At the entrance of Israel’s Holocaust Museum, Yad Vashem, is a most beautiful garden lined with carob trees planted to honor the righteous gentiles of the Holocaust.
The Hebrew word charuv, carob, is connected to the word cherev, war, I imagine because the fruits of a carob tree are shaped like swords. Yet at heart, they are the opposite. War is bitter and devastating. Carob is sweet and sustaining.
Israel honors the 23,000 righteous gentiles of the Holocaust. If they were ever to be in financial need, Israel would support them the rest of their lives just as they supported and saved Jews.
Maimonides taught that there are eight levels of charity, each one higher than the next. On the lower level is giving grudgingly. On higher levels are giving generously, giving anonymously, and giving in such a way that enables the recipients to provide for themselves.
Similarly, I would propose eight levels of being a righteous “other.”
On the lowest level of righteousness is speaking out in conversations when words of discrimination and hatred are spoken and above that, is speaking out in larger social circles when acts of exclusion occur.
On the third rung of righteousness is offering hospitality to an “other” by sharing a conversation or a meal.
Still higher is reaching across lines of difference and making a friend who is the “other” so that their “otherness” dissolves.
Higher still on the ladder of righteousness is speaking out publicly through letters to the editor or emails to business leaders or public officials when discriminating actions happen.
The sixth level of righteousness is committing to causes and giving time to build bridges of understanding between diverse communities and on the seventh level is taking a role of leadership to make that happen.
On the highest level is working to ensure that our laws maintain the equality, dignity and humanity of all who live in our country.
As we offer our abundant gratitude to those righteous gentiles who risked their lives to save Jews, may we, in their honor and memory, ascend rungs of holiness as we embrace those who are labelled “other” in our society.
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Reblogged this on myrainbowmind and commented:
Israel honors the 23,000 righteous gentiles of the Holocaust. If they were ever to be in financial need, Israel would support them the rest of their lives just as they supported and saved Jews.