Jewish Continuity - Individuals and the Federation Must Work Together to Ensure Our Future

The Torah portion describes how Balak, King of Midian and the evil prophet Bilaam, plotted to destroy the spiritual bond between the Jewish people and G-d.  Overall they failed, but they did see some measure of success.  Many Jews did end up worshipping the idol Ba’al Peor and others became involved with Midianite women. It got so bad, that a leader from the tribe of Shimon, openly brought a Midianite woman into his tent in front of Moses and all of Israel.  The result was a Divine plague, which immediately killed 24,000 Jews and expressed the break in the special bond between G-d and his beloved nation, Israel.

At that moment in history, there arose a hero as the Torah recounts: “Pinchus, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw what had happened.  He arose from amidst the assembly and acted.”  (Bamidbar 25:7) 

What made Pinchus stand up and act to defend the honor of G-d when all around him were silent?  Pinchus was zealous for G-d, and by doing so turned away G-d’s anger from the Jewish people and the plague stopped.  G-d then declared: In reward for this act, I will bless Pinchus and give unto him My Covenant of Peace”.    

Pinchus took bold action yet was rewarded by G-d with a covenant of peace.  Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explains that Pinchus restored peace with G-d and that is ultimately what peace is all about.  The word Shalom which means “peace” actually comes from the word Shalaim which means whole or perfect.  When we are whole in our faith and bond to G-d, then G-d rewards us with his covenant of peace and Divine blessing in our lives. 

I am not asking anyone to be as dramatic or bold as the righteous Pinchus was brought divine favor back to the Jewish people, but I am asking you to think: What would it take for each of us to make a stand?  At which point might we be ready to get up and say, “Enough is enough”?  Is there any issue important enough to get us to voice our concerns and do whatever we can to secure Jewish continuity and the bond between G-d and us, His people? 

When I was 5 years old, a pitcher by the name of Sandy Koufax refused to play in a World Series baseball game because it was the eve of Yom Kippur.  That was the line that he would not cross.  On that night, Sandy Koufax was like Pinchas. 

Ten years earlier, there was an Orthodox shul in this town that decided to be “more modern” and do away with nearly 100 years of orthodox tradition by stopping to conduct their prayer services with separate seating. A dozen or so families refused to go along with this change.  These followers of Pinchas left the Synagogue where they had grown up and been Bar Mitvahed, married, and in whose cemetery they had buried their loved ones.   These families saw this change as a line they could not cross. They joined our Congregation and I see a few of those people as I speak these words today.    

Recently, our community has experienced two stabs to the heart of what makes us a Jewish community.  Eliahu Academy closed and the Kosher Café at the JCC will not be re-opening in the fall. Many people are concerned about these sad changes to our Jewish community structure, Yet I must single out one person who acted like a modern day Pinchus, by writing a letter that challenges all who read it to think  The writes was Sharon Stone, and in her letter she questions: Where is our Jewish Community headed? Where are our priorities?   What are our leaders doing to secure Divine Blessings and Jewish Continuity?   I would like to wish her Yasher Koach on acting boldly like Pinchus at this important crossroads in our communal history. 

My friends, the future of this Jewish community can only be successful if we work to maintain the bond between ourselves and G-d.  Below are three areas that we need people to act boldly like Pinchas to ensure the continuity of our community, now and for the future. 

• There is only one orthodox shul remaining in Louisville. It must be supported both financially and by attendance at events and services. That means every minyon of every day must start on time with at least 10 men present.
• The Louisville Vaad Hakashruth will be sponsoring 12 Kosher dinners over the course of the next year. Ten of these dinners will be held at the JCC and two dinners will be held at the Louisville Hyatt Regency. These dinners should be strongly supported by those who cherish a full service Jewish community.
• There is nothing more important that Jewish Day School Education! There is only one Jewish day school in town and it must be supported by our Federation and by others. Parents should be encouraged to send their children to this school in order to give them the foundation and education to hopefully maintain them as Jews.

The Federation should be encouraged to support this school at least as generously as they supported Eliahu Academy in the past. This is a chance for the Federation to clearly show what they believe about traditional Judaism and the bond with G-d which we have been discussing.  

Jewish law requires every community to ensure there is a Day School to educate its youth.  The Federation is the representatives of our community to direct our charity dollars to provide Jewish continuity for our community.  Any reduction of funding would send the clear message that the Federation does not value these time honored Jewish traditions or the bond with G-d we have been discussing. 

 Our community can no longer afford to turn up its nose and call this program “Orthodox” or that program “Chabad” or another program just a “Vaad” event.  If we are not one community working together for the benefit of the group, than we all will lose.  We need to stand strong like Pinchus, and work together to ensure the continuity of our Jewish community.  When we do this G-d promises to bless us with His most bountiful Divine blessings and grant us a true covenant of peace, and let us say, Amain.