DO YOU HAVE THE FACTS?
Jewish day schools are too
expensive and out of my
financial reach. (myth)
Mystery Of The Moon
Parshat Bo: Exodus 10:1-13:16;
Jeremiah 46:13-28.
Efrat, Israel
A
new nation, Israel, is being
born; and it celebrates its
birth with a new festival and
a new calendar.
Our calendar has a strong
lunar factor, the monthly
festival that marks the
renewed moon that appears
— almost miraculously, but
also consistently — from a
lightless, frightening sky.
The key word here is
chodesh, month, which also
connotes chidush, change,
and chadash, new. It is a cal-
endar born of hope, an opti-
mism that arose from the
experience of cataclysmic, miraculous
social changes that enabled powerless
Hebrew slaves to overwhelm mighty
Egypt and emerge a free nation.
A stubborn, irrational optimism has
characterized the Jewish people for its
4,000-year existence. Even in the worst
periods of exile, persecution, torture
and pogrom, we proclaimed: "I shall
not die, but I shall live and declare the
deeds of the Lord" (Psalms 118:17).
This optimism was born on this
first Rosh Chodesh, and it emerged
out of the miraculous renewal of a
family/nation reborn. Hence, we are
enjoined to remember the exodus
from Egypt every day (Deuteronomy
16:3) to celebrate and re-experience it
during our Pesach seder celebration
each year (Exodus 13:3), and to study
history with an inner vision which
sees the marvelous changes wrought
by the majestic partnership between
God and Israel:
Egypt, Greece and Rome all had
the seemingly consistent sun as their
god and guide, a beacon which breeds
the pessimism of "whatever has
been is what will be, and whatever
has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun"
(Ecclesiastes 1:9).
It was the Bible, with its account
of the Egyptian change and renewal,
which gave the world the symbolism
of the moon, the possibility of light
emerging from darkness, freedom
from slavery, which enabled us to dare
hope for a perfected world and a time
of peace and redemption.
Moses was a product of this faith in
change and redemption in the midst of
slavery and oppression. When we are
first introduced to him, we don't even
know if he will survive the homicide
decreed against Hebrew
male infants. He is anony-
mous, as a slave is devoid of
a name. Likewise, he lacks a
clear pedigree: "A man went
from the house of Levi and
took a daughter of Levi"
(Exodus 2:1). It is only four
chapters later, when his
mission as "redeemer" is
defined, that we are given
the names of his parents
and grandparents.
The family names are
extremely significant. I know little
about Moses' parents; but I know a
world about his grandparents, who
undoubtedly influenced his parents.
These grandparents, in the midst of
bleak Egyptian servitude, named their
son Amram, exalted nation, and their
daughter Jochebed, glory to God.
"Exalted nation:' in the midst of
slavery? "Glory to God" in the midst
of persecution? Apparently, they had
the tradition of a "covenant between
the pieces:' of an emergence from
poverty and affliction, and infused
their grandson with that faith. Only
one who believes in the possibility of
change will struggle to bring it about.
One of the strangest rituals of our
people is the "Sanctification of the
Moon" (Kiddush Halevana), which
takes place on the Saturday evening
following Rosh Chodesh (the New
Month festival). The congregation
assembles beneath the renewed moon.
There, they bless the God who "renews
the months:' wish each other peace
and sing and dance to words which
promise ultimate redemption — a
moon which will never wane but will
shine forever with God's light of love.
Peculiar? Ridiculous? Not at all.
A people that believes in a God who
is invisible, that has experienced a
promised return to its ancient home-
land, must continue to dream of a
world at peace though most skeptics
think it's impossible! f 1
Shlomo Riskin is chancellor of Ohr Torah
Stone and chief rabbi of Efrat.
Hillel Day School generously provides over
$2.6 MM in financial assistance; this year
approxmately 54% of our student body
will benefit.* (fact)
Jewish day schools lack great
academics, especially when it
comes to math. (myth)
Hillel Day School places students in small class
sizes designed to meet their unique learning
styles. Our math curriculum includes high
school geometry, challenging the individual
needs of our advanced students. (fact)
Jewish day schools are
not diverse. (myth)
Hillel Day School welcomes families
from a wide range of Jewish and
socio-economic backgrounds.
Understanding and respecting differences
is a core value taught at Hillel. (fact)
Jewish day schools don't
prepare children for the
"real world?' (myth)
Over 500 of Hillel Day School graduates
attend the top 50 universities in the country
(comparable to the area's top college-prep
private schools). Our graduates go on to
excel in their chosen professions. (fact)
Hillel Day School...Instilling Goodness. Inspiring Greatness.
OPEN HOUSE
For parents of prospective students, grades K-8, Fall
GENEROUS FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE &
REDUCED
KINDERGARTEN
TUITION
FOR 2011-12
2011
THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2 011 at 6:30 p.m.
GROUP TOUR: Come see Hillel in action!
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2011 at 9:3oa.m.
RSVP to Amy Schlusset at 248-539-1484 or via email: aschtusset@hittetday.org
Also visit our website at www.hillelday.org for more information about the school.
Hillel is committed to helping provide a
Jewish day school education to eligible
students, offering generous financial
assistance to qualifying families.
D .1 l
( 11
() I
Complimentary babysitting services available;
please RSVP to reserve.
■
."
illel
32200 Middlebelt Road
Fartuington Hills, MI 48334-1715
January 6
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