Opportunity for Jews to Send Blessings to President Obama

I intended to post yesterday but haven't had time yet. Between sick kids, meetings about construction and watching news most of yesterday, I haven't done more than post status changes on Facebook.

This Shabbat, I am slated to offer the Dvar Torah at our synagogue, CBI. In honor of President Obama Inauguration, I will be talking about the history of Jewish prayers for the government (with a focus on those written for Americans). There is a lot of information about this topic and it is taking more time than I expected to arrange it.

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For now, I want to alert you to an opportunity that ends this Friday to offer blessings to President Obama through judaism.com . They are creating a Megillat Brachot / Scroll of Blessing which will have inscribed on it individual blessings from members of the Jewish community.

I hope to add mine tonight.
Don't miss the deadline for this interesting opportunity.
RB

PS. A funny thing happened during dinner tonight. I mentioned President Barack Obama. At some point, Maayan started saying what we heard as "I Obama Baby" over and over. What she meant was that she has a Bamba baby toy. Once when I was attending at KosherFest (the largest Kosher food trade show), I won a plastic Bamba baby. Since then, it is a favorite in our household. She heard "Bamba Baby" and wanted to make sure we knew that she had one. I will try to get a picture of the doll up at some point. Until then, you can learn more about the Bamba baby at the company's web site and see a picture here. (I mentioned this as a status update on Facebook but this should be clearer).

Wildpeace by Yehuda Amichai

I share this poem that I saw posted on Jewschool. I will be away the next week at an IJS retreat. Please do not take a lack of posts or Facebook response as ignoring the situation in Gaza.

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Bruce

Wildpeace
Yehuda Amichai

Not the peace of a cease-fire
not even the vision of the wolf and the lamb,
but rather
as in the heart when the excitement is over
and you can talk only about a great weariness.
I know that I know how to kill, that makes me an adult.
And my son plays with a toy gun that knows
how to open and close its eyes and say Mama.
A peace
without the big noise of beating swords into ploughshares,
without words, without
the thud of the heavy rubber stamp: let it be
light, floating, like lazy white foam.
A little rest for the wounds - who speaks of healing?
(And the howl of the orphans is passed from one generation
to the next, as in a relay race:
the baton never falls.)

Let it come
like wildflowers,
suddenly, because the field
must have it: wildpeace.

Translated by Chana Bloch

Ceasefire Between Hamas & Israel Started This Morning

I applaud the almost half-day old cease fire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt.
While I am doubtful that it will last six months (yet alone the years we need to restore trust and cooperation), it is a hopeful sign. Hamas is agreeing because it needs more than a few trucks of humanitarian aid to keep its people happy. In that sense, Israel's policy worked (although it took a lot longer than Israel expected). There have been reports about releasing Gilad Shalit (held captive by Hamas) or the two captives held in Lebanon (or elsewhere) by Hezbollah.

Still, I see some discouraging signs: 30 missiles were shot into Israel the day before the ceasefire. That d0es not bode well for the future--they had to know a ceasefire was coming. I actually never understood agreeing when to stop something when you could just stop something. (Once, an Israel roommate came to tell me he was having a party because he and his girlfriend decided to get engaged. Why didn't they just get engaged?) I understand that unilateral action has not worked well for Israel (ie. Lebanon and Gaza withdrawals and the resulting attacks on Israel from those areas that have led to the recent fighting) but if you are about to stop, stop and then say you stopped. Don't say we will stop and then stop.
I will probably not blog too much the next few months--I know that is not much of a change from the last few months but it is a realistic prediction. Peace or release of the hostages would obviously lead to some posting.
Visit me this month at Camp Ramah New England.
If you are coming to Smith or Amherst this fall as new students, Facebook me!
Shalom,
Rabbi Bruce

New Social Network for Jews

With Chosennet and Jewstar, I am not sure why they created a new one.

Most of the students I work would rather use Facebook.
Any thoughts?
Rabbi Bruce

HH Sermons

My Yom Kippur sermons are now posted here.

Check this page to read the one I gave Kol Nidre (about mistakes, Big Bird, and Facebook) and one I gave in the morning about the environment (with material from Rabbi Brad Artson).

Shabbat shalom and hag sameach,
Rabbi Bruce