T orah P ortion
Sing, Remember on Path to Liberation
BY RABBI ANNIE LEWIS
Parshat Beshalach
IN THIS WEEK’S parshah,
Beshalach, we make our way
out of Egypt via a roundabout
route and a march through
the sea on dry ground. Moses
carries the bones of Joseph as
together, trembling, we venture
into the unknown.

According to the Midrash,
there is an unsung hero of the
Exodus story named Serach bat
Asher, daughter of Asher and
granddaughter of Jacob. Back in
Canaan, when Jacob has given up
hope of ever seeing his beloved
son Joseph again, he hears the
song of his granddaughter.

In his darkest time, Serach’s
song gives Jacob hope and allows
him to keep going. When Jacob’s
sons discover that Joseph is
indeed alive, Serach breaks the
news to her grandfather in song,
so that Jacob can hear it, so that
his heart can bear this twist in
what he knows to be true. God
rewards Serach for the life-giv-
ing power of her voice by declar-
Holiday Continued from Page 4
MLK Day that will feature the
Chester Children’s Chorus.

Mishkan Shalom has a spe-
cial weekend planned as well,
with a Shabbat service that
includes a dialogue on racism
and white privilege.

During services on Jan. 18
at 7:30 p.m., founding Rabbi
Emeritus Brian Walt will
return to the synagogue for a
talk on religious life and the
pursuit of justice. The next day
at 10 a.m., synagogue members
will share their experiences
and expertise in standing up to
racism. That evening at 7 p.m.,
the synagogue’s Havdalah ser-
vice will include a talk by Walt
on his relationship with Israel.

Tu B’Shevat begins the eve-
ning of Jan. 20, and the syna-
gogue will mark the start of the
22 JANUARY 17, 2019
ing that she will live forever.

For this reason, our sages
teach, Serach is mentioned in
the Torah both as part of the
Israelite community leaving
Canaan to go down to Egypt,
and her name is listed again
several generations later among
those present in the wilderness.

On his deathbed, Joseph
comforts his children, promis-
ing them that, “God will surely
remember you” and take you
out of Egypt — “Pakod yifkod
Elohim etchem.” In turn, he
asks for his children’s word
that, when that time arrives,
they will carry his bones with
them to the Promised Land.

Four hundred years later,
in our parshah, Moses ful-
fills that pledge. According to
the Midrash, when it is time
to leave, no one has any idea
where to find Joseph’s bones. At
this moment, Serach comes for-
ward. She remembers that the
bones are in the Nile. She goes
to the right spot on the banks of
the river and recites her uncle
Joseph’s words, “Pakod yifkod
Elohim etchem. God will surely
remember you.”
Serach is a role model of
resilience. She is at once a child
full of hope and possibility,
and a wise elder — a guard-
ian of sacred stories of struggle
and survival. When we suf-
fer in the stuckness of slavery,
Serach remembers the promise
of redemption. Through years
of oppression, she holds onto
hope. She tells our people when
the time for liberation has come.

It is only because of her deep
knowledge of our past that we
are able to get out of Mitzrayim.

I imagine her song rising from
her lips. “Pakod yifkod …”
Joseph’s bones rise up in the
water. And we know we are
ready to go forward, to go home.

Serach bat Asher reminds us
that, in order to make change and
to survive it, we need the stories
and the songs of those who have
come before us. The stories and
songs of our ancestors are the
seeds for our own liberation.

This Shabbat, I will be par-
ticipating for the third year in
a row in the Philly Women’s
March. As a local rabbi, I have
holiday with a seder at 7 p.m.

Kol Tzedek and the Jewish
Farm School are also co-hosting
a Tu B’Shevat seder at 7 p.m. on
Jan. 20. The seder will include a
discussion on the intersection
of racial and land justice.

On Jan. 21, several Jewish
organizations are holding
events in collaboration with
the MLK Day of Service.

