Rabbisarchive2005

RABBI'S ARCHIVE
Articles from 2005

Rabbi Salomon Cohen-Scali

SUMMER 2005

Once again, it is this time of the year when many of us take off for a
well deserved vacation. But at the same time we Jews commemorate
during these three weeks the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem
and the subsequent exile that took our people through history and
throughout most of the countries of the world. We remember the
destruction of the Temple and the lesson we can draw from such a
tragic event.

The Talmud states that the first Temple was destroyed because our
ancestors engaged in the terrible sins of immorality, bloodshed, and
idolatry. However, the second Temple was destroyed because of Sin’
at Hinam, free hatred, or as I like to translate because of the collapse
or human relations, the loss of decency and widespread selfishness.
We are Am Haham Venabon “a wise and intelligent people” so we
have to learn the lessons. The first Temple was rebuilt only a few
decades after it’s destruction, but the second one has not yet been
rebuilt almost two thousand years later…

On another vein, I am very happy for the past four months in Ezra
Bessaroth. We have had quite a number of very successful events,
the second Sephardic Shabbaton jointly with our sister congregation
Sephardic Bikur Holim was, again, a smashing success. The second
day of the Shabbath my college Rabbi Benzaquen and I held the first
“Ladies Only” holiday learning session. We could not believe our
eyes when over seventy (70) ladies of all ages showed up for almost
three hours of learning about the Book of Ruth and refreshments. The
event was skillfully organized by Ilana Okrant (hats off!!) and we
plan to have these sessions every second day of Yom-Tov (Pesah,
Shabouth, and Succot).

We are still engaged in the search for a full-time Youth Program
Director for our synagogue. If you have any suggestions please
contact me.

Our wonderful Ladies Auxiliary has committed to continue baking
every Monday and Thursday and taking care of our synagogue. They
could do with some more help in order to ensure their continuity and
to continue having the world renowned Bazaar in our synagogue. A
more than well deserved ‘Hazah Ubaruh’ to them.

Camp this year was especially successful (well done!) our kids had a
marvelous experience, great counselors, and excellent guidance by
Gail Ben Meir and Ben Arouson. All this and much more behind the
scenes tells me that Ezra Bessaroth is a great synagogue and everyone
of it’s members is special because they care for eachother and for
this unique institution. I have learned over the past few years that the
members of Ezra Bessaroth will always be ready to do anything to
preserve what was built by their ancestors, with respect for the
Torah, love for each other, and generosity. These traits are precisely
real antidotes for the faults of our ancestors that led to the destruction
of the second Temple.

With G-d’s help such people will pave the way for the rebuilding of
the Bet Ha Mikdash and the better times of Mashiah. In the meantime,
I wish you all a happy Summer and hope to keep serving you at Kal.
Bibraha

HIGH HOLIDAYS 2005/5766

WE are presently in the Hebrew month of Elul! These days we are immersed in preparations for
the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur). Every Sunday in our synagogue (every day
in many synagogues around the world) we rise up early in the morning and gather to recite the
Selihot (Seliha in Hebrew = forgiveness), beautiful, poetic prayers composed in many cases by
Sephardic Sages, to express our plea and recognition of our mistakes and wrong doings and our
trust that G-d’s mercy will prevail.

Elul is, in synthesis, the possibility to express what we do not normally stop to think about. Elul
“opens a door” for us to enter the hall of true Judaism which is not a hall of fame based on
material success, but the waiting room in which we are supposed to develop the traits of honesty,
humility, humanity, and solidarity.

Elul indicates to this with it’s name since ELUL is made up in Hebrew by the initials of the words
of the most famous verse in the Song of Songs: ANI LEDODI VEDODI LI (I am for my beloved
and my beloved is for me). My beloved = G’d or/and My Beloved = my fellow human being.

