NOVEMBER 3 • 2022 | 45

Pursuing Equality
G

od said to Abraham, 
“
And I will make of 
thee a great nation, 
and I will bless thee and make 
thy name great and be thou a 
blessing.
”
A great and unique destiny was 
conferred on Abraham 
and his descendants by 
these words. However, 
there have been times 
in the life of the Jew 
when it is difficult to 
believe in this promise.
There were eras 
when the world’s low 
opinion of the Jew was 
so pervasive that it 
entered the folk images 
of the Western World: 
Shylock, with his 
pound of flesh; Fagin, 

the corrupter of youth; Judas 
Iscariot, the deity killer of the 
Passion Play.
But the world’s opinion of the 
Jew did not affect his mind and 
spirit; for the Jew had his own 
self-image, one fashioned by his 
tradition and the discipline of 
his way of life, which taught 
him from early youth that 
he was sprung from a people 
who had been chosen by God 
to plan a unique, saving role 
in the history of mankind. 
When he saw oppression and 
injustice, it was his mission to 
cry out for truth and freedom.
We can derive satisfaction 
from the knowledge that the 
Jew is perceived differently 
in the modern world, and 
his achievements are recog-

nized. It is significant to note that 
Jewish themes, terms and per-
sonalities have become popular 
in American culture.
Yet, in the midst of this dra-
matically improved society, we 
are not at ease. The world has 
improved its understanding of 
the Jew. But the Jew has lost 
something of his high conception 
of himself.
Every year when I meet with 
the high school class, I ask them 
to react to the term “chosen peo-
ple.
” Inevitably, the vast majority 
state their strong dislike for the 
term. They want no part of “cho-
senness” because it offends their 
sense of democratic equality.
Our young reflect the attitude 
of their elders. To the majority of 
Jews, the idea of chosenness is, 
at best, irksome. To the outside 
world they would like to hope 
to be accepted as equals because 
they themselves eschew all pre-
tense of separateness.
The modern Jew is free to live 

a Jewish life, and he strives to 
avoid it. He fights for religious 
expression and when he obtains 
it, he forgoes its benefits.
We need to reaffirm the basic 
principle. The Jewish story begins 
with Abraham. He, as tradition 
declares, stood alone, not because 
he sought to be a dissenter or 
deviate but because he was set 
apart to realize great ideals. In 
his uniqueness, he discovered a 
blessing that would endure for all 
generations.
We, his descendants, have been 
chosen to live with a conscious-
ness of purpose, to pursue the 
high standards that the Torah 
sets before us. Let us remember 
this and teach it to our children. 

This article appeared in the JN on Nov. 

10, 2000, when Rabbi Irwin Groner 

was rabbi at Congregation Shaarey 

Zedek in Southfield. Rabbi Groner 

passed away Dec. 30, 2012.

Rabbi Irwin 
Groner

Parshat 

Lech-Lecha: 

Genesis 

12:1-17:27; 

Isaiah 

40:27-41:16.

SPIRIT
TORAH PORTION

THE INFODEMIC: 

Combating the Spread of Misinformation

Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s Maimonides Society presents

THE 5TH ANNUAL FORMAN LECTURE

Monday, November 14, 2022 • 7 PM - 9 PM

The Berman Center For The Performing Arts

6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield Township, MI 48322

Join us as we welcome Dr. Lipi Roy, MD, MPH, FASAM, as this year’s Forman lecturer. 
Dr. Roy is an internationally renowned expert on this topic and a dynamic public 
speaker and media personality whose mission is to educate and empower the 
public to make healthy decisions. 

$50. Free for medical students and residents.

This event is open to the community, but it is specifically intended for 
healthcare professionals. CME credits are available for those who qualify.

Learn more and register before November 11 at jewishdetroit.org/forman

Please contact Jodi Feld with any questions at 
248-833-2512 | feld@jfmd.org

