Ki Tisa 5781

Posted on March 5, 2021

HIAS Refugee Shabbat

The Torah tells us that Moshe and God would speak to each other “face to face, as one man speaks to another.” (Ex. 32:11). Right after that, we read that Moshe said to God:  “Lord, You told me that You know me by name and that you approve of me. If that is indeed true, please continue to show me Your ways that I may know You too”.  (Ex. 33:12-13, paraphrase). 

God knows Moshe by name; Moshe wishes to know God as well. Calling someone by name is a sign of a relationship, a sign of connection, as sign that you see that person as a person, rather than as a type or a label. 

This week we are participating in HIAS refugee Shabbat, with scores of other congregations throughout North America. When we hear the labels: “refugee”, “asylum seeker”, “displaced person”, we might not see the person. Let us spend this Shabbat and the weeks to follow leading up to Pesah going beyond the labels. Let us learn names and see faces, let us listen and hear stories. Let us build relationships, let us allow their stories to become personal.

I will be talking about HIAS and Refugee Shabbat on Friday night and Shabbat morning. Saturday night, instead of our regular congregational havdalah, we will join with HIAS for a national havdalah. More information and registration can be found here: www.hias.org/get-involved/events/refugeeshabbat-havdalah.