IJII

I recently saw an ad on TV featuring ex-Mayor Ed Koch of New York City. He, of course, is Jewish, and has always been vocal on behalf of Israel and Jewish issues in general. In the ad, he states that he recently had heart surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, and has invited doctors and staff to a steak dinner at a fancy (non-kosher) steak restaurant. It has also been rumored that Mayor Koch has made arrangements (may he live and be well for many years) to be buried in the cemetery of Trinity Church in downtown New York City.

It is a free country and Mayor Koch has the right to make decisions as he sees fit. But I--and I suppose others--feel disappointed in Mayor Koch's decisions.

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The great Hassidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev, taught: There are those who hear the Shofar on Rosh HaShana, and then continue to hear the Shofar every day of the year. But there are those, on an even higher level, who heard the Shofar at the Revelation at Mt. Sinai, and who continue to hear that Shofar every day of their lives.

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Shalom and best wishes. Here are a few items for your attention/action. We have quite a few new members since our last newsletter, so I'm repeating some information from previous newsletters.

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When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and saw the destruction of their Egyptian enemy, they were elated. The Torah tells us that they revered the Lord and had faith in Him and in Moses His servant. They sang a magnificent song praising God for granting them a miraculous redemption.

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When God first appointed Moses to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites to freedom, He used the word "lekh"--go. The word "go" is repeated a number of times during the early phases of Moses' work. Yet, once the plagues began to afflict the Egyptians, God ordered Moses with a different word, "bo"--come.  This week's Torah portion opens with God telling Moses "bo el Par'oh", come to Pharaoh. What is the significance of the words "lekh" (go) and "bo" (come)?

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Shalom and best wishes. Here are a few items for your attention/action.

1. REMINDER: the University Network is sponsoring an essay contest on the theme, "Orthodoxy and Spirituality".  Members of the University Network are invited to submit essays (4-10 pages, double spaced) by the March 1 deadline, to mdangel@jewishideas.org and to ronda@jewishideas.org   The top three submissions will win awards of $150 and will have their essays published in a future issue of our journal, Conversations, and on our website.

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The Kotel currently operates under the governance of Orthodox rabbinic authorities. There is a separation between men and women. Women's prayer groups or non-Orthodox prayer services are not allowed. Recently a woman was arrested for violating the Orthodox rules that govern the Kotel area. A group known as Women of the Wall insist that women be given greater access to prayer at the Kotel. Non-Orthodox groups insist that the Kotel should be available for non-Orthodox prayer services, without separation of genders.  Many Orthodox Jews find the current situation unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons.

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"And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt."

It is understandable why God commanded Moses and Aaron to order Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt.  Pharaoh was the ruler who had the power to release the Hebrew slaves. But what did God command them in regard to the Israelites? Some commentators explain that Moses and Aaron were commanded to be kind and patient with the Israelites. 

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For centuries, rabbis steeped in Torah and Halacha have served as the gatekeepers of the Jewish people. They have determined which non-Jews may join the Jewish people as converts.

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