A Muslim, an Episcopalian, and a Jew

….walked into a reading room to discuss an upcoming OLLI program for the spring…

While I have been involved in many inter-faith discussions, last month’s meeting felt like a respite from today’s news. I can’t tell you how relaxed and excited I was to be in conversation with those people. Among other topics, we spoke frankly about the huge escalation of antisemitic and anti-Islamic incidents since 9/11 and then after October 7. It turns out we are all worried, we are all afraid, and we are all angry at the bigotry and violence that we see around us. I am sure that amongst us, there are some disagreements, and frankly at some point I hope we can bring them up and talk about them, but I feel confident that we will be able to listen, learn and discuss in a way that is respectful and thought provoking. Perhaps there are stereotypes among us that need to be broken or perhaps we will agree to disagree. I had not known before our meeting how desperate I was for our conversation. I felt so comforted by the respect for humanity in that room. 

Since that time, three students of Palestinian descent were shot while visiting one of their relatives for Thanksgiving. And even though I don’t agree with the anti-Israel sentiment expressed by one of the students, I, and I’m sure you too, was horrified and strongly condemn the actions of the suspected shooter. Whether we agree or disagree with another person’s beliefs, we are one humanity…and I believe, we each have a spark of God within us. Nothing justifies the killing, mutilation and kidnapping that occurred on October 7. Nothing justifies the violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers. It behooves us to look within ourselves and find that Divine spark, nurture it and pass it on. We are equally obligated to understand when and why we diminish that spark and ask ourselves what keeps us from engaging on a human level with one another; when and why might we see someone and treat them as though they are not human? 

Our parsha this week, Vayishlach, describes brothers and enemies, Jacob and Esau, meeting for the first time in 20 years. Both must have been scared, both had probably told and retold the story about how one had wronged the other, neither could be sure that there wouldn’t be a huge war between them. Jacob prayed:

Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; else, I fear, he may come and strike me down, mothers and children alike. (Gen. 32:12)

Yet upon seeing his brother, Jacob, Esau must have found his Divine spark and:

Esau ran to greet him. He embraced him and, falling on his neck, he kissed him; and they wept. (Gen 33:4)

Jacob, not knowing what was going to happen, had brought gifts for his brother who initially refused them and then accepted them:

But Jacob said, “No, I pray you; if you would do me this favor, accept from me this gift; for to see your face is like seeing the face of God, and you have received me favorably. (Gen. 33:10)

And when he [Jacob] urged him, he [Esau] accepted. (Gen. 33:11)

Can we, as humans, recognize our own responses, actions, and misactions; take responsibility for what we have done; find that Divine spark in ourselves and others, and finally live in peace?

May it happen Bimheira v’yameinu (Speedily and in our days)

Amen