AHAVAT TORAH CONGREGATION
  • Ahavat Torah
    • Contact Us >
      • On-line
      • Address & Telephone
      • Directions and Parking
      • RSVP for Events
      • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Our Mission
    • Our Community
    • Our Rabbi
    • Our Cantorial Soloist
    • Our Associate Cantorial Soloist
    • Our Board of Directors
    • Archived Videos
    • Photo Gallery >
      • High Holidays photos 2011/5772
      • Ahavat Torah Community Dinner 2013
      • AT's 11TH Anniversary Fundraiser (2014)
    • AT In the News!
  • Newsletter
    • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Blog
  • Membership
  • Worship
    • High Holidays Services 2020/5581
    • Shabbat
    • Holidays >
      • Pesach
  • Learning
    • Weekly Torah Study
    • Mussar Classes
    • Midrashah
    • Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah
  • Tikkun Olam
  • Social Activities
    • Annual Gala
    • Book and Movie Clubs
    • Community Dinners
    • Havdallah Hootenanny
    • Salons
  • FUNDRAISING
    • Annual Gala
    • Tribute Cards & Tzedakah
    • JNF Trees
    • Shopping at Ralphs
    • Shopping at Amazon
  • New Videos

RABBI'S BLOG

Rabbi Miriam's Blog

Remember that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were immigrants to Egypt . . . .

8/17/2013

0 Comments

 
This week, I attended the Board of Rabbis’ Yom Iyun (day of study). Every year, rabbis from the larger Los Angeles metropolitan area gather before the High Holy Days for a day of study. It is always a wonderful day, filled with camaraderie and stimulating study topics. 

One of the workshops I attended was about immigration. A panel of four colleagues discussed the need to change some of the current U.S. immigration laws. One common denominator was our responsibility to remember that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were immigrants to Egypt, looking for food for their families because of famine in their own country of Canaan. Many immigrants today are leaving their home for the same reason. They are looking for food.

 Each one of us has an American family immigration story. Some of us are blessed to possess four generations of stories, while others have very current immigration stories. Some are sad, having to be separated from the family, and some are very happy, where families after many years of separation finally reunite. The question we are challenged with is whether our own families would have made it to the U.S., under the current immigration laws?  
 
Our Jewish memory is strong.  In our Torah portion this week, we are asked, once we are in Israel to take a basket of the first fruits to the Temple and make a declaration that is somewhat troubling. Moses instructs the people to say, “My father was a fugitive Aramean. He went to Egypt with meager numbers and sojourned there… The Egyptians dealt harshly with us… We cried to God and God heard our plea and freed us from Egypt… and gave us this land.” 

Many commentators have asked why the Israelites need to constantly relive the immigration history of their ancestors, even while they are living in a ‘land flowing with milk and honey’, such as the “Golden Medina”? We all know the answer, right? It is gratitude! 

Yes, we should help make immigration laws caring and kind and, at the same time, also accountable and responsible. I would not want to see the U.S. in a few years in the same predicament that England, Sweden, and other European countries are facing. Yet, when we remember our immigrant ancestors and their life transforming experiences coming here, we identify with their sacrifices, which guarantee us, their next generation, to have it better than they had it. My basket is full with fruits of gratitude, I know yours is also. May we continue to enjoy gratitude through God’s love, grace and mercy. Amen.

Ahavat Torah of West Los Angeles
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    About Rabbi Miriam

    Rabbi Miriam E. Hamrell MHL, M.Ed., has served as  our religious and spiritual leader at Ahavat Torah Congregation and helped it grow since it was founded in 2003.

    She is loved for being a wise and compassionate leader who brings a remarkable variety of experiences and gifts to her calling as our Rabbi. 

    Rabbi Miriam provides classes throughout the world on Jewish Ethics, the Spiritual and Inner Meaning of Prayer, Holy Days, Torah, Talmud, Mishnah, Conversion to Judaism, and advice on interpersonal relationships.


    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2017
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013



    RSS Feed


Shabbat Meeting Times (all on Zoom)
Mussar Ethics Class: 9am
Morning Service: 10am
CONTACT INFO:
Mail: P.O. Box 18371, Encino, CA, 91416
​Tel:  (310) 625-3146‬
Nourish Your Jewish Soul
Picture
  • Ahavat Torah
    • Contact Us >
      • On-line
      • Address & Telephone
      • Directions and Parking
      • RSVP for Events
      • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Our Mission
    • Our Community
    • Our Rabbi
    • Our Cantorial Soloist
    • Our Associate Cantorial Soloist
    • Our Board of Directors
    • Archived Videos
    • Photo Gallery >
      • High Holidays photos 2011/5772
      • Ahavat Torah Community Dinner 2013
      • AT's 11TH Anniversary Fundraiser (2014)
    • AT In the News!
  • Newsletter
    • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Blog
  • Membership
  • Worship
    • High Holidays Services 2020/5581
    • Shabbat
    • Holidays >
      • Pesach
  • Learning
    • Weekly Torah Study
    • Mussar Classes
    • Midrashah
    • Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah
  • Tikkun Olam
  • Social Activities
    • Annual Gala
    • Book and Movie Clubs
    • Community Dinners
    • Havdallah Hootenanny
    • Salons
  • FUNDRAISING
    • Annual Gala
    • Tribute Cards & Tzedakah
    • JNF Trees
    • Shopping at Ralphs
    • Shopping at Amazon
  • New Videos