Dec 19, 2024
Dec 18, 2024
Dec 17, 2024
Dec 16, 2024
Dec 13, 2024
Dec 12, 2024
Dec 11, 2024
Dec 10, 2024
Dec 9, 2024
Dec 6, 2024
Dec 5, 2024
Dec 4, 2024
Dec 3, 2024
Dec 2, 2024
Holy Tears - BRING THEM HOME NOW (Vayeitzei)
Holy Tears - BRING THEM HOME NOW (Vayeitzei)
for Omer Neutra z"l and his beautiful family
This week's Torah portion, Vayeitzei, meets us in a moment saturated with grief, resilience, and an unyielding demand for justice. We learned just recently of the confirmed death of Omer Neutra z"l, a young tank commander who gave his life defending Israel on October 7th. Omer was 21. He grew up in Plainview, New York, where I grew up, attended the same Solomon Schechter Day School I did, and spent his summers at Camp Ramah in Nyack as a lifeguard, where I spent mine—familiar places, familiar rhythms, all etched with the extraordinary simplicity of a Jewish life. Today, this Torah is for him, his family, and all those who hold his memory with love.
Vayeitzei speaks of tears—those of Leah and Rachel, matriarchs bound in a sisterly tension of love and longing, their lives complicated by the painful dynamics of fate. Leah's tears are often misunderstood. Tradition calls her eyes weak, but I see strength in those tears, a fierce softening of vision, purified by heartbreak. Rachel weeps, too. Later, in the words of Jeremiah, we hear her cry for her children, her voice carried through the ages: “Keep your voice from weeping, your eyes from tears; there is hope for your future.”
But hope feels distant today. It’s hard to speak of a hopeful future when the present is so raw. The grief we feel for Omer Neutra—like Leah’s and Rachel’s tears—is holy. It reflects the reality of loss, the agony of war, and the love we carry for our children, our people, our homeland. These tears are not signs of weakness; they are acts of sanctity.
And yet, we must act. Omer’s life demands that of us. His beautiful parents, Orna and Ronen, his loving brother, Daniel, and the community that raised him call on us not to falter. We cannot grow numb. We cannot allow despair to mute our voices. We owe it to Omer, to the hostages still waiting for freedom, to every soul held captive by terror and violence and uncertainty.
Today, let us cry—and let us channel those tears into something transformative. Push your leaders, amplify your voice, and shout to the heavens: Bring Them Home Now. Four hundred and twenty-three days later, we cannot grow tired. Wear the number. Share the plea. Dedicate your heart to this sacred work, just as Leah and Rachel dedicated theirs to a future they could only dream of.
As we prepare to light candles this month for Hanukkah, a festival of rededication, may we rededicate ourselves to hope, to action, and to each other. Let the memory of Omer Neutra be a blessing—a call to love fiercely, to hold our children tenderly, and to fight for a future worthy of their hearts.
May we carry Omer’s light forward. May we cry holy tears. And let us not stop shouting until they are in our arms once more: Bring them home now. Bring them home now. #BringThemHomeNow.
Amen.
Nov 26, 2024
Nov 25, 2024
Nov 21, 2024
Nov 20, 2024
Oct 31, 2024
Oct 30, 2024
Oct 28, 2024
Oct 23, 2024
Oct 22, 2024
Oct 21, 2024
Oct 20, 2024
Oct 15, 2024
Oct 13, 2024
ANNOUNCING: "After October 7: Essays"
ANNOUNCING: "After October 7: Essays"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJVW6X33
The demonstrations in Israel and the United States and around the world to Bring Them Home Now are in response, painfully marking every day without our beloveds who were stolen from us. The unfathomable strength of Hersh's parents, Rachel and Jonathan, has continued carrying us all through each of these days, even their darkest. With this in my heart, I dedicate this collection in memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, z"l. His memory will continue to be a revolution. Bring Hersh Home
It is also with amazement and gratitude that I offer this collection. To the UJA-Federation of New York family of staff, donors, and volunteer leaders, a beautiful army of angels helping to lift up the Jewish People, New York, and the whole world. We have, with incalculable fierceness and fortitude, held Am Yisrael together. Even with my intimate understanding of our work in the world, I am consistently overwhelmed by the scope, scale, and soul of our commitments. With this in my heart, I also dedicate this volume to the UJA family. A portion of the proceeds from this book will support UJA's work on behalf of Am Yisrael and the world.
As I wrote in the afterword to the collection:
"...Are we ready to make every day count? Are we ready to fight for our dignity, our bodies, and our family in Israel? Our history has taught us that the fight never truly ends. But every day, we have a choice to rise, to act, to love, to make a difference.
