Letters/Discussion Forums
Our salvation lies in us being a unified nation
When I emigrated from South Africa nearly five years ago, one of the hardest things to leave behind was the incredible community we have come to love, and which is renowned the world over. I missed that feeling of unity. It allows for a sense of homogeneity where Jews of all types can interact mostly without judgement, and with a great sense of love and fellow feeling.
Shira Druion, London, UK
Recent events in the community, such as the Stan & Pete saga, have saddened me. It enforces my belief in the importance of staying unified as a community so that the place we have been privileged to call home will continue to be a community, held together by Ahavat Yisrael and commitment to the Jewish values of brotherhood and standing together during adversity.
There are many lessons to be gleaned from the chicken saga. We all need to be more introspective to see how we can improve.
There is an ancient Jewish text called Perek Shirah. It contains 85 sections, covering elements of creation – the sky and the earth, its plants and animals – and using biblical and rabbinic verses in order to sing G-d’s praises. I think it is no coincidence that a chicken sings this verse from Tehillim in the text: “Praised be G-d who sustains all flesh, such is great kindness.”
The motivation to commit a crime with treif food could only stem from greed, which has become widespread today. Along comes the chicken to teach us: “Don’t be greedy. Hashem will provide for you and your family all that is needed, as He does with all living flesh.”
When we try to outsmart G-d and do things that go against the spiritual fabric of the world, we are ultimately showing our distrust of G-d. That is where the real test of one’s faith comes in. It’s a lesson to us all.
The original Stan the good Shabbos Man from Stan & Pete continues to be loved by us all. Any function became a simcha only when he entered the room, bringing his contagious energy and ahavat Yisrael. Who better to learn from now than him?
Let’s go into Pesach a unified nation, as we did those thousands of years ago. Jewish unity is the elixir to our ultimate salvation. May we share in news of redemption and shalom always.