Keith's Message

Connecting the Dots 

Passover and its lessons are held dear by peoples and faiths throughout the world.  The Jews’ Exodus from Egypt and transition from slavery to freedom is considered, by many, a universal story.  (See Michael Walzer’s Exodus and Revolution) 

Yet, Passover doesn’t stand on its own.  We often think of holidays as points on a calendar.  Yet the time between Pesach and Shavuot is unique.  There is a built-in connection between the two chagim; the date of Shavuot is the only holiday defined in relation to another, which is reflected in the counting of the Omer.  

Paul Klee wrote: A line is a dot that went for a walk.   

We can trace some our progression as a people, and what makes the Jewish narrative unique, through this journey.  Like the dot that went for a walk…let’s connect some dots.   

We start with the Exodus, yetziat mitzrayim, which we retell in the Haggadah during Pesach.  While independence was likely always the aim and the Jewish people needed to be removed from Egypt, Moshe’s original request of Pharaoh was presented as a 3-day journey to worship our God.  If there were an ancient version of WAZE, Mt. Sinai was ostensibly a pit stop.  But what happened there is much more significant than that.   

So…what did we do with our new-found “freedom” after Egypt?  We took on an obligation and accepted the Torah.  There’s a profound message here – that freedom isn’t the endgame.  Or, in the immortal words of Pippin: if you’re never tied to anything you’ll never be free.  Bottom line – what sets us apart is that we are a people with a purpose.   

That perspective isn’t just about having a mission or a set of goals; nor is it about following a tradition with its memories, rituals, and meshugas (though that helps).  It’s about centering oneself in a worldview and framework oriented around this purpose and our people.  It’s the lens through which we see the world. 

Such a particular perspective is not the norm in today’s world, where everyone seems to aspire to be part of a universal culture or framework.  The Jewish approach is counter-cultural.  While elements of our “shtick” may have entered the mainstream, our somewhat outsider perspective and point of view has been integral to our people’s survival and strength. 

We can see other key points along our journey during the Omer.  These “Yoms” each have an important message that ties into the narrative and identity of the Jewish people (which I won’t get into here…think of it as a thought exercise 😊 ).   

From the tragedy of the Holocaust, marked by Yom HaShoah, to the heroism and sacrifice of those who gave their lives for the establishment of the modern State of Israel on Yom HaZikaron to the celebration of 77 years since the creation of the State on Yom HaAtzmaut.   

A bit later on we have Lag BaOmer, which commemorates (among other things) the end of a plague that decimated Rabbi Akiva’s students.  The plague was brought on by lack of respect for one another.  And towards the end of our counting we have Yom Yerushalayim, a day marking the reunification of Jerusalem on the Hebrew calendar.   

Which brings us to Shavuot…  On Pesach we say, Next Year in Jerusalem.  On Shavuot, when we mark the giving of the Torah, Jews are envisioned to be at home in the promised land.  But the message conveyed by this holiday isn’t just that “we’ve arrived” at the end of our journey.  It’s a more global, spiritual message.   

Shavuot is the holiday where we bring the bikkurim, our first fruits – both to thank the Creator of the world and to place Jerusalem in the center of our communal lives.  This annual pilgrimage ensured that Yerushalayim would remain at the heart of the Jewish people, as well as ensuring that Jews from all places and perspectives would interact and unite in service to HaShem.   

This presents a vision for building an ideal society, which can serve as an example and model for the rest of the world.  That is the “universal” message of Judaism – NOT blurring boundaries and mushing different perspectives, beliefs, and practices all together.   

This is something for us to take to heart as we look at cultural trends and how Jews today, especially younger ones, approach their connection to the Jewish people.  Thankfully, there is more to go on our journey as a people and many dots still to connect.  But one thing is for sure – the path forward isn’t always straight or clear. 

With that, I want to share a poem from Yehuda Amichai in honor of Yom Yerushalayim. 

 “Why is Yerushalayim always two, the celestial and the earthly 

I want to live in Yerushalayim the middle 

Without banging my head up above and without stubbing my foot down below 

And why is Yerushalayim in the language of pairs like hands and feet 

I want to live in only one Yerushal 

Because I am only one and not two” 

-- Yehuda Amichai, translated by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfeld 

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support for the Jewish Federation. 

Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director