Today's date and time:

Sermon for Sidra Behaalosecho
June 2007
by Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman

What's happening in the world?

As we are about to celebrate the secular calendar date for the Six Day War and the reunification of Jerusalem, we see noch a call for a boycott of Israel - this time from academics - members from the Union of Universities and Colleges who wish to support the Palestinian Trade Unions boycott. As reported in the JC, Israel was accused of ethnic cleansing, barbaric colonization and apartheid with regards to the Palestinians. How absurd and how ridiculous. How sad. We are truly living in a dangerous time where anti-semitism is out there being used under the guise of attacking the State of Israel, in the cause of defending the so-called helpless Palestinians.

Why are these people so oblivious to the dreadful spilling of Jewish blood in Israel? Why are these critics so blind that they cannot see the true facts? Why do they not understand the right for Israel to have safe borders to defend themselves from enemies who attack them? Didn't Israel leave Gaza, dismantle all the Jewish settlements as part of an agreement - and now they shoot rockets over daily? Didn't they call for Land for Peace - and they still stand accused!!! What do these people want?!! - Their pound of Jewish flesh or another holocaust to cleanse the world of the Jews and their Jewish State?

Wednesday night we had a meeting here of the Three Faiths Forum. The Reverend from the Church of England who chaired the meeting referred several times to his time spent in Palestine. In the end - I'd had enough - how much of this do you need to take? So I interrupted him - I was quite angry - and I said you don't look old enough to have been in Israel before 1948 - so why are you calling it Palestine?!! Afterwards a number of people had a go at him. Apparently he was in Jennin - so he thought it was politically correct to call it Palestine!!! So I said call it the West Bank or even the occupied territories or why not Jordan - but Palestine!!! He was unaware it was offensive to call it Palestine !!! Ribono Shel Olam!!!

But Lebanon which does operate a state of apartheid and colonization is OK. On May 21st one of the large refugee camps in NAHR EL-Bared came under siege from the Lebanese Armed Forces - 70,000 troops noch - Why? there was some violent unrest in the camp. Many have been killed including UN workers. So where's the world condemnation? Did you know there were 350,000 refugees in camps in Lebanon? Did you know that they have no citizen rights in Lebanon? So, where are the boycotts and all the world condemnation?

Oye are we the Am Levadad Yishkon - A people who dwells alone - words uttered by Bilaam Harasha - wicked Balaam - whose desire it was to annihilate our ancestors in their sojourn in the wilderness on their way from Egypt to seek refuge in the Promised Land!!!

Did you know that Jordan also has over 300,000 Palestinian refugees and Syria around 120,000 refugees? And did you know most of them have been there since 1948!!! Nearly 60 years!!! So where are all the humane critics of Israel, these great people who are fighting the cause of the Palestinians? The Palestinian problem has been around for a long time, but it's convenient to make Israel the scapegoat and ignore the real problem. And a problem it certainly is.

Oye - we are Am Levadad Yishkon - A people who dwells alone.

Our sidra opens with the words to Aharon on his mitzvah of lighting the menorah in the Mishkan - the Tabernacle. The word used is Behaalosecha - when you cause the lights to go up. Our Rabbis derived from here that Aharon had to ascend a step to be elevated when he performed the will of the Almighty to kindle the spiritual beacon of light in the Temple which was to be a light to all humanity.

So too we Jews must elevate ourselves - to rise above - to be elevated as a beacon of light unto the nations. May G-d truly elevate his people - speedily in our day - that we may see justice and Godliness in this world and among its nations - with the coming of the Moshiach,
Amen.