The month of Elul is here. Most of the world thinks in terms of the coming autumn, but for those of us somewhat attuned to the rhythm of the Jewish calendar, it is a special time indeed:
אני לדודי ודודי לי
Ani Ledodi Vedodi Li - I am for my Beloved, as my Beloved is for me. It's the romantic lead in to the profoundly intimate time of Teshuva/Repentance that is the month of Tishrei and the New Year.
And yet, their is a shadow this year hovering over this extraordinarily personal period between the Creator and the Children of Israel.
For in a little more than 2 weeks time, the United Nations will meet to vote for the creation of a Palestinian Arab State in the ancestral homeland of the Jewish People. It is a profound attack on our legitimacy as a nation, as a people, and as the catalyst that spawned both Christianity and Islam.
If you listen carefully, you will hear phrases like "...the three great monotheistic faiths," or "...the Abrahamic faiths." Those overly simplistic sound bites only serve to obscure real differences. Jewish thought and commitment is predicated on the sanctity of life - fundamentalist Islam is in the throes of suicidal/murderous attacks on innocent men, women and children. Some Christian believe that their path to their Jewish Messiah lies in the utter destruction of Israel and her people.
Jeremiah the Prophet said in the name of G-d, "...for My House shall be a House of Prayer for All Nations."
For that to happen, the Children of Israel need to remember what it takes to build a home that can begin to reflect on the unity of a family. Only then will the nations of the world feel comfortable in recognizing our common Father - and our common origins.
