Aviva R and Abby O – Beth Tfiloh Students
Jews from all different backgrounds and religious practices came together on October 7th, and have remained united in the months since. Jews have historically struggled to remain one nation, fighting amongst each other about the “right” way to practice Judaism, and not fully accepting those of other denominations.
Yet when faced with adversity, the Jewish people came together, and finally became one people. We never would have imagined that we would see pictures of orthodox Jews hugging soldiers, reform Jews lighting Shabbat candles, or conservative Jews kashering their restaurant to provide food for observant soldiers and families.
Similarly, we never thought that the BT students and SSG students would connect as much as we have, or form such a strong family. This program has been so eye opening, allowing us to emerge from our bubbles and learn about Judaism from an entirely different perspective. There have been so many moments that have changed our views, and so many memories that wewill cherish forever. One of the things that stood out to us most is something that Mozes said during a reflection last year. He told us that he left BT wearing his kippah and didn’t even notice until later. He did not have to worry about taking it off; nobody looked at him weirdly, and it felt normal. He shared that this is not a normal experience in Hungary. As soon as he leaves the school building, he takes off his kippah. He does not really have the freedom to wear it out, and he is hyper aware of whether he is wearing it. It was such a simple thing, the fact that he could keep his kippah on his head when leaving the school building, yet it meant so much. It made usrealize that we as American Jews have such privileges, and we take our freedom for granted. Only when we are faced with stories of antisemitism do we realize the extent of Jew hatred, and that there are places that are not safe to be a Jew.
While this may seem bleak, it is actually a really beautiful experience. The fact that we are lucky enough to have this program, and to connect with Jews from across the world, is remarkable. It is such a privilege to learn about different customs and cultures from people who experience a form of antisemitism every day and have become accustomed to it. It really shows how far the Jewish people extend, and how they continue to exist and prosper even in environments that are not accepting of them. This was clear on October 7th and beyond, as the Jewish people were and still are faced with extreme antisemitism everywhere, yet remained steadfast and strong; and it is clear now as we are all sitting in this room, once strangers, who are now family, all because we simply share the same religion.
We never thought that the students from SSG, a school we had never heard of, from the country of Hungary, which we knew little about, would become some of our closest friends. We have met new people this year, and make new friendships, along with strengthening our existing ones with those who participated last year. We are so thankful to Rabbi Soskil, Mrs. Teichman, Coach Creeger, and Dr. Schorr for planning this program again this year, and hosting Hungarian students in our school, regardless of our inability to travel to Hungary ourselves.
We are also so appreciative of Violetta and Zsolt for bringing the Hungarian students all the way to America. And of course, to Alan and Glynis, for maintaining SOS International and the Gesher Ambassador Program, and providing us with this amazing opportunity.
Lastly, we want to thank each and every one of our Hungarian friends, (I’m sorry we keep referring to you as that we don’t know what to call you), for being so open minded and kind and willing to spend a week with us here. We love this program more than anything, and if I may speak for all of us, it has changed us for the better. We are going to miss you so much, especially us seniors who will not be here to welcome you back next year, but we hope that we can continue to build friendships with you and stay in contact when we graduate BT.
This program would not be as impactful as it was without everyone in this room, regardless of how many events they attended or how many friends they made. We truly built a community, not letting distance or language barriers stop us.
We hope everyone enjoys the rest of our Shabbaton!
Shabbat Shalom!
Henni B and Devora B – Beth Tfiloh students
Good Shabbos everyone,
It is so nice to be here with you. This week’s parsha, or Torah portion, is Shemini, where we delve into the distinctions between kosher and non-kosher animals. One concept it highlights is the idea of a treif bird, an animal rendered non-kosher after it had been injured. We assess this by observing whether the bird can walk or swim without difficulty. Take a duck, for example. If it’s been attacked and we’re assessing its kosher status, we watch how it swims. If it effortlessly moves upstream, it’s deemed kosher; if it struggles or just simply floats downstream, it is not.
In getting to know our Hungarian friends, they explained to us how different their Jewish community is in Hungary. Unlike our situation here, practicing Judaism isn’t as straightforward for them. The synagogues are farther and there as not as many Jews or resources. Despite these difficulties, they shared their traditions and stories with us, enriching our understanding of Judaism outside our community. When they joined our program and came here, they were swimming upstream, actively choosing to strengthen their Jewish identity despite the obstacles.
I believe I speak for all of us at Beth Tfiloh when I say there’s much to learn from their example. Their determination and dedication to Judaism serves as a profound lesson for us all, that I know we will keep with us in the future. Thank you, and shabbat shalom.
Samara S – BT Student
Shabbat Shalom!
In this week’s Parsha, Parshat Shemini, we learn about the two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu. Aaron’s sons choose to act in a very strange way; they sacrifice what is described as a “strange fire” to God, even though they were told not to.
As soon as this fire was presented, they were consumed by it. But what was so bad about having a strange fire?
Was is that they were impure? Were they performing their sacrifice incorrectly? Were they being disrespectful to God? Or was this fire something else?
Many believe that the fire was actually their passion for God. This fire was the incarnation of their desire to be close to God, which burned inside them so much, it consumed them alive.
Fire, as we see here, can be destructive, or it could be a source of light. Nadav and Avihu were punished because they were leaders of the community and were not in control of their fire. In life, we use our own fires to drive us to achieve feats that surprise us every day.
Our fire always burns, but we must be able to control it, so we can achieve our fullest potential. Don’t let the fire consume you, but don’t let it go out either.
