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WOODWARD The Power Of Faith 1089370 T However, the wellsprings of he haftorah of this Jewish vitality have not been Shabbat is- based exhausted. on the tragedy that If only we would channel befell the Jewish people in our energy and wisdom, our the sixth century B.C.E. heart and intelligence in the In 586 B.C.E., the Holy direction of positive Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was living, we Could see a new destroyed by Babylonian Rabbi Iriwn generation rising up and invaders, the people forced Groner call their lives blessed. into exile. Lost and bewil- Special to the There is no more impres- dered, they were convinced Jewish News sive illustration of the that their world had come to Jewish capacity.for self-1 an end and that their life had renewal than the State of Israel. Our turned to ashes and dust. They would generation has witnessed how the never return to their native land; they Jewish people, scattered to the four would never see the. restoration of their national honor. They stood at the corners of the earth, enduring millen- grave of their 'own dreams, witnessing. nia of exile, have been transformed in this past century. The Jewish people the death of their own future. retained their faith in a Divine prom- In the midst of this darkness, the ise for the restoration of Jerusalem, prophet Ezekiel renewed their faith by the rebuilding of the ancient home- an awe-inspiring vision. In his vision, land, and the coming of the day when he is•set down in the midst of a val- nation will no longer lift sword against ley full of bones. God commands him nation, but join together in peace. to walk up and down. among these By holding to these purposes, by dried up bones and to tell them that clinging to this faith and by serving as they will turninto living bodies. With an instrument of this transformation, a thrilling roar, the bones are joined the Jewish people have performed a together, becoming human bodies miracle of national revival. Despite the — but motionless, lifeless. violence directed at the Jewish state Then, Ezekiel is summoned to call and the despicable terrorist attacks by on the wind- . It breathes upon the Palestinian suicide bombers, the peo- bones, and they come alive and stand ple of Israel remain staunchly resolved . upright upon the field. to defend their land and their people, What Ezekiel has witnessed is an determined to remain at any cost. allegory depicting the condition of In Tel Aviv. is found the Azrieli the people: a nation reduced to dried- Towers, a 50-story Israeli version of up bones by defeat and exile. Yet that the World Trade Center, toppled in nation will be restored and its life New York City in the Sept. 11, 2001, renewed. From the disasters of the terrorist attacks on America. At the present will come forth a closer unity top of this landmark, one sees a and •a more resolute purpose to fulfill that destiny which God intends for them. message flashing continuously, from dusk to dawn, Zeh b'yadim shelanu The message to the prophet is time- — "It's in our hands." less. Our people must not lose faith in Let that spirit enable us all to spiritual renewal. There are no limits emerge from this dark time with our to the spiritual force of God and to - the faith undimmed and with our hope creative power of human beings. strengthened, sustained by the unity The vision of the prophet teaches and solidarity of our people and an important lesson with profound uplifted by God's promise. ramifications for our time. Some of us despair of the future of Judaism. Irwin Groner is rabbi emeritus of Sometimes, we feel that our youth Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Oakland are cut off from the mainstream of County. This article originally appeared in Jewish life and that the sources of our the Jewish News in March 2002. heritage fail to inspire our children.