This thread is apparently dying a natural death, and that's okay by me, but I wanted to add something about my trip to shul (synagogue) last night.
I rarely attend shul. I like the poetry and the social aspect, but the sermons are usually crazy-making. Rabbi Mark Loeb at Beth El in Baltimore is usually an exception to this. Rabbi Loeb is highly intelligent and down to earth, concentrating more on Jewish law than supernatural ideas. Last night was no exception, I'm happy to report.
He began his sermon by talking about Elisabeth Schwartzkopf, who died the other day. She served in the Hitler Youth and was caught lying about it. She fessed up, according to the Rabbi, and he used her case to illustrate a point of law. If someone is caught doing something wrong, even something really horrible, it is the responsibility of the community to forgive and not embarrass the person. Unless, that is, the person goes and does it again, when it becomes the individual's responsibility to seek forgiveness and really work to earn forgiveness. The segue was great:
"And that, of course, leads us to Mr. Gibson."
A rueful smile ran around the congregation. Rabbi Loeb referred to the
"Moron Rabbi" in Los Angeles and got a laugh, saying this is not the way to do it. Gibson made the first error with his failure to condemn or even admit the Holocaust when his "Passion" film came out. There was general dismay among the Jewish community, and anger, but the rabbis mostly counseled as above, that forgiveness is our responsibility. This is evidence that the first step was not used as an opportunity by Gibson, so it is now his responsibility to prove to the Jewish community that he is not an Anti-Semite.
And that was pretty much that. It was better put than I did--as I say, this Rabbi is an excellent speaker and teacher. He didn't touch on the previous day's incident here in Baltimore (see post above).
I thought it was nicely handled and was grateful not to have to listen to an anti-Arab rant, as I have been subjected to during other times of war.
Just thought I'd report. Now I think we should all sit back and wait for Gibson to do his part.
And wait.
And wait.
And
Wait.