The following is my Dvar Torah from last week. Coincidentally, one of our college students who had just returned from completing her Sophmore year at Columbia University was at services and spoke about her experiences as a Jew on campus after October 7. She spoke about what she had hoped to find at Columbia, a diverse student population with diverse thoughts that was open to meaningful discussion, dialogue and growth. Unfortunately, she has not experienced this type of atmosphere, yet.

She spoke about how the Jewish community on campus, the Hillel and Chabad, has become like a second home for Jewish students looking for a refuge, and how the rabbis and staff at these institutions have supported them. In honor of her speaking to our congregation, I asked for congregants to support the institutions that have supported these students on campus:

Kraft Center (Hillel) of Columbia and Barnard

Chabad of Columbia University

Meor

Who Speaks for the Jews On and Off Campus? Jewish Voices in Conflict©

Parashat Emor 5784/2024

When I was a kid, and there were no referees on the sports fields, we argued about calls, one team against the other. Do you know what almost ended every argument? When someone on one’s own team opposed the leader arguing, the opposing team’s captain would say, “See! Even someone from your own team disagrees with you!” 

Your team captain might scream, “OK, but he doesn’t speak for us!” But it doesn’t matter to the opponent. They can care less about the health of your team dynamics; they want to win. 

This is our relationship with disagreement as know it today; we discourage it because we are scared. And when it comes to Jews, we do not like to air our dirty laundry to the public because of the question that is in the back of our minds at all times: what will the non-Jews say? 

We are in a similar moment, of Jews pitted against each other, Zionists versus anti-Zionists. 

But the truth is, those who oppose the self-interest of the overwhelming majority of Jews by supporting Israel’s right to exist point out that Jews are on their side. To paraphrase the head of the Columbia protest movement, who I heard interviewed on TV, “We are doing this for the liberation of the Palestinian and Jewish people. Jewish people stand with us here together. We even had a Seder, so these protests are very Jewish.” So which ones are the Jewish students? Who speaks for the Jews? How do we determine who speaks for the Jews? Is it the protestors who led Anti-Zionist Seders with the protestors at the Gaza Solidarity encampments or are they the protestors carrying Israeli flags outside? 

I know what you’re thinking, and guess what…I agree with you 100%, but that doesn’t mean that we are right. 

We talk a lot about Jewish unity, and there is a reason for it: if we do not speak with one voice, then who speaks for us? 

Click on the box below to read the rest

Click on the link below for a lesson taught by Rabbi David Baum at Congregation Shaarei Kodesh about the little-known holiday of Pesach Sheni (or second Passover), a holiday in the Torah that occurred exactly one month after Passover on the 14th day of the month of Iyyar.

Even though it is described in the Torah, there is little to do to observe it other than having a piece of matzah. But maybe we can take this day to learn about second chances.

Here's why I recommend these articles

1. Western Self-Hatred and the Offering of Israel

My take: What happened when the 'dream' of the Islamic Republic turned into a nightmare? What happens when the idealized version of 'freedom' ends up as a system of oppression that is even more dangerous?

"In 1978, as the protests against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi were picking up volume and speed, Michel Foucault visited Tehran. He wrote several articles for the French and Italian press on the revolutionary proceedings and sat down for a conversation with the writer Baqir Parham to discuss world events. Turning first to the West, Foucault noted that the desire to establish a “non-alienated, clear, lucid, and balanced society” had begotten, over the preceding two-hundred years, Western industrial capitalism, which, he postulated, is “the harshest, most savage, most selfish, most dishonest, oppressive society one could possibly imagine”.

The West, it appears, was pure evil. But new hope rose from the East, specifically from Iran, where young and old alike were casting off the yoke of tyranny. Foucault told Parham he agreed with those in Iran who said that Marx was right about religion being the opiate of the masses—except when it comes to Shi’ite Islam. Shi’ism is different, surmised Foucault, because of “the role of Shi’ism in a political awakening.”

2. On Campus, a New Social Litmus Test: Zionist or Not?

   My take: I have heard similar stories from our students on campus who have felt shunned by their non-Jewish friends just because they assume, or are, Zionists.

    

Here's an interesting quote from the article:

"Some Jewish students say they’ve been dropped by old roommates and sorority sisters and ostracized from campus clubs and teams because of their views — which are sometimes assumed....

These black-or-white pressures — to remove anti-Zionists from some Jewish communities, and to remove Zionists from parts of campus life — seem likely to shrink a middle ground where people with fiercely differing beliefs can learn from one another. And that, according to some Jews caught in the middle, is a real loss. “It’s harder, and it takes more mental effort,” said Ms. Gerger, the Columbia senior. “But there aren’t deeper conversations going on.”

Here's why I recommend this piece

Ilene Prusher is an incredible journalist who has served in war zones from Afghanistan to Iraq and spent many years in Israel as a journalist. She's also a published author and much more. But more than that, she's a dear friend and a great person with an incredible sense of journalistic ethics! Also, the University of Florida is a place that is near and dear to our hearts (both Alissa and I are alums - Go Gators!). Please take some time to read the article above ☝️

Podcasts About the Campus Protests , the Divisiveness Surround the Israel Conversation, and a dose of optimism for Israel's 77th birthday.

Weekly Parashah Podcasts

Welcome to 'Baum's Branches'! Every week, I hope to share deep wisdom rooted in the 3,000-year-old Jewish tradition with a wider audience. 

Why the name Baum's Branches? Seems kind of corny. Am I signing up for weekly dad jokes from a rabbi?

No, and I'm glad you asked:

'Baum's Branches' is a play on words. Baum (pronounced as "bowm" not "bomb") means tree in German, which is also my last name. The Torah, the center of our faith and people, is called a 'tree of life' or the Etz Chaim. The Jewish people believe in deep roots as the key to our success, we are constantly digging the wells of our ancestors, but we also branch out, bringing the timeless wisdom of our tradition to the modern world.

Imagine a vibrant forest where Torah roots intertwine with worldly branches, offering a rich tapestry of thought-provoking articles, uplifting sermons, and enlightening podcasts. Each week, I will offer space for spiritual growth and intellectual exploration, that will shape our worldview together. 

I will include: 

• Weekly original Divrei Torah/sermons (either from a previous year, the previous week or even that week’s sermon)

• Links to articles (mostly from the Jewish press), podcasts, and videos that helped shape my view of the world this week

• More to come! 

I created this digital digest for my beloved chaverim/congregants, Congregation Shaarei Kodesh of Boca Raton, who are looking to delve a little deeper each week, but also those around the world whom I may know or whom I’ve never met. I’ve been in Boca Raton a long time now, and not everyone stays in our area, so this digital digest is a way for me to share my Torah with you, both near and far!

Whether you're seeking guidance, inspiration, or simply a moment of reflection before Shabbat, you can grab onto 'Baum's Branches,' reflect, and prepare for a day of reflection and rest.