Core Identity of the Jewish People

As we approach the holiday of Shavuos, the anniversary of the Jewish People receiving the eternal covenant from G-d, known as the Torah, it's important to reflect on our identity. Judaism is not a classical religion in the sense of a set of beliefs that all of its members adhere to. In contrast to other major religions, such as Christianity or Islam, if one rejects the core tenets of those faiths, they will no longer be a Christian or Muslim. Judaism has no such exit clause. One can say they don't believe in G-d or the Torah, and one is still considered Jewish. Judaism is also not a nationality in the traditional sense, as there are American Jews, Iranian Jews, and even Fijian Jews. Judaism is also not a race, as there are White Jews, Black Jews, Hispanic Jews, Asian Jews, etc. If Judaism is not a classical religion, nationality, or race, then as the caterpillar asked Alice in Alice in Wonderland, “Who are You?” ​ Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, one of the greatest Rabbis in our history, wrote the following in the ninth century. Unlike other nations of the world, defined by geographic borders, shared ethnicity, language, or political sovereignty, the Jewish people exist solely because of their adherence to divine law. Because the Jewish people were given the Torah in the wilderness before they had a land or a state, Rabbi Saadiah Gaon argued that their identity transcends geography. The Jewish people are intrinsically tied together by their shared religious and ethical obligations. They are a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" unified by their spiritual mission and collective destiny. His spiritual definition of nationhood was the exact mechanism that allowed Jews to survive thousands of years in exile. Dispersed among other nations and stripped of a homeland, the Jewish people remained unified by their shared covenant, laws, and ritual practices, preventing them from simply blending into the broader populations. ​ The Talmud teaches that the word Sinai is associated with the word Sinah (transliterated from original Hebrew, or hatred. It was at that time that the original Jew hatred was known as antisemitism. For thousands of years, we have been hated by so many precisely because we accepted this eternal covenant from G-d. As we once again celebrate this moment's anniversary, it's important to lean into our core identity and proudly recognize the unique nature of the Jewish people. Have a Peaceful Shavuos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Shabbos 250

We are living in extraordinarily historic times. President Trump, in his declaration of May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month, extolled the contributions of Jewish Americans in shaping the America of today. He also called upon the Jewish People to observe this coming Shabbos in honor of the upcoming 250th anniversary of this great republic. He wrote, “Jewish Americans are encouraged to observe a national Sabbath. From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation. This day will recognize the sacred Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to the Almighty.” It’s hard to overstate the historic implications of this moment. As a people that have an acute case of PTSD from centuries of outright Jew hatred, this is something we are not used to. In our history of bouncing around from country to country in the diaspora, in the best of times, we were tolerated. In the worst of times, we were massacred and had genocide inflicted upon us. It’s hard to recall a moment when Jews were ever congratulated or celebrated for holding steadfast to our faith. Earlier generations of Jewish immigrants who arrived in America were forced to choose every Friday at sundown between making a living and keeping their faith. In 2023, in a landmark case, Groff v. DeJoy, the Supreme Court unanimously strengthened workplace religious protections, ruling that employers must show a "substantial increased cost" to deny a religious accommodation. This decision rejected the previous "de minimis" (minimal) cost standard, making it easier for employees—including those observing Shabbos—to receive accommodation. Last week's Parsha discussed the Jubilee year in ancient times. The Torah records, "Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof." These sacred words are etched on the iconic Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. It’s no coincidence that a primary American icon features a verse from the Torah. The founders of America were greatly influenced by the Hebrew Bible and still feel that way today. Indeed, the United States is one of the very few countries in the world to mandate the word of G-d on its currency. The Jewish People have journeyed for thousands of years to cities such as Sura, Pumbadisa, Athens, and Rome. We have been met with persecution, hostility, and violence by the vast majority at these stops along our journey. America has demonstrated in word and deed that being a patriotic American and an observant Jew are not mutually exclusive. As we gather around our Shabbos tables and raise our glasses for Kiddush, let us be thankful to G-d for bestowing the gift of America on the world. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Values vs. Feelings

