Bylined opinion and news columns published by United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute.
In a few days, we will be celebrating the holiday that more Jews celebrate than any other. Of course, that holiday is Passover.
Passover commemorates our redemption from slavery in Egypt. However, we aren’t celebrating just an event long ago. We are re-telling the story of the Exodus as if it was our own experience, today.
What’s not to celebrate? Purim tells the story of a heroine who saves her people; the Jewish people who survive to live, study and worship G-d another day; and a man who is filled with blinding hatred and is ultimately undone by it. On Purim, we can let our hair down and rest easy. Or can we?
Unfortunately, the recent election failed to heal our country’s divisiveness. We are constantly bombarded with opposing viewpoints, anger and hostility from opposite ends of the political spectrum. How as a congregation should we respond to “hot button” social issues? At a recent Temple board meeting, the members grappled with taking a stand on the issue of immigration.
Unitedhebrewth.org will occasionally feature voices from the congregation and community on social justice from a Reform Jewish perspective. Here, Terry Fear recounts her February visit with husband Steve to the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest near Cannon Ball, N.D.