Let this be a year of rebuilding, of health, of strength, and of hope. Let us pray for it, and then let’s do everything in our power to make it so. Together, let’s send our hearts eastward, to Israel, where we are Lev Echad, Am Echad - One People, with One Heart.
Deep breath. Let’s begin again."
Am Yisrael Chai!
____
"In After October 7, Rabbi Menachem Creditor offers fifty-three searing and soulful reflections penned in the year following the brutal attack on the State of Israel on October 7, 2023. Through raw emotion and profound reflection, Rabbi Creditor chronicles not only the devastation and loss but also the enduring spirit of the Jewish people. His words serve as both a personal meditation and a collective call to action—an insistence that we remember, that we bear witness, and that we rise from the ashes of destruction with resilience and hope.
Rabbi Creditor's reflections draw from the heart of Jewish tradition, the commandment to never forget, and the moral duty to respond to suffering with justice and compassion. After October 7 is a powerful tribute to the unbreakable spirit of a people whose history of survival, faith, and strength illuminates a path forward in the darkest of times. Through these essays, Rabbi Creditor reminds us that bearing witness is not only a sacred responsibility, but also the foundation upon which a future of Jewish strength, peace, and justice is built."
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJVW6X33
#BringThemHomeNow #AmYisraelChai
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJVW6X33
This book, just published, was a hard one to assemble. Even harder to name. "After October 7" is an impossibility. As my dear friend, Amanda Borschel-Dan said to me in a The Times of Israel podcast, "Menachem, everything is since October 7." So it is with uncertainty that I share this collection of 53 of my essays published between October 7, 2023 and October 7, 2024. But it is also with a decision.
We cannot live IN October 7, 2023.The demonstrations in Israel and the United States and around the world to Bring Them Home Now are in response, painfully marking every day without our beloveds who were stolen from us. The unfathomable strength of Hersh's parents, Rachel and Jonathan, has continued carrying us all through each of these days, even their darkest. With this in my heart, I dedicate this collection in memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, z"l. His memory will continue to be a revolution. Bring Hersh Home
It is also with amazement and gratitude that I offer this collection. To the UJA-Federation of New York family of staff, donors, and volunteer leaders, a beautiful army of angels helping to lift up the Jewish People, New York, and the whole world. We have, with incalculable fierceness and fortitude, held Am Yisrael together. Even with my intimate understanding of our work in the world, I am consistently overwhelmed by the scope, scale, and soul of our commitments. With this in my heart, I also dedicate this volume to the UJA family. A portion of the proceeds from this book will support UJA's work on behalf of Am Yisrael and the world.
As I wrote in the afterword to the collection:
"...Are we ready to make every day count? Are we ready to fight for our dignity, our bodies, and our family in Israel? Our history has taught us that the fight never truly ends. But every day, we have a choice to rise, to act, to love, to make a difference.
Let this be a year of rebuilding, of health, of strength, and of hope. Let us pray for it, and then let’s do everything in our power to make it so. Together, let’s send our hearts eastward, to Israel, where we are Lev Echad, Am Echad - One People, with One Heart.
Deep breath. Let’s begin again."
Am Yisrael Chai!
____
"In After October 7, Rabbi Menachem Creditor offers fifty-three searing and soulful reflections penned in the year following the brutal attack on the State of Israel on October 7, 2023. Through raw emotion and profound reflection, Rabbi Creditor chronicles not only the devastation and loss but also the enduring spirit of the Jewish people. His words serve as both a personal meditation and a collective call to action—an insistence that we remember, that we bear witness, and that we rise from the ashes of destruction with resilience and hope.
Rabbi Creditor's reflections draw from the heart of Jewish tradition, the commandment to never forget, and the moral duty to respond to suffering with justice and compassion. After October 7 is a powerful tribute to the unbreakable spirit of a people whose history of survival, faith, and strength illuminates a path forward in the darkest of times. Through these essays, Rabbi Creditor reminds us that bearing witness is not only a sacred responsibility, but also the foundation upon which a future of Jewish strength, peace, and justice is built."
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJVW6X33
#BringThemHomeNow #AmYisraelChai
Oct 11, 2024
Oct 9, 2024
Oct 8, 2024
One People, One Heart: The Day After One Year Later
One People, One Heart: The Day After One Year Later
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
[Note: Today’s Torah is dedicated to the UJA-Federation of New York
family. I’m always proud of the work we do, but yesterday, on the one-year anniversary of the October 7th attacks, I felt an even more overwhelming sense of pride. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers gathered in Central Park, in indoor events, and online. Fifty rabbis gathered to say Kaddish. High School choirs, David Broza, Eden Golan, and Regina Spektor sang. Survivors of the Nova massacre, parents of Hostages, and family members of those murdered one year ago shared their stories. New York’s political leadership stood in solidarity. UJA’s CEO, my beloved friend Eric Goldstein, stood at the very heart of our collective wound in Israel. He spoke with tenderness and power at the site of the Nova Music Festival about being “Lev Echad, Am Echad - One Heart, One People,” united around the world through this pain and in this healing. In this spirit, I thank the staff, donors, and volunteer leaders of UJA-Federation New York for being such a beautiful army of angels helping our whole world.]