If your dog and a stranger were both drowning, and you could only save one, whom should you save? This hypothetical question is posed by Dennis Prager in his recent book, “If There Is No God: The Battle of Who Defines Good and Evil.” Prager uses this example to highlight the difference between making a decision based on values vs. feelings. While one’s feelings would more likely lead him to save his dog, as he has a personal relationship with it, one’s values would lead him to choose the opposite. Values might lead a person to save a human life despite not having a prior relationship with him, because human life has a higher moral status. This moral thought experiment is instructive as our Western sensitivities push back when we perceive that values are imposing on our feelings. I recently heard someone advocate a controversial position on a certain issue and asked them to explain the reason for it. He replied, “My compass in this matter is common sense and fairness.” Who can possibly disagree with common sense and fairness? The challenge with that argument, especially when it’s based on feelings, is that they are subjective and usually based on personal emotions, attachments, and instincts. On the other hand, values are moral principles that should guide behavior even when emotions pull in another direction. ​ As a community of faith steeped in a tradition dating back over 3,300 years to Mt. Sinai, we received our values through the divine transmission of the Torah. In Pirkei Avos, the section of the Mishna which teaches us about ethics and moral conduct, the Mishna begins with the following words: משֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי. Translation: “Moshe received the Torah at Sinai.” One of the primary commentators on the Mishna, Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura, writes the following. “ The principles and morals which are in this tractate were not fabricated by the hearts of the Mishna’s sages; rather, they too were stated at Sinai.” In other words, all of the ethical teachings of Judaism are not just feelings of well-intentioned people. It comes from the Divine source that we received at Sinai when we accepted this eternal covenant. Our Parsha this week is called Behar, which literally means "at the mountain." For thousands of years, the big and little decisions we have made as a people have been driven by the values we received at Sinai. Perhaps, now more than ever, we need to be reminded of this timeless wisdom. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Sitting Shiva on an Empire

“A man whose job is to do nothing in particular and to do it very well.” This quote has been to describe the King of England. There has been a lot of attention paid to King Charles this week as he paid an official state visit to the United States. The British Monarchy is a most interesting institution as it’s largely ceremonial with little practical authority. The cost of funding the royals' lifestyle is not cheap. According to many estimates, the total annual public cost could exceed $ 600 million once security and related expenses are included. Many have observed that this is a boatload of money to spend on a ceremonial Head of State who is busy kissing boo-boos of children. Far be it from an outsider like me to weigh in on such an important issue. Over the course of King Charles' visit, I have been reflecting on Britain's significant contribution to world civilization. There have definitely been very positive influences from Britain over the years. The Magna Carta, issued in 1215, influenced the development of American constitutional ideas, including principles later reflected in the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Legal researchers have found that the Magna Carta has been cited more than 100 times in Supreme Court opinions. Over the centuries, the British exerted a positive influence worldwide. For example, the British ended the practice of Sati in India in the 19th century. Sati was a practice in parts of India in which a widow was burned alive on or beside her deceased husband’s funeral pyre. The reasoning behind this was that a woman had no value if their husband was no longer. When the Indians resisted ending Sati and claimed it was their tradition, Charles James Napier, a British Governor, had the following response. “You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn women alive, we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom.” The practice of Sati quickly ended. Of course, we can never forget the influence and leadership of Winston Churchill, who rallied the West to defeat the Nazis. ​ Over the recent decades and years, Britain has regressed in its positive influence on civilization. Once an empire, it is now a mere shadow of its glorious past. More troubling is its recent turns towards Islamization. It was jolting to see last year an individual scale the iconic Big Ben statue and drape a keffiyeh and a Palestinian flag on this historic structure. While one incident may not tell the whole story, it’s certainly an anecdote that captures the climate of extremism gripping the United Kingdom. This week, a terrorist stabbed two Jews in a prominent Jewish neighborhood in broad daylight. The nation that was a haven for Jews for so many years has turned upside down. As Britain continues to go down the abyss, it may be time to sit Shiva on this once mighty empire. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Is the United States on its way to abandoning Israel?

In what seems like a lifetime ago, in 2014, Israel was waging war against Hamas in Gaza. Israel reached out to the United States, and the U.S. Senate held a vote on whether to provide its beleaguered ally in the Middle East with military assistance. The vote passed unanimously. Last week, the Senate voted on whether to send bombs and bulldozers to Israel. The vote on the bombs had 36 senators vote to block sending them, while the vote on the bulldozers had 40 senators vote to block sending them. It’s worth noting what these bulldozers are primarily used for. A major function is neutralizing improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Bulldozers can push through or trigger explosives safely. It is also used to clear paths for troops. In dense urban areas like Gaza, streets can be blocked or deliberately obstructed, so bulldozers help create access routes during operations. There have been far too many funerals of young soldiers in the IDF who have been killed because a bulldozer was not there to neutralize an explosive device in urban combat. The ask for these bulldozers was apparently too much for these 40 senators. It should be worth noting that several of those senators who voted to oppose the aid to Israel were Jewish, and the senator from Vermont who led the effort to oppose the aid was also Jewish in name only. ​ One does not have to be a political analyst to observe this seismic shift. It was once a given that America’s support for Israel was rock solid and bipartisan. While the current administration has been strongly supportive of Israel, we are seeing large swaths of our elected officials, mainly from one party, abandon the Jewish State. ​ There is a part of me that finds this reassuring. The Torah refers to the Jewish people as הֶן־עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב. Translation: “ They are a nation that lives in solitude, and amongst the nations they are not counted.” For some time, we had deluded ourselves into believing that with the modern Jewish State, we had permanently turned a corner on hostility to the Jewish People. It is now all too apparent that despite all of the major contributions of Israel to the world in so many areas, from medicine, agriculture, hi-tech, and so much more, it will always be viewed with suspicion as the Jew among the nations. Israel just celebrated its 78th anniversary as a modern state, although the Jewish connection to the Land was established nearly 4,000 years ago. It is in the subconscious of so many people and nations to be unforgiving to us for having the audacity to claim this territory as our ancestral land. The reason that the Jewish People have merited this privilege is that the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has declared that the descendants of these Patriarchs should inherit the land. For thousands of years, our ancestors fantasized about having the privilege of being Next Year in Jerusalem. For the seven million (and growing) of our brothers and sisters, this dream has become reality. May we continue to be worthy in the eyes of G-d of having this privilege from generation to generation. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Indifference from the Vatican