So it is clear that beyond the simple meaning of the “end of the year” Jewish tradition does not
only invite us to review the recent past and reflect on it but rather to prepare for the future. In
Judaism we focus on “Rosh Hashanah: The Beginning Of The Year” So when we reflect about
the past year we have to do so with the intention of learning for the future.

And what a year we had!!! Tsunami in the Far East, war in Iraq, terrorism in London, England,
unbelievable rise of anti-Semitism, more recently Hurricane Katrina with its devastation, and the
ever-painful Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, are just some of the world events that we
have all had the opportunity to witness in this era of global immediate communication. Events
which have made it possible for us to see the best and the worst of human kind. As for me, if I
were to choose one of these events to learn from and draw hope and inspiration for the future
there is no doubt in my mind this event would be the Israeli evacuation of Gaza settlement.

There was a confrontation between two diametrically opposed points of view, the Israeli society
was divided. There were calls to disobey orders in the IDF, while others stated the opposite.
The people of the Gaza settlement cried:
“This is our home! Our children were born here, our parents are buried here! YEHUDI LO
MAGARESH YEHDUDI – a Jew Does not expel another Jew!”
As the date of the evacuation drew near everyone feared that worst. There was talk of Jews
fighting and even killing other Jews, everyone in and out of Israel feared the worst…However,
what we saw during those decisive days should inspire us all:

The police and soldiers were specially trained, they were gentle and empathetic: They prayed the
last Minha together with the Settlers in their synagogue before they closed it down. They went
inside of the homes to evict the Settlers and it looked like NIHUM ABELIM, like a Shiva call.
The soldiers sat on the floor with them and cried with them and then led them out as gently as they
could. Many of these soldiers and police (men and women) were very young, 18 and 19 years
old, some of them even had relatives living in this settlement, and some agreed with their views.
The fears of Jews killing or injuring Jews proved to be baseless. The government and army had
predicted a confrontation that would last 6 weeks, the job was done in 6 days. And among the
Settlers, no matter the level of resistance, there was a consensus to show love and respect to the
soldiers, treating them as brothers and sisters.

These young men and women on both sides are the true strength of Israel. They rose to the
occasion, far above the leadership from either side whom called for confrontation. These young
people are the true secret weapon Israel and the Jewish people have to face the future with
confidence and security. We do not know what the future holds, but we do know now, more than
ever, that AM YISRAEL HAI, that the People of Israel are alive and united. And with that
AHDUT (unity) we will overcome any challenge we will be faced with.

Elul is the month when, according to our beliefs, we Jews are inundated with fervor, spirituality,
light, and faith. Let us learn from these young Israeli Settlers and soldiers, that regardless of our
differences we are AM EHAD, one people united not only by a common past but because we
share a common future. Let us allow the spiritual fervor which we feel these days to enter our
lives and stay for the coming year.

This is the difference, it is in our hands to make it, we can only live through TORAH and love for
each other. Yehuda Haleri wrote in one of the Selihot that we are reciting these days:
LAGRIMAS ESTIYE TUS OJOS
I TE REPYENTAS SOVRE TUS REVEYOS
I ENGRASYATE ESKUENTRA TU KRIADOR
I NON NON TE MESKLES KON LOS MALINOS
I HAZE ABASHAR MUNCHO A TU ALTIGUEZA,
I TOMA LO BUENO KE ES ERMOZO
ONRA AL DYO DE TUS AZYENDAS
A LA ORA SUVIRAN SALVADORES
I ALSARAN BOZ DE TUS RUYIDOS
SEY KOMPUESTO A ESKUENTRA TU DYO
PORKE ATI ADORMESIDO? ALEVANTA YAMMA A TU DYO!

“Let your eyes pour your tears
Repenting for your sins
Implore grace from the Creator
Do not follow the evil-doers
Bend low your pride
Load yourself with good deeds
It is so sweet to give honor unto the Lord,
More than your wealth when the deliverance ascends…
When the voice of salvation is elevated among your people
Get ready to receive your G-d.
Then why do you sleep? Arise and invoke your G-d!!

I would like to end by wishing you all “ANYADA BENA I DULCE”. Raquel and I look forward
to seeing each one of you at Kal during the coming holiday, and talking to you personally.

KETIBA VEHATIMA TOBA
May 5766 be a year of health and prosperity for all of us. Amen!

R. Salomon Cohen-Scali

RABBI'S MESSAGE FOR PESAH 5765

As we approach Pesah, the festival of our liberation from slavery in Egypt, the starting
point in our national history, as well as one of the most family oriented celebrations of
the Jewish calendar, I want to use this opportunity to wish each and every member of
our beloved Ezra Bessaroth a Pesah Kasher Ve'Sameah.

I would like to share with you some personal reflections on the one-hundredth
anniversary of Sephardic presence in Seattle. This year, 2005, marks a century of
Sephardic presence in Seattle. The first Sephardim arrived here in 1905 planting the
seeds which later bore fruit as the two wonderful synagogues ; Ezra Bessaroth and
Sephardic Bikur Holim. The spirit with which these congregations were founded was
one of Jewish charity, solidarity and true brotherhood as the motto of Ezra Bessaroth
indicates: "kupat ozer dalim de'anshe Rodos ": "The fund to help the needy of the
people of Rhodes."

The Sephardic Brotherhood as well as the Rabbis of the two synagogues have organized
a series of events to celebrate such a milestone: the first ever Sephardic Shabbaton,
which drew more than 250 people, (we actually had to close reservations More than a
week before). There are two heritage trips being organized to learn about our roots, one
led by Rabbi Benzaquen and myself to Spain and the second to Turkey. When we reflect
about this providential Sephardic presence in this remote corner of the world, we learn
about the unique greatness of this group within the larger community: who were these
Sephardim that established themselves here?

Sephardim by definition are those Jews who originated in the Iberian Peninsula before
the infamous expulsion of 1492 and who found their way to North Africa, the Ottoman
Empire (including the Balkans), the New World and the land of Israel as well as the
descendants of Marranos (those forced to convert to Christianity and who made it back
to Judaism). Today many oriental Jews from Arab countries are (from this perspective)
wrongly referred to as Sephardim. But beyond this definition, Sephardim are a unique
cultural identity and I strongly believe that culture is what makes a society strong and
able to survive history. The best definition of the word culture I ever heard reads as
follows: "Not only as expressive of that higher learning, that refinement of interest and
that familiarity with the best thoughts and the higher emotion which can become the
possession of only a few, but we must understand it also in its broader sense as
expressing the distinctive characteristics of a people's methods of self-expression. All
those elements of life which collectively go to form the groups consciousness make up
the culture”.

This culture of the Iberian Jews is one of the most ancient ones within Judaism and it
was forged by the greatest Talmudic scholar and Jewish philosophers as well scientist
and poets ...such as Rabenu Yona, Rabenu Nissim, Rabbi Yitzhak Alfasi, Maimonides,
N ides, Ibn Gabirol, R. Yehuda Halevi, Bachia Ibnda, Ibn Ezra..., the list is simply
endless.

This culture gave way to a of life based on the Shvil Ha' Zehav (Golden Mean), a
flourishing Jewish life that was never based on the isolation from the general society
but on the contrary, on actively being involved it society and impacting it and shaping it
to the point of turning it somehow Jewish too. All this was done with a firm loyalty to
the eternal values of Torah Judaism.

This cosmopolitan approach to Jewish life and society allowed for every Sephardi to
survive even when the tide was against them and even when moving from one country to
another.
It allowed them to become an integral and crucial contributing force in their countries of
residence, while also allowing for the emergence of great and scholarly religious
leaders and thriving centers of Jewish learning. It is also true that at times this openness,
when misunderstood or when accompanied by lack of Jewish education, (especially in
recent times), made the Sephardim pay a very high toll to assimilation and somehow led
to a relaxation in seeing the need for learning with the subsequent weakening of the
Jewish identity.

By bringing back the original Sephardic ideal of the very strong and deep Jewish roots,
combined with our traditional tendency of becoming a positive contributing force in the
general society in which we live, we will also bring back the secret of the success in
our historical tasks of securing our continuity as Jews. I personally believe this is the
key to the prominence of the Jewish community in the modern times haven which has
been this country. This is why I believe that the greatest contribution that we have made
and can make in the future to the general Jewish community would be by enhancing and
reinforcing this Sephardic way of life. In doing so, we will not only be strengthening
our community but strengthening the whole of Israel.

Raquel and I hope to see you at Kal during Pesah and to have an opportunity of greeting
you personally.

Moadim LeSimha

Hanuka – The Jewish Spirit

We are about to celebrate Hanuka, for eight days we will be lighting candles to
commemorate the miracles that took place in the second century before the
common era.

As the story goes, the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV, together with some Jewish
sympathizers, tried to force cultural assimilation. A statue of Zeus was erected
in the Temple in Jerusalem and basic Jewish rituals such as circumcision and the
observance of Shabbath were banned. Those who kept these rituals were
persecuted and there was a real possibility that Judaism would disappear. It
was then that the Maccabees led a small group against the most powerful empire;
miraculously they enjoyed a victory that ended up restoring Jerusalem to Jewish
hands and rededicating the Temple and it’s services. The celebration lasted
eight days and that is the reason for the name “Hanuka” which in Hebrew means
“dedication”.

Initially Hanuka was the commemoration of the military victory, but after the
subsequent occupation of Jerusalem by the Romans, the destruction of the
Temple, and the resulting exile Hanuka became a different kind of celebration.
Not of military success but of what really makes our people unique, the spiritual
strength. The lights of Hanuka came to represent the Jewish spirit which, like the
oil, kept burning on by miracle. The Jewish faith continues even after the
destruction of the Temple, the exile and the harshest trials ever faced by a people.

I just returned from the heritage tour of Spain; together with my coleage Rabbi
Benzaquen and 27 other people we visited the sites of “the golden age” of
Spanish Jewry. The places of birth of our greatest scholarly Rabbis,
philosophers, and poets. The country that welcomes them during many centuries
and that they turned into their home with love. But just like the Hellenists in the
story of Hanuka, the country that turned against Judaism, suddenly our ancestors
could stay in their adopted country only if Judaism did not stay with them.

One fateful day in 1492 the Spanish Jews were given the same choice as their
ancestors had been given over a millennia and a half before; it was either you or
your religion. Again Judaism was facing one of it’s greatest trials ever and
again, as the verse says “Nor by might, nor by force, but by My spirit says the L-
rd”. In spite of a large number of casualties the light of Judaism continued to
burn on.

As I stood for a few minutes away from the group in a beautiful plaza in Seville,
from where my ancestors the Cohen-Scali’s had to flee in 1392, this thought
came to my mind:
After the Maccabees led the revolt against the Hellenists, and after my ancestors,
along with tens of thousands of other Jews, did not give in to the Spanish rulers.
After each and every one of the tribulations we have had to endure as a people, a
dream was born. A dream that is strengthened by the fact that in spite of our
dispersion and our weakness we stay loyal to our faith. The dream that we await
and believe, against all probability, that there will be a final redemption and
historical justice will be done.

In the meantime, we owe our valiant ancestors who chose to leave Spain, their
country, for centuries into the unknown. We owe our brothers and sisters who
perished in the holocaust, we owe our ancestors that chose to defy the all-mighty
Hellenist Empire during the story of Hanuka, as well as every generation before
us, we owe them all to keep the lights of Judaism alive and shining into a
brighter future.

Happy festival of lights

R. Salomon Cohen-Scali