Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,

The reading of Parshat Zachor this Shabbat fulfills a Torah law to remember events that took place over 3,300 years ago. The Holocaust, which is recorded and archived so meticulously, is denied within dwindling living memory of the events. A recent poll indicates that 90% of Palestinians deny the events of Oct. 7^th. They are told what to believe, and all their information comes from fabricated sources. All the more reason for us to double down on keeping the memory of these events alive, as painful as it is.

Tomorrow, a survivor of the Nova festival will speak of his experiences, and what he has been doing since Oct. 7. His name is Ron Segev, and I thank Wendy & David Kerdell for hosting him these past two weeks, and for sponsoring his presentation tomorrow in shul Ron will speak at the end of services, at about 11:00am. Also, we are very pleased to have Emil Fish speak to us at our community Yom Hashoah program this year, on Sunday evening, May 5^th. Emil survived Bergen Belsen as a child, at the end of the war, and he just completed a film about his experiences. We will show this film at our Yom Hashoah service and Emil will address us afterwards (details will be sent after Purim).

We are people who remember when everyone else wants to forget. Remembering is especially crucial because it spurs us to action. I have included a message from the OU to raise our voices of support for Israel’s just cause. Just because we do not shut down highways and bridges, doesn’t mean we don’t consider our cause to be important. Just because we don’t deface property with scrawled messages doesn’t mean we don’t consider our cause just. Last Sunday I conversed with some police officers in Central Park, during a pro-Israel rally, and they said how appreciative they were for the orderly nature of our gatherings, in contrast to what they experience in the Jew-hatred rallies. We can vigorously support our cause by showing our elected officials that forcing Israel’s hand is not only morally unwise, it is politically unwise. Let’s get our word out.

I wish everyone a Shabbat Shalom and a Purim Sameach.

Stay well and healthy.

Rabbi Allen Schwartz                    

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Congregation Ohab Zedek

118 West 95^th Street

New York, NY  10025-6604

Phone 212.749-5150, ext 200

E-mail ras@ozny.org

Website:  www.ozny.org