Earlier this week we memorialized the victims of October 7th, both on Simchas Torah, the Jewish date, and on the Gregorian calendar, the secular date. I had the honor of praying at the memorial in Helena organized by Montana Senate President Matt Regier, and attended by Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras, Israel’s Deputy Consul General to the Pacific Northwest Maya Avishai and many legislators and locals. Yet, as we pondered the barbarity and inhumanity of Hamas, there were those here in the United States who stood publicly with Hamas and in support of their terror; it baffles the mind, but it’s a sad reality. Shoshana was really bothered by the handful of students at MSU who were supporting terror against Israel, and we had a few healthy conversations about free speech and the evil that exists in our midst.

This week’s Torah portion, Bereishis, the first of the Five Books of Moses, begins with the creation of the world, but towards the end we arrive at a moment where G-d is fed up with human immorality. The verse says, “and the Lord saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil all the time”, resulting in G-d having some regrets about creating humans. This seems to be the ongoing paradox of creation, G-d wants human beings because we can create light and perfect an imperfect world, and yet we are also capable, if brainwashed and diseducated, to support evil and behave evilly. So instead of asking “how such evil can exist?”, ask “what have I done today to be a beacon of light and good?”

When I lit the candle in Helena, I mentioned that I’m doing it for the forty-nine Americans murdered by Hamas on October 7th, I’m doing it for the 1200 + innocent Jewish victims of that horrible day, I’m doing it for the IDF soldiers who died defending our people and homeland, and I am doing it for Shaul Moyal, my forty-seven-year-old cousin from Karnei Shomron. Shaul and his wife Smadar raised their ten children with a love of Torah, a love of Israel, a love for humanity and, sadly, he died two years ago while defending his nation. We can’t spend all our time focused on those who are full of hate, vitriol and prejudice; we must spend our time living up to everything G-d intended for us, living a life of service, overloaded in kindness, mercy and decency, and to shower love and compassion 24/7.

We know evil exists, wadaya gonna do about it?

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Mashiach speedily. May G-d protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be!

It’s been wild. It’s been uplifting. It’s been joyous. One hundred and sixty Jews joined us throughout Rosh Hashana for meaningful services, delicious meals memorable Tashlich experience and of course the annual Shofar in the Park at Lindley. I was inspired by the souls on fire who showed up to celebrate the New Year. During these Ten Days of Teshuva, Chavie hosted a marvelous Challah Bake event for women and girls on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the men enjoyed our eighth Mensch Club at the home of the Lifson’s. the spirit of renewal can be felt in the air and it’s awesome. Personally, I enjoyed the extra prayers we say during this time, including Avinu Malkeinu twice each day, especially the words “Our Father, our King, bring us back to You in wholehearted repentance.”

I love coming home. I love feeling at home.

This “Shabbos Shuva” is infused with a focus on Teshuva, the ability for each of us to return to who we are at our core, the essence of our holy self. Hashem knows how to give us consequences for moral failures, but despite knocking us into shape, He never stops wanting us to come back home. I need my kid to learn their lesson, I need them to do better next time, but I also never want to lose my connection. In our daily morning prayers, in the Nefilas Apayim section of the daily Tachanun prayer we say, “God will rescue Israel from all who oppress it. God will rescue Israel from all its sins.” These statements, taken from Psalm 25 and Psalm 130 respectively, are clear in their structured order: first Hashem must redeem His people from their challenges and then we will be redeemed from our sins. We will change our ways fully only once we are home.

There is a recent Jewish hit song, not from Macklemore but from Hanan Ban Ari. It’s called Hashiveinu and it has swept the entirety of the Jewish world. The lyrics are from Lamentations, and they are straightforward, “Return us, God, to you and we will return; renew our days as of old”. Why does G-d go above and beyond to bring us home? In the words of Tzvi Freeman, “There’s nothing that matches the joy when a lost child returns home. And you are that child. Because your soul began within Gd. And she descended into this world to inhabit a body and live as though a stranger to the heavens, captive of a futile dream, journeying upon many winding and perilous roads…Until waking up one day and realizing that none of these lead back home. And now, every day, with every prayer of your heart, with every word of Torah upon your lips, with every mitzvah and good deed you fulfill, You are coming home. There can be no greater joy—above and below.

Hashiveinu!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Mashiach speedily. May G-d protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be!

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