From the newsletter I circulate; although it is primarily for services I run at Kavod Senior Living I also circulate it to others.
From my remarks on this occasion, tomorrow.
The Coalition against Global Genocide has assembled a local coalition in Colorado to declare an annual Sermon Weekend on the topic of Genocide. The timing is because April is Genocide Awareness Month; in the Jewish calendar, April is the month in which Yom HaZikkaron LaGevurah vela-Shoah (Heroism and Holocaust Remembrance Day; usually just called Yom HaShoah) occurs. The Sermon Weekend has often occurred on the Shabbat we read Tazria, as it does this year: particularly appropriate since this parasha discusses a disease that is often translated as leprosyhowever, the Rabbis assumed that this particular disease was caused by lashon ha-ra speaking bad about others.
Genocide often cascades from disparaging others: calling Jews vermin or dogs; Tutsis insects. Lashon Ha-Ra can all too easily lead from words to violence.
In speaking about a Genocide, the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said that Of the 6000 languages spoken today, only one is truly universal: the language of tears. Rabbi Sacks said this is why we shed tears as we remember Genocide.
Indeed, this is ingrained in our sensibility as Jewsin a few days we will symbolic-ally shed tears for the Egyptians who oppressed us by removing drops of wine from our cups during the Passover Seder. And we shed tears for victims of genocide, by definition, at Holocaust Memorials and Yizkor and other occasions. At Kavod Senior Living, the ecumenical Tisha BeAv services we have held give space to reflect on Genocides as well.
We may not be able to stop Genocide ourselves. But we can actwe can remember. We can be sensitized. We can, in our everyday lives, recommit to avoiding Lashon Ha-Ra derogatory speech and other dehumanizations. Many of us have experienced racist and dehumanizing remarks. We can start by making sure we nevertheless do our best to avoid this ourselves, refraining from dehumanizing any who are different from ourselves, and any of the billions of people on this planet, with its unending diversity.
Our ancient prophets Isaiah (2:1-4) and Micah (4:1-3) prophesied about eternal peace. Their famous words envision the nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Lo yisa Goy el Goy Herev. The choice of swordherevis instructive. One of the several Christian peoples victimized by the Ottoman genocide (alongside Armenians and Pontic Greeks) called the slaughter of their people Sayfo sword in their native Aramaic language. Lets do our part to advance the Prophetic goal, understood in this light: One nation shall not put another to the sword.לא ישא גוי אל גוי חרב
Shabbat Shalom
Eid Mubarak
Coffeecups 