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In the Words of David Broza . . .
A Message from CEO, Ronit Sherwin
In 1995, I was living in Israel when Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin (z"l") was assassinated. It was a terrifying time to be in Israel. A great leader was murdered by a fellow Jew, and people were scared of what the future would bring. At the same time, it afforded a unique experience to be part of the people of Israel, not as a tourist or as an observer, but as a fellow "citizen" (I actually hold Israeli citizenship). Like my fellow Israelis, my daily life came to a standstill for a few days. Work on the kibbutz ceased, and many of us made our way to Jerusalem to simply be there together.
My strongest association with that period of time is music. I listened to Israeli radio and absorbed the culture and sentiments of the nation through song. After the initial period of shloshim (30 days of mourning), many musicians and vocal artists came together to comfort the nation with music. The song Yihyeh Tov (It will be Alright) by David Broza became MY song (as it did for many). This song became my anthem and my charge to embrace the future with hope, like the legacy of Rabin, and the optimism that I can make a difference in the future.
The lyrics of Yihyeh Tov sang in my head this past week, as many of my friends and many in our community voiced disappointment and concern regarding not only the elections, but more significantly about the divisions in our nation. Regardless of where we each align politically, we probably can all agree that this was an unpleasant campaign season, with words and actions unbecoming of civic leaders. And now the campaign is done, I believe we must find a way to move forward together: yihyeh tov - it will be alright. This I must believe.
So too we find this week in the Torah a narrative of movement and transition. God speaks to Abraham, saying "lech l'cha" - go, commanding Abraham to leave the land that he has known to seek his true home in an unknown land. Literally, this phrase translates as "go unto yourself," implying that this new home is the place that Abraham is meant to be and to be the person he is meant to become.
What is the lesson I take from this parsha? Perhaps it is a similar message to that of teshuvah, the concept of "returning" to one's best self, as we aim to do during the New Year. Speaking for myself, I feel even more motivated now to be true to my convictions and values and to model for my children and my community the best of humanity and democracy. Like Abraham, we are moving into a new era of leadership and we must do so with strength and confidence in our true selves. As I have since 1995, I will keep in mind: yihyeh tov - it will be alright.
Shabbat shalom.
Ronit
Ronit Sherwin
Chief Executive Officer
Jewish Federation of San Antonio
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