Rabbi's Blog

This week’s haftarah reading, like many of these prophetic readings, constitutes a kind of commentary on the Torah reading.  In each, we have spies who encounter the “other” in the land of Canaan, but their reactions are quite different and,  so are the consequences that ensue for the Israelites.  You can read my thoughts on this issue in this week’s Jewish Exponent by clicking here.  You won’t be surprised to learn that I argue that entering into that encounter and filling it with respect are key.  

We have been working over the past several years to expand our connections to those unlike ourselves in our neighborhood and in our city, and those efforts will continue in the upcoming year as well.  Because we are a congregation built on respect for diversity and partnerships across difference, we have a special obligation to bring that model out into our larger community.  I invite you to share with me your thoughts about how we can accomplish this goal together.

The U.S. Senate has begun debate on the Farm Bill, a large piece of legislation which includes nutrition and anti-hunger programs, among other things.  The proposed legislation includes a  $4.5 billion reduction in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps). If this cut goes into effect, 500,000 low-income households will lose an average of $90 in monthly food stamp benefits, leaving already hungry families with even less support.  You can learn more about this issue by clicking here. 

An amendment has been introduced in the Senate that would restore funding to this important program, which is the backbone of our country’s efforts to feed the hungry.  I join with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Food Research & Action Center, and other advocacy groups to urge all of us to contact our senators and ask them to co-sponsor this amendment.  Our voices can make a difference to hungry families here in Philadelphia and throughout the country.  You can take action by clicking here.  

Those of us who have been following the news from Israel recently know that African refugees in the Jewish state have become a very hot topic, with politicians speaking out and even riots erupting over the issue.  American Jewish organizations including the JCPA, the ADL, the Jewish Federations of North America have condemned the violence (you can read more here), and the Masorti movement in Israel has come out strongly in support of the refugees (see their statement here).  But this remains a vexing problem in Israel, just as the issue of immigrants has often become a hot topic in the U.S.

This past Sunday at GJC, we had an amazing opportunity to learn about this issue from a member of our community,Emma Giloth (daughter of Anne Shlay), who co-led a group of students on a trip to Israel this spring focused on learning more about the situation of African refugees.  Emma and her group spoke with government officials, aid workers, and the refugees themselves, and presented a short video of their trip as well as the insights they gained.  I urge you to follow this important issue - ripped from the headlines!