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June 17, 2021 Hukkat – Rabbi Wexler

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June 17, 2021 Hukkat – Rabbi Wexler June 17, 2021 Hukkat – Rabbi Wexler Our Torah portion this week, Hukkat, is very much about transition of leadership. The triumvirate who led the people out of Egypt and through four decades of peril and transformation, are reaching the end of their lives. First, Miriam dies. Then Aaron dies. And finally, Moses learns he will never cross the Jordan River nor enter the land of Israel. The remainder of the Torah is not only dedicated to the Israelites’ remaining journey through the wilderness, but even more, their journey of transition from one generation to the next and from one leadership regime to another. This summer feels very much like a time of transition for all of us; both for everyone here in Cherry Hill as we seek to slowly and carefully move out of the pandemic, and also a significant moment of change and transition for our brothers and sisters in Israel with the election of their 36th government. In recent years, Israel’s democracy has been challenged. Radicalization and polarization divided Israel into two camps, one for and one against Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. Netanyahu was viewed by many as Israel’s leader par excellence, a master politician and statesman, but by an even greater number as power-hungry and corrupt. As a result, Israel held four elections in the past two years and the two camps remained in a stalemate. However, we finally have clarity and answers from the results of the most recent election, which may well go down as one of the most revolutionary elections in Israel’s history. By the narrowest possible majority of 60-59 votes (with one abstention) in Israel’s parliament (the Knesset) the opposition ousted Netanyahu. What inspires me most about Israel’s new coalition government is its diverse make-up, its inclusivity, and its desire to be a coalition of hope and change. Israel’s 36th government is composed of right- and left-wing factions, Jews and Arabs. It features the first prime minister, Naftali Bennett, to wear the skullcap of religious Jews; the highest number of women ministers (9 out of 27); and two Arab ministers, Esawi Frej and Hamed Amar, the first openly gay Knesset member to head a major party (Nitzan Horowitz— Meretz), and two longtime disabilities activists: Shirley Pinto, Israel’s first deaf Knesset member; and Karine Elharrar, a veteran MK who has muscular dystrophy. Secular centrist, Yair Lapid, who will replace Bennett as prime minister in two years said: “This government will work for all the citizens of Israel. It will do everything to unite Israeli society.” May it be so. In a brilliant article published in the Times of Israel on Monday, author Yossi Klein HaLevi wrote that while we do not know whether the coalition will last, what we do know is that it gives us hope. The mere fact that the coalition came together, that Israelis understood that change and unity were necessary, is cause for hope and celebration. That alone, for now, is enough, dayenu. “If the new coalition achieves nothing more than liberating Israel from those who have tried to unravel the delicate balance between nationalism and democracy, decency and power – dayenu, it is sufficient. If the new coalition achieves nothing more than offering a counter-vision of an Israel that strives to respect and manage its essential differences and place the country above sectarian needs – dayenu.” We look forward to welcoming Yossi Klein HaLevi to our TBS community on Sunday evening October 17th. More details to come later this summer. And we also look forward to the work of Israel’s 36th government, as we pray for its success, and for the well-being of everyone in Israel. As I sat in amazement and enjoyed the 10th Anniversary Divas on the Bima concert in the TBS parking lot on Tuesday night I was particularly moved by the Israeli Eurovision medley at the end of the performance. Cantor Cohen (isn’t she AMAZING!?) closed with the song “Halleluyah,” a song of praise and gratitude. I will echo that sentiment, halelluyah, and I will add: Am Yisrael Chai! .
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