Rabbi Arthur Weiner

For many years, I had a tradition of sharing a document of great American Jewish historical significance on the Shabbat that either preceded or followed July 4. It has been several years.  For my Shabbat message to the community, I wanted to share with you among the most beloved documents American Jewish history, George Washington's Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island .   As you read to it, please consider the audience to which it was directed, and what its message of liberty meant to the small Jewish community in the USA in the post-revolutionary war era, a community likely numbering less than 5000 members.    Who were the first American Jews? They were Sephardic Jews whose ancestors were forced from Spain during the Inquisition, only to flee their new homes in Brazil when Spain wrested control of Dutch colonies in the New World in the middle of the 17 th century and brought the Inquisition to South America. They fled to the United States, seeking religio

Do the Jewish people have a symbol, and if we do what is that symbol?   How many of you are thinking of the six-pointed Star of David?   If you did, I would have to say that is a good answer.   The Star of David or as we used to call it, the Jewish Star is a leading symbol of Judaism.   It adorns art, religious imagery, and is even a much requested design for tattoos for those who chose to assert their Jewish identity and pride in this decidedly foreign art form.   And of course, in our time, it adorns synagogues, and perhaps most famously the flag of the State of Israel.   It is about as common and mainstream a symbol as the Jewish people have.   Christians have a cross, the Muslims have the sickle, and we have the star.   This is so much a symbol that for years the International Red Cross refused Israel membership because it insisted on displaying the star and not a cross or the Islamic crescent.   This week’s Torah reading Parshat Beha’alotecha deals with a variety of differe

Last Sunday, members of our synagogue, along with members of the Fair Lawn Jewish Center and Temple Israel of Ridgewood marched in the Celebrate Israel Parade .   That is the regular name for the parade.   Years ago, it was called the Israel Day Parade .   With all that has happened since October 7, and the attention given to Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, the parade this year was simply called Israel Day on Fifth Avenue .   I have to tell you. The parade was amazing this year. It was great to be with so many Jews and Israel supporters marching together in an amazing display of support and unity. It was great to see the full diversity of the Jewish community coming together to demonstrate their love and commitment to Israel, and her people. By every metric, the parade was an unqualified success. Organizers originally hoped for 30,000 - 40,000 thousand marchers. Yet 45,000 showed up. Organizers wondered about the spectators. Yet crowds lined the east side of 5th ave