»torah
Jewish, American Story
Parshat Vayishlach: Genesis 32:4-36:43;
Obadiah 1:1-1:21.
O
n Thanksgiving, Americans
we learn that Esau becomes ancestor to
come together to celebrate and
Israel's chief enemy, Amalek, as well as
to perpetuate the American
to the Edomites, an ancient kingdom
story: the journey of immigrants coming who regularly attacked Israel from the
from an old world looking to create a
time of the united monarchy through the
new life. With hard work and persever-
Hasmonean era.
ance, the story tells us, anyone can suc-
Edom, the other name for Esau, also
ceed in this land.
became rabbinic code for the Romans
To whatever extent the original
and others throughout Jewish history
Thanksgiving story is or is not true, the
who sought our destruction.
concept called "the American dream" is
The lineage provided in this weeks
deeply embedded within our national
Torah portion suggests Esau's sense of
mythology.
victimization translated through the
In the Starr house, the American story generations to Amaleles cowardice and
is our family story, too. Escaping czarist
immorality, to the Edomites' unjusti-
Russia, the paternal side of my family
fied territorialism and to the Romans'
migrated to Detroit in the early 20th
cultural imperialism. From this, we
century. My great-grandparents earned
might learn that one generation's sense of
a living, raised their family and
victimization becomes another
lived an observant Jewish life.
generation's excuse for violence,
On the other side of the fam-
blame and jealousy. Playing the
ily, my maternal grandfather,
victim might temporarily win
Wolf Gruca, now 95, lost his
sympathy, but rarely does it lead
entire family in the Holocaust.
to personal success or national
He and my grandmother,
prominence.
Regina (of blessed memory),
During this week of parshat
moved to the United States to
Vayishlach and Thanksgiving,
Rabbi Aaron
grow their family, to earn a
let us be wary of any individual
Starr
living and to build a life. Now,
or nation that draws its identity
every Shabbat morning, our
from perceiving itself as the
four generations gather in shul to thank
victim. More importantly, let us work in
God for the gift of life, for the love of
our own lives to be ever mindful of the
family and for the blessings this country
Jewish values of faith, self-reliance, and
provides to those who are willing to
strength of will that we individually and
work for it.
as a people might overcome any ten-
The immigrants' strength of will is
dencies toward blame, jealousy or even
beyond my understanding. The immi-
violence.
grants' determination, faith and belief in
Finally, this week especially, let us
a better tomorrow sustained them, and
give thanks for the men and women
it is these characteristics, among others,
who built our Judaism and our country
that define the American ethos we cel-
through personal sacrifice, hard work
ebrate at Thanksgiving.
and a belief that tomorrow will be better
Of course, these characteristics are
than yesterday.
integral to the Jewish story, too. In addi-
This week of parshat Vayishlach truly
tion to the biblical trials of our patri-
is a week for celebration of their accom-
archs, the very essence of Passover teach- plishments and, especially, for giving
es us about the importance of faith and
thanks. *
inner strength in overcoming challenges.
Rabbi Aaron Starr is the spiritual leader of
Similarly, the oppression overcome by
Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.
generations of our ancestors and the
birth of modern-day Israel remind us of
Conversations
the roles played by sheer determination
•What is your personal family story,
of will and self-reliance in the continuity
and how can you celebrate it at
of our people.
Thanksgiving?
But not every nation and not every
•Do you agree that a sense of victim-
religion share the same story of over-
ization can lead to blame, jealousy and
coming difficulties with strength of char-
violence? Why or why not?
acter and faith in the Holy One. Earlier,
•In what ways is thelewish story"
in parshat Toldot, we learn that Esau
similar to the"American story"? In what
feels victimized by his family. In this
ways are the two stories different?
week's Torah portion, parshat Vayishlach,
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November 26 • 2015
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