Yesterday’s history is the Torah we live through; today’s Torah is the one we write with our lives, with our fierce determination to keep going.
The Global Jewish People has been there through every major chapter of Jewish history in the last century—helping birth the State of Israel, supporting Jews arriving in America, lifting up communities through the pandemic, and showing up on the ground for Ukraine. And now, post-October 7th, we continue to be there for Israel, over and over again.
But yesterday, watching my friend Eric Goldstein standing at Nova at Kibbutz Re’im—where our hearts were torn open—it struck me deeply. We are survivors, all of us. The dancers, the singers, the leaders—they are our rabbis today. Their survival is sacred. No, it’s not the same as those who survived the Shoah, but the reverence we give them is profoundly resonant.
Friends, as we look forward to Yom Kippur, we remember how to count our days. "Teach us to number our days, so we may attain a heart of wisdom. (Ps. 90:12)" These days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are so much more than days of repentance—they are days of repair, days of return, days of rising higher and higher.
Yesterday, I saw a community alive, even in the face of deep grief. I saw the strength of New York’s Jewish community, the love that was on full display, the beauty of interfaith unity, and the music of our youth, from high school students to college a cappella groups, lifting us all. And I was reminded again that we know how to mark time. We know how to cherish every minute.
Are we ready to make every day count? Are we ready to fight for our dignity, our bodies, and our family in Israel? Our history has taught us that the fight never truly ends. But every day, we have a choice to rise, to act, to love, to make a difference.
Let this be a year of rebuilding, of health, of strength, and of hope. Let us pray for it, and then let’s do everything in our power to make it so. Together, let’s send our hearts eastward, to Israel, where we are Lev Echad, Am Echad - One People, with One Heart.
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
[Note: Today’s Torah is dedicated to the UJA-Federation of New York
Yesterday’s history is the Torah we live through; today’s Torah is the one we write with our lives, with our fierce determination to keep going.
The Global Jewish People has been there through every major chapter of Jewish history in the last century—helping birth the State of Israel, supporting Jews arriving in America, lifting up communities through the pandemic, and showing up on the ground for Ukraine. And now, post-October 7th, we continue to be there for Israel, over and over again.
But yesterday, watching my friend Eric Goldstein standing at Nova at Kibbutz Re’im—where our hearts were torn open—it struck me deeply. We are survivors, all of us. The dancers, the singers, the leaders—they are our rabbis today. Their survival is sacred. No, it’s not the same as those who survived the Shoah, but the reverence we give them is profoundly resonant.
Friends, as we look forward to Yom Kippur, we remember how to count our days. "Teach us to number our days, so we may attain a heart of wisdom. (Ps. 90:12)" These days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are so much more than days of repentance—they are days of repair, days of return, days of rising higher and higher.
Yesterday, I saw a community alive, even in the face of deep grief. I saw the strength of New York’s Jewish community, the love that was on full display, the beauty of interfaith unity, and the music of our youth, from high school students to college a cappella groups, lifting us all. And I was reminded again that we know how to mark time. We know how to cherish every minute.
Are we ready to make every day count? Are we ready to fight for our dignity, our bodies, and our family in Israel? Our history has taught us that the fight never truly ends. But every day, we have a choice to rise, to act, to love, to make a difference.
Let this be a year of rebuilding, of health, of strength, and of hope. Let us pray for it, and then let’s do everything in our power to make it so. Together, let’s send our hearts eastward, to Israel, where we are Lev Echad, Am Echad - One People, with One Heart.
Deep breath. Let’s begin again.
Sep 29, 2024
Announcing the Publication of "Crackling and Alive"
Sep 22, 2024
the fire: a prayer in memory of those we lost on October 7 and those we've lost since
the fire: a prayer in memory of those we lost on October 7 and those we've lost since
rabbi menachem creditor
In our hearts
we now construct a holy space.
Within that space is an altar.
Upon that altar burns a fire.
It singed Isaac's body (Gen. 22:13),
and far more since.
It burned where Moses once stood (Ex. 3:2),
and has since consumed holy ground beyond measure.
Some survived being thrown into its flames (Dan. 3),
while so many others did not.
This ancient, devouring fire, when was it lit?
From whence its furious power?
