D'var Torah

Dear Friends,

This week’s Torah portion reads like a soap opera. Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24) contains the story of Sodom and Gemorah, Sarah having Isaac late in life, and the Akeidah -- the sacrifice of Isaac. There is one line I want to focus on in the Akeidah. God tells Abraham to take Isaac to Mt. Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice. The story describes getting ready for their journey, gathering the needed supplies, and then Abraham and Isaac walking alone together to the sacrificial spot. They hardly speak to each other on this journey, afraid of what one might say to the other. Twice, the text says: וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם יַחְדָּֽו – “…and the two walked off together” in silence. There are very few words spoken between them. They walk without speaking, each focused on their own thoughts, not wanting to ask any questions because the answers may be very difficult to hear. Picture two people who can’t communicate because there is no understanding between them. There is only a divide. 

The election this past week – and really the past 8 years – have underscored how different we are from each other: neighbors who each displayed different political signs on their yard, colleagues, and co-workers, some depressed after last Tuesday, some elated. Even family members who let you know they were voting for a different candidate than you. Many of these scenarios caused many of us to avoid conversation with people. Today’s political climate has accentuated the “us verses them” society in which we now live. It’s really a shame. We can change this so it does not become the status quo. We don’t want to live and work alongside people with whom we don’t want to speak for fear of getting into a political discussion with them. And so, for many of us, we walk along together, in silence, like Abraham and Isaac.

For this reason, I’m so pleased that our McLean Clergy Association, which has been dormant for many years, has reunited. The MCA is made up of churches, a mosque, our synagogue, and other Houses of Worship that are all located around the McLean area. The clergy meet every other month and discuss topics that are important to our shared community. We haven’t spoken for a long time in this group, and now we’re speaking. We’re not focusing on issues that may divide us, but rather building community through the issues that unite us. It’s so important in this political climate that we continue to build relationships and sustain our community. We need the wider community around us to support us in challenging times. Remember how great it felt when so many interfaith clergy joined us on our bimah after the Pittsburgh synagogue mass shooting? Knowing we are supported, and we can support others at their needy times, is what community is all about.

This Sunday, for the first time in years, the McLean Clergy Association is once again holding a community interfaith Thanksgiving service. This is an opportunity to build community with our neighbors, even when we have different views and opinions. Strengthening our wider community at a time of deep political divide is so important to help all of us get through difficult times. Join me on Sunday at 3 pm at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in McLean (Westmoreland Street and Chain Bridge Road) for a short interfaith service of Thanksgiving. Teens from a number of congregations, including ours, will speak about gratitude. A choir made up of members of all the congregations will sing. As we build community, we will be able to walk along together in the future, speaking and sharing hopes and dreams to make our world a better place.
 

Shabbat Shalom,
Cantor Michael Shochet