Rabbi Howard Morrison

The plan was simple. God had already promised the Land of Israel to the Children of Israel. As a formality, Moses designated a representative from each tribe to investigate the land and report back. Then, the entire nation would enter. Within a couple of years, the Exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Torah at Sinai, and the people in its God-given land would be complete. However, ten of the chieftains came back, not with facts, not with a positive assurance which had already been promised, but a contrived editorial opinion which scared the rest of the people. "Efes - Zero" - No chance of success. We are grasshoppers in their sight. The truth was lost in the sight of what we might call today competing narratives. At the end of the day, only Joshua and Caleb affirmed God's given truth. Some 40 years later, only they would enter the promised land from the generation that came out of Egypt.

My friends - Truth vs falsehood is almost lost. Good vs evil is almost lost. Everybody has their "narrative," their "truth." Over the last eight months, Jews in Israel, Canada, and all over the world have tried and must continue to try to speak about right vs wrong, light vs darkness, even when much of society has lost its way.

The latest example took place just over a week ago when the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) accepted a committee resolution by a vote of 15-7 to introduce a new form of protection for its students called APR - Anti Palestinian Racism. Why the need? On the books we already have legislation against Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and other forms of protection from prejudice and bigotry. 

To its credit, the entire Jewish community came and rallied together but did not succeed. The APR policy was ratified without a clear definition of what it even means. In addition, on the school board level, there was no mention or discussion of anti-Semitism, which is on the rise much more than anything else. What started on the local school board level can extend into government and other areas of society. Will Zionism, the belief that Jews have the right to be sovereign in our promised land, become an example of anti-Palestinian racism? Will the IHRA, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism become an example of anti-Palestinian racism? Part of that definition includes:

"Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion. . . . Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews. . . . Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of the State of Israel is a racist endeavor. etc."

 Will the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism be ignored, negated, and buried?

Will the fundamental truth that the Jewish people are indigenous to the land of Israel become a form of anti-Palestinian racism?

 Will our 3000 plus years of Jewish history in the land of Israel become a form of anti-Palestinian racism?

 Will our use of Hebrew become a form of anti-Palestinian racism?

 Will our facing Jerusalem in prayer become a form of anti-Palestinian racism? 

Will our plea at the end of Yom Kippur and the Pesach seder, "Next year in Jerusalem" become a form of anti-Palestinian racism?

Will any truth about Jews and our relationship with Israel pre-1948 become a form of anti-Palestinian racism? 

Will failing to recognize the term Palestinian or a Palestinian people become a form of anti-Palestinian racism?

Will the only way of understanding "From the river to the sea," as meaning the elimination of the State of Israel, become a form of anti-Palestinian racism?

Will the truthful statement that in 3500 years there was never a sovereign territory called Palestine become a form of anti-Palestinian racism?

 Will fighting anti-Semitism be interpreted as a form of anti-Palestinian Racism?

Will a false narrative which calls for the annihilation of the State of Israel be called freedom of expression, but the truth about the Jewish State of Israel be called a violation of law and policy?

Where is the call for school policies directed against anti-Semitism?

Where is the call against renaming the map of Israel as Palestine as being a form of anti-Semitism?

Where is the protection of Jewish students in the public schools to feel free and safe? To wear a Kippa, Tzizit, a Star of David, a Chai, a stand with Israel bracelet, a dog tag with a plea for rescuing hostages now, etc.?

In today's Parsha, we do have hope and optimism - the courage and bravery exemplified by Joshua and Caleb. They held their ground. They knew there was no such thing as competing narratives when it comes to the Jewish right to be sovereign in Israel. They maintained the faith and promise given by God. It is their determination that enabled our ancestors to reside in Israel during their lifetimes. So, may we be modern Joshuas and Calebs, keeping the faith and promise, and assuring the right for Jews everywhere to express their beliefs, based on a definitive solid historical truth.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison