On Israel and Music

My rabbi gave a really amazing sermon on Friday, probably one of the best I've ever heard him give, which is saying something since he's usually spot-on. He spoke about Israel and how frustrated he is with the fact that Israel must defend its defense of itself. That no other country would be questioned for their response to repeated shelling and bombing from a terrorist group, except Israel since it is a Jewish state. I'm going to try and get a copy of it, because it was such a passionate defense of Israel and it really made sense to me.

I feel more strongly about Israel at this point than I think I ever have. More than ever I stand behind them and support them. Though, I must admit, I've had some soul-searching to do over the fact that civilians in Lebanon are being injured and killed, too. I wish that it didn't happen, and I pray for the victims and their families, but Israel MUST defend itself and unfortunately in war innocent people are killed. How many innocent Jews and Israelis have died needlessly, killed by suicide bombers and other attacks? I'm not saying that this necessarily justifies anything, an-eye-for-an-eye and all that. But it does illustrate just how far Israel has been pushed to the breaking point. Can any American honestly say that if our cities were getting hit with suicide bombers and rockets on a daily basis we would not strike back with everything we had? Didn't we do that after 9/11? Why is Israel held to a different standard. Because they are Jewish.

It all comes back to that, to being Jewish. And I am happy and proud to be a Jew.

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For only the second time in months I didn't attend services this past Saturday. There was a bar mitzvah at my temple, but I wasn't really in the mood to sit through one. And I honestly am so ready to have my regular Saturdays back at my temple that I was pretty unwilling to go elsewhere, because it's just not the same. So, I opted to stay home, sleep in a bit. I ended up going out for breakfast a little later; got a coffee and a bagel and sat and read my book for an hour, which was just nice and calm. I will admit that a Saturday without services is odd. For one, it's longer. For another, it doesn't feel like Shabbat. Granted, I went the night before, and that began Shabbat for me. But, beginning my Saturday morning with Torah study and then our informal services, that really sets the tone for me.

I also realized recently just how much music is a part of what makes Shabbat meaningful to me. I know that the playing of musical instruments is forbidden on Shabbat, but as a member of a Reform temple, we do play instruments and sing quite a bit. Singing is just one of the best ways to lift your voice in prayer, and I find it very fulfilling. This week we had our cantor and I'm always happy when she helps lead services. She's not officially our cantor, but she comes to my temple at least once a month and really takes our prayer to another level. There's just something about melody and harmony and feeling your voice vibrate in your body and hearing those around you singing, on- and off-key, it's just exhilirating. I've always preferred to sing the Shema instead of just reciting it, to chant or sing the V'ahavta, to sing ALL of L'cha Dodi and the Psalms during Kabbalat Shabbat.