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February 2, 2022
OPINIONS
STL
Viewpoints expressed in letters, commentaries, cartoons and other opinion pieces reflect those of the writer or artist, and not those of the Light. We welcome submissions of letters and commentaries to: news@stljewishlight.org
BY STACEY NEWMAN
From left: Stacey Newman, Kendall Martinez-Wright, Tyler McClay (Missouri Catholic Conference), Jessica Piper, Rabbi Chaim Landa, Noah Kleinlehrer, Rep. Adam Schwadron, Helen Turner (St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum), Allysa Banford (JCRC), Amy Lutz (Holocaust Museum), Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh (Temple Emanuel) and Robert Kleinlehrer. ing testimony, as did Rabbi Chaim Landa of the Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles. Retired high school teacher Jessica Piper drove eight hours from her northwest rural farm to tell the committee: “I’ve taught the story of Anne Frank and ‘Night’ by Elie Wiesel, teaching tough literature because stepping into someone else’s shoes and seeing the world through marginalized eyes leads to empathy, understanding and, often, solidarity.” I testified on behalf of my husband, Burt, who, as a second-generation Holocaust survivor, regularly spoke to school and faith groups at the Holocaust museum in St. Louis. It was my first time back in the Missouri Capitol in three years, and I spoke of the survival story of
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‘Never again’: Bill would expand Holocaust education in Missouri Sometimes, in the darkest of times, there appears a small flickering light. Last week, I was honored to be among a formidable group that testified in the state capital in favor of HB2000, a bill promoting a week of (age appropriate) Holocaust education in Missouri public schools. It is sponsored by Rep. Adam Schwadron, R-St. Charles, one of two Jewish members in the state House. Each person testifying had a powerful story. As I scanned the faces of those on the House committee for reactions, I saw a softening, a recognition of humanity. Yes, a few members also were advancing bills to ban “uncomfortable” books and the teaching of accurate history. Noah Kleinlehrer, a senior at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS), brought the Holocaust bill idea to Schwadron. HB2000 would expand the Missour i Holocaust Education Commission statute signed into law in 2006. Noah was the first to testify, telling the story of his grandfather’s survival, the impetus for his bill, as his proud parents, Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh Kleinlehrer of Temple Emanuel and Robert Kleinlehrer, watched. Noah was emphatic. “I believe we must make ‘never again’ a reality,” he said. “If we stay silent and do not act, we validate the very essence of the ‘final solution,’ which is apathy, to turn a blind eye and to forget.” Helen Turner of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and Allyssa Banford of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) also gave inspir-
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Burt’s grandmother, Sophie Neumann, whom Burt and his cousin Ellen Mandel have immortalized in a treasured family book. I showed the committee a copy of Sophie’s handwritten list of her sisters and their respective death camps, most murdered at Auschwitz-Birkinau. Our collective testimonies included the names of family members who were among the six million Jews taken from their homes, marched to starvation and gassed, the majority at AuschwitzBirkinau. We emphasized the unimaginable horrors, even though it was uncomfortable to hear. We were determined to appeal to the committee’s hearts, knowing that many had never met a Jewish person or knew much about the Holocaust.
Stacey Newman, a former Missouri state representative, is the executive director of ProgressWomen, a statewide social justice group focused on justice and equality issues. Because few survivors are alive today, we were firm that our collective voices must overpower Holocaust deniers. As a former House member, I can’t recall that many Jewish professionals ever testifying together during a hearing, particularly to a body that frequently uses inflammatory Nazi slurs and Holocaust references in bill debates. I vividly recall that during a hearing before a committee on which I served, a skinhead wannabe wildly invoked the Holocaust. I waited for the committee chair or anyone to shut down his ugly words. No one did. So, I did. I will never forget the look of horror on the faces of people in the room, many of whom knew I was the only Jew on that committee and the intended target. Last week, we saw a glimmer of hope in that Jefferson City basement hearing room amid increasing antisemitic threats to synagogues, neighborhoods and families. We explained that Jews live in fear in Missouri, as they do across the nation. As emotional as it was to be there, we insisted that these threats have to stop. We defiantly said that antisemitism must be overpowered. Twenty-two states, including Texas, Florida and Arkansas, have recently signed similar Holocaust education bills into law. Schwadron, who grew up at Temple Israel in St. Louis, believes strongly that HB2000 can be passed into law in Missouri. I’ve vowed to help him do just that. “Never again” is not just a slogan or a hashtag. It’s our mission.
