March 20, 2026
The shadows of the horrific attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield have been cast over the collective soul of the Jewish community since last Thursday. How we (this is a collective “we” for the Jewish community) protect our members and secure our institutions is always on our minds. We are committed to our safety and security, and our partners at JewishColumbus continue to support security every Jewish communal institution. We are incredibly grateful to them for all they do!
There was a moment earlier this week when Temple Israel shared that there were many circuit breakers that had to be turned off due to the extensive damage caused by the ramming and the fire that ensued. The electrician randomly picked one circuit to turn on first. When he flipped the switch, the ner tamid (the Eternal light above the ark) and the backlighting for the ark came on. God works in mysterious ways. Symbolically this is a reminder that the light of the Jewish people endures—and we must keep turning it on. The light of the ner tamid is something we must keep burning perpetually.
We keep the light on be working to create a world and a society that reflect the values that are core to who we are as Reform Jews. Perhaps one of the greatest gifts Reform Judaism brought to Jewish life has been its approach to egalitarianism—especially within Jewish spaces. Immediately prior to the current war with Iran, one of the Knesset Members proposed a bill that would limit egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall. The penalty for praying at the Western Wall in a way that is contrary to Orthodox standards could be up to seven years in prison. In the days before the war, there was an immediate outcry. The onset of the war put that on pause. However, the bill has now been assigned to a committee and is expected to be heard next week. We can no longer withhold our voices, as the adoption of such a bill would severely impact diaspora Jewish life. Please consider expressing your concerns to Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Send him a letter expressing your concerns and sharing our collective Reform Jewish voice.
We need to express our concern even while so many people we care about are running to shelters for safety. With this issue back on the table, it is essential that we raise our voices. We care about the history and the traditions of the Jewish people, and we have a space in it.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rick Kellner