Rabbi Howard Morrison

On Sunday, I watched the new film entitled, Golda, starring Helen Mirren. How appropriate that the movie was released in theaters mere weeks prior to the fiftieth anniversary of the Yom Kippur war.  I found the movie certainly worth seeing, realistic, and edgy. Even more so, however, the movie brought me back to where I was on that Yom Kippur day almost fifty years ago.

I remember sitting as a thirteen-year-old with my dad in my childhood Orthodox shul. We sat near the back of the sanctuary, as my dad was also one of the designated ushers by the sanctuary entrance. During the mid-morning of services, an Israeli man, not a shul member, interacted with my dad at the sanctuary door. The man was certainly not Orthodox. He mentioned to my dad that he had driven to shul and heard on the car radio the terrible events that were transpiring in Israel and insisted on speaking with the rabbi at that precise moment, even while prayers were being recited.  Without a moment of hesitation, my father escorted this individual to the rabbi at the Bima. The rabbi interrupted his davening to listen to this man. Seconds later, the rabbi correctly paused the service, shared what he had heard with the congregation, and special Psalms of spiritual reflection were instantly inserted into the service.

I remember these events like yesterday, and which were conjured up quickly while watching the movie, Golda. I am sure that anyone my age or older knows where we were when we learned about the Yom Kippur war.

The film also reminds me that our Diaspora Jewish connection with Israel must be for and with the entire nation of Israel and not merely with a particular political party or religious denomination. 

Watching Golda felt like a proper spiritual act as we have recently ushered in the month of Elul, a time of personal and national introspection prior to the onset of the High Holy Days.

I look forward to seeing you this coming Shabbat, at which time Rosh Hashanah will be two weeks away.

Sincerely,
Rabbi Howard Morrison