This includes Beth David
Reform Congregation, which
is organizing a group of vol-
unteers to clean up Gladwyne
Jewish Memorial Cemetery
from 9:30 a.m. to noon; Har
Zion Temple, which is collecting
nonperishable foods from 1 to 3
p.m. among other activities; and
Beth Am Israel, which is hosting
a variety of hands-on projects
from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

While there are a good
number of events celebrating
either Tu B’Shevat or MLK
Day, jkidphilly — a program of
Jewish Learning Venture — is
hosting events combining the
two holidays.

On Jan. 21 at 10 a.m., every-
one’s invited to jkidphilly’s
Tu B’Shevat nature walk at the
Ambler Arboretum of Temple
University. At 10:30 a.m., jkidphilly
will make calendars and book-
marks at Wesley Enhanced
Living in Media for the res-
idents there. There will be a
Tu B’Shevat component in this
event as well, said Lori Rubin,
chief program officer at Jewish
Learning Venture.

“We look at the themes of
Martin Luther King Day and
peace and being kind to others.

We want to be kind to the envi-
ronment as well,” Rubin said. l
CAND LE LI GHT I NG
Jan. 18
Jan. 25
been invited to speak at
the rally and address the press-
ing issue of anti-Semitism and
its connection to other forms of
discrimination and inequality.

The theme of this year’s
march is “We Shall Be Heard!”
I will be carrying the voices of
our ancestors who took risks
to fight for equity and dig-
nity. I will be holding in my
heart names and stories of Jews
of different races, ethnicities,
ages, abilities and gender iden-
tities, along with our neighbors
of different faiths.

Like our journey out of
Egypt, sometimes the road to
liberation zig-zags and the path
forward seems inscrutable.

The work of ending
anti-Semitism, sexism and rac-
ism is immense. As we have
lifted up our voices to push for
change, we have encountered
the sting of anti-Semitism.

There are moments when we
have felt forgotten.

As we work for our freedom
and the freedom of others, I
pray that we will hear Serach’s
voice singing, “Pakod yifkod
Maccabi Continued from Page 8
4:45 p.m.

4:53 p.m.

Elohim etchem. God will surely
remember you” and that we —
and our allies — will have the
courage to speak out and to
keep showing up for ourselves
and one another.

May we share our stories
and know that we are remem-
bered, seen and loved, that we
are beautiful, beloved and wor-
thy of life. May we remember
to tune into the voices of peo-
ple of all backgrounds who face
oppression and seek dignity in
order to create a world where
all of us may live and flourish.

Like Serach, may we lift up
our truths and our songs. May
we hear one another and may
we be heard. l
Rabbi Annie Lewis serves as
director of rabbinic formation at
Reconstructing Judaism. The Board
of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia
is proud to provide the Torah com-
mentary for the Jewish Exponent.

JCC began the Mini-Maccabi
Games for athletes ages 9-10.

After a decision to combine
the 9-10 competition with the
11-12, the first Mid-Atlantic
Junior Maccabi Games involv-
ing athletes 9-12 was a major
success in Baltimore in 2018.

“We are glad to be carrying
on a new tradition,” Krulik said.

“The Junior Maccabi games
are a great introduction to the
Maccabi experience and a great
feeder for our Maccabi program
for high school students.”
Krulik and Games Director
Sam Schuman are putting the
finishing touches on the logis-
tics involved with the event.

“Traffic, you name it,” said
Krulik. “We want all our visi-
tors — athletes and others — to
enjoy their time with us.” l
glad to help. There will also be
some basketball at Kaiserman,
and I am confirming two other
venues. Basketball is the most
popular sport, with many teams
at each age level.”
Two other Lower Merion
venues will also be used, as
soccer will be played at Penn
Wynne Park and baseball will
take place at South Ardmore
Park. Kaiserman will be the
site for coed flag football.

“All the venues are close, so
it will be easy for parents and
others to watch different events
without having to travel far,”
Krulik said.

When Kaiserman hosted
the Tri-State Junior Maccabi
Games, only athletes 11-12
szighelboim@jewishexponent.com; were included. Then, sev- jweisberger@jewishexponent.com,
eral years ago, the Rockland 215-832-0737
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