The current round of hostilities with Iran has featured some compelling sideshows. One of these areas has been the recent spat between President Trump and Pope Leo. The Pope has strongly condemned the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, calling it a "senseless and inhuman violence" fueled by a "delusion of omnipotence" and "idolatry of profit". He has specifically declared that "God does not bless any conflict" and has condemned the use of religious language to justify the war as "unacceptable." One might conclude from these comments that the theology of the Catholic Church condemns conflict, especially towards innocent civilians. That takeaway is not aligned with the historical reality. The era of the Crusades began with a call from Pope Urban II to liberate Jerusalem from the infidels and was declared with the cry of “Deus vult!” or “God wills it!” As the Crusaders traveled to Jerusalem, they especially attacked and killed Jews. The Rhineland massacres of 1096 alone, conducted by the People's Crusade, killed roughly 2,000 to 3,000 Jews in cities like Worms and Mainz. The Rhineland is a beautiful and picturesque area in Germany, and it also has Jewish blood seeped in its soil for nearly a thousand years. The number of unarmed civilians killed in the combined Crusades, while debated by historians, is at least a few million by conservative estimates. In more recent times, as the atrocities of the Holocaust were unfolding, many Jews beseeched the Vatican for the Pope to intervene and at least make a public condemnation. Pope Pius XII largely remained silent as millions of Jews were sent to gas chambers. The Vatican officially maintained a policy of “Neutrality Strategy.” The Vatican believed that maintaining a public stance of neutrality was the best way to keep channels of communication open while acting behind the scenes. Official records from the Vatican archive indicate that the Pope was briefed on the killings of thousands of Jews daily, with specific mention of Auschwitz and Belzec, as early as December 1942 and chose not speak up. ​ Which brings us to the current situation with Iran. For decades, the Iranian regime has declared that Israel must be wiped off the map. This was not just empty rhetoric. The Iranian Regime redirected many resources away from improving its society and invested in a military and nuclear program. It unveiled a Doomsday Clock in Palestine Square in Tehran, showing how much time will be until all 7 million Jews living in Israel are destroyed. The regime engaged and propped up proxies all over the region, from Lebanon to Gaza to Yemen, who were aligned with their worldview of making the Land of Israel into a Judenrein territory. This was the context in which Israel and the United States launched preemptive attacks on Iran. ​ It appeared we had turned a corner on indifference to jewish suffering from the Vatican. In 1986, Pope John Paul II improved Catholic-Jewish relations by fostering unprecedented dialogue, apologizing for past persecution, and condemning anti-Semitism as a sin. He even visited the Great Synagogue in Rome and declared the Jews as his “beloved brothers” and “elder brothers in faith”. The recent statements from Pope Leo are more aligned with much darker times. In times of confusion, people look to leaders of faith for moral clarity. There are 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide who look to the Pope for this guidance. The world can not afford another Pope to blow the moment. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Once Proud Nation Loses it Way

If there were a Top 10 list of great and consequential leaders of the last century, most people would put Winston Churchill at the top. Churchill, nicknamed the "British Bulldog" by the Russians, rallied the British people and Western society to defeat the Nazis. It is easy to forget that England faced immense political and military pressure to negotiate or surrender in 1940, especially after the fall of France. A faction in the War Cabinet, notably Lord Halifax, pushed for peace talks or surrender to Hitler. But Prime Minister Winston Churchill insisted on absolute defiance and rejected any surrender. Churchill famously declared: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'" Within this context, it was surprising to hear that the Bank of England announced plans to remove Churchill from the five-pound note and replace him with a squirrel or a beaver. ​ A nation can only continue to thrive if it knows its past and the story that forged its identity. As Pesach approaches, it is once again an opportunity to retell our story to the next generation. The story of how Avraham followed the word of G-d when he left his homeland to walk toward his destiny. His grandchildren traveled to Egypt and endured pain and suffering before experiencing arguably the greatest event in world history with the Exodus. The Jews formalized their covenant with G-d at Mt. Sinai and, after some delays, marched proudly into their homeland. ​ As accusations persist that we are occupiers and colonialists, it remains vital to share our story with the next generation. Failing to do so carries consequences too severe to contemplate. We can look at Churchill being replaced by a squirrel as a nation that has lost its way. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Faith at Night

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Charles Dickens famously wrote these words as the opening to his book, A Tale of Two Cities. I relate to these words now, as we live in extraordinary times. On the one hand, the United States and Israel have dealt devastating blows to a regime that was not shy about its genocidal ambitions towards the Jewish State. On the other hand, our brothers and sisters are running in and out of bomb shelters, and that's the best scenario. There are less favorable and even tragic outcomes as Israel battles for its very survival with an enemy that wishes to wipe it off the earth. Diaspora Jewry is not immune to struggles related to its survival. This week alone, there were three prominent synagogues in North America that were the target of violent incidents, and it's a miracle that no one was hurt or killed. ​ With this heavy cloud in the backdrop, we are also preparing for the joyous holiday of Pesach. How can we maintain the proper mindset during our Pesach preparations in these challenging times? ​ I would like to share an insight into the Haggadah that offers us a compelling perspective on this issue. Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaria is quoted as saying that he does not recall the source of retelling the story of the Exodus at night until he was enlightened by the teaching of Ben Zoma, who identifies the biblical source for this lesson. While on Pesach night, there is a special mitzvah to retell the story of the Exodus, why are we so concerned about all the nights of the year and Ben Zoma’s teachings right now? ​ Here too, there is an idea that the Night referred to by Rabbi Elazar and Ben Zoma is not “night” in the literal sense but rather night in the metaphorical sense. Night is often a time of fear and uncertainty, both literally and metaphorically. When Rabbi Elazar is referring to “night” in our haggadah story, he is trying to reconcile all the tragic and horrific events that were unfolding to the Jews, with a strengthening of his faith to overcome these struggles. He was addressing the question of how we can celebrate an ancient miracle of the Exodus with Jews living under severe distress. Rabbi Elazar was asking this question while the Land of Israel was under brutal Roman occupation, which intended to snuff out any vestiges of Judaism from our ancient homeland. The question, though, remains timeless. How can we celebrate our emancipation and freedom with all the stress and anguish in our lives? It was only until Ben Zoma came along and taught us to thank G-d and remember the Exodus ALL the days of our lives that the idea concretized for Rabbi Elazar. Faith is not an easy thing. Faith is not for fair-weather fans. Faith takes perseverance, dedication, and endurance. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch ​

The More Things Change, The More they Stay the Same.

"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose". These words are from Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, a 19th-century French journalist. The phrase is loosely translated to English as “the more things change, the more they stay the same." These words have been taking up much of my headspace this week. As a new phase of the war between the USA and Israel vs. Iran unfolded, and we were reading the Megila on Purim in real time, it felt like deja vu. Not unlike Haman in ancient Persia, the modern-day Supreme Leader fit the role with his genocidal ambitions against the Jewish people. One of the most popular days in Iran for the past 40-plus years has been Al Quds Day. Quds Day or Jerusalem Day is held on the last Friday of Ramadan, and is an annual day of protest organized by the Iranian government against Israel. While nominally about Jerusalem, the Quds Day rally serves as a forum for regime figures to call for hostilities against Israel and the liberation of Palestine, envisaging the inevitable elimination of the “Zionist regime.” “Death to Israel” is a common chant at the rallies, often accompanied by “Death to America. One of the most popular areas that the Iranian regime designated in Tehran is called Palestine Square. In June 2017, coinciding with the annual Quds Day rallies, Iran unveiled a large digital clock in Palestine Square. The clock was programmed to count down from 8,411 days, corresponding to a 2015 statement by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who predicted that "Israel won't exist in 25 years". He claimed in his statement that there will be nothing left of the Jewish state by 2040. The statement was made in the aftermath of a September 2015 nuclear deal signed by a previous American administration with Iran. When news broke of the killing of the Supreme Leader and much of that leadership, it was uncanny as to how much it resembled the outcome of his ideological heir in the Megila. The Purim story, as it is well known, does not mention G-d, but His presence is felt everywhere. A turning point of the story is that after Mordechai implores Esther to go to the King and plead the case of the Jewish people, Esther implores Mordechai to gather the people in fasting and prayer. Between the diplomacy of Esther and the prayers of Mordechai, the tides were turned, and Haman met his fate. One of the blessings that we recite prior to the reading of the Megila is dedicated to thanking G-d for the miracles that were “בימים ההם בזמן הזה.” The translation is “in those days in our time.” While much has changed in the past approximately 2,000 years since the Purim story, much has remained. We continue to pray that “May the One who answered Mordechai and Esther in Shushan Habirah answer us.” ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Hidden in Plain Sight