It has turned since Eternity on the swords
of angels who forever mark the moment
we learned of death itself. (Gen. 3:24)
That fierce fire now lives
upon the altars within our hearts
where our lost loved ones
burn within us.
The fire has always burned.
It always will.
rabbi menachem creditor
In our hearts
we now construct a holy space.
Within that space is an altar.
Upon that altar burns a fire.
It singed Isaac's body (Gen. 22:13),
and far more since.
It burned where Moses once stood (Ex. 3:2),
and has since consumed holy ground beyond measure.
Some survived being thrown into its flames (Dan. 3),
while so many others did not.
This ancient, devouring fire, when was it lit?
From whence its furious power?
It has turned since Eternity on the swords
of angels who forever mark the moment
we learned of death itself. (Gen. 3:24)
That fierce fire now lives
upon the altars within our hearts
where our lost loved ones
burn within us.
The fire has always burned.
It always will.
Sep 18, 2024
Sep 16, 2024
Sep 13, 2024
Sep 11, 2024
Sep 10, 2024
Sep 9, 2024
Sep 2, 2024
Sep 1, 2024
Aug 29, 2024
The Call to Choose Blessing in a Broken World (Re’eh)
The Call to Choose Blessing in a Broken World (Re’eh)
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
I want to begin with something I just witnessed, and I invite you to be brave and open-hearted enough to look, to listen, and to let it in. There are still 107 hostages in Gaza, held by Hamas. Many of them are no longer alive. Yesterday, the families of these hostages traveled to the border of Gaza, calling out with loudspeakers to their loved ones. Because of my feeling of personal connection with Rachel and Jonathan, Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s parents, this morning’s experience has scarred me forever. Hearing them call out Hersh’s name broke something in me, once again.
In the ancient world, there was a practice called yelala, a wailing for the dead. Paid mourners would go to funerals to evoke the tears of the bereaved, to break through the composed and collected facades people often maintained in public. When I heard Rachel scream Hersh’s name, something in me broke again. This wasn't a paid wailing—it was a cry from the deepest part of a mother’s soul. Rachel cried out, “It’s Mama,” praying her son would hear her voice again. Please, God, let him hear those words again soon. By soon, I mean now—because it’s already too late, and yet, now.
I had planned to share some well-crafted thoughts this morning, but they’ve been scattered by the cries of those parents. Yet, there is something in this week’s parashah, Re’eh, that is crucial for us to hear. Re’eh begins with the words, “See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse. Choose the blessing, choose life. (Deut. 11:26)” As a people, as a tradition, we have always fought for life. Look at how desperately we fight for it now, even when the world criticizes us for doing what we must—what any nation would do under these circumstances. Today is not the day to discuss our imperfections, though we must always remain self-reflective, holding ourselves and our homeland accountable to be the best we can be, even as we wield power we wish we didn’t need.
Moses, at the end of his life, speaks to us about a future we are still striving to realize. He tells us there will be a day when we won’t all do what is right in our own eyes, but instead, we will have a coherent society, a shared understanding of what is right. This vision of unity is not just a dream; it is a necessity. Yet, the challenge of Re’eh is not only in the future—it is also in the present. “I place before you today a blessing and a curse.” How do we continue to choose blessing when our hearts are shattered? How do we choose life when parents are shrieking for their children still held in bondage?
We must respond to the chaos of the world not with more chaos but with love, structure, and the ethical use of power. We are called to choose blessing, to act with courage and coherence, to remember that even in our pain, we can be channels of blessing. The cries of Rachel and Jonathan at the Gaza border, the way they blessed Hersh in the midst of their agony, are a testament to the power of blessing. They raised their hands and recited the words we say every Shabbat, words they continue sending Hersh ever morning of the last 328 since he was stolen from their arms: “May God bless you and protect you. (Num. 6:24)”
This is our calling: to be blessers, to choose blessing even when it feels impossible. To stand with those in darkness and pray, act, and hope for their return. May God bless and protect them. May we be blessed to be a source of blessing. And may those still in darkness be brought home right now.
May we have the courage to choose blessing, to choose life, and to hold onto our humanity, even when the world around us seems to break apart.
Aug 23, 2024
Aug 22, 2024
A Post-October 7 Collection
A Post-October 7 Collection
(Links Below)
co-edited with Dr. Ora Horn Prouser
This year, as so many are struggling with the events of October 7, the suffering of the hostages, the tragic loss of life, and the terrifying rise of antisemitism in the United States and beyond, the texts and observances of Rosh Hashanah through Simchat Torah are open to new and difficult meanings, new interpretation, and deep connections. There are so many questions. How do we deal with the idea of Yom Hadin? How do we read Eileh Ezkerah? Unetaneh Tokef? Will we feel differently experiencing the fragility of the Sukkah? How will we dance with the Torah on a Hebrew date that reverberates with such immense pain? We will be experiencing both the secular date and Hebrew yahrzeit of the events of October 7 during the holiday season. These Holy Days is intended to support the Jewish community’s prayers and spirits through Elul and Tishrei. May the year to come find us healing, united, and strengthened. Am Yisrael Chai!
