(Memories of a Hong Kong Rabbi) by Rabbi Lee Diamond
“Since antiquity, people have been predicting the demise of the Jews, some
with dread, others with glee. But despite all the travails and tests faced by Jews over the centuries, it is only of late that such predictions have seemed plausible, at least in the U.S., where Jewry is on its way to becoming half its present number. As Elliott Abrams points out in his important new book, “Faith or Fear”, a majority of U.S. Jews now marry non-Jews, and only one in four of those homes raises its children with a primary Jewish identity.” Dennis Prager
All of us have seen such predictions of doom. We have read various statistics showing that in the coming 20-40 years American Jewry will half its number. Similar or worse statistics appear regarding the remainder of Diaspora Jewry. Any serious Jew who cares about the future of the Jewish people is confronted with this frightening nightmare.
I share the following personal story with you to demonstrate that perhaps there is something at work that is much greater than all the statistics and all the predictions of doom.
David called me in my office in the United Jewish Congregation of Hong
Kong. “Rabbi, I live in Hanoi, Vietnam and my son Michael is soon to be of Bar Mitzvah age. Can you help me prepare him for his Bar Mitzvah and conductthe ceremony?”
“What kind of background or Jewish education does your son have”, I asked. “How much Hebrew has he studied?”
A moment of silence was followed by one word: “None” said David. He has never had any Jewish education whatsoever! He knows no Hebrew at all.
Another moment of silence-but this time on my part. Thoughts flashed through my mind regarding all the standards that I was taught to believe were so necessary for becoming a Bar Mitzvah. How is it possible in only 4 months to bring a child to point of accepting serious Jewish responsibility?
How could I possibly teach this young man at such a distance? Before I could answer David stated emphatically: “Rabbi, I really want my son to be a Jew and it is extremely important to me that he have his Bar Mitzvah. Michael is very highly motivated as well and both of us will do all that is necessary to make this happen.
It was at this moment that I realized that I could not respond with
anything but a positive answer. How could I refuse the request of this child and his father who were simply trying to find a way to identify and take their place amongst the nation of Israel? All standards collapsed and all that remained was to find the way to help them to achieve this honorable goal of remaining and affirming their Jewish ness.
Michael flew alone to Hong Kong for a week of intensive study. I was overwhelmed with his motivation and his mind. In one week he succeeded in learning to read Hebrew well enough to be able to open the text of his Parasha and read it almost fluently. We studied daily during this week learning as much as possible. I provided Michael with a bibliography,
some tapes, and assignments to complete. Michael then flew back home to Hanoi.
And then began a period of Bar Mitzvah training by phone and email and some help from a local Jew who could supervise his studies–before he left for school early in the morning–in the evening, phone call after phone call, email after email. Finally the day approached. I flew to Hanoi four days in advance, Sefer Torah in hand. We met every day and finally David was ready. Our new worry was not about Michael’s readiness. The new worry and question was whether we would have a “minyan” present for the service. David assured me that he had invited the 10 Jews that he knew in Hanoi and asked them to invite any other Jews that they knew.
As the service began there was barely a minyan. However, within a short time over 100 Jews had entered this “make shift” Synagogue. One Jew had told another and the word spread and they were all there. There was a magic in the room, in the air, in the prayers. David chanted his blessings, his Maftir, his Haftarah without a single error. The miraculous minyan of Jews in the room was literally set aflame by Michael’s sincerity, by the joy or “Simcha shel Mitzvah” reflected in the faces of his father, and grandmother. All realized that this was the first Bar Mitzvah ever to be held in Vietnam.
It was then that Michael gave his Dvar Torah. As he concluded his words he turned to his father and grandmother and stated: “Thank you Dad and Bubbe for giving me the Jewish spark that I have in my heart and soul.”
And it was then that I realized that something much greater than a ceremony had occurred in that room on that day. For on that day we witnessed the fulfillment of the Divine promise that somehow and someway the Jewish spirit could not be extinguished.
On that day I realized that all the prophecies of doom regarding our future failed to take into account the “Pintele Yid” the Jewish spark that somehow burns in every Jewish soul and heart, sometimes barely glowing but ultimately un-extinguishable. On that day I realized that there is a force in each of us that keeps the flame burning. On that day I came to understand that we have to open ourselves to every Jew, to encourage every Jew, to fan every flame, to do away with standard sometimes and simply hear the cry of the Jewish soul.
Netach Yisrael Lo Yishaker–The Divine promise of Jewish Continuity does not falter. It is this flame that has defied all the prophecies of doom throughout our history. We the Jewish people must believe in it, trust in it and fan this mystical flame in ourselves and in all other Jews and never never despair.
Rabbi Lee Diamond, who is based in Israel began his unique rabbinate as an Israel Educator for the Diaspora. Rabbi Diamond has served as director of the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, and Associate Director of the Israel office of the UJR and NFTY Israel programs.
Rabbi Diamond has dedicated his life to sharing the Israel he loves with people and to creating an educational experience for everyone visiting Israel.
Rabbi Diamond’s philosophy: Israel is the stage on which I want to act out the drama of the Jewish people and its creative survival, and to affect people’s lives; everything I do relates to that.
