The Wexner Foundation

Proudly Announces
Its Ninth Class of
Graduate Fellows

Fellow

Graduate Program

Career Area

Shamir Caplan
Miriam Cotzin
Joshua Cypess
Serena Eisenberg
Rebecca Fletcher
Sarah Gershman
Danna Kalkstein
Madeline Kochen
Amber Powers
Adam Raskin
Esther Reed
Julie Rae Ringel
Andrew Rosenblatt
Laura Sheinkopf
Stephanie Stern
Raquel Ukeles
Avraham Wernik
Barry Wimpfheimer
Meredith Woocher

Yeshiva University-RIFTS
Hebrew Union College-JIR
Yeshiva University-RIFTS
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Hebrew Union College-JIR
J.T.S./Columbia University
Jewish Theological Seminary
U.C. Berkeley-G.T.U.
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Jewish Theological Seminary
Jewish Theological Seminary
Columbia University
Yeshiva University-RIFTS
Hebrew Union College-JIR
Brandeis University
Harvard University
Harvard University
Yeshiva University-RIFTS
Brandeis University

Rabbinate
Rabbinate
Rabbinate
Rabbinate
Cantorate
Jewish Communal Service
Jewish Education
Judaic Studies
Rabbinate
Rabbinate
Rabbinate
Jewish Communal Service
Rabbinate
Rabbinate
Jewish Education.
Judaic Studies
Jewish Education
Rabbinate
Judaic Studies

The Wexner Foundation was created by Leslie H. Wexner, the founder
and chairman of The Limited Inc., and his mother, Mrs. Bella Wexner.
The Foundation is committed to the recruitment and enhancement of
Jewish leadership.

The Wexner Graduate Fellowship Program is designed to encourage the
most promising and talented Jewish men and women to pursue full-time
graduate studies leading to careers in professional Jewish leadership.
The program provides full academic tuition, generous living stipends
and annual Foundation-sponsored institutes and learning experiences.
Fellowships are awarded to outstanding candidates who demonstrate
the potential to assume major leadership positions in the fields of Jewish
Education, Jewish Communal Service, the Rabbinate, the Cantorate
and Jewish Studies.

The Wexner Foundation welcomes inquiries about its fellowship program
as well as about career opportunities in professional Jewish leadership.
For more information, please write to:

The Wexner Foundation Graduate Fellowship Program

158 West Main Street, P.O.Box 668, New Albany, Ohio 43054

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The Shofar Sounds
A Call To Conscience

Shabbat 1st Day Rosh Hashanah: Genesis 21:1-34;
Numbers 29:1-6.

RABBI RICHARD C. HERTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

After hearing God's command,
he most solemn days of the
Jewish religious calendar Abraham did not rush off; he
are Rosh Hashanah and waited until the next morning.
Yom Kippur. The Days of He wanted to think about it and
Awe stress our duties to God and to analyze the consequences of
our fellow man. These are what he had been asked to do.
solemn, serious and awesome Furthermore, Abraham needed
considerations. Rosh Hashanah to reconsider the whole idea. Not
reminds us that human life is until the angel told him, "Do not
short; and, therefore, we ought raise your had to the boy," was
not to waste it. We ought not do Abraham able to change what he
anything that God will not have thought to do.
us do.
The Torah portion prescribed
for the new year is the familiar
story of Abraham being called by
God to sacrifice his son Isaac. It
is a frightening one and yet con-
sidered one of the most important
sedrahs in the Torah. The
Akedah means the binding of
Isaac for sacrifice and was cho-
sen for reading on Rosh
Hashanah because it was the lit-
mus test of Abraham's loyalty to
God.
Abraham follows God's order,
but just as he was about to kill
his son, an angel of God stops him
telling him to sacrifice a ram in-
Rabbi Richard C. Hertz
stead. "For now I know," says the
This story suggests that loyal-
angel, "that you fear God since
you have not withheld your son, ty to God does not mean blind
faith. Sometimes it means ask-
your favorite son from Me."
Some say that to test the ing difficult questions about what
strength of Abraham's loyalty, it is we should or should not be
God orders him to kill Isaac with- doing. Sometimes it means being
out asking any questions, with- willing to take risks for what we
out even consulting Sarah. In so believe is just and right.
The story records Judaism's
doing, he not only proved himself
loyal to God but he also showed ancient protest against child sac-
the world what true faith was all rifice, a practice quite common in
ancient times. Judaism teaches
about.
Many interpreters criticized the real message of this story is
Abraham's test as an example of that God does not require human
blind faith. Abraham did as he sacrifice. It is Judaism's protest
was told. He did not protest; he against the practice of the times.
Trust in God in the extreme-
did not say to God, "How can you
do this to Sarah and me?" In- ly painful times of our lives comes
stead, Abraham seems to follow to being in the symbol of the sho-
far.
blindly.
The shofar, the ram's horn,
When God commanded Abra-
ham "take your son," Abraham used in ancient times by shep-
did not set out immediately. herds for calling sheep straying
Maybe he asked, "Which son?" from the fold, was also used as an
God said, "Your favorite son." alarm in the city. The shofar is
Then Abraham said, "But I have blown in the synagogue on Rosh
two sons; Ishmael and Isaac; and Hashanah telling people that
one is favored by one mother and time is passing, life is short and
the other favored by the other." that God is the ruler of all. It
So God said, 'Take the one whom evokes the mood and spirit of
you love." But Abraham replied, Rosh Hashanah.
The shofar is a bugle call to
"I love them both so how can I
choose?" Finally, God told him, conscience. Judaism sounds the
"Take Isaac." (Pirke de Rabbi shofar to call people to return to
God to renew their trust in Him,
Eliezer31)
the ruler of all that lives.
Thus the shofar associated
Richard Hertz is distinguished
with the Akedah story becomes
professor of Jewish studies at
the symbol of the holiday. ❑
University of Detroit-Mercy.

T