The deadly and traumatizing attacks on October 7 coincided with Simchat Torah in Israel, the very day the Torah reading cycle concludes and immediately restarts. Reading the parashah (the weekly Torah portion) and connecting lessons from the parashah to contemporary experiences have long been hallmarks of traditional Jewish practice. When synagogues gathered the Shabbat following October 7 to read Parashat Bereshit, rabbis, educators, and lay leaders alike began weaving together the unprecedented trauma and the eternal strength of Torah. A Difficult Beginning, edited by Daphne Lazar Price and Rabbi Menachem Creditor, is the first Post October 7 volume of Torah commentary, bearing spiritual testimony to a deeply difficult time in Jewish history.
"Rabbi Menachem Creditor's beautiful book, Israel Poems, evinces a deep love relationship with Israel and with the Jewish People. The poetry reveals an expressive and struggling Jewish soul, one that exhibits a keen sense of being a part of history, an appreciation of the holiness of simple day-to-day life in Israel, and yet, an understanding that nothing is simple. Rabbi Creditor's broken heart for post-October 7th Israel, for the Jewish People, and for each of us -- imbued with fear, and tinged with hope -- is a statement about where we are today as a people. His words are at once poetry and prayer, infused with echoes of our sacred literature. This poetry is a love letter to Israel, one that considers the meaning of 'home,' acknowledges pain and struggle, and looks toward an unknown and yet certain future. It is a love letter that many of us need right now." - Dr. Ora Horn Prouser, CEO and Academic Dean, Academy for Jewish Religion
“In this soulful writing, readers will find expression of feelings that they themselves hold deep inside. Rabbi Creditor evocatively blends the sacred with the mundane, echoes of the Jewish past with the blessing/challenges of a unique present, and the twin feelings of deep belonging and the yearning to belong of many diaspora Jews. This collection is a gift to so many of us, whose hearts are so filled with emotion during this painful time.” - Dr. Elana Stein Hain, Rosh Beit Midrash, Senior Research Fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
co-edited with Sarah Tuttle-Singer
The night of April 13, 2024 the People of Israel held their breath and prayed. In a world where conflict rages between communities, where uncertainty hangs heavy in the air, that night's most searched term on Google in Israel was "psalms” as the embattled nation prepared for an Iranian strike. Searching for psalms speaks to a collective yearning for solace and guidance, a longing expressed through the timeless form of prayer. In spiritual response, Sarah Tuttle-Singer and Rabbi Menachem Creditor invited writers to submit their modern-day psalms, evoking the rawness of the human experience, the ache for healing, and the yearning for illumination. Whether the words of a particular contributor echo the struggles of the past or illuminate the path towards hope amidst geopolitical tensions, Calling Out: Psalms for Today delves into the complexities of the human condition and expresses the yearnings of the human heart.
amazon.com/dp/B0CY2LW14S
co-edited with Dr. Ora Horn Prouser
Pesach (Passover) is one of the holidays that is most widely celebrated in the Jewish community. This year, as so many are struggling with the events of October 7, the tragic suffering of Israeli hostages, and the rise of Antisemitism in the United States and beyond, the texts and observances of Passover are open to new and difficult meanings, new interpretation, and deep connections. How are we thinking about the definition of freedom this year? How do we read Vehi She’amdah this year as we see on a daily basis those who “seek our destruction”? What is the new meaning in L’shanah Haba’ah B’yerushalayim as many in the American Jewish community are strengthening connections to Israel? What will we be thinking during Shfoch Chamat'cha when we struggle with the concept of calling for God’s anger against our enemies? Seder Interrupted is a timely resource for the Jewish community that will help us all to process and celebrate Pesach 2024/5784 – finding joy and allowing ourselves to experience sadness, and connecting to the Divine and each other, perhaps in different ways in the new world we are experiencing.
