*Charlie Kramer is a high school senior at New Jewish Community High School and has spent the last two weeks as an intern for Jewish World Watch learning about Jewish activism. With his goal of one day being a Rabbi who influences communities to be engaged in social action, he worked with our Rabbinic Intern Greg Metzger to create this week’s Parshat Ha’Shavuah and text study. We thoroughly enjoyed Charlie’s presence in our office and we hope he continues his passion for social justice through his college years and beyond!

Parasha Emor consists of many laws and regulations that God commands upon the priestly community, the Kohanim. The portion details the commandments of the anointed Kohen Gadol (the high priest). On the surface, Emor seems mostly un-relatable to our modern times and struggles, yet this portion has sustenance and lessons of justice that speak to us all. At JWW we strive not only to be just, but to do justice. Envision these texts not only as a way of learning, but rather a path to pursuing.

1). Leviticus 21:10-21:16- “The priest who is exalted above his fellows, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been ordained to wear the vestments, shall not bare his head or rend his vestments.”

Although one may automatically connect high priesthood to leadership, this holy priest represents more then just leadership, he represents peace. The oil that a priest was anointed with was from the branch of an olive tree. In order for the seeds of the olive to produce fruit and ultimately the oils that the high priest will be anointed with, the seed must be in the ground and protected from war for at least six years. The Kohen Gadol is anointed with a responsibility to lead his people peacefully. Thus, he is anointed with the responsibility to lead justly.

As Jews living in a free democracy, we are anointed with the blessing of peace as was the Kohen Gadol. Within that anointment of peace we are given the responsibility to pursue and do justice. As American Jews living within a nation of peace, we must do something to ensure that others living without these blessings will soon get these opportunities that we have. For example, children as young as six and seven living in the Democratic Republic of Congo are manipulated and forced into becoming soldiers and living a life of violence. If these kids are not manipulated to become warriors, they are forced to work in conflict mines. They are forced to search for minerals that we use for our electronic equipment; things like cell phones, computers and iPods that we often take for granted. At Jewish World Watch we provide opportunities for everyone to exercise peaceful leadership which brings justice to the people of Congo. As an individual consumer and a community member you can make a difference. We are all Kohen Gadols; we must fulfill our responsibility to ensure peace.

You can become involved, pursue justice and make a difference; As Jews, it is our duty.

Questions to Consider

1). As a Jew living prosperously in America, how will you pursue justice?

2). Do you believe that you have been anointed peace throughout your life?

3). Is world peace attainable?

4). Will you help your organization or synagogue become conflict free?

2). Parasha Emor commentary: Rabbi Simcha Benum- “Leaders are only functions of and relative to those who follow.”

We are often told to ‘follow the leader,’ or to ‘do as [we] are told.’ Yet, Rabbi Simcha Benum is clearly telling us that this is not the case. Leaders are relative to those that follow them. Often times, this idea functions backwards: Followers are relative to those that lead them. Too frequently we lead our lives waiting for the answer, or listening rather than pursuing. It is time to pursue justice, instead of waiting for someone to lead it for us. Be the change that you want to see.

You can become involved, pursue justice and make a difference; As Jews, it is our duty.

Questions to Consider

1). Does change arise from the masses, or does change arise from the leaders?

2). How does Jewish World Watch influence change in the community and in the individual?

3). What actions are you going to take do influence change?

3). Mica 6:8- “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

As we were created b’tzelem elohim (in the image of god), we are to walk beside him justly as hashem walks beside us. One may take this to mean that every step we take forward should be done  justly and kindly to ensure that we continually walk into our future ethically. One may also relate this to the mark that we leave behind, a footprint rather than a footstep. Either way, Judaism commands us to embody justice and kindness in every step that we take in god’s image. On the other side of the planet, others who walk humbly and justly in the Congo and Darfur do not receive the same justice that they embody. JWW provides opportunities that allow for American Jews to restore justice to the people of Congo.

You can become involved, pursue justice and make a difference; As Jews, it is our duty.

Questions to Consider

1). Is walking humbly walking justly?

2). How does JWW’s activism bring a positive light to the phrase, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24)?

3). How are you walking for peace and justice?

4). Exodus 19:16- “But you shall be to Me a nation of priests and a holy nation.”

As a Jewish people we are expected to act like priests. We must live our lives in a fashion that would be acceptable to not only ourselves but an entire community. Priests set an example of how to live and pursue an ethical life. We are a nation of priests, a nation of people who should be setting an example for just living in the world. The Torah, our written value system, is a book of life. In order to live life to its fullest, it must be lived justly. L’chayim (to life), is a phrase often chanted by a group of Jews in a time of joy. It’s one of those ‘Jewish’ things that we all do. Yet, we don’t realize that this phrase means much more than just something to chant in a time of happiness. L’chayim is plural, stemming from the word chai, which means: life. Whenever we are happy and joyful, we scream: TO LIFE! Yet, what we need to realize is that this phrase involves everyone in the world, it is plural. We must not forget those that do not get to chant L’chayim, because that praise is meant to include them. We must ensure that one day, we are able to chant L’chayim in its truest form: together and in peace.

You can become involved, pursue justice and make a difference; As Jews, it is our duty.

Questions to Consider

1). How can Jewish World Watch help us to bring justice to the term L’chayim?

2). When you picture L’chayim being chanted in its truest form, what do you see and how do we attain it?

3). Why is it our duty as Jews to become involved with social action?

Take action today and learn more about the conflict-mineral issue.