With Purim just around the corner, the usual preparations are underway. We recall the heroes and villains of the Purim story and may think we know the entire story from reading the Megilla every year. There is a most interesting postscript to Megilla that is not widely known. Queen Esther and King Achashveirosh had a son, Darius, who succeeded his father as King of Persia upon his father's death. King Darius was consequential in that he allowed the Second Temple (Beis Hamikdash) to be rebuilt. The rebuilding of the Temple was first permitted by Cyrus the Great around 538 BCE after he conquered Babylon. Construction began but was halted due to local opposition. During the reign of Darius (522–486 BCE), Persian officials questioned whether the Jews had proper authorization. Darius ordered a search of the royal archives and found Cyrus’s original decree. He reaffirmed the decree, ordered the work to continue, funded it from imperial revenues, and protected the project from interference. (All this is documented in the Book of Ezra.) ​ What’s striking about this historical side note is that Darius was born to the King and Queen in the Persian palace while the King and his closest adviser, Haman, were plotting the genocide of the Jewish People. As their ill-fated scheme was being cooked behind closed doors at the Palace, he was fathering a child who was not only Jewish (as he was also the son of Esther), but he would go on to allow for the Jewish Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. To suggest that this outcome is ironic would be a great understatement. ​ The Talmud teaches that the name Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “Hester,” which means “hidden.” Indeed, the Book of Esther is the only Book in the entire Tanach that does not mention the name of G-d. A casual reading of the Megilla suggests that G-d plays no role in the outcome. A closer analysis indicates that while there is no overt mention of G-d, He is very much present, albeit in a more hidden manner. The birth of Darius and his subsequent reversal of policy, becoming more benevolent toward the Jews and allowing them to rebuild the Temple, is just one of several examples that are most compelling. ​ As we struggle in so many areas of our personal lives, we may feel discouraged when our prayers don't seem to be effective. At this time of year, we should once again draw strength from the Purim that just when it appears that all is lost, we just might be standing on the soil with the seeds of salvation that are getting to sprout. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

The Ikea on Community Building

IKEA. The name alone triggers a range of emotions and reactions. For some, it gets them excited about the prospect of finding lower-priced furniture and awakens the dormant handyman within them. For others, IKEA is just a four-letter word. They are not excited about assembling their toddler's new dresser and would rather pay a little extra for a finished product. The much-touted Swedish meatballs (they are kosher at the locations in Israel) in the cafeteria don’t move the needle. Indeed, many psychologists have noted the marital discord that accompanies visits to Ikea. They note the maze-like store layout, overwhelming choices, and complex, self-assembled furniture create a "perfect storm" for relationship stress. These situations fuel power struggles over money and design, test communication under pressure, and often reveal deeper, underlying issues about trust, division of labor, and shared, long-term goals. There is a strange choice of verb in the opening of our Parsha. G-d tells Moshe to speak to the Israelites so that they will “take for Me a contribution.” The Hebrew verb is veyikchu, literally “and they shall take,” though some English translations smooth this to “bring.” The choice of verb is precisely what catches the commentators’ attention, because we would expect veyitnu, “to give.” Why would the Torah describe giving as taking? Our Rabbis taught that this linguistic reversal reveals an essential aspect of generosity. When we contribute to something larger than ourselves, we expand. The act of giving creates ownership in a way that passive receiving never can. By releasing our resources into a shared project, we acquire a stake in what that project becomes. G-d created a home for humanity in the world; in our Parsha, humanity creates a home for G-d in the Mishkan. The parallel is deliberate. God does not need a physical dwelling any more than the Infinite needs furniture. But building on behalf of another creates a relationship. The Mishkan allowed Israel to reciprocate God’s creative generosity, and in that reciprocal act of making, they became bound to what they made. Since the Mishkan, there have been 3,300 years of Jewish community building following the original formula. As in those times, there are roughly three categories of people who interact with kehila building. There are builders, detractors, and spectators. Interestingly, my observations indicate that the builders and detractors represent a minority of the demographic pie. It is the spectators who occupy most of the seats. However one feels about the Ikea model, when it comes to the Jewish community, it is most important to evolve from a spectator to a builder. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Time to Build Our Own Table