To Write of Love During War: Poems
amazon.com/dp/B0CVHFLPGQ
co-edited with Dr. Ora Horn Prouser
Pesach (Passover) is one of the holidays that is most widely celebrated in the Jewish community. This year, as so many are struggling with the events of October 7, the tragic suffering of Israeli hostages, and the rise of Antisemitism in the United States and beyond, the texts and observances of Passover are open to new and difficult meanings, new interpretation, and deep connections. How are we thinking about the definition of freedom this year? How do we read Vehi She’amdah this year as we see on a daily basis those who “seek our destruction”? What is the new meaning in L’shanah Haba’ah B’yerushalayim as many in the American Jewish community are strengthening connections to Israel? What will we be thinking during Shfoch Chamat'cha when we struggle with the concept of calling for God’s anger against our enemies? Seder Interrupted is a timely resource for the Jewish community that will help us all to process and celebrate Pesach 2024/5784 – finding joy and allowing ourselves to experience sadness, and connecting to the Divine and each other, perhaps in different ways in the new world we are experiencing.
To Write of Love During War: Poems
amazon.com/dp/B0CVHFLPGQ
The great Israeli poet Lea Goldberg (1911-1970) once said that "it is not only permissible for a poet to write a love poem in times of war, but a necessity." It is in that spirit that this volume of love letters from 14 poets to Am Yisrael, the Jewish People, emerged in the months since October 7, 2023, the worst day in Jewish history since the Holocaust. The poems in "To Write of Love During War" demonstrate with eloquence and raw emotionality the wounded heart, inspired defiance, and resilient spirit of the Jewish People in a very difficult time.
Am Yisrael Chai: Essays, Prayers, and Poems (Volumes One and Two)
amazon.com/dp/B0CN5YBXTT
"This remarkable book provides the reader with a capsule of one of the Jewish community’s defining moments of reckoning in the twenty-first century. ...One day, when the situation is not as dire, Am Yisrael Chai will stand as a testament to the Jewish people." - Ariella Carmell
Am Yisrael Chai is a Two-Volume emergency response anthology of voices from all over the world, grieving and writhing from the horrors perpetrated upon the State of Israel on Simchat Torah 5784, October 7, 2023. (Reviewed by Jewish Book Council, JewishForward, JewishSF)
Aug 21, 2024
I see their eyes and my broken heart is on fire.
I was feeling tired, so I was going to go to sleep early. Call it a night. Relax. But I opened YouTube. Maybe a funny clip or two before bed.
I look at my phone and I see Rachel and Jonathan, once again ripping their hearts out of their bodies and speaking eloquently and clearly on yet another world stage, asking, demanding, pleading for their son's life.
It's become so normal-feeling to take off my now-rusty Hostages dog tag and my yellow #BringThemHomeNow bracelet before I lay down. They're the first things I put on in the morning. Three hundred and twenty days later the horrific has become ritual, routine. No. NO. Suddenly I am shocked into remembering this is not the way it once was, and the world as it is is not acceptable. This horror is blasphemous. I am shocked out of the encroaching normalcy of it all.
I was feeling tired.
But what do I know about tired?
Rachel and Jonathan are my peers. We've met.
Their son Hersh is my children's age.
They are me. He is me.
I clutch my own chest as Rachel clutches hers.
I call my children just to tell them I love them.
I'm not tired any more.
I see their eyes and my broken heart is on fire.
What next?
#BRINGTHEMHOMENOW
It's become so normal-feeling to take off my now-rusty Hostages dog tag and my yellow #BringThemHomeNow bracelet before I lay down. They're the first things I put on in the morning. Three hundred and twenty days later the horrific has become ritual, routine. No. NO. Suddenly I am shocked into remembering this is not the way it once was, and the world as it is is not acceptable. This horror is blasphemous. I am shocked out of the encroaching normalcy of it all.
I was feeling tired.
But what do I know about tired?
Rachel and Jonathan are my peers. We've met.
Their son Hersh is my children's age.
They are me. He is me.
I clutch my own chest as Rachel clutches hers.
I call my children just to tell them I love them.
I'm not tired any more.
I see their eyes and my broken heart is on fire.
What next?
#BRINGTHEMHOMENOW
Aug 20, 2024
Aug 19, 2024
Aug 16, 2024
Aug 9, 2024
Anticipatory Grief and the Command to Hope ( #Devarim #ShabbatChazon )
Special shout out to my friend Rabbi Melanie Levav for her insights on this week's Parsha and Shabbat Chazon on #MyJewishLearning: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/parashat-devarim-anticipatory-grief/
#Devarim #ShabbatChazon #ShabbatShalom #Day308 #Broadcast1112 #BringThemHomeNow #AmYisraelChai💙🇮🇱
Aug 7, 2024
Aug 6, 2024
Aug 5, 2024
Aug 2, 2024
Jul 26, 2024
Jul 24, 2024
Jul 23, 2024
Jul 19, 2024
A Blessing for this Shabbat (Balak 5784/2024)
In the face of instability in the world, both in Israel and for the Jewish people globally, we hold onto Torah. This week's portion, Balak, features the mercenary prophet Balaam, who is hired to curse the Israelites. Yet, when he stands overlooking our people, he is compelled to bless us instead, saying, "How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel" (Numbers 24:5). This verse, traditionally recited upon entering a synagogue, reminds us to see the beauty of Jewish community, Jewish resilience, and Jewish spirit.
