An Open Letter to our Jewish leaders and our Political leaders in St. Louis from St. Louis Jews
An Open Letter to our Jewish leaders and our Political leaders in St. Louis from St. Louis Jews
“One day, when Moses was tending his flock in the wilderness, having fled from Egypt and now living with his wife and sons in Midian, he came upon an unusual site: a lone bush among the desert scruff, ablaze. So he paused to look at it. And as he stood a while gazing upon the bush, he slowly began to realize that this was not just an unusual site (nothing else around it was burning); it was astonishing: a bush aflame but not being consumed. Riveted by this vision, he chose to draw closer, to get a better look.
And it was in that moment that God seemed to finally choose Moses.
Perhaps it was because of his intense curiosity, his ability to bear witness to the inexplicable and not shrink from its presence.
Perhaps it was because Moses held off judgment, refusing to give in to superstitions or conjure up easy or fantastical explanations but rather chose to be present to the moment of awe and mystery.
Or perhaps it was because this time, Moses chose not to run away from power and danger but toward it.
Whatever it was, God chose Moses and called his name. “Moses, Moses.” And Moses answered, as did Abraham and Jacob before him and Samuel after him: “Hineni, here I am.”
A stunning response. “Hineni” is a pure, astonished, unguarded affirmation given before all the facts are known. It is a spontaneous, unequivocal commitment promising: “I am here”, where and as you found me, fully attentive, focused, all in. And even more, “I am here”- all of me, with all that I am and all that I can be.
“Hineni” is a response of sacred and undiluted presence, a response in which the self sheds all reservations, which expands the boundaries of self, indicating a readiness to receive and respond to whatever experience is about to unfold. It is brave and humble.
It is the kind of response we offer only a few times in our lives. When we promise ourselves to the one we love not knowing what the future might bring; when we gaze into a newborn’s eyes and promise we will never let them down. When we promise ourselves – as we enter a new era of our lives - to be all that we can be.
It is no doubt the kind of response God was hoping for. The story of the Jewish people could now continue.” - Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin
We the undersigned hear our names being called by Israelis and Palestinians and we are answering: Hineni.
We are called to ask for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. We are called to ask that any opportunity to bring back home every last hostage be pursued. We are called to ask that violence stop being done in our name and against the Jewish people. We are called to ask that our leaders and advisors say the same.
Signatories will be added regularly. Add your name using this form: https://forms.gle/iobvgUkxPw1Egtaw9.
Tasha Kaminsky (Kol Rinah, Ashreinu, MaTovu, Brandeis University, Hineni STL)
Maxine Gill (WashU Hillel, Central Reform Congregation)
Brigit Burke (Kol Rinah)
Nava Kantor (Alumna and active participant of many local and national Jewish organizations including day school, summer camp, service corps, and community organizations.)
Larisa Klebe (Congregation Shaare Emeth)
Daniel Ackermann (3rd generation congregant of Shaare Emeth, AEPi alumnus, and formerly Jewish student union high school president.)
Sophie Aroesty (Solomon Schechter alumna, Kol Rinah USY alumna, Jewish Student Union alumna, JCRC Student-to-Student alumna, Ramot Amoona alumna, Camp Ben Frankel alumna)
Jules Andreotta (B’nai Amoona)
Enid Lisa Perll (Kol Rinah, Sisterhood, MaTovu and Ashreinu)
Peter Schechter (Central Reform Congregation)
Wendel Rubinstein (Central Reform Congregation, Ashreinu, and MaTovu)
Eli Hurwitz (Central Reform Congregation)
Delia Rainey (Shaare Zedek, Camp Ben Frankel, Kol Rinah)
Laura DuPre (Congregation Shaare Emeth)
Nathan Rand (ProJoSTL)
Brook Checker (ProJoSTL)
Nicky Rainey
Katherine Tynan
Shira Birkowitz
Samuel Leibowitz
Mirna Wagner
Marie Ceselski
Rachel Miller
Lila Steinbach
Zoë Finkelstein
Emmett Campbell
Marissa Pennington
Elizabeth Witthaus
Megan Cass
Claudia Miller
rey byrne
Jonah Klein-Barton
Dvora Redlich
Patricia Tracy
Yoni Blumberg
Hannah Low (B’nai Amoona, Solomon Schechter Day School, Camp Ben Frankel, Shirlee Green Preschool, Ramot Amoona, Camp Emeth)
Miranda Siler (Former member of Shaare Emeth and Solomon Schechter Day School Alum)
Mia Salamone (MaTovu)
Jackson Braley
Hannah Kagan-Moore (Hineni STL)
Han Koehle
Lizzie Abelson (Saint Louis University Jewish Student Association)
Danny Cohen (Temple Israel, WashU Chabad House, Boy Scout Troop 11)