Dear Friends,
This week Jews all over the world marked the remembrance of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. It is the 83rd anniversary of the frightening night when the Nazis destroyed, looted and vandalized Jewish synagogues, cemeteries, schools, homes, and businesses and killed Jews whom they encountered.
Survivors of Kristallncht recall the “Night of Broken Glass” and the fear and terror it brought to their families and friends. They will never forget, nor should we. We can, however, use the memories to learn and build in a positive way, to educate and replace horror and hate with messages of light, love and respect for others.
We will never forget those who died in the Holocaust, and we will never stop being who we are and living our faith with pride.
It is a meaningful time to visit the Naples Holocaust Museum and Cohen Education Center, 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd., to connect with our history, acknowledge past events and hopefully learn to dedicate ourselves to bring the light to a better future.
Yesterday, we commemorated Veterans Day. We salute members of all the Armed Forces - those who fought and returned home to become our family, neighbors and friends, and those who never returned. Because of their sacrifices many of us will never have to know the reality of putting our lives on the line to save our country and its values.
We owe our veterans so much: our liberty, our democracy, and all of our freedoms that we take for granted daily. When we thank them for their service to the country, not often enough, let’s put our heart and soul behind the words and let them know how much we really mean it, and how we are prepared to carry on this precious legacy
***
What's the best way to get to heaven? Walk across a busy highway? Perform some amazing act of faith? Save a thousand lives? Well, a pretty good answer may be found in this week's Parshah.
We read the story of Jacob's dream and the famous ladder with its feet on the ground and head in the heavens. "And behold the angels of G-d were ascending and descending on it."
Let me ask you what they might call in Yiddish, a klotz kashe (simplistic question). Do angels need a ladder? Everyone knows angels have wings, not feet. So, if you have wings, why would you need a ladder?
There is a beautiful message here.
In climbing heavenward one does not necessarily need wings. Dispense with the dramatic. Forget about fancy leaps and bounds. There is a ladder, a spiritual route clearly mapped out for us; a route that needs to be traversed step-by-step, one rung at a time. The pathway to Heaven is gradual, methodical and eminently manageable.
Many people are discouraged from even beginning a spiritual journey because they think it needs that huge leap of faith. They cannot see themselves reaching a degree of commitment which to them seems otherworldly. And yet, with the gradual step-by-step approach, one finds that the journey can be embarked upon and that the destination aspired to is actually not in outer space.
The correct and most successful method of achieving our objectives is the slow and steady approach. Gradual, yet consistent. As soon as one has become comfortable with one mitzvah, it is time to start on the next, and so on and so forth. Then, through constant growth, slowly but surely we become more knowledgeable, committed, fulfilled and happy in our lives.
And so my friends, it doesn't really matter what your starting point is or where you are currently stationed on the ladder of life. As long as you are moving in the right direction, as long as you are going up, you will, please G-d, succeed in climbing the heavenly heights.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos