I have an embarrassing secret.  I love BuzzFeed.  For those that don’t know, BuzzFeed is the website that brings us amazing articles like, “17 Nail Art Designs Perfect For Earth Day,” “Are You More Like Woody Or Buzz Lightyear?” and “15 Texts You Send To Your Mom Vs. Your Best Friend.”  While mindlessly surfing the site, I came across another reason to love BuzzFeed, an article titled, “51 Facts About Israel That Will Surprise You.” The list includes:

3. Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world.
4. Out Magazine names Israel the gay capital of the Middle East.
5. Only two countries began the 21st century with a net gain in their number of trees; Israel was one of them.
6. Israel is the only country to revive an unspoken language and establish it as its national tongue.
7. Israel is one of only nine countries in the world that can launch its own satellites into space.
8. More than 44% of all lawyers registered in Israel are women.

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A few months ago I received a very exciting email from the director of the Jewish museum in Munich.  Apparently he was searching the internet for “Jews and Beer” and my name came up!  No, this is not just because I like beer so much, but because there are actually a few great articles out there about our Men of RS sponsored brewing club, BrewRS, as well as our interfaith brewing relationship with St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. (A quick plug – we will be having the second annual Biblical Brew Off on May 30^th, where we will go head to head with St. Tim’s to see who brews the best beer!)

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The Super Bowl was the number one watched program of all time in the US with almost 115 million viewers.  Now this may be because you wanted to watch the ads or the halftime show with Katy Perry, but I would guess, that like me, many of you are football fans.

As you know, I am from Boston and a passionate New England sports fan.  So, I should be on cloud nine right now, as the Patriots just won their 4th Super Bowl.  I am pretty psyched – come on, an interception on the 1 yard line with 20 seconds to go – it was amazing.  Yet, it is with mixed emotions that I reflect on this year’s Super Bowl and really this entire NFL season.  How do I, as a moral person, continue to support as league that has disappointed me in so many ways.

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I imagine many of you are familiar with the traditional story of Thanksgiving that you learned about in kindergarten where, in 1621, the Pilgrims and Wampanoag people came together to give thanks and share a meal. However, not many of you may be aware of the events that led to the first official “Day of Thanksgiving.”

As a holiday, Thanksgiving began in 1637 when it was proclaimed by governor John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to celebrate the safe return of the men who had gone to fight against the Pequot in Mystic, Conn. The fighting led to the enslavement and massacre of over 700 men, women, and children from the New England-based tribe, a bloody precursor to what would be centuries of strife for native peoples in the U.S.

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From Tel Aviv to Ramallah: A Beatbox Journey

Amir, aka DJ Goa, is a Tel Aviv sensation who spins at a weekly event at Club Aviv. After finishing his army service in a combat unit, Amir spent nine months working at a café and collecting records in New York. He is something of a Tel Aviv celebrity and loves each and every corner of his city. He is loyal to his country, but believes in total withdrawal from the occupied territories. Amir lives at home with his mother, but dreams of international dj fame.

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“Give ear O heaven… let the earth hear the words…”

In this week’s Torah portion, Ha’azinu, Moses calls upon heaven and earth to witness this important moment in Jewish history.  According to commentators the use of heaven and earth as witnesses is common in near eastern literature and forms what is called a merism – a mechanism that uses two extremes to signify totality.  Moses is essentially saying that this moment – the moment when he will leave the people in the capable hands of Joshua to continue their journey into the Promised Land – this moment is of universal significance.

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On the cusp of the 19th century, in a shtetl in Western Ukraine, Feiga and Simcha were celebrating the birth of their son, Nachman.  Nachman was named after his grandfather, a great rabbi and a disciple of the Ba’al Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidic Judaism.

At his bris, Feiga turned to her brother, Rabbi Baruch, one of the wisest men of the generation, and requested that he bless her son that there should never be any strife surrounding him. He replied, “That is not something that can be done.”

Rabbi Baruch’s response was more true than even he may have predicted.  Throughout his tumultuous life, Nachman would see the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

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Today, as you count the Omer, think about the traditional Jewish idea of redemption (geulah) and how it applies in the world today.  The 7th blessing of the amidah/t’fillah on weekdays asks God to redeem the captives among our people.  Check out this great interview from the Colbert Report about how we can help redeem the Nigerian girls who were captured.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/2rgt3x/-bringbackourgirls—rosemary-nyirumbe

Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al s’firat ha’omer.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with sacred actions and enjoins us to count the omer.

Hayom shiloshim yom, shehem arbah-ah shavuot u’shnai yamim la-omer.

Today is 30 days which are 4 weeks and 2 day of the Omer.

 

 

As we begin the 4th week of the Omer, we focus this week on the idea of Netzach, often translated as victory.  Netzach communicates the idea of long-suffering, strength, endurance unto completion or patience.  A powerful poem, that many of us have heard at funerals and memorial services exemplifies the idea of netzach in our lives:

Life is a Journey

By Alvin Fine

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Yom Ha’atzmaut, Independence Day, in Israel is always preceded by Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for the fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence–the very existence of the state–to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.

The official “switch” from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha’atzmaut takes place a few minutes after sundown, with a ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem in which the flag is raised from half staff (due to Memorial Day) to the top of the pole.

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“This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.”

“This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.”

These are the words that are etched into Pete Seeger’s banjo.  Seeger, who passed away this week, wrote and lived those words throughout his life.  Whether fighting the hate of racism, war or the destruction our natural world, Pete Seeger used his banjo and his voice to fight for justice throughout his life.

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