Cloud Over Passover

Massacre in Netanya affects seders across the U.S.

JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

New York

T

he news of the Passover
eve suicide bombing at a
Netanya, Israel hotel had
particular resonance for
members of Congregation B'nai
Israel in Jackson, Tenn., as they, like
the terrorist victims, sat down for a
large Passover seder at a hotel.
The fact that someone had walked
into a seder just sent shockwaves
through us all," said Rabbi Margaret
Meyer, spiritual leader of the
small Reform temple that was
having a communal seder.
"It was very, very hard to get
that image out of our minds."
As American Jews sat down this
year to celebrate the Jews' libera-
tion from slavery in Egypt, the
seemingly relentless spate of sui-
cide bombings in Israel was — in
the words of one rabbi — a
"cloud" hanging overhead.
According to reports from rab-
bis across the country, many Jews
found that the lines spoken every
year — "Next year in Jerusalem"
and "In every generation there are
those that rise up against us" —
had new meaning this year.
Rabbis spent the holidays
attempting to comfort their congre-
gants, while also calling for them to
take action on Israel's behalf.
The suggested action took many
different forms, from extra prayers
and a resolve to take on more com-
mandments to incorporating Israel's
current situation into the discussion
of slavery and liberation.
Rabbis also encouraged political
activism and support. Sinai Temple
in Los Angeles launched a multimil-
lion-dollar fund-raising campaign to
aid Israeli victims of terror.
Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, regional
director of Chabad of Illinois and spir-
itual leader of Chabad of Northbrook
in the Chicago suburbs, said he is
encouraab inab his congregants "not to
get burdened by the crisis, but rather
to get strength from it."
"It's a sign that we all have to do
more," he said. We have to come

together and be stronger."

Whether Orthodox or Reform, left-
wing or right, talk of Israel dominated
conversations in synagogues and seders
across the country.
Among those who came to the second
seder last week at his Orthodox congre-
gation, there "was a lot of confusion,"
said Rabbi Moscowitz of Chicago.
"People are not sure about strategy,
what the end game is, what's the
plan," he said.
"Our answer is we also have to look
at the spiritual side of things and the
unity of the Jewish people. When the
rest of the world sees the Jewish peo-

Cloud Over Peace

At Temple Emanu-El of West Essex,
members have traditionally been sup-
Taking Action
portive of the peace process in their
At Temple Emanu-El of West Essex, a
support of Israel and are now feeling
Reform congregation in Livingston,
very discouraged, Rabbi Levin said.
N.J., Rabbi Daniel Levin used his
"If there were voices calling for
Shabbat sermon to urge members to
moderation
on the other side, there
take political action. Rabbi Levin dis-
would be a much louder clamoring
tributed flyers with concrete sugges-
on our side to reciprocate," he said.
tions, such as attending a local solidar-
"Those of us with more progressive
ity rally on Israel's Independence Day,
leanings have been silenced because
writing regularly to President Bush
we feel it's disingenuous to call for
and other political leaders urging them
peace in this way when we don't
to continue supporting Israel, and
hear calls for peace on the
other side."
The mood at Sinai Temple in
The Park Hotel
in Netanya,
Los Angeles, where congregants
scene of a
pledged $700,000 for Israeli ter-
suicide bomber
ror victims, was a sharp contrast
to last year, when the temple was
attack the
rocked with heated debate over
first night
Rabbi David Wolpe's sermon
of Passover
suggesting that the Exodus had
not literally occurred.
"This time, I said in some
ways it would be nice if that's
what we could talk about, but
• TIBERIAS
there's an emergency to be
• NAZARETH
addressed, so this is what have to
do this year," Rabbi Wolpe said
of the fund-raising campaign.
• JERUSALEM
The campaign will be matched
• LOD
by the Magbit Foundation, an
Iranian Jewish foundation in
investing in Israel Bonds.
ple being united, that will help and
Beverley Hills, Calif, and Rabbi Wolpe
We need to be able to look into
sends a powerful message to Israel."
hopes other synagogues will launch simi-
our children's eyes at next year's seder,
At Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel, an
lar campaigns.
and in years to follow, and be able to
Orthodox synagogue in Chicago,
"I want rabbis to get up and say we
tell them we did all we could to sup-
Rabbi Asher Lopatin said many con-
can't impose peace, but our sisters and
port our people in their time of need," gregants began to feel a bit better as
brothers are suffering and dying and
he said in the sermon.
the Israeli army-launched a new offen-
we can help hospitals and trauma cen-
Rabbi Avis Miller of Adas Israel
sive aimed at rooting out Palestinian
ters provide care for children who've
Congregation, a large Conservative
terrorists.
been orphaned."
synagogue in Washington, said that in
"In my shul, people really think that
While offering comfort and inspira-
her sermon on the first day of
there's a military solution — that's the
tion, rabbis — many of whom have
Passover, she encouraged congregants
overwhelming consensus," Rabbi
family or friends in Israel — were bat-
to make their seder discussions more
Lopatin said. "We have a couple on the
tling their own demons.
meaningful by relating the Haggadah
left, but the people who come every
Emanu-El's Rabbi Levin said he
text to Israel's current challenges.
Shabbos and every morning feel there's a couldn't help but feel "almost a sense of
She noted that Israel's Jews have
military solution. So they're relieved that
survivor's guilt sitting down to my own
their day-to-day freedom curtailed by
Israel is going in" to the West Bank.
seder here in New Jersey knowing there
terrorism.
Adas Israel's members run the politi- were so many sitting down to seder in
"I talked about how mitzrayim
cal gamut — including many disheart- Israel who were killed for that."
(Egypt) means narrow, and I can't
ened leftists, Rabbi Miller said.
Rabbi Lopatin said dealing with his
think of anything more constricting
"There's a frustration of what can we
own sense of grief is "surprisingly
than not being able to go about your
do. We don't know where to put our
hard." The suicide bombings "just put
business," she said.
emotional eggs."
a cloud over Passover," he said. ❑

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4/5
2002

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