Every once in a while, we might receive a jolt that shakes us in many ways. We might wonder whether the jolt is due to new information or to knowledge we've had for a while, and whether the way it is presented now makes it feel different. I am wrestling with this question after listening to the widely reported speech by Bret Stephens on the “State of World Jewry.” Stephens, a noted columnist whom I have been reading for over 20 years since his days at the Jerusalem Post, delivered some compelling remarks recently at the 92nd St. Y in NYC. Stephens argued that the conventional approach to combat antisemitism, which focuses on advocacy, Holocaust education, legal definitions, and monitoring hate, has largely failed to reduce antisemitic beliefs or violence, even as those dedicated resources have grown. He questioned whether decades of education, polling, and advocacy have meaningfully lowered antisemitism. Additionally, he argued that antisemitism isn’t primarily rooted in ignorance or misinformation that better education alone could fix. Rather, he framed it as a deeper, almost irrational resentment. While many of us disagree with or struggle to digest this, the reality is that Stephens is now aligning himself with traditional rabbinic thought. Rashi, in his commentary on the Torah, describes an encounter of Esav embracing Yaakov. He writes that it is a well-known halacha that Esav hates Yaakov. It was just at that moment that Esav had a temporary moment of compassion, but that moment was over just as it began. For centuries, the biological and ideological descendants of Esav have hated the descendants of Yaakov. This hate is sometimes interrupted with periods of less hostility, but even in those times, the anti-Semitism is merely lurking beneath. I am surprised by how shocked some in our community are about the resurgence in hatred of Jews and Israel. Stephens, in describing the plight of Jews in modern times, also quoted Phillip Glass, “If there’s no room at the table, build your own table.” While this can have different applications, I believe it applies to all of us to make a concerted effort to reconnect with our roots. In this parsha, we read once again about the covenant given to the Jewish People at Mt. Sinai. From that moment on, the nations of the world have never forgiven us. While we have tried so hard to prove to the nations that we are not occupiers or colonialists, it has had a limited effect. We really need to focus on building our own table. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

March of a Lifetime

There are certain times in life when words simply cannot capture an experience. The event or experience is so powerful and awesome that putting it into words would simply diminish the moment. This idea is found in the Kaddish when we recite the words. “לְעֵֽלָּא מִן־כָּל בִּרְכָתָֽא וְשִׁירָתָֽא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְ֒מָֽא.” Translation: the praise and elevation of G-d is far above any words that can be uttered in this world. One may have heard this reaction from someone who visited a breathtaking location or who had recently fallen in love. You might ask them to describe the site they visited or the person they love so much that they have decided to spend the rest of their life with them. They might be at a loss for words, as describing the Grand Canyon as 'amazing' simply does not do it justice. I have been having a similar reaction in the days since we dedicated the new Sefer Torah and proudly marched with it through the streets of Jacksonville to our beloved shul. There are so many elements to unpack and so many emotions swirling inside that I find myself at a loss for words when I am asked to describe the day. Awesome. Magnificent. Unbelievable. These words seem to come up short and don’t feel that they adequately capture the experience. ​ There is one part of the Hachnosas Sefer Torah that is seared into my soul, and I will never forget. As we marched with the Torah and reached San Jose Blvd, the world seemed to stop for the Torah. Our friends at the JSO stopped all traffic, and we were able to walk, sing, and dance proudly with the Torah across a main intersection in Jacksonville. All the vehicles, passengers, and bystanders were quiet and stopped as the scroll that carried the Divine wisdom from 3,300 years ago was brought to its new home. As I mentioned in my remarks at lunch, this moment carries symbolism that extends far beyond the act of marching the Torah to its new home. It should resonate with every aspect of our lives when we face the choice of how much priority to allocate to G-d and His Torah. We have so many competing needs and priorities that tend to divert our attention from what’s really important. As memories fade and we get caught up in the so-called normal, it is incumbent on all of us to remember that chilly Sunday morning in Jacksonville when everything stopped as the Torah was proudly marched to its new home. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

