Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Jerusalem_Be_Proud
In NCSY we have always put Jerusalem in a special place within our hearts. Every region sings “V’lirushalayim Ircho” and “Im Eskacheich Yerushalayim” so often that it is the beat to which our lives march. I’ve always been proud (and you should to) that more NCSY’ers live in Israel than from any other International youth group. However, outside of the NCSY world we often keep these heart felt feelings hidden. We tell ourselves that we live outside of Israel (I assume those of you in Israel don’t have this issue) and it would be wrong to our current countries of choice to publically promote Yerushalayim as the true home of our hearts. We tell ourselves who are we to interfere in Israeli politics when we don’t live there. Well, we are as wrong as we could ever be....
The time has come to take the feelings in our hearts and wear them proudly and loudly on the outside! You can argue if it was right or wrong to speak out about the various tragedies in Israel in the past but we must draw a line in the sand and say no farther. Please go to http://www.ou.org/public_affairs/jerusalem and get involved, get your families involved, get your communities involved, get all your neighbors and friends involved and don’t be wishy washy about it. Be Proud. Be Loud. Jerusalem is our home. If we don’t defend her now, we may not get another chance in our lifetimes. This is a cause for all of our brothers and sisters regardless of religious background. Let’s stand together in unity and celebrate the Joy of Jerusalem that we have before it turns into a tragedy that unites us when it’s too late. As the Etz Chayam Regional song quotes from the Torah “Me LaShem Elay...” “Ad Beas Ha Go-el”
Make it a Shabbat in Yerushalaim wherever you are this Shabbas (To make a Yerushalayim Shabbat),
Rabbi Dave Felsenthal
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