STARTING ANEW

On the first morning of Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Leonard Gordon of Germantown Jewish Centre gave an excellent D'var Torah addressing the unique problems facing the Jewish community at the beginning of this new year. Rabbi Gordon's starting point was the rabbinic tradition that not only is Rosh Hashanah the anniversary of the creation of the world, but that the world and each individual are created anew each Rosh Hashanah. One should therefore not be burdened down by the problems of the past year, but look forward optimistically to the potential of the coming year.

Rabbi Gordon noted the serious tension between the tradition's optimism and the experience and mood of the American Jewish community from the past year's events. The combination of 9/11, the collapse of any semblance of peace in Israel, and the rise of anti-Semitism in the Arab world and Europe has spooked American Jews. In particular, three anecdotes illustrated the collapse of confidence of American Jews - a denominational leader worrying about the specter of two Jews running against each other for mayor in New York, the decision of a youth group travelling cross-country to adopt a policy of keeping a "low profile" (unmarked bus, baseball caps in public, etc.) and the voicing of mainstream Jewish voices of the idea that an American Holocaust was realistic possibility.

Rabbi Gordon spoke forcefully against this instinct of defensiveness, panic and withdrawal. He cited Leon Wielseltier's essay "Hitler is Dead" which reflected on the folly of the current panic of American Jews. Nat Hentoff, who claimed that "if a loudspeaker went off ordering all Jews to gather in Times Square it would not be surprising" - was precisely wrong. America is still very much a wondrous nation in which such a comment is absurd. The proper response to even a year a difficult as 5762, is to choose life, ane embrace optimism. Of course there is much about other people and the outside world that we can not control and cannot change - but we are not given the option to despair. Rather, in following the commandment of teshuva (repentance), we must look inward, and change what we can about our own actions.

I wholeheartedly endorse Rabbi Gordon's admonition. There is no justification to project the hatred of our past experience onto the very different reality that is present day America. American Jews must remain open and trusting of our neighbors and fellow citizens. Nor can we abandon the dream of peace in Israel despite the savage violence. We must continue to respect the common humanity of our enemies, hoping that one day they will return our faith with a recognition of our humanity. Jews must withdrawl from public life, but redouble our efforts at Tikkun Olam. May we leave the world one year from now less broken than it is today.