We have all read the newspapers and seen the news reports over the past few weeks. The situation in the Middle East has many worried. I get phone calls and questions from congregants regarding the political climate and what is going on in Egypt and in Tunis and elsewhere. People are worried about the stability in the region and have a growing concern with Israel and the role all these uprisings may play in terms of peace with the Palestinians and peace overall in the area.
I am not a political scientist. I don’t have the answers. What I can do is open a forum for people to speak and ask questions of each other to try to gain some insight and better understanding to what is going on. We are all uneasy and unsure of what will come next. This Shabbat we will have an open forum for congregants to come and listen to one another in dialogue as part of our service. Where we normally have a chance to speak about the Torah reading and discuss it during services, this week we will speak about the current crises in the Middle East.
How should you prepare? Take a chance and read some of the many articles one can find on the internet or in newspapers. Watch the news over the next few days and nights. Listen to the radio. Over the next few days investigate who Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is and what brought about these demonstrations in Egypt. Read about Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and why violent protests erupted in his country causing his eventual fleeing to Saudi Arabia.
It is not all the time that we have a chance to sit and talk meaningfully about what is going on in the world. Sometimes it takes catastrophes such as these to force us to make time. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
I hope to see you soon. Shabbat Shalom.
