From the President- Aug. 15, 2019

Halachah, Avodah, and Tikkun Olam. Temple Beth Hillel offers our community the opportunity to engage in all three. We follow Jewish tradition (each of us to whatever degree we are called to), we have Torah study every week.  We gather for Kabbalat Shabbat, T’fillah during the Religious School year, and many Yamim Tovim. We are mighty in our pursuit of Tikkun Olam with our commitments to Food For Thought and social justice actions.

It’s no secret that of the three pillars, I am most called to repair the world. I was deeply moved to read this week of Jewish activists who took the time to honor Tisha b’Av, our day of mourning, by engaging in protest of some of the events that are killing love, tolerance, and humanity in our nation. On Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10 and 11, Jewish groups around the country — T’ruah, Bend the Arc, HIAS, J Street, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the National Council of Jewish Women and Torah Trumps Hate — heldTisha B’Av vigils at ICE offices. In the Bay Area, vigils were held in San Francisco, Palo Alto and San Jose. The demonstrations were voicing disapproval of the government’s policy of tearing families apart when they come to our border legally requesting asylum. This inhumane practice violates the ethos of any faith. Remember what happened to the Jews who sought asylum on the St. Louis in 1939. JWeekly notes that “Tisha B’Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, but is also used as an occasion for mourning a wide range of tragedies.” .

There is so much work to be done to repair the world. I encourage our community to connect with other organizations (Jewish or secular) and engage in Tikkun Olam of whatever cause is most important to you. If you have any questions, please contact me.

We are what we do.

Neil Zarchin