D’VAR TORAH
Parashat Terumah: Where is God to be found? BY NEAL ROSE
The Rebbe of Kotzk was once asked: “Where is God to be found?” He famously answered” God is found wherever we let God in.” At first the question seems to be about a specific geographic location (like a synagogue, a temple, or another sacred space). This week’s Torah reading (Parashat Terumah) tells us that letting the Divine into our lives is related to how we conduct ourselves (ie. the way we relate to others) rather than where. Previous Torah readings dealt with the origins and history of our people. However, beginning with this Parasha (Terumah) we learn about the construction of the portable sanctuary or the tabernacle (known in Hebrew as the Mishkan). The Hebrew term Mishkan, most likely is derived from the Hebrew root meaning “to dwell” or “to live in”, indicating a place that is fit to receive the Presence of the Holy One. Whenever our people travelled, they broke the portable sanctuary apart, and when they arrived at their location it was, once again, erected according to the Divine blueprint. Then it was ready to welcome the Presence into its midst. Because it was such an important project one might have believed that each individual had to contribute a specific amount.
Or, perhaps, there might have been a sliding scale based on the wealth or the size of each family. Yet, this was not the case. Rather, it was left to the choice of each individual donor. Perhaps this was because the tabernacle was such a sacred space, one that should be available to each individual equally. Therefore every person had to feel comfortable with their donation, so that they did not feel alienated from the very structure they were building. When read in the original Hebrew the point is made even more clearly - it says everyone should donate according to “the generosity of their heart” (Yidvenu Libo), since unless the heart is in it, they will not feel connected to what others regard as the house of God. The teachers of the Jewish ethical discipline know as Mussar see this text as a paradigm for the Middah known as Nidivut, generosity of soul. The spirituality of generosity extends not only to the giving of money or other possessions, generosity of soul extends to to the way we make ourselves available to all of life. The Mussar teachers understand generosity as an aspect of the Divine (Chesed) and therefore when we behave in a generous way we are, in fact, acting like God:or as the Kotzker Rebbe said,”we are making room for God” … allowing God to enter.
Rabbi Neal Rose serves Congregation B’nai Amoona and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light. Our family has been in mourning since the death of our dear friend, Rabanit Malka Goodman. Malka and my wife Carol have been friends since they were both 12 years old. Malka and her late husband, Rabbi Philip Goodman, shared a wide range of life‘s experiences with us. Malka died quite suddenly about a month ago. Due to COVID we attended several evenings of shiva, via Zooom. During those condolence visits we heard the stories of many of Malka’s students in both the early years program, and in the Hebrew school where she taught for many years. Among the mourners were several of the children of her former students.They were her students as well! And in the memories from these multigenerational students we heard how Malka was a master of the soul trait known as Nidivut, generosity of the soul. Malka was the person other teachers went to when they were unable to deal with
difficult students. One such student, now a rabbi himself, told us that Malka welcomed him with unconditional love and acceptance: “She was my first spiritual master,” he said, “my Rebbe of love.” When the young man finished his reflections his wife spoke softly and tearfully. It seems that at an early stage in their married life they encountered very serious issues and they almost broke up. The young wife, knowing how much her husband valued Malka’s opinion, turned to her for couple counseling. After sharing her own personal experience with marital issues, the young woman came to understand the nature of her husband’s behavior. Subsequently they returned to their marriage and they are now the parents of two sweet children. Both were so thankful to Malka. Another story about the beauty of this generous soul was shared by a young women who also spoke of Malka’s ability to love those she taught. At the conclusion of her remarks she introduced us to a newborn baby: please welcome our little daughter, Malka, she said. I share these stories with you because Malka Goodman’s generosity of soul, for me, is a powerful example of how Niddivut, human generosity, allows us to experience the presence of the Divine in the midst of the world we inhabit. May her memory continue to be a blessing. Shabbat Shalom.