This is a reflection of who we are at our core. Despite unceasing adversity, we build homes with dignity and care, with respect and love. 30 years after the terrorist bombing of AMIA (Argentina's Jewish Community Center), the beauty of Jewish community is seen in our determination to live, love, and support one another. This resilience was epitomized yet again this week by the dedication of a new Torah by Jonathan and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Hersh's loving parents, in a moving communal ceremony of faith and global Jewish unity and perseverance for the merit of the return of every hostage. We all, as their extended family, held onto Torah - and each other.
We live in a world that often feels unstable, but our spirits are unbroken. We are a people who choose life, who find joy in the midst of sorrow, and who support one another fiercely. Our traditions and community provide us with strength and resilience.
We are truly beautiful. Am Yisrael Chai!
Shabbat Shalom.
Jul 18, 2024
Jul 17, 2024
The Jerusalem Youth Chorus performs “Home” by Phillip Phillips (America's Got Talent)
There aren't words to describe the sanctification of God's Holy Name these children poured forth, under the guidance of my visionary friend Micah Hendler, founder of The Jerusalem Youth Chorus. Last night's rendition of Home on America's Got Talent, pierced every heart. With #BringThemHomeNow earrings and necklaces and souls that contain all of humanity, these beautiful young people offered hope and love on one of the world's biggest stages. May we be open and wise enough to let this in. Please watch this. Please share with others. We need this so very badly.
for the JTA News story about their performance: https://www.jta.org/2024/07/17/culture/jerusalem-youth-chorus-advances-on-americas-got-talent-with-performance-of-home
Jul 15, 2024
Jul 12, 2024
Jul 11, 2024
Jul 9, 2024
Jul 4, 2024
Jul 2, 2024
Jul 1, 2024
Jun 28, 2024
Jun 26, 2024
Jun 25, 2024
Pride Month: A Jewish Celebration
Pride Month: A Jewish Celebration
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
As we celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month, we reflect upon the tapestry of identities and expressions that make our community vibrant and whole. From a Jewish perspective, this month serves as a poignant reminder of our commitment to the principles of justice, dignity, and inclusivity embedded in our sacred texts and traditions.
Our tradition teaches us that every human being is created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. This divine spark within each of us calls us to honor and celebrate the diversity of God's creation. LGBTQ Pride Month is a time to affirm this principle loudly and clearly, ensuring that all members of our community feel seen, valued, and loved.
Jewish history is enriched by the contributions of LGBTQ individuals who have paved the way for a more inclusive and just world. We honor the legacy of Jewish trailblazers such as Magnus Hirschfeld, the physician and sexologist who founded the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, one of the first organizations to advocate for LGBTQ rights. We remember Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, whose courage and advocacy continue to inspire us. And we celebrate the ongoing work of contemporary leaders like my dear friends Rabbi Denise L. Eger and Rabbi Aaron Weininger, soulful trailblazers in LGBTQ advocacy within the Jewish community and the broader world.
These individuals and many others have shown us that being true to oneself is an act of profound faith and courage. Their stories teach us that our community's strength lies in our diversity, and that our collective voice is most powerful when it includes and amplifies the voices of all its members, each a refraction of the Infinite Divine.
In the spirit of our Jewish values, we must not only include but also actively amplify LGBTQ voices in our communal and religious leadership. Our tradition calls us to pursue justice, as stated in Deuteronomy 16:20, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof” (Justice, justice shall you pursue). This pursuit is not passive; it demands action, advocacy, and allyship. It requires us to create spaces where LGBTQ individuals can lead with authenticity and where their contributions are celebrated.
We must recognize that the moral urgency of this moment extends beyond mere inclusion. It is about ensuring that LGBTQ Jews have equal opportunities to shape the future of our communities. This means supporting LGBTQ individuals in their journey to become rabbis, educators, and leaders. It means creating policies and practices within our institutions that reflect our commitment to equality and justice. And it means standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ community in the face of ongoing discrimination and violence. We must each do our part to build a community where everyone can live with dignity and pride.
As we celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month, let us reaffirm our commitment to these values. Let us honor the legacy of those who have fought for equality and justice, and let us pledge to continue their work. May we be inspired by their courage, and may we strive to create a world where every individual is recognized as a reflection of the Divine, worthy of love, respect, and celebration.
