Thinking Torah Blog

A few years ago, while visiting Honduras, I waited at a convent for a ride to the airport so I could return home. As I waited, I overheard a presentation led by lawyers and humanitarian workers advising participants on making the journey to America. They weren’t describing plane rides or passports; rather, they focused on overland routes—roads and railways running from Honduras to the United States—and the challenges faced by migrants crossing into the U.S. without legal documentation. The presenters weren’t condoning illegal entry; they were simply trying to keep people as safe as possible on their journey.

When people leave home, some depart with barely any warning, while others can plan ahead and think about what they might need and how to travel. In this week’s Torah portion, Terumah, the Torah discusses the building of the Tabernacle in great detail. Verse upon verse, we receive an intricate plan for this new “home” for God, a structure that guided the Israelites on their journey from Sinai to the Promised Land.

People leave home for all sorts of reasons, and we are indeed living in a time of exceptional human migration. Sadly, many people must flee their homes for fear of war, persecution, or death. For decades, the United States has welcomed refugees who resettle here after being forced to leave their countries of origin. That resettlement has essentially stopped in the last few weeks. Please join us tomorrow evening for Refugee Shabbat, a service sponsored by HIAS. We will hear from members of JCOR (our local Jewish refugee resettlement group) and from our member, Sarah Schonberg Brodsky, who also serves on the HIAS Board. More than ever, it is important we show up.

I am particularly fond of an oft-repeated line from HIAS: “We used to help refugees because they were Jewish. Now we help refugees because we are Jewish.” This quote is a powerful reminder of where so many of us have come from and the ideals we embody. I hope you’ll join us on Friday night.