From the Bimah: Jewish Lessons for Life

Talmud Class: What Does Ukraine Teach us About Israel's Future and the Jewish Future?


Listen Later

Is Ukraine on its own? Or is the world with Ukraine? It is so confusing.

The answer seems to be yes. 


On the one hand, the world is with Ukraine. The Daily on March 2 told the fascinating story of how it came to be that the European Union passed unanimously the strongest, toughest, most stringent sanctions ever, including sanctions directed personally against Putin and his henchmen. The nations of the world are supplying Ukraine not only with moral support, and economic support, but also sophisticated weaponry to fight this war. 

On the other hand, the people fighting and dying and fleeing are Ukrainians. They are in the trenches alone. 

Reflecting on this reality, Danny Gordis, in an unusually evocative piece at this urgent time, writes: 

"Israelis watch Ukraine, and we see ourselves. We see this week, and we see one possible future. We know with no uncertainty—we would be alone. We would be abandoned. If we or you ever thought otherwise, it’s time to stop the delusion. To see our possible future, all we have to do is look north at the present."


In other words, if Israel were to be attacked God forbid in any of the scenarios that Danny Gordis lays out, it would be worse for Israel than for Ukraine. We would not have the moral support of the world. We would be alone on the battlefield, and much of the world would be against us.

What light does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the world’s reaction, shed on our beloved eretz Yisrael, and is this grim picture just what it is, or do we have any moves perhaps to make it any better?

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

From the Bimah: Jewish Lessons for LifeBy Temple Emanuel in Newton

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

8 ratings


More shows like From the Bimah: Jewish Lessons for Life

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

91,073 Listeners

CLUBLIFE by Tiësto

CLUBLIFE

6,535 Listeners

Israel Story by Israel Story

Israel Story

1,208 Listeners

The Rabbi Sacks Legacy by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

The Rabbi Sacks Legacy

542 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,586 Listeners

Identity/Crisis by Shalom Hartman Institute

Identity/Crisis

214 Listeners

For Heaven's Sake by Shalom Hartman Institute

For Heaven's Sake

446 Listeners

Call Me Back - with Dan Senor by Ark Media, Ilan Benatar

Call Me Back - with Dan Senor

3,233 Listeners

The Times of Israel Daily Briefing by The Times of Israel

The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

1,090 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,076 Listeners

Honestly with Bari Weiss by The Free Press

Honestly with Bari Weiss

8,784 Listeners

Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas by Boundless Israel, Inc.

Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas

103 Listeners

Ask Haviv Anything by Haviv Rettig Gur

Ask Haviv Anything

833 Listeners