman from Gaza City, was something of an 'oud player and folk singer (an 'oud is similar to a mandolin or guitar). A few other American Jews and I visited him and his family at their home one Shabbat.
Our evenings were mostly spent on the beach, lying about the ulpan's grounds, or socializing and dancing in its on-campus lounge. We often sang, impromptu or otherwise. Our favorite Israeli folk song, which defined that summer, was Shir L'Shalom (Song for Peace) by Ya'akov Rotblit (lyrics) and Yair Rosenblum (music). On our last night together, we sang it with an Israeli playing piano and my Palestinian acquaintance playing his 'oud:
"Let the sun rise and give the morning light, the purest prayer will not bring us back. He whose candle was snuffed out and was buried in the dust, a bitter cry won't wake him, won't bring him back. Nobody will return us from the dead dark pit. Here, neither the joy of victory nor songs of praise will help.
"So sing only for peace, don't whisper a prayer, it's better to sing a song for peace with a giant shout!
"Let the sun penetrate through the flowers, don't look backward, leave those who have departed. Lift your eyes with hope not through the rifle sights sing a song for love and not for wars. Don't say, ‘the day will come,’ bring the day, because it is not a dream. And within all the city's squares, cheer for peace.
"And sing, sing a song for peace, don't whisper a prayer, it's better to sing a song for peace with a giant shout!"
My friends, whatever our politics, let us sing for peace with a giant shout. The Psalmist sang, "seek peace and pursue it" and so we should. Let us do so b'yachad, together.
Reconstructionist Judaism Makes
the Heart Joyful, Sharpens the
Mind, Brings Peace to the World.
A Teaching from Rabbi Jerry
Blessings,
Rabbi
Jerry
Rabbi
Jerry H. Seidler
Temple
Sinai
50 Alberta Drive
Amherst
, NY
14221
(716) 834-0708
www.jrf.org/templesinai
Updated:
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
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