A caring father recently made the following suggestion to me:
When taking children on outings for Chabad, perhaps the boys should not be wearing yarmulkes and the boys and girls don’t need to wear Chabad camp t-shirts that give away they are Jewish. In the current climate, safety is a concern.
I responded that I beg to differ. I certainly share his concern for the utmost safety of our children and ourselves. To that extent, we are very grateful to our volunteer security team at Chabad. It’s a priority!
But, hiding our Jewish identity does not make us safer. It makes us weaker.
And, it sends the very worst message to our children.
If Judaism is something I need to hide, they will muse, why bother? Instead of hiding the kippah in public, they will dump it altogether. Their young minds will forever be seared with the understanding that being Jewish is a shameful reality. And, a dangerous one. It is much easier to just pretend I’m not Jewish. And, stop behaving Jewishly.
In other words, not only does it encourage and embolden our enemies, it also destroys our future. What are we fighting for if fighting for it eliminates the very ideals we are championing?
Rather, we must instill pride and determination in ourselves and our youth.
I have lived in Brooklyn in the past and I have visited hundreds of times. One thing that reassures me during a midnight stroll is the “Shemirah” patrols. These are volunteer neighborhood security teams that operate at all hours of the day and night – and the men all wear yarmulkes. They work hand-in-hand with law enforcement and neighborhood groups to ensure the safety and security of all. You don’t need to compromise your identity to ensure the safety of your community.
In fact, this lesson plays itself out in this parsha, Va’etchanan.
When Moshe begs G-d to allow him to enter the Land of Israel, the sad response is no.
The Midrash states that Moshe was not satisfied. He persisted.
And, he made the following argument:
Moshe said to G‑d: Master of the Universe! Joseph’s bones are entering the Land, and I shall not enter?
Said G‑d to him: He who admitted to his land is buried in his land; and he who did not admit to his land shall not be buried in his land. Joseph admitted to his land when his master’s wife said (Genesis 39:14), “See, they have brought us a Hebrew man . . . ,” and he did not deny it; on the contrary, he said (ibid. 40:15), “I was abducted from the land of the Hebrews.” Therefore, he shall be buried in his land. You, however, did not admit to your land when the daughters of Jethro said (Exodus 2:19), “An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds,” and you heard this and were silent. Therefore, “you shall not cross this Jordan.”
It turns out the greatest Jew inadvertently failed to stand up for his identity.
And, G-d took it pretty seriously.
Not because G-d enjoys revenge. Rather, because G-d wants us to know how to comport ourselves when we are anxious. And, how important it is to stand proud as Jews.
Stay strong, stay proud, and stay protected.
And, stay Jewish!