An American Shabbat

Like many American Jews, I was pleased to see President Trump’s recent declaration in conjunction with the rededication of the United States on May 17, to encourage that the preceding Shabbat, May 15-16, should be observed across America as well.  Acknowledging Jewish Heritage Month, the final sentences of his proclamation were, “I call upon Americans to celebrate the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans and to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies.  I further call on all Americans to celebrate their faith and freedom throughout this year, during this month, and especially on Shabbat to celebrate our 250th year.”

Other than feeling good and seen, especially in light of the growing permissiveness of antisemitism throughout America, many Jews like me looked for additional meaning and significance in this proclamation, and what it means specifically this week. 

This comes alongside the anniversary of the recognition of the State of Israel by President Truman on May 14, 1948, eleven minutes after Israel declared independence. Since then, the relationship and alliance between the United States and Israel has only gotten stronger, more diversified, and mutually beneficial.  

Among Jews, it’s common to look for significance of an event or milestone in the context of the Torah portion that is read in that given week. While the words have not changed in the original text that we read in its entirety every year, the context does change. We change. We age. We experience new things and see new messages and meaning in the text that we might not have seen before. 

This week we read the Torah portion Bamidbar. It’s the beginning of the Book of Numbers, 1:1–4:20. In Hebrew, Bamidbar means “In the desert or wilderness,” per the opening words of the Book. 

The different names of the Book, from the original Hebrew to the English offer a unique vantage point to view the celebration of the Unted States’ 250th anniversary. 

The Book of Numbers references numbers, specifically a census: a measure of where we are, which is necessary to plan where we are going. In the middle of the desert shortly after being liberated from slavery in Egypt, taking the pulse of the nation at that moment was needed as a calculus of what would become 40 years in the desert. Yes, today we need to celebrate the numbers – the 250th anniversary – but like a census, this must also be a springboard from which to consider where we are going. 

It’s a good start to precede the actual anniversary of independence with a nation united in prayer. America cannot thrive as a nation, as a people of faith, without this as a foundation of our future. If we are indeed “One nation, under God,” we sing “God shed His grace on thee,” and are united “In God We Trust,” we cannot simply take the blessings for granted and not assume any reciprocal responsibility. He blesses us, and we can trust in Him, because of our actions and values, not merely our existence. 

President Trump was correct to note that from its infancy under George Washington, America has not just been a safe haven for Jews in the diaspora, and that Jewish communities have thrived, but that Jews have also contributed remarkably to the safety, prosperity, and well being of the United States. Trump reminded us of Haym Salomon, “an early supporter of the war for independence…Salomon was instrumental in the success of our Continental Congress and Founding Fathers, and rallied support for freedom.  He was a zealous advocate against tyranny... In the end, he gave everything to the success of the American Revolution.” 

If on this milestone we just count the numbers and not take a census, not just looking where we are but where we are going together, it’s not enough.  The consequence would be like being stranded in the desert, as per the original Hebrew name of the Book. Of course, the desert through which the Jewish people migrated for two generations was a place where we thrived, because of God. Just like it can and should be with America. 

As we celebrate this national Shabbat together, we must also take pause and look at the state of Jews in America or, rather, the state of how America treats the Jews. There’s a dangerous and unprecedented increase in the permissiveness of widespread antisemitism, from Main St. to Sesame St. From Broadway to the boardrooms. 

There’s no greater measure of the erosion and eventual destruction of a society than how it treats the Jews. Babylon, Rome, the Ottoman Empire and Soviet Union are gone. Countries that have persecuted Jews still exist, but as shells of what they may have been, or could have become: Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq today join Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic states, and Spain from a few generations to a few hundred years ago. Each had large and relatively thriving Jewish communities. Today, with little exception, none of these are relevant in the world for anything significantly positive. If they ceased to exist, hardly anyone would notice. 

Only Germany which did the most to repent from and make restitutions for its role in the Holocaust has thrived, though Germany is under the microscope now with the importing of Islamic antisemites having a corrosive impact that tarnish its future. 

There are many reasons why President Truman was the first to recognize Israel’s independence in May 1948, not the least of which because he was a strong Christian and saw the return of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel as being prophetic. Certainly Truman understood, as have many since then, it’s essential to support Israel not just because the promise of blessings in Genesis 12:3, but because not doing so would result in people, or nation, being cursed. 

As we take an accounting of where we are as Americans, and where we are going per the Biblical census model, we must consider the foundational truth of the need to stand with Israel and the Jewish people, and certainly not to allow that relationship to become a curse. 

When I read President Trump’s proclamation, I felt as if were sitting in ancient Persia reading the King’s proclamation empowering the Jews in his empire to defend themselves (Esther 8:11). The answer is not for the government to dump millions on defense of Jews, but rather to take active measures to rout out the actual threats both to the Jews and the society at large. That’s also in the Book of Esther, when Haman and his sons were hung (Esther 9:14). 

Another relevant lesson from Bamidbar today is that while building a nation in the desert, each of the tribes assembled under their own flag. Each had its distinct roles, and identities. America is one big nation with many distinct tribes. We do not need to lose our identities, and indeed we complement one another. Just like the original Jewish tribes in the Bible. 

If defending Jews means spending money protecting Jews and Jewish institutions, taking a census and going forward means allowing no space for antisemitism and threats to Jews. That destroys the Republic. It cannot be tolerated and American society must vomit them out. In his letter to the Hebrew Congregation at Newport, President Washington stated this clearly declaring that the United States “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”  

When I travel in America, I love being invited to observe Shabbat building bridges – uniting tribes – among Christians.  In the weeks before and after the 4th of July, I will be doing just that. Since I’m an Orthodox Jew, I don’t use electronics on Shabbat. Without selfies, I refer to our experiences, the goodwill created, and sharing bonds in a common Biblical foundation as a Kodak moment in your heart. Observing Shabbat is a life altering experience, not just a selfie and social media post. I love it when communities invite me to observe Shabbat with them. I pray that President Trump’s honoring Shabbat will be a part of our internal and national census, individually and as a country, a cornerstone upon which America will build a thriving future.