Another visit to an ancestral grave, in Mannheim, Deutschland.
2 years ago I tracked down my paternal grandfather's great-grandfather's grave: Yosef Stein my closest ancestor (and last in a long line - Stein name is German and originated there) buried in Germany.
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While I knew a bit about him growing up, including that he is buried in Mannheim, as far as family stories and traditions go I didn't know much
Yosef was also the Zaide (grandfather) who I share with the closest non-Hasidic (multi-generational) family I have >
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> 2nd and 3rd cousins whose existence my family has ignored since WWII, including his second wife.
I don't know why so much of his history (he only passed away in 1915 - I was raised with far more details of ancestors who lived a lot earlier than that) wasn't talked about >
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> some known details hidden, and some details lied about (like place of birth, second wife, and made up gravestone wording). The fact that he and many of his kids and grandkids didn't fit the stereotypical "image of a Hasidic grandfather" seems to be most likely.
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To me graves aren't about the dead, it's about the living. It's about finding ourselves and places that help us realize -
That sometimes, no matter what our family says and does, our own "stepping out of line" might just be part of a family tradition.
Or not, and that's fine. 5/5
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The incoming interim @kolotchayeinu clergy team at #ShavuotAcrossBrooklyn ❤️
It was such a pleasure to start this Yom Tov (holiday) #Shavous with this powerful group of leaders (and all women at that), along with teams from Beth Elohim Brooklyn and @LabShul.
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Plus, my first rabbinical D'var (sermon) representing Kolot as part of our incoming team!
We got a lot of work to do to keep building and holding our communities, especially through these intense times. As Shavuot teaches us, the Torah, and Judaism, >
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> isn't bound to a place, a date, or tribe. It teaches us to come together, כאיש אחד, בלב אחד -
As one person, with one heart, not in-spite our differences, but with our differences, to create a thriving community, a better world with liberation and justice for all!
Today, along with 10 other @rodfeishalom:#Rabbis4Ceasefire and many more local activists, we attempted to deliver aid directly to Gaza.
We were stopped 1 km from the Erez crossing, along with a truck filled with >
Caption reads:
"A protester outside the Erez crossing." 1/
Essential foods. After some of my rabbinical colleagues, along with local Israeli activists, insisted on delivery, the Israeli police arrested a few American and Israeli rabbis and locals activists.
More to come, along with my remarks. For now, some photos.
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@rodfeishalom @ATLCol Video I took at the location we were stopped, next to the crossing:
Every #CeasefireNow post seems to get an automatic version of "but the hostages" response from some.
Let's repeat:
The best thing for the hostages is an immediate ceasefire, and if you actually care about their lives - besides as a talking point - support a ceasefire now.
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The only thing that has saved hostages so far has been a negotiated ceasefire and exchange. As so many Israeli families and former hostages scream:
כולם תמורת כולם -
Everyone for everyone.
The war has literally killed more hostages than it saved, directly and indirectly.
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All the war does is kill more people every day. Thousands of innocent Palestinians, 1000s of innocent children. If you're not capable of humanity for every person, at least stop with the "but hostages" reaction to every person fighting to end this unjustifiable violence. >
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Let's talk about the 3 Yom Kippur meals:
I deeply hate all the anti "happy" Yom Kippur, and "YK isn't a happy day" takes.
In so many communities, like those following Kabbalistic and early Hasidic customs, Yom Kippur is deeply happy.
A day of joy and Simcha.
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Already in the Zohar, its happiness is compared to the happiest day of the year: Purim.
The literal mention of "Simcha" (happiness) on Yom Kippur is all over Jewish texts, from the earliest Halachic texts, to Tor and Shulchan Aruch, to philosophical and theological texts.
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And before all of that, the Talmud (Taanit 30b) very clearly declares Yom Kippur as one of the 2 most joyous holidays of the year. Then the rabbis go on to literally say, "Of course it's a most happy day. It's the day of forgiveness."
He was quite an interesting person, and got some interesting memories with him. A unique quality I admired - and do to this day - about him, is that he was an "איש אמת" a man of truth.
He couldn't stand the "blowing up" most Hasidic Rebbes* made of themselves.
If he wanted, he could've turned into a big leader, living like a king. He was admired by so many, respected by warring factions of Hasidic Jerusalem, married into a prestigious Hasidic dynasty, >
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> etc. Yet, he chose to live his life in simplicity, in the way he felt was most true to himself.
That's a quality so unique in Hasidic rabbinical dynasties, and something I deeply respect.
Repeat:
Criticizing a country doesn't always come from a place of hate. In fact, very often it comes from a place of caring, and even love.
I criticize 2 countries the most: the 2 countries I am a citizen of (by birth) and carry their passports.
Because I care.
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Yes, if I was a great selfless person, I would care about human rights equally everywhere. I would criticize human rights abuse across the globe equally.
Yet, while we try to fight for human rights everywhere, I guess I am still not selfless:
I fight my own countries more.
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Whether that's right* is beyond the point, but I do believe that we need to speak up about our own governments, and people, first.
Not because they are (necessarily) the worse, but because we want them to be the best.
Not because we hate them, but because we care & love.
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