Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Dr Jonathan Mirvis: a beacon

To be Jewish is to show sensitivity to the “ger”, to the foreigner. “And you shall love the foreigner”, we are taught. Identifying with the refugee, with the downtrodden, is a fundamental Jewish value.

Ester z”l* in choosing to identify with the plight of the refugee excelled in her appreciation of this important Jewish value. In the same way as the deeds of our forefathers are beacons for us, may her deeds be a beacon for others.

Yehi zichrah baruch. May her memory be a blessing.

[* Hebrew shorthand for ‘of blessed memory’]