In this sacred work, we find not only the true essence of Jewish tradition but also the path to a more just and compassionate world. Happy Pride Month, and may we all continue to be blessed with the strength to pursue justice, love, and equality for all!
Jun 19, 2024
Jun 17, 2024
Jun 11, 2024
Jun 10, 2024
Olam Chesed Yibaneh (featuring Moshe Creditor and Raya Creditor - June 4, 20224)
This moment from Tuesday evening's UJA-Federation Israel Matters celebration, singing Olam Chesed Yibaneh with two of my children, will last within me forever. They are my why. And more, and more, they also become how we will build this world from love.
Jun 7, 2024
Jun 4, 2024
Jun 3, 2024
May 19, 2024
Letter to the Forward in response to "Whose art is it anyway? Inside the cultural battle between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters"
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
May 19, 2024
May 17, 2024
May 16, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 12, 2024
May 8, 2024
May 7, 2024
May 3, 2024
Apr 26, 2024
Apr 18, 2024
NEW BOOK! Calling Out: Psalms for Today
co-edited with Sarah Tuttle-Singer
Apr 17, 2024
Apr 15, 2024
Apr 10, 2024
Apr 8, 2024
Apr 7, 2024
Apr 4, 2024
Mar 29, 2024
Mar 27, 2024
Mar 24, 2024
"VICTORY": A Purim Message
"VICTORY": A Purim Message
So many messages this Purim have been screaming out from the text, not the least of which is that the great victory Esther achieved was that, “...the king permitted the Jews of every city to assemble and fight for their lives. (Est. 8:11)” A Jewish right to self-defense is not an insignificant triumph, especially in an upside-down world like ours. But it is worthy of note - and a clarion call for vigilance - that a sacred text long understood as an absurd political satire still rings so true.
(Text below, with thanks to Sefaria)
————————————————————
וַיִּקָּרְא֣וּ סֹפְרֵֽי־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ בָּֽעֵת־הַ֠הִ֠יא בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ סִיוָ֗ן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה וְעֶשְׂרִים֮ בּוֹ֒ וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה מׇרְדֳּכַ֣י אֶל־הַיְּהוּדִ֡ים וְאֶ֣ל הָאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִֽים־וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ וְשָׂרֵ֨י הַמְּדִינ֜וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ מֵהֹ֣דּוּ וְעַד־כּ֗וּשׁ שֶׁ֣בַע וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּמֵאָה֙ מְדִינָ֔ה מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם כִּלְשֹׁנ֑וֹ וְאֶ֨ל־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים כִּכְתָבָ֖ם וְכִלְשׁוֹנָֽם׃
So the king’s scribes were summoned at that time, on the twenty-third day of the third month, that is, the month of Sivan; and letters were written, at Mordecai’s dictation, to the Jews and to the satraps, the governors and the officials of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Nubia: to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
וַיִּכְתֹּ֗ב בְּשֵׁם֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹ֔שׁ וַיַּחְתֹּ֖ם בְּטַבַּ֣עַת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח סְפָרִ֡ים בְּיַד֩ הָרָצִ֨ים בַּסּוּסִ֜ים רֹכְבֵ֤י הָרֶ֙כֶשׁ֙ הָֽאֲחַשְׁתְּרָנִ֔ים בְּנֵ֖י הָֽרַמָּכִֽים׃
He had them written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet. Letters were dispatched by mounted couriers, riding steeds used in the king’s service, bred of the royal stud,
אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לַיְּהוּדִ֣ים ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּכׇל־עִיר־וָעִ֗יר לְהִקָּהֵל֮ וְלַעֲמֹ֣ד עַל־נַפְשָׁם֒ לְהַשְׁמִיד֩ וְלַהֲרֹ֨ג וּלְאַבֵּ֜ד אֶת־כׇּל־חֵ֨יל עַ֧ם וּמְדִינָ֛ה הַצָּרִ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם טַ֣ף וְנָשִׁ֑ים וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃
to this effect: The king has permitted the Jews of every city to assemble and fight for their lives; if any people or province attacks them, they may destroy, massacre, and exterminate its armed force together with women and children, and plunder their possessions—
בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד בְּכׇל־מְדִינ֖וֹת הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר׃
on a single day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar.
https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.8.12
https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.8.11
https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.8.10
https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.8.9
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Rabbi David Wolpe in WashingtonPost.com: "Divorce is a death" Rabbi David Wolpe http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/...
-
A new Bigger on the Inside post: #Hook - "There You Are" "There you are, Peter!" Over time, our eyes can become dim. ...
-
MomentMag: On Fire with Love and Ecstasy Jay Michaelson http://www.momentmag.com/Exclusive/2009/2009-12/200912-Speaking_Volumes.html ...
