Voices of WRJ: Bo

by Lynne Merriam The Exodus story is one of the most recognizable stories in the Torah. Even very young children in preschool learn about Moses, the plagues, and the rituals of Pesach. What is often not taught is that an underlying theme of the story is that Moses began a partnership with God that has been passed down to us today. As Women of Reform Judaism, we take our partnership with God and Reform Judaism very seriously. Although we are faced with new “plagues” in the form of anti-Semitism, terror threats, the ongoing crises faced by Israel, and the growth of ISIS, we feel that our commitment to WRJ enables us to develop a positive partnership with life and to honor God through our commitment to tikkun olam, our heritage, and our bonds with our Jewish sisters. Parashat Bo specifically deals with the final three plagues from God: locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the first-born. The theme shows God’s power and how the Israelites were saved. The parashah continues with Pesach and the feast of matzot, which ties together the rituals that we continue to observe to this day. As modern Jews, we observe many of the ancient traditions, especially the traditions of Pesach. This enables us to connect with our Jewish heritage and to appreciate that in spite of many hardships, the Jewish people survive. We can certainly identify with the hardships of the Israelites as they fled Egypt only to spend 40 years in the desert. Today, the Middle East continues to see the imposition of “new plagues.” We see streams of new refugees who again are fleeing from persecution, not from Egypt, but from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq, to name a few countries where the “rulers” impose terrible conditions on others. As Women of Reform Judaism, we can reach out to the downtrodden and through our efforts help to ease the suffering of many. As we recount the story of the Exodus, we are also reminded of the ritual remembrances that we share as a Jewish people. As women, it is often our role in the family to insure that the Pesach Seder reflects all the ancient laws and practices. This too is a way to ensure the continuity of our Jewish heritage. We also see that in Israel today, there are many who need our help and through our connection to history, ritual, and faith, we will be the Jewish partners with God who help to end suffering. As women in the Reform Movement, we understand that by continuing our rituals, passing on to our children the concepts of Jewish life, and preserving our heritage, we will ensure that not only our generation, but also the future generations will play a vital commitment to Israel. As we bless our children and grandchildren on Shabbat, we can instill in them the will to face challenges to their own lives, to the lives of all the Jews in the diaspora, and especially to connect with the challenges faced daily by our Israeli family. Lynne Merriam is a WRJ Board member and a member of Congregation Schaarai Zedek Sisterhood in Tampa, FL.