Rabbi’s Shabbat Message

Shabbat Shalom, now back in Texas

My Israel experiences always include study, tzedaka and filmmaking to tell
Israel’s story.

The study and Jewish enrichment– memory. I hope to explore over the course
of this year’s High Holy Days insights which I have gained into the role of
individual as well as collective memory in the formation of our own Jewish
selves and the notion of Jewish peoplehood with shared memory. Meanwhile, I
ask you in your summer thoughts and High Holy Day preparatory moments to
consider your own memories and the way in which those memories influence
every aspect of your life. Then, for a moment, just try to imagine how you
would link those memories to all our fellow Jews. Finally, sit down with a
tablet or at your computer and just list the instances in which you recall
(remember) the actual word “remember” or “memory” in Tanach, worship,
midrash, folklore– the totality of Jewish experience.

I was able to present, as I already shared with you, $1500 to Bikkur Cholim
hospital. In addition, one of our Bnot Mitzvah shared some of her Bat
Mitzvah gifts and on her behalf I was able to make an added donation to the
pediatric unit at Bikkur Cholim. Additionally, I made donations on our
behalf to Bemaagley Tzedek (words from the 23rd psalm which means “in
straight paths”)– an organization which advocates for workers and the
disabled. And finally, our donation reached The Israel Project, a non-profit
organization which assists journalists and independent filmmakers to obtain
materials, interviews and resources to tell Israel’s story to the world.

It is under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office and The Israel
Project that I visited Sderot last Friday, July 11. I had the opportunity to
interview survivors of Qassam attacks, to photograph buildings which have
been hit directly, to witness schools under concrete canopies (which with
some irony they call a kippah) and actually to photograph into Gaza from the
closest overlook allowed by the military.

This will form part of a documentary which I am editing but for the moment
wanted to share with you a first “rough cut” of one interview. This is an
interview with Geut Argon, whose house was hit directly by a rocket some 6
months ago. Please watch and feel free to share the link with others so that
all of us can help tell Israel’s story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMfjhFM4wb0

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Ned Soltz