The Shalom Center - Devoting Jewish Holidays to Peace

The Sukkah & the World Trade Center

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:11:19 -0400

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow*
(Written on Sept.12, 2001).

When the Jewish community celebrates the harvest festival, we build "sukkot."

What is a "sukkah"? Just a fragile hut with a leafy roof, the most vulnerable of houses. Vulnerable in time, where it lasts for only a week each year. Vulnerable in space, where its roof must be not only leafy but leaky -- letting in the starlight, and gusts of wind and rain.

In the evening prayers, we plead with God -- "Ufros alenu sukkat shlomekha" -- "Spread over all of us Your sukkah of shalom."

Why a sukkah?-- Why does the prayer plead to God for a "sukkah of shalom" rather than God's "tent" or "house" or "palace" of peace?

40TH ANNIVERSARY INTERFAITH FREEDOM SEDER, MARCH 29, 2009: A SEDER FOR THE EARTH

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:16:41 -0500

By Arlene Goldbard & Rabbi Arthur Waskow
[Goldbard is a writer and expert on cultural change and is chair of the Board of the Shalom Center; Waskow is its Executive Director.]

In every generation, Pharaoh;
In every generation, Freedom

INTRODUCTION

The Shalom Center will hold a Fortieth Anniversary Interfaith Freedom Seder on March 29, 2009, ten days before Passover, two weeks before Easter, and less than a week before the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's death, infusing each of these events with new energy and depth.

A flagship Seder in Washington, DC, will draw national attention to the project, highlighting the many local Fortieth Anniversary Freedom Seders held simultaneously in communities around the U.S., uniting people of all faiths and races who love justice in a common dedication to equality, to a fair and humane economy and to peace.

Passover of the Nations: Haggadot to Heal the World

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:44:03 -0400

The Exodus from Pharaoh's tyranny, the Passover Seder that recalls it, and the Haggadah ("Telling") that guides the Seder are at the heart of Judaism and Jewish peoplehood. So it is not surprising that efforts to renew Judaism have, beginning in 1969, created a number of new Passover Seder rituals that are deliberately focused on healing some aspect of the wounded world.

Some remain available for those who are seeking to shape their own Haggadot and want to draw on them. (This not only includes Jews with a creative outlook on their own tradition, but increasing numbers of people from other spiritual paths who find some wisdom and empowerment in the Seder.)

From Passover into the Next Step: PHARAOH OR FREEDOM IN AMERICA?

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:33:19 -0400

by Rabbi Arthur Waskow *

Passover invites us to remember the past and reflect upon the present. After Passsover, how do we start walking our way into the future?

Four traditional questions are recited at the Passover Seder. But the real first question is this:

"Is Pharaoh our god, or is the Breath of Life?"

From Rabbi Jesus leading a march of palm-bearing Jews against the Roman Empire, where and when people had gathered to recall and celebrate the overthrow of an ancient despot ("Palm Sunday," in the Empire's provincial capital, Jerusalem, just before Passover time) ---

Forward to Fannie Lou Hamer of Mississippi chanting Black American freedom songs like "Go Down, Moses" --

Burning & Yearning: Hiroshima and the Ancient Holy Temples

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:28:33 -0400

Dear friends,

Each hot mid-summer, we see again how Jewish theology and practice is one (not the only) microcosm for universal experience.

In this case, it is our sorrow for our burning earth, for our own hearts burning with acts of personal and social self-destruction -- and our yearning for new hope and transformation. (See two litanies of sorrow and yearning, below.)

In mid-summer, when scorching winds heated by the Arabian desert sweep across what today are Jordan, Palestine, and Israel, Jewish tradition observes a day of sorrow for the Destruction -- the burning -- of both ancient Holy Temples in Jerusalem, first by the Babylonian and then by the Roman Empire.

Whom do we mourn? -- Israelis, Palestinians, Iraqis, Americans?

Tue, 06 May 2008 06:57:29 -0400

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow *

The day before Israelis celebrate the 60th anniversary of independence, they will pause for "Yom HaZikaron” (Day of Remembrance) to mourn those Israelis killed in various wars with the various Arab states and the Palestinian people over the last two generations.

In 2008, especially as we observe this 60th anniversary, we may need to rethink whom we should mourn –- especially since recently, there has been a concerted effort to persuade American Jews to publicly mourn the deaths of Israeli civilians killed in attacks by Palestinians. That effort intensified with the deaths of eight students at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva in March, 2008.

