Responding to Raizy
Isaiah 1:23 –
Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They don’t judge the orphan, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
SuperRaizy wrote a post called Too Nauseated to Blog on Friday (lots of bad news in the Jewish community). I didn’t really know what to say to Raizy or about Raizy’s post, but Isaiah, the prophet of over 2000 years ago, says it well. I’m hoping to write a post called “Seeking Comfort” later this week. More words of wisdom from Isaiah.
On a related or not so related note, Jientje alerted me to a Positive Day in the Blogosphere. Did the creator of this have any idea that this is the day after Tisha B’Av, the most mourning-full day of the Jewish calendar and right before Shabbat Nahamu, the Sabbath of Comfort? Just a coincidence, I am sure.
Sometimes I think it must be easier to be non-Jewish (Jientje is not, and she is always so upbeat). But maybe we just have to be “Happy with our lot.”
Anyway, to Raizy, you wrote well in your post. May with the wisdom of Isaiah we find a way to move forward.
Update: if you are interested in discussing the details of the current New Jersey/New York scandal and Dwek, Rafi has a post: Dweck Entrapped Them? (Note: it seems that his name is spelled “Dwek,” and Rafi misspelled it in his post).
Klara Le Vine says
In Judaism we are supposed to thank G-d for the good and what we see as not good. We never know His wisdom for why things happen. In macrobiotics we say life is made up of both yin and yang - we can't have just one - it's a teeter-totter ride.
otoh, we are supposed to be here for tikkun haolam - so I look forward to reading your wisdom of Isaiah post.
Leora says
Tikkun haolam, the fixing of the world, is always a good idea, but I think in reality it can get tricky. One person's fixing can be another's not such a great idea or maybe even dangerous. We need to try our best, one person at a time.
Ilana-Davita says
Fortunately there are also lots of good Jews; unfortunately they don't make the headlines as often as the shady ones.
I am looking forward to your post on Isaiah and comfort.
Leora says
Ilana-Davita, good point about the good Jews. I hope you will take a look at the Haftorah for this past week and this coming week and find some words of wisdom there, too. Thanks.
Jewish Side says
I like your idea of turning to Isaiah.
Interesting how this coming shabbos is Shabbos Nachamu. That is a great connection.
Leora says
It so happens that Isaiah is the haftorah for both last week and this coming week. I don't think that the FBI who arranged these sting operations had any notion of that.
Regarding this whole case, I question how guilty Rabbi Kassin could be. Perhaps he was just set up by Dwek, who seems to embody "l'fney ivar lo teetain mihshol" - don't place a stumbling block in front of a blind person.
Abbi says
This whole thing is in your backyard. It must make it that much more painful. :(
Leora says
Really, it's in my in-laws backyard (they live down the shore). I'm sure they know some of these people.
Jientje says
No Leora, I'm not Jewish, you're right about that. But I thought every day should be a day to think and blog positive? No?
Leora says
Sometimes life can get very depressing. Jewish history often is, and this past week depressed a lot of Jews. So instead of thinking positive, perhaps some self-reflection is more appropriate. You don't always want to ignore the negatives, right? Like if the Jews in Germany had always stayed positive, some of them would never have escaped.
Raizy says
OMG, I just saw this and now I'm late to the party!
Anyway, I was just expressing my own feelings in that post. Leora, while I appreciate your desire to "find a way to move forward", I'm afraid that I have seen too much dishonesty perpetrated by the leaders of our communities to be anything but cynical and pessimistic about a brighter future.
Leora says
I totally accept your response, Raizy. I think the rest of us are trying to find our own responses to that long, scary list that you wrote.
I feel fortunate that the leaders of my own Jewish community, at least my own rabbi, is a model of how I think a rabbi should be (Rabbi Bassous).
ramblingwoods says
Interesting post and comments..
Please leave a comment! I love to hear from you.