Rabbi Howard Morrison

Even in a land promised to him by God, Abraham is not comfortable. Soon after his wife Sarah dies, Abraham has to negotiate with the locals to secure a burial plot for his departed beloved wife. "Ger V'Toshav Anochi Imachem - I am a resident stranger among you (Genesis 23:4)."

The commentary found in the Etz Hayim Humash states, "Abraham is uncertain whether his neighbors accept him as a fellow resident or tolerate him as a stranger in their midst." 

In his commentary, Rashi states, "Ger Mai'Eretz Acheret V'Nityashavti Imachem - I am a stranger from another country, but I have settled among you."

Returning to the Etz Hayim commentary, "Much of Jewish history has seen the majority of Jews living as 'resident strangers' in the midst of other nations. 

Throughout the ages, the first generation of immigrant Jews to a new country may have been filled with fear and uncertainty, but their children or grandchildren's generation may have felt that they had made it and were accepted in the general society, until something new and horrific then appeared.

Take the Jews of Germany in the early to mid twentieth century. At a certain point in the 1920's or early 1930's, German Jews must have felt that they had made it in general society. Most would never have guessed what was awaiting them leading into Kristallnacht, November 9, 1938. The rest of that story is perhaps the most tragic chapter of Jewish history.

I grew up in what was called "The Goldene Medina," the United States, the country of welcome to all. While early immigrants to the U.S. may have faced levels of anti-Semitism, I was mainly unscathed. In a fairly Jewish populated area just outside of Boston, I attended Jewish day school safely. I attended Summer classes at the local public high school safely. I attended Boston University, with a significant number of Jews but still a small minority amongst the total student population, safely. I worked part-time jobs in non-Jewish places safely and without ever having to feel the need to conceal my Jewish identity.

My guess is that maybe your parents or grandparents who moved to Canada or specifically the GTA may have faced levels of anti-Semitism. I learned early on in my tenure here about the Cristy Pitts riots against Jews. However, I would imagine that for the most part, those of you my age; those of you who are second or third generation Canadians, have been accepted in the larger general society. Whether you attended Jewish day school or public school, your comfort zone at school was pretty good. You felt like a Toshav, a resident, and not a Ger, a stranger.

So, what has happened in North America in the not-so-distant past? How did it happen that in much of the U.S., much of Canada, and in much of the GTA, we Jews are feeling more like strangers or resident strangers here? 

How did it happen that this generation's young Jews are targeted in their public schools?

How did it happen that Jews today in the U.S. and Canada do not feel safe in their neighborhoods?

And while I focus on North America, is the challenge not the same for Jews everywhere - England, Australia, France . . . . every sector of the globe?

Just when a generation of Jews is feeling safe in a Diaspora country, we are reminded not to take anything for granted. The values of a society can change on a dime. That two weeks ago, a particular synagogue was targeted for the tenth time; that an off campus private gathering of Jewish students from TMU was attacked, and the list goes on and on. 

How can any of this stop when the Mayor of the city proclaims publicly that Israel is the source of genocide? Does she not know how that will rile the local anti-Semitic community?

A few days ago, we observed Remembrance Day, and our American friends observed Veterans Day. Many Jews were among those who made the ultimate sacrifice for these two countries.

We have made our homes here. But at best today, we are reminded that even Abraham living in a God-given piece of land proclaimed, "Ger V'Toshav Anochi Imachem - I am a resident stranger among you."

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morriso