MOURNERS' KADDISH IN TIME OF WAR & VIOLENCE

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:07:34 -0400

======================================

MOURNERS' KADDISH IN TIME OF WAR

[Jews use the Kaddish to mourn the dead, though it has in it only one word -- "nechamata, consolations" – which hints at mourning. (And this word itself is used in a puzzling way, once we look at it with care. As we will see below, it may be especially appropriate in time of war.)

[The interpretive English translation below may also be appropriate for prayers of mourning and hope in wartime by other spiritual and religious communities.

[In this version, changes in the traditional last line of the Hebrew text specifically include not only peace for the people Israel (as in the traditional version) but also for the children of Abraham and Hagar through Ishmael (Arabs and Muslims) and for all who dwell on this planet.

Hanukkah for grown-Ups -- and for everyone

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 17:18:59 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 11/24/2004

Dear Friends,

The spiritual and political meaning of Hanukkah is so profound that although its teachings come in a uniquely Jewish form and metaphor, I would welcome everyone who is committed to peace, justice, and the healing of the earth to try the spiritual discipline of the candle-lighting described below.

Hanukkah begins the night of Tuesday, December 7, with the lighting of one candle that is considered not to count - it is lit in order to light the other candles - and then by the lighting of one single candle for the first night, as there will be two on the second night, and on so on up to eight.

Adding to the Tales of Rosh Hashanah a Reading for Yom Kippur

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 20:46:38 -0400

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 9/7/2003
Midrash — reinterpretation of the text of Torah — like reinterpretation of any sacred text, can point us toward violence and war, or point us toward peace and compassion.

This essay focuses on the Abraham

From Sukkot into War

Sun, 06 Nov 2005 03:16:48 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow 04/20/2003

Sukkot begins tonight.

The leafy, leaky, shaky hut we build — the sukkah — is vulnerable, open to the earth and to other human beings and communities. Open in both directions: not only do we welcome guests inward, we reach outward to others.

On Sukkot, the Rabbis taught, there were 70 sacrifices because the Jewish people was blessing all the 70 nations with lives of peace and prosperity. On Sukkot, says the Prophet Zechariah, all the nations will come together to celebrate the Unity of God and burn their weapons.

Sukkot is the holy time for Messianic hope: the festival of redemption, according to Franz Rosenzweig; the festival of fulfillment, the harvesting of our year's work, the fullness of the moon in the sabbatical seventh month.

And traditionally we pray each night, "Ufros alenu sukkat shlomecha, Spread over us Your sukkah of shalom, of secure and harmonious peace."

And this year, the government of the United States intends to ignore the urgent advice of almost all the nations and strike first against a nation that we have defined as a possible future enemy.

Even though that nation has responded to international pressure by inviting international inspectors to test out its assertions that it is not preparing weapons of mass destruction.

Even though many experts and practitioners of US foreign policy of impeccable realpolitik persuasion, like Brent Scowcroft — no dove he!! — have said that a war against Iraq makes no sense.

Even though practically every expert on Iraqi weaponry, including the most belligerently critical-of-Iraq inspector, Scott Ritter, has reported that there is no evidence Iraq now has, or in its deeply impoverished state can access, nuclear or chemical weapons;

Even though the greatest danger that Iraq might use whatever weapons of mass destruction it might barely be supposed to have would come precisely when the very regime was under direct attack and Saddam Hussein would have nothing to lose by using them directly and through terrorist surrogates against the US and its allies, including Israel;

Even though such a war is likely to be long and bloody, killing tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and probably thousands or tens of thousands of Americans. (Ousting Saddam Hussein is very likely to require either hand-to-hand, house-to-house fighting in Baghdad, with the deaths of many Americans, or the bombing of that city in ways that will kill tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians.)

Even though months of such a war, with brutal bombings or door-to-door fighting, is the torch most likely to set uncontrollable fire to the rage of humiliated Arab and Muslim masses from Egypt to Pakistan, to put US-friendly governments under greatest strain, and to bring about an endless and immensely destructive war between the US and the Arab/Islamic worlds, including the self-multiplying use of murderous terror against Americans;

Even though there is far greater danger of terrorist use of nuclear weapons bought or stolen from the rickety security of Russian, arsenals, and even though the present government of the US has been utterly lazy about securing those extremely dangerous weapons;

Even though no one has been able to show any serious evidence of Iraqi collusion in the 9/11 terrorist murders;

Even though one former President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, has warned that a war against Iraq would violate the most solemn commitments of the United States in the UN Charter, and would shred the fabric of internatiional law and comity that gives some limited protection to us all — the very fabric that brought other nations to our side when we were brutally attacked a year ago;

Even though the internal Iraqi minority worst damaged by Saddam, the Kurds, have publicly said that the autonomy they have won through establishment of the no-fly, no-troop zone under US protection has provided what they need, and a war would put them in great danger;

Even though the war would be enormously expensive, preventing for a decade any serious investment in health care, education, or environmental protection by any US government;

Even though we have already seen that civil liberties in the US have come under serious threat during this past year's war of much smaller scope, and that a much bigger war is extremely likely to sharply diminish civil liberties.

I invoke Sukkot not as a briefly magic moment of messianic peace that ought not be violated, but as a teaching of continuing values. A teaching that ought not be celebrated only in words on our lips in private or synagogue prayer, but through action that joins with prayer into the wholeness of our selves.

As Rabbenu, our rabbi/ teacher, Abraham Joshua Heschel famously said after marching alongside Dr King — "I felt that my legs were praying," — so let us now bring our hands and legs in rhythm with our prayers.

Most urgently of all, what can we do?

MOST urgent is to strengthen the backbone of those on Capitol Hill who have grave doubts about this war. (I think changing the Bush government's mind is now hopeless, unless Congress makes clear it will not surrender to this rush into war.)

And with this, to strengthen the knowledge among the American people that there are deep doubts about this war.

So I would urge a phone call or a FAXED (rather than Emailed) letter to Sen Tom Daschle (voice 202/224-2321; fax 202/ 224-6603) and to your own Senators and your Member of the House — and USE THE SAME LETTER AS A LETTER TO THE EDITOR of your local metropolitan or neighborhood or communal newspaper.

Your Member can be reached thru 202/ 225-3121 or 202/ 224-3121.

Shalom, Arthur

Rabbi Arthur Waskow
See the other articles under: "11 Days in September"

Passover and America Today

Mon, 17 Oct 2005 23:18:56 -0400

April 4 is in the Western calendar the 35th yohrzeit of Dr. Martin Luther King.

It is also the day in 1967 when he gave a profound speech at Riverside Church in New York City—not only criticizing the Vietnam war but making an even deeper critique of the deadly triplets, as he called them, in American society—racism, militarism, and materialism.

When Messiah Builds a Temple

Sun, 06 Nov 2005 16:12:58 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow & Rabbi Phyllis Berman
[return to Tisha B'av Section]

Dear Chevra,

Once again we approach Tisha B'Av, the anniversary of the Destruction of both Temples. (It comes from Saturday night, July 28, to Sunday night, July 29.) This year we approach it with dread that disastrous acts of enormous violence are about to be unleashed, that the "temples" that are not a single building but the collective homes of two whole peoples are in danger of demolition.

MLK and the Passover Vision: Facing Pharaoh Today, Seeking the Promised Land

Sun, 06 Nov 2005 18:35:41 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 4/7/2005

On April 4, 2005, at Riverside Church in New York City, a public service was held in remembrance and renewal of the teaching and action of Dr. Martin Luther King. The service was called "Beyond Iraq: Building the Beloved Comnmunity. "

Among the speakers were Dr. Susannah Heschel, Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, Rev. James Forbes, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Rev. Dr. William Sinkford, Mayor Jane Campbell of Cleveland, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and two mothers of American soldiers killed in Iraq.

[The date and place of the service were chosen because on that day in 1967, at Riverside, Dr. King gave one of his most profound speeches, "Beyond Vietnam: The Need to Break the Silence." In it he not only called for opposition and resistance to the Vietnam War but spoke of racism, excessive materialism, and militarism as the "giant triplets" of great danger to America. If America did not face these dangers and create a revolution in values, he prophesied, one generation after he spoke we would be mired in other wars like Vietnam

The service of remembrance and renewal began with the reading of passages from the speech. On April 4, 1968, precisely one year after his Riverside speech, Dr. King was killed.]

Rabbi Waskow's address follows.

A Yom Kippur to Reexamine Our Lives

Sat, 08 Sep 2001 21:46:40 -0400

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

A Yom Kippur to Reexamine Our Lives

Dear Chevra,

If ever there were a Yom Kippur when we need to read aloud and invoke for our thought, prayer, and action the Torah passage on the fulfillment and tikkun of the Isaac-Ish

After Tisha B'Av: For whose sins does the Temple burn?

Sat, 08 Sep 2001 21:46:40 -0400

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

After Tisha B'Av: For whose sins does the Temple burn?

By Arthur Waskow

Dear Chevra,

I am feeling more worried about the message of Tisha B'Av than I have for at least a decade.

(Sometimes I see the message focused on