Rabbi's Week in Review Blog

Last week seemed all about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (I could still say more.) Notwithstanding a ceasefire that seems to be holding, troubling unrest and violence remain in Israeli cities between Jews (right-wing Jewish extremists) and Israeli Arabs. The issues that were present before the latest round of rockets, bombs and violence have not gone away. 

Sometimes, though, we need to catch a break, in order to engage in difficult work and move forward. We need this not only to put us in an emotionally better place from which to engage in difficult issues, but also, if we are working for a better world, to get a taste of that better world.  

That better world does not always have to be miraculous and extraordinary. It can sometimes be simple, if not mundane. For me, one way to see that better world is through the prism of baseball. After a long pandemic hiatus, Fay and I went to our first Royals game of the season.  (Full disclosure, they won, which always lends itself to a good time.) We also took kids and grandkids to a game with our minor league team, now named the Kansas City Monarchs in tribute to our Negro League team.

For a brief few hours, both games allowed us to suspend time and to suspend the strife in the country and in the world. We could enjoy being together and sharing the experience with like-minded fans. Politics were not discussed, and no one was given a political litmus test upon entry to the ballpark.

While I will always urge everyone in our Congregation Kol Ami family to be concerned and involved with the important issues that shape our lives, and to always work for the welfare of others, we also need to take some time to just be. That is what Shabbat is all about. For me, it is also about the simple pleasure of seeing our teams play baseball.