Looking around our Bozeman Shul at Mincha on Tisha B’Av fascinated me AGAIN. Montanan Jews, along with Jews visiting from around the world, gathered to pray, connect and be inspired at the waning hours of our collective day of mourning. We prayed Nachem, asking G-d to comfort us with the ultimate solace which is the coming of Mashiach. We even had the honor of a visiting Bar Mitzvah boy, Ezra, being called to the Torah for the very first time just forty-eight-hours after turning thirteen. Seeing the different flavors of Jews gathered in unison, reminded me that while we do have our differences, more often than not we have so much in common. It’s convenient, and sometimes invigorating, to focus on what divides us but our oneness is the reality almost always.

In this week’s Torah portion, Va’Eschanan, we read the most powerful statement in Judaism “Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad” which means “Hear oh Israel, G-d is our G-d, G-d is One”. This verse is proclaimed by Jews in the moments before death and in the early stages of toddlerhood, it’s recited in good times and during hard times, it’s recited when we go to bed and when we awake in the morning, it’s recited on Purim and on Tisha B’Av, it was recited at Auschwitz and is recited at the Western Wall. It is the proclamation that reminds us that G-d is One and Only, He is Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient, and when we actively recognize this truth it’s impossible to be divided. When immersed in the One, there is no fragmentation; we see One in everyone and everything.

Last Friday, Chavie’s cousin Chaya who works for the Aleph Institute asked me to bring a Shabbos package containing Challah, wine and candles for Daniel, a prominent Jewish businessman and philanthropist, who was attending a conference in Big Sky. While Dan wrapped up in his Talis and Tefillin to pray, Menny joined him in Tefillin too, and when they got to the Shema, Dan invited Menny to say it together, which they did beautifully. Shema is so powerful because it’s the acknowledgement that, while we are obliged to do our very best and make good choices, at the end of it all nothing, and I mean nothing, happens outside of Hashem’s providence so therefore there is no basis for disliking or fighting with another. Being in G-d’s presence can only bring people together, if it does the opposite, it’s not G-d’s presence.

More Shema; less division.

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!

He’s a devoted Ronaldo fan, but Menny is also loves watching Messi, Mbappé, Haaland and so many other great players. He’s addicted to soccer, playing and following, and as a result I know more about soccer than any other sport. When the Knicks were playing a few weeks back, I recalled my childhood classmates Dovid and Willy who were Knicks fans and would talk about basketball a lot. To me, who doesn’t follow sports, the Knicks were still the team of Patrick Ewing though he retired in 2000. I find it fascinating that though a player may be excelling on a certain team, when it comes to the World Cup, they re-join their home country, representing their roots not their current employer.

In this week’s Torah portion, Devarim, the first in Deuteronomy, Moses begins his thirty- six-day farewell speech to the Jewish people. They will be heading into Israel with Joshua and Moses spends his final days giving them a loving pep talk. He reminds them subtly of their past mistakes, forewarns them not to assimilate into idolatrous cultures, he beseeches them to follow the Torah and be kind to each other, and he reminds them of the holiness of Israel. In short, Moses is seeking to ascertain that the Jew never forgets the truth of all truths that no matter where he or she may roam, wherever they may dabble or experience “soul searching”, they will always be a Jew and must act like one. The Jew may choose to play a little for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr but they will also remain connected to Portugal and be with them for the games that really matter.

Jews dabble.

This one meditates with a bit of Buddhism, this was dances with Hare Krishnas, another decides to pray with the Sikhs or believe in Taoism, but no matter how meaningful it may feel, the Jew will always remain connected to their Jewish roots and yearn for the light and depth that G-d gave them at Sinai. Yes, your Hebrew School teacher may have a been nasty, your Jewish education may have been abysmal, your parents may have been spiritual hypocrites, and your childhood rabbi may have been out to lunch; all valid stories, but never an excuse to deny yourself the opportunity to experience your heritage. If FIFA taught me one thing it’s that you can travel far away from your roots, but you will always, always, come back home.

Come home!

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!