Adam Scott Actor

In 1999, Dr. Ismar Schorsh, then chancellor of Jewish Theological Seminary, made a rather unfortunate remark. He said that conservative Jews who observe the three weeks, a period of collective mourning for the destruction of the Temples "and all the calamities that followed, was as rare as a polar bear in Ecuador.

The three weeks is supported by two fasts, starting with the Fast of Tammuz 17 (corresponding to July 19 this year) and ends with Tisha B'Av, the ninth of Av (August 9), which is the most serious liturgical year fast after Yom Kippur.

But rather casual dismissal of Rabbi Schorsh the mourning period led to the conclusion that we should abolish the three weeks in total. The Jewish calendar, he said, is very dense with the tragedy. Why bother with the heaviness of all, when nobody cares?

The question is just whether Jewish law is determined by their constituents and not just by their principles. Certainly it is difficult to mourn in the summer and even more to mourn tragedies that we have not personally experienced. But the findings also raise the rabbi Schorsh broader question of how a certain ahistorical approach that prevails in American life, has affected Jewish life today. Let's face it, Americans are rotten to relive history and sanctification. Jews are professionals at it.
Memorial Day as a good example. No one would suggest the elimination of Memorial Day in Israel because it is very sad. We understand the collective need for a brand of public service and mourn those we have lost over 23,000 since the establishment of the state. This is both a way to honor those who made significant sacrifices and show respect to soldiers in service.

In America, Memorial Day may be best known as a weekend sales and barbecues. It is also the day that most public pools open. We lost over 1,600 soldiers in the current war in Afghanistan and about 4,500 in the war in Iraq. Do any of us feels comfortable telling a soldier serving abroad today what we did this past Memorial Day? In American military history, which has lost more than 2.5 million servicemen and women who fought dedicated in the name of this country, yet this fact is seen by taking the white shoes out of the closet.

What kind of citizens are shaped by that attitude? Those who do not appreciate what it means to suffer loss. Those who are unable to respect the fact that communities are built not only joy but also the sacrifices we make for what we believe And finally, those who are in danger of repeating history because there are students history.

Jews are not only students of history, we are administrators. Each of us carries within us thousands of years and multiple layers of the past. We walk in the world is not burdened by the tragedy, but elevated our ability to survive. We do this not because I ignore history, but because we cherish.

The pace of three weeks helps us think about our ancient religious center, the holy city, the relationship he had with God and that the price we have paid over the history of our commitment to tradition. We focus on loss, but also pray that some of the struggles and external struggles that once fought not be repeated, because we have learned from our mistakes. We are also able to appreciate the spiritual line of time that has brought us to where we are today as a people. Ultimately, the triumph of Jewish history are even more miraculous than a polar bear in Ecuador.