Beth Israel — The West Temple
Just another RJ Web Builder 3.0 site
  • About
    • Our History
      • Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-Semitism
      • A Modern-Day Exodus
    • Rabbi Rachel Brown
    • Rabbi Emerita Enid C. Lader
      • Rabbi’s Welcome
      • D’var Torah—A Word of Torah
    • Rabbi Emeritus Alan B. Lettofsky
    • Code of Ethics
    • Board of Trustees
    • Committees
    • Constitution of Beth Israel – The West Temple, 2018
    • Directions
    • Contact
  • Worship
    • A Prayer for Israel
    • Our Torah – Our Study
    • Shabbat
    • Rosh Chodesh
    • Life Cycle Events
      • Room Rental Rates
      • Birth
      • B’nai Mitzvah and Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Conversion
  • Religious School
    • Religious School
    • Guiding Principles
    • Debbie Chessin, Director of Education
    • Curriculum, Programs, and Staff
      • Hebrew
    • Chai There! Religious School Upcoming Events
      • Chai There Newsletter
      • Letter to Parents, 2021-2022
      • Religious School 2022-2023
  • Adult Education
    • Adult Education
    • A Taste of Judaism
    • In Residence
      • 2021-2022: Dr. Peter Haas
    • Family Education
    • Library
  • Congregational Life
    • May 2025 Bulletin
    • Calendar
    • Responding to Antisemitic Attacks
    • Membership
    • Room Rental Rates
    • Chesed (Caring Community)
    • Social Events
      • Circle of Friends – Rosh Chodesh Tammuz
      • Matzo Ball
    • Tikkun Olam (Social Action)
      • RAC Civic Engagement Campaign
      • Brit Hazon Challenge for Sustainability
      • Be Kind To Mother Earth
      • Mitzvah Opportunities
        • Jewish Federation of Cleveland
        • RAC-OH
    • BI-TWT Jews in the News
      • CJN BI-TWT Celebrates 60 Years Since Soviet Jewry Movement
      • Dr. Robert Weiss in the CJN
      • Beryl Palnik Honored!
      • Emily Volz Donates Her Kidney as Exchange of Torah
      • Lila Wright Wins Art Award
  • Support
    • Donate Now
    • Other Donation Methods
    • Create a Legacy
    • Venmo – An Easier Way to Pay

Recent Posts

  • May 2025 Bulletin
  • April 2025 Bulletin
  • March 2025 Bulletin
  • February 2025 Bulletin
  • January 2025 Bulletin

Tags

Articles Clothing Inspirational Lifestyle News Photography Tips & Tricks
tzedek-2-1

As The Torah Turns, Torah

Shoftim – Deut. 16:18-21:9 (Aug.21/22)

August 21, 2020

As the Torah Turns

Rabbi Lader’s Weekly D’var Torah

Shoftim – Deut. 16:18-21:9 (Aug. 21/22)

Our Torah portion this week is Shoftim – Deut. 16:18-21:9 – and begins with the opening words: “You shall appoint judges and officials for your tribes… and let them govern the people with justice.  Do not judge unfairly: show no partiality, take no bribes, for bribes blind the eye of the discerning and subvert the cause of the just.  Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof – Justice, justice you shall pursue, that it may go well with you.” (Deut. 16:18-19)   Is it just me or, as you read this, are you equally amazed at how timeless these words are?  Our Torah’s human stories go back for millennia, and yet they step off the scroll as if written for today. I have the honor to be part of the Global Justice Chavurah, a group of rabbis and cantors brought together by the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) to learn together about pursuing justice… acting with moral courage.  What does it mean to act on our values in the face of risks?   Ruth Messinger, President of AJWS from 1998 to July of 2016, and currently the organization’s inaugural Global Ambassador, recently shared her thoughts with us about speaking out on behalf of oppressed and persecuted communities worldwide.  She said that “… moral courage is a skill or habit that can be taught… a muscle to be used.  The more we stand up for what we believe in… the more we say hineini – here I am – to speak out and speak up… the more our actions and values will align with the pursuit of justice and equality for all.” Ruth Messinger continued: “These are indeed challenging times, maybe even the most challenging times that many of us will have lived through.  The global pandemic has brought to light the inequalities in health care and racial justice in a moment of economic meltdown.  But… neither despair nor depression are effective strategies for making change.  This is the time for leading – for acting – with moral courage.”  Friends, this is the time for “ometz lev” – to act with a strong heart – the courage of our convictions.  This is the time to move beyond indifference.  This is the time for each of us to understand our core values and use them as our moral compass to direct what we feel in our gut to work for the changes that must be made.  Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof – Justice, justice you shall pursue, that it may go well with you.  When justice is pursued, may it go well for all of us.

From Previous Weeks


Re’eh – Deut. 11:16-16:17 (Aug. 14/15)

You shall rejoice on your festivals​, and should be fully happy.

Read More


Va’Etchanan – Deut. 3:23-7:11 (July 31/Aug. 1)

“Do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord”

Read More


How… Alas… Where are you? Deut. 1:1-3:22 (July24/25)

As Moses begins his grand oration… he recalls that he could not lead them without help.

Read More


Mattot/Mase’ei – Num. 30:2-32:42/33:1-36:13 (July 17/18)

Moses recalls the wanderings — and all the stops along the way over the past forty years

Read More

Search

Categories

  • As The Torah Turns
  • Bulletin
  • Community
  • Congegational Life
  • Education Updates
  • Graphics
  • Images
  • News You Can Use
  • News You Can Use Updates
  • People
  • Religious School
  • Service Music
  • Services
  • Tikkun Olam
  • Torah
  • Uncategorized
  • Updates

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • February 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • August 2023
  • October 2022
  • January 2022
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • August 2019
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015

Beth Israel – The West Temple

14308 Triskett Road
Cleveland, Ohio  44111-2328

Our Mission:
To be a center of worship and vital community life where Jews and their families from Cleveland’s western communities learn Jewish traditions and values, develop their Jewish identity, and assure the continuity of Jewish life.

© 2025 Beth Israel – The West Temple

Support Us

Donate Now!

Visit Us

Call for an appointment:
(216) 941-8882