Social Justice Speech by Sam Blau at the Migrant Family Justice Rally
KHL Social Justice chair Sam Blau spoke on behalf of Jews United for Justice this past Saturday at the rally in Patterson Park for migrant families. Here's the text of what she said, and a link to a video.
My name is Sam Blau, and I’m a member of Jews United for Justice Leadership Council. We are a local grassroots activist organization. And we stand in solidarity with migrant families. Something to know about Jews is that we have a section of Torah for each week of the year. This week’s Torah reading is about Balak, King of the Moabites, who sees the Israelites camping along his borders. They are still wandering after their flight from oppression in Egypt. Balak fears them. He fears their numbers, he fears their otherness, and so he calls upon the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balaam looks upon the camp of the Israelites and sees instead a people who travel with blessings. God opens Balaam’s eyes and he is able to see with “mochin d’gadlut”, a big mind or an open consciousness. From that moment of truly seeing the Israelites as they were, Balaam could only offer a praise so beloved we use it as a favorite prayer today:
Ma tovu ohalecha Ya’akov.
Mish’k’no’techa Yisrael.
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob.
Your dwelling places, O Israel.
Let us have our eyes unveiled as Balaam did. Let us look upon these asylum seekers as we would look upon the ancient Israelites: families fleeing violence and oppression in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico, people who walk with blessings. Let us look with “mochin d’gadlut”, an open consciousness, and offer them praise:
How lovely are you families, your culture, your heritage.
Come join us in a land where all should be free.
My name is Sam Blau, and I’m a member of Jews United for Justice Leadership Council. We are a local grassroots activist organization. And we stand in solidarity with migrant families. Something to know about Jews is that we have a section of Torah for each week of the year. This week’s Torah reading is about Balak, King of the Moabites, who sees the Israelites camping along his borders. They are still wandering after their flight from oppression in Egypt. Balak fears them. He fears their numbers, he fears their otherness, and so he calls upon the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balaam looks upon the camp of the Israelites and sees instead a people who travel with blessings. God opens Balaam’s eyes and he is able to see with “mochin d’gadlut”, a big mind or an open consciousness. From that moment of truly seeing the Israelites as they were, Balaam could only offer a praise so beloved we use it as a favorite prayer today:
Ma tovu ohalecha Ya’akov.
Mish’k’no’techa Yisrael.
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob.
Your dwelling places, O Israel.
Let us have our eyes unveiled as Balaam did. Let us look upon these asylum seekers as we would look upon the ancient Israelites: families fleeing violence and oppression in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico, people who walk with blessings. Let us look with “mochin d’gadlut”, an open consciousness, and offer them praise:
How lovely are you families, your culture, your heritage.
Come join us in a land where all should be free.
Tue, April 13 2021
1 Iyyar 5781
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CANCELLATIONS DUE TO CORONA VIRUS
To best protect the members of our community Kol HaLev services and activities AT CHC have been canceled until further notice.
Candle lighting, Torah study, classes, and other gatherings will continue virtually online. Read the weekly bulletin or check on this Kol HaLev website for details on how to connect to these virtual gatherings and for announcements about when we will be meeting again in person.
Shabbat Music
Kol HaLev, with the guidance of Cantor George has been introducing new, exciting, stimulating, joyful music to our services. Much of this music is for Friday nights and is played by Kol HaLev Unplugged on the fourth Friday night of the month. Kol HaLev Unplugged has made recordings so that the community can learn the melodies more easily. This link takes you to the recordings and the lyrics for the songs. You can also check out our latest You Tube video of Kol HaLev Unplugged singing Cantor George's Shalom Rav! Come to Shabbat and enjoy guitar, drum, voices and song!
Black Lives Matter
Kol HaLev has joined over 400 Jewish synagogues and organizations that signed this declaration:
Jewish Organizations and Synagogues say: Black Lives Matter
We are Jewish organizations and synagogues from across the racial and political spectrum; from different streams of Judaism; whose members trace their lineage from countries around the world.
To read more, click here.
"Social Distance, But Not Disconnect"
While we are doing what we can to ensure our physical health and safety, let’s think creatively and wisely about our mental and spiritual health and wellbeing. This is quite a strange new world we are adapting to, but let’s not forget what makes life meaningful: our relationships, our sharing of joys and sorrows and ideas and experiences, our caring, our witnessing and accompaniment of each other, our learning and growing together. Something sacred goes on. We have noted before that among the features of a successful community that most celebrated are the friendships (and the bonds beyond friendship) that are formed and enjoyed. Let’s not let this feature of Kol HaLev wane.
So now is NOT the time to forego the mental and spiritual benefits of our synagogue community. There are many ways to continue and even extend our “religious” practices while we are not meeting together in person. Cantor George, with Shabbat Unplugged, has recorded many of the songs we sing, and you can access them here. Sing or chant uninhibited, in the privacy of your own home. If you do not have a copy of our prayerbook, you can access the Daily Prayerbook, the Shabbat Vehagim, or Prayers for a House of Mourning by clicking on the title of each prayerbook. Now may be the time to make a concerted effort to learn something new in order to participate more fully.
It is also true that KHL can continue to be KHL by means of the help we offer to each other. Should a need arise, we’re here for you! We can continue the practice of care and attention, of service and support. Our Chesed network invites everyone to let Lysh, Laurie or Shira know if you need special help during this time. Others have offered to help by shopping and delivering groceries or other needs.
Please know that you are not alone, that we’re all in this together, and we can double down on love of self and neighbor. Commitment to the collective, and to each other, is the source and substance of religious community. It is the special sauce, the most important ingredient, our most important asset. The objective is to thrive, not simply survive.
Please know that you are not alone, that we’re all in this together, and we can double down on love of self and neighbor. Commitment to the collective, and to each other, is the source and substance of religious community. It is the special sauce, the most important ingredient, our most important asset. The objective is to thrive, not simply survive.
KHL - Please Join Us
We are located in The Church of the Holy Comforter (CHC), 130 W. Seminary Avenue, Lutherville 21093. All Friday and Saturday Shabbat services are handicap accessible. For directions to the Shul please click here.
Tue, April 13 2021 1 Iyyar 5781