Rabbi's Blog

Dear Haverim,

Five months ago, Berkeley Law School Dean and University Synagogue member Erwin Chemerinsky spoke at our congregation about his Los Angeles Times Op Ed, “Nothing Has Prepared Me For The Anti-Semitism I See On College Campuses Now.”  The situation was bad then and it’s worse now, especially for Erwin and his wife, Berkeley Law Professor Catherine Fisk.

For those who saw Erwin interviewed by Jake Tapper on CNN last week or read the stories in every newspaper or watched the videos online, what is there to feel but “rachmonis”/empathy for Erwin and Catherine.  After having their private lives disrupted by anti-Semitic protestors, following a series of postings online and posters on campus accusing Erwin of a murderous “blood libel” against Palestinians because he’s Jewish, Erwin and Catherine had to endure those same accusations and more in their own backyard at a party for law students.

Ironically, the accuser/spokeswoman was a law student herself, who obviously didn’t learn the proper definition of protected free speech.  Of all the people for that student to choose to verbally attack, Erwin and Catherine should be the least likely.  They are politically progressive, in favor of a Palestinian state, and pained by the loss of lives on both sides in the Israel-Hamas War.  But, sadly, they weren’t attacked for their political views, but for who they are – a Jewish family.

Those murdered on October 7 in the south of Israel by Hamas likewise weren’t killed for their politics, but because they were Jewish.  The irony, once again, is that those Israelis who chose to live but a few miles from the Gaza border were generally believers in Israeli-Palestinian co-existence and a future Palestinian state.  They were the ones who trusted Palestinians to work on their kibbutzim and who drove Palestinians who were ill to Jewish hospitals.

Hate truly is blind to reality, as well as woefully and dangerously ignorant, and sometimes murderous. This past week also witnessed the beginning of the long-awaited trial of Sam Woodward, the accused murderer of University Synagogue member Blaze Bernstein.  Without my writing anything that could be perceived as jeopardizing the trial, we all know that it’s alleged that homophobia and anti-Semitism may have played a central role in the motivation for Blaze’s killer.  Once again, blind hate, born of ignorance, led to an unspeakable death.  We all wish Blaze’s parents, Gideon and Jeanne, and siblings Jay and Beaue, strength during this most painful time.

So, here we all are, a week before Pesach, looking forward to our annual celebration of freedom from hate and injustice, and of liberation from those people and ideas that have enslaved us, and we ask ourselves: has anything prepared us for the anti-Semitism that we have seen and still see in a world that we thought and hoped had rejected that murderous ideology?

There’s a powerful tradition during the recitation of the Ten  Plagues at the Seder when, as we all know, we spill ten drops of wine from our cups, diminishing our joy, even as we celebrate being liberated.  Why?  So that we might feel empathy for those who died – even the Egyptians, our oppressors and all the innocents who suffered as “collateral damage,” so that we could escape and be free.

I hope that this year at our Sedarim, we will feel empathy, despite all of the anti-Semitism out there, for the innocent victims of the war on both sides of the Israel/Gaza border, and that we will strongly support efforts for serious negotiations and vigorously promote the immediate return of the hostages from Gaza,  while not losing hope in a future of reconciliation and peace.

Hamas must be defeated (and Iran, too, as we were frighteningly reminded two days ago), but de-escalating evil in the world takes a long time, and our motivation must never be revenge, but rather justice, safety and sowing seeds for a more hopeful future.

Let’s open the door for Elijah, as we always do, ushering in our dreams of a better world.  While it’s a dark and difficult time, with an eclipse of decency and an ignorance of history, our Seders always end on a note of hope: “L’shana Habaah B’yerushalayim”/Next year in Jerusalem, next year in a world of peace!

Finally, don’t forget to celebrate Pesach with your synagogue family.  Please click here to join us for our University Synagogue Seder on Friday, April 26 at 6:00 p.m.!

Chag Pesach Sameach,

Rabbi Arnie Rachlis