Shemini: For Jacob and Ethan.

I know this may sound strange, but I am going to talk about a Holocaust survivor and a Bar Mitzvah boy. The connections may not 

be obvious at first, but please bear with me. I mention this at the outset, because both of these incredible individuals are on my mind right now... but that doesn't mean the two stories are being equated. I am NOT comparing them in all things, and so I hope you'll appreciate where there are similarities, and where those similarities end. Having said that, both men have truly inspired me this week.

As you may know, this past Thursday was Yom Ha-Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. At Ohev Shalom, we were tremendously honored to have Jacob Farkas, a Holocaust survivor, come and tell his story. As if his life wasn't remarkable enough, we were all blown away to learn that this was the very first time he had EVER shared his experiences. 

Even his children and grandchildren had not yet heard all the details of his survival from Auschwitz-Birkenau and other concentration camps. And it was quite an unbelievable story that he had to tell! To give you one example: One day, in Birkenau, he was moved to a barracks that was set to be "liquidated," as he put it. And the inmates knew it. Refusing to submit, refusing to accept his fate, Jacob climbed into the rafters, 20 ft. up in the air, out onto the roof, and jumped to the ground. The fall alone could have killed him. Instead, he survived, but fell right on a Nazi guard, who beat him and sent him back inside. Incredibly, Jacob once again scaled the bunks, climbed out, jumped, and yet again was beaten and returned to meet his fate. And astoundingly, Jacob ventured up a THIRD time - and jumped a third time! - and finally managed to escape. Unquestionably, his was a story of perseverance, of unrelenting refusal to die or succumb. What an inspiration!

I recognize that this is an awkward transition, but this week, Jacob's was only one of two stories that inspired me. You see, we are also celebrating a most amazing and special Bar Mitzvah on Saturday evening. A young man in our 

congregation, Ethan Chalker, has worked tremendously hard to prepare for his special day. Ethan has a rare neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome. Among other things, Ethan is mostly non-verbal. But through the magic of technology, Ethan is going to lead services and have an aliyah to the Torah, through the use of an iPad, and with the incredible help of his family members and aides. I cannot fully describe to you how much work Ethan, his mom, Sharon, and everyone involved has put into making this day possible. It is going to be a very emotional service, and I am so excited to celebrate this milestone with Ethan.

While all B'nai Mitzvah celebrations are special, this one is clearly unique. In large part because Ethan WANTS this very, very much. Watching him overcome obstacles, push through challenges, and all with a huge smile on his face, THAT is what religion and Jewish identity is all about! And without trying to equate the two situations, 

or draw too many parallels, I still want to acknowledge how both Jacob's and Ethan's stories are about the triumph of the spirit. Each of them demonstrates to us the importance of living life to its fullest, and not taking things for granted. And having heard Jacob's remarkable story, in the context of all our ancestors and relatives who survived the Holocaust, I feel that Ethan's ability to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah is an extra-special triumph. It is such a poignant reminder that today we are living free, able to celebrate our religious beliefs, and that we are able to take a symbol of modernity and the secular world - the iPad - and use it as an integral tool for religious observance. Truly, Am Yisrael Chai - the Jewish people are alive!

Photos in this blog post:
1. Image of our Ohev Shalom sanctuary.
2. CC image courtesy of Julia Seeliger on Wikimedia Commons
3. CC image courtesy of Tom Morris on Wikimedia Commons
4. CC image courtesy of Hovev on Wikimedia Commons