The writing of a Sefer Torah

It is of utmost significance when a community comes together for a good cause. It is extraordinary for a community to come together for the writing of a Sefer Torah. The mitzvah to write a Sefer Torah is the final of the 613th Mitzvos recorded in the Torah. It is by no means an easy mitzvah to complete, and perhaps that is why it is the final mitzvah in the Torah. It is a most labor-intensive exercise with the Sofer (scribe) writing it letter by letter and word by word in this most painstaking process. There are 304,805 letters, which translate into 79,976 words and 5,845 verses (pesukim). ​ The world has evolved since the advent of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1440. Printed books have become the norm, and in a sense, the world has never looked back. In more recent times, with the arrival of the internet and the proliferation of digital libraries, handwritten books are almost non-existent. For those reasons alone, it is so remarkable to have an entire Sefer Torah written. That might just be the starting point, as the Sefer Torah represents something so central to our core essence that it defines who we are as a people. What makes the Jewish People unique is that we are a nation that accepted the covenant from G-d, and it was consummated on Mt. Sinai when we received and accepted the Divine word. As the Talmudic sage, Rav Yosef said about Shavuos (anniversary of receiving the Torah), “if not for this day, I would just be another Joe in the street.” It is for that reason that the reading of the Torah is the focal point of the Tefila/Service on Shabbos. We remove this sacred scroll from the ark and read from the text, and our souls become enriched for another week. At a later time, Ezra instructed that we should read from the Torah on Monday and Thursday as well, as one should not go more than three days without reading it. It is for those reasons (and more) that I consider it an honor of a lifetime to have this new Sefer Torah commissioned and written in my honor. It is so special that so many people from the community and beyond have come together for this sacred Mitzvah. The notion of a Kehila collaborating for such a sacred cause represents the very best in Judaism. I invite everyone to join us as we gather to welcome the new Sefer Torah into our shul by participating in a most festive procession that will begin from our home on Sunday morning. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Patience in the Process

Black Monday hit the NFL with a vengeance this year. Black Monday is the day following the last day of the regular season in the NFL, in which teams unhappy with their performances in the season will fire their head coach. This year, 10 head coaches have been let go since their teams' seasons ended. Considering there are only 32 teams, that's nearly a third of them! Perhaps the most surprising firing was the Buffalo Bills, who let go head coach Sean McDermott, who posted a 98-50 record during his time in Buffalo and made the playoffs for eight of the nine seasons he coached in this frigid city next to Lake Erie. While I am not a sports analyst, I feel a need to weigh in on these firings. ​ I believe that these coaches were fired because their owners were unhappy that their teams did not reach the Super Bowl or go 17-0 during the regular season. The reality is that only one team can win the championship, and there is a lengthy process for a team to evolve from a basement dweller to a contender to a champion. Patience is not a virtue in a society that wants to win now and always win. ​ The Torah teaches us that, upon the conclusion of each of the six days of creation, G-d said, “It was good.” There is one exception to this, and that was on Monday. Rashi, in his commentary, says that the omission is intentional because the work on Monday was not completed until Tuesday. For that reason, the Torah records that G-d said “it was good” twice on Tuesday. The larger lesson is that anything important in life involves a process and takes time for it to come to fruition. ​ As time goes on, our generation has less and less patience for processes and wants instant results. This doesn't manifest itself only on the football field, but rather in all areas of life. From building and sustaining our marriages to child raising to developing a relationship with G-d, one must be committed to a process. If anyone tells me that they have no issues and have instant success, it should be viewed with suspicion. It’s easy to get discouraged when we don’t see the results we want at the speed we would like, but let us remember that G-d taught us this lesson of process when He waited until Tuesday to complete the work of Monday. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Living with Contradictions

I was recently walking in an airport terminal and passed by a smokers' lounge. There were several people smoking and otherwise relaxing while they had their nicotine fix. There was a very large sign on the wall with the following words prominently displayed. It stated, “SMOKING WILL KILL YOU.” The harsh and blunt warning didn’t seem to faze any of the smokers. How does one explain such behavior? Is it that they don’t believe the warning? Do they not care about their own well-being? The answer for most people is that this behavior is referred to as cognitive dissonance, and it is one of the most well-researched areas in psychology. Cognitive Dissonance is a state of mental discomfort that occurs when a person holds beliefs or opinions that are inconsistent with or conflict with an aspect of their behavior. Because that discomfort feels unpleasant, our brain is motivated to reduce the tension, often by changing how we think rather than how we act. In other words, there is a disconnect between the knowledge we have and our physical actions. The other alternatives would be to dispute the information or to discontinue the action. However, as complex people who live with various contradictions, we try to explain away the inconsistencies. As much as we think it's only other people who behave this way, the reality is that we are all complex people with various contradictions in our lives. We find this behaviour in our parsha this week, as we see the progression of Pharaoh's reaction to the ten plagues. At first, he was more defiant. At a certain point, he knew that G-d was orchestrating the plagues, and he needed to acquiesce and allow the Jews to be freed. There was this cognitive dissonance that Pharaoh displayed, and in some way, we all suffer from these inconsistencies. There are manifestations of cognitive dissonance in our spiritual lives. While we may know certain truths from the Torah, our actions may not reflect those truths. How can one overcome these inconsistencies and live a life more aligned with their values? One of the more thoughtful mussar leaders of recent times, Rabbi Dessler wrote that our thoughts follow our actions, not the other way around. For example, if a person wants to improve in their Tefila/prayer, it would be more impactful to start with an action, and the thoughts will follow. Even if the actions are relatively modest, one should adopt that change. Consistent behavior reshapes desire, helping us better align with our fundamental values. The alternative is to fall further into decline with more inconsistencies. That was the path of Pharaoh in Egypt, and at some point, we must all leave Egypt. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Uncomfortable Choices

As Jews living in the Diaspora, we are sometimes faced with uncomfortable choices. Occasionally, this can happen at a gathering where non-kosher food is served, even though you have requested or ordered a kosher meal. While everyone is digging into this delicious food, you may be unwrapping multiple layers of silver foil. The stares are inevitable, and you might have some explaining to do. Another person might not want to rock the boat and stick out and will just take the non-kosher option. ​ This conundrum is not new, and we have been living with this tension for thousands of years. In this week's parsha, the Torah records, וְכַאֲשֶׁר֙ יְעַנּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כֵּ֥ן יִרְבֶּ֖ה וְכֵ֣ן יִפְרֹ֑ץ. Translation: “The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and spread out.” External pressure somehow catalyzed internal growth. Throughout Jewish history, periods of hostility have often clarified commitments that had grown fuzzy during easier times. What explains this? The Midrash identifies specific cultural markers the Israelites preserved throughout enslavement: they did not change their names, they did not change their language, and they did not change their dress. These weren’t arbitrary choices. They were psychological anchors that prevented identity collapse across centuries of oppression. Modern social psychology validates this ancient wisdom. Marilynn Brewer’s theory on Optimal Distinctiveness explains why such boundaries matter: People need both belonging and distinctiveness to thrive psychologically. A group that abandons all distinctive markers often experiences distress rather than relief. As issues range from wearing a yarmulke/kippah in public to requesting a kosher meal, the need to blend in and not make waves is a convenient choice. Our weekly parsha and modern research suggests that individuals who abandon core identity markers in pursuit of acceptance often experience hollowness rather than belonging. This insight reflects a deeper truth: We contribute most meaningfully when we contribute from a place of authentic selfhood, not when we’ve erased everything that makes our perspective distinctive. Yes, of course, it may be more convenient not to request the kosher meal or wear the Kippah in public. However, we did not survive as a people connected to an eternal covenant because of the value of convenience. I am reminded of the words of Allan Boesak, an anti-apartheid activist, who wrote the following. “When we go before Him, G-d will ask, ‘Where are your wounds?’ And we will say, ‘We have no wounds.’ And G-d will ask, ‘Was there nothing worth fighting for?’” The words of Boesak haunt me, and this is a question we should all want a good answer to. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Happy New Year

Happy 2026! The ball dropped at Times Square, so it’s official. A fair question may be, is what happened 2026 years ago? The answer really is nothing. While officially the number of years on the calendar is to mark the birth of Jesus, the vast majority of Christian scholars admit that Jesus was not born in year 1 CE. They seem to think he was born anytime between 4-6 BCE. (The notion that he was born on December 25 is also highly unlikely as that date was chosen centuries later and was mainly chosen to align with the Roman holiday that celebrated the god of Saturn that occurred in December.) The number of years on the Gregorian (named after Pope Gregory) Calendar of 2026 stands in stark contrast to the Jewish calendar which counts the years from the creation of Man. As we our liturgy on Rosh Hashanah says, זה היום תחילת מעשיך. Translation: “this day was the first day of your handiwork. (The primary handiwork of G-d was the creation of Man.) To be sure, Jewish law recognizes secular dates as to some significance and even can be included in official documents. The Mishna in the beginning of Rosh Hashanah writes of the concept of ראש השנה למלכים or Rosh Hashanah for kings. Many official documents and contracts were dated to reflect how many years that particular king was in office. The dating of documents and contracts that had Halachic validity were called Minyan Shtaros. The counting of years related to how long a king reigned included gentile kings. We find sources for this in Tanach (Hebrew Bible). For example, the Book of Ezra cites specific events related to how many years King Cyrus reigned. Which brings us back to January 1 as a New Year. While this actual day doesn’t really commemorate anything, it has nonetheless become a fixture on our calendar. It can be used as an opportunity for one to be thoughtful about embracing goals that enhance one's physical, emotional or spiritual well being. As we are entering the second quarter of the Jewish year of 5786, it may be a good time to check in to our inner self and ask the uncomfortable questions as to how our aspirations and goals are aligned with our practical lives and daily schedule. If the catalyst for this inner conversation is the New Years designated on January 1, then so be it. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch