Some reflections on Yom Kippur from Mark:
A few thoughts about my Yom Kippur services. I attend Har Tzeon in Wheaton, MD. Nice little conservative synagogue. Interesting sermon Sunday night, The Rabbi discussed where we are going morally and ethically as a people. He said he was embarrassed at times to be a Jew this year listing Madoff, the Rabbi organ trafficking scandal, and corruption of Olmert & other Israeli leadership. Not a word about the wars and occupation and treatment of the Palestinians. On a local note, I felt he should have added Danny Snyder to the list as he continues to drive my beloved Washington football franchise into the ground, but hey, maybe he’s not a football fan.
As you enter the secondary auditorium in the building with the Hebrew school, they have a big map of Israel. Funny thing, the map has no mention of the West Bank, Palestine, Gaza, etc. The whole piece of land is labeled as Israel. Don’t we get our panties in a bunch when we point out there is no reference to Israel on the maps in the text books of other Middle Eastern countries?
And what YK service is complete without the Israel Bond drive. A guy comes to the podium, recites the neocon lines verbatim. Iran’s a threat, Ahmadinejad wants to wipe Israel off the map, rockets raining down from Gaza, Hezbullah threats from the north, etc. They need our help. Pass those pledge cards to the ushers. Well, even though times are tough, I seen to remember in previous years they’d get six or seven cards. Quite a bit more this year. It really surprised me.
One more thought. I never really picked up on this until this year. One of the prayers asks G-d to pardon and forgive us for HIS sake. For HIS sake? Am I reading this wrong? Has a Jewish comedian ever picked up on this? G-d, you really need to forgive me for YOUR sake. If I’ve been a jerk all year, I can make G-d feel better about himself if he pardons me? I guess I really am part of the "Chosen People".
