From the Absence, A New Presence

Shabbat Va-ethanan Sermon. Israel’s decision to cave to political pressure and deny entry to Congressional Representatives is profoundly self-destructive. But in the absence of responsible leadership in the political establishment, it’s on the rest of us to step into the breach, to ascend to the heights, and remind one another what’s really possible. We must do more than criticize and condemn bad decisions, we have to reject the politics that foment hatred and division. And in its place, we need to build a political and social reality that reflects Jewish values of tolerance, equality and humility, and fights, above all, for human dignity.