This week’s parasha, Shemot, begins the Book of Exodus/Shemot by outlining the shrewd and cunning ways those in power can create a narrative for the sake of othering, demonizing, oppressing, and enslaving. Pharaoh details his plans citing that the Israelites have become a demographic threat and may have dual loyalties. He uses labor exploitation and reproductive oppression to attempt to keep the Israelites down, but the resistance proves itself too strong. These tropes that ring through centuries of antisemitism and so many forms of oppression continue to be used today in ways that further divide and confuse, attempting to break apart movements for justice.

In this context of this week's reading, some local Jewish leaders met with Seattle city leaders this week to discuss antisemitism. I was not in attendance at that meeting though I had a chance to share both my excitement that elected leaders are engaged in conversations about antisemitism, and my concern about these conversations. I fear they promote a definition of antisemitism that can hurt Jews and progressives (let alone Jewish progressives!), particularly those who seek to promote Palestinian human rights, while too often minimizing or ignoring the antisemitism that so shrewdly animates white Christian nationalism. Below is an edited version of what I shared with colleagues who attended the meeting. I welcome your thoughts, feedback, thinking, article recommendations, and simply letting me know you are interested in continuing to learn/be informed as this continues to develop - because it will. For some background, here is a piece on antisemitism in Seattle from September 2019. You may want to as well.

I am so glad to hear that combating antisemitism is on the agenda of our city leaders! And, I am concerned that the presenters will paint the Federation’s statement on antisemitism in September 2019 and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition on antisemitism as consensus statements of our community. It is not.

Many organizations have expressed concerns with the IHRA working definition on antisemitism, especially when used in legal and governmental matters, from the ACLU to the Reform Movement to the Progressive Israel Network (including T'ruah, NIF, and Reconstructing Judaism), Foundation for Middle East Peace, and, notably, the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism who offer a different analysis as well.

In summary of the concerns, using the IHRA working definition risks violating protected speech, equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism, and punishing voices who speak out for Palestinian human rights in ways that do not demonize Jews or Israel as a collective. Here was an op-ed on the matter from April 2021 and some news on the tension here from November 2022 citing hundreds of academics who oppose the use of the IHRA definition in these ways. I realize there are those who support the IHRA definition without reservation. While I do not contend that, I simply contend that there is no "Jewish consensus" on the issue. I truly wish our own community could have open dialogue on the topic and/or acknowledge to those in the halls of power that fact.

I worry that any document on antisemitism such as the IHRA definition in which most of its examples pertain to criticism of Israel will do a disservice to and obscure work against antisemitism in its most dangerous, violent, and organized forms, as a tool of the ultra-right who also often shows up in very Zionist looking ways. I worry that it supports a tendency and/or strategy by some to attack leaders they oppose politically (usually "progressives" who stand for many issues Jews also work toward) using an individual's or group's stance on Israel or Palestine as an excuse.

Your thoughts are welcome on the matter, and be in touch if you would like to be involved in learning, connecting, and action on this issue. Particularly as we celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday this weekend, let us find one another to advance work to end antisemitism that also works to end all forms of oppression.

Shabbat shalom,
R’ David

Dear ones,


Firstly, I apologize for my vocal absence in the wake of the news of the rollback of reproductive rights last week. As many gathered this past Shabbat morning to celebrate one of our own becoming bar mitzvah, so many more were gathering at Cal Anderson Park and in countless locations around the land to protest and raise their voices and spirits in this ongoing fight. Access to abortion is a Jewish value. Yashar koa'ach - may there be strength as these efforts for justice continue.

And on that same morning in Buffalo, NY (Wenrohronon Territory, Haudenosaunee Land) the hometown of my maternal grandparents, mother, aunt, uncles, and cousins, 10 Black residents in a supermarket were murdered in a targetted attack spurned by a [Christian] white nationalism that we know all too well as a multiracial Jewish community. From this same well of anti-Black racism so too spews forth antisemitism, misogyny, tranphobia, Islamophobia, and more.

Our friends at Ammud: Jews of Color Torah Academy are offering space for Black Jews tonight (Wed, 5/18, 5:30-6:30pm PT) and space for Jews of Color tomorrow night (Thu, 5/19, 5-6pm PT) to connect and process. I wanted to make sure to share them with you all as soon as I heard about them, encourage our Black and BIPOC Jews to attend, and invite us all to support those spaces with our gifts to Ammud and these organizations raising money for the families of the victims in Buffalo.


In the meantime, may this day of the omer - the 32nd day, netzach she'b'hod [endurance that is in serenity] be one of persistence, of resilience, and of the small victories of continuing to breathe, continuing to find serenity, and continuing to continue. The Hebrew word for heart, lev, is the numerical value 32, and on this day, while my heart is broken along with the world, may it continue to beat and rhythm for justice.

May it be so for us all,
R' David

​Dear Community,

With First Seder only a week away, I write to you, similarly as last year with my pointers to deepen your preparation into the holiday season upon us. (Already? HOW? Isn’t it still February?) Uh huh.

How to Prep for Passover in Less Than A Week

We've got you covered. Whether you’ve been cleaning for weeks or resigned to not at all, there are many things that you can do to prepare your body, mind, spirit, heart, soul, and household for the Season of Liberation. Thank Go-dness for the diversity of our ancestors.

No matter your capacity or desire for Passover prep this year, Passover is for all of us!
Here are some ways to still prep for Passover in an hour or less:

• DIY Matzah Making in 18 minutes or less.
• Mingle this Pesach by opening up your seder to fellow Kadimaniks – or signing up to be hosted. Fill out this form ASAP!
• Clean your fridge or your pantry. Alright, not the most fun thing on this list, but doesn’t it sound nice to have finished this one? Put on your favorite tunes and get to it?
• Have a morning-before-seder bonfire and Burn. Your. Chametz.. I see this as the "tashlich of Passover" where instead of throwing breadcrumbs/sins into the water, we throw breadcrumbs/arrogance/pride (the harmful kind) into the fire.
• Sell your chametz to a neighbor. Go knock on their door, or have Sephardic Bikur Holim do it for you. 
• Decide that you have no chametz - with your mind, body, and spirit - in your possession (this feels like a classic Obi-wan Kenobi "these are not the loaves of bread you are looking for" move, which may be a way in for you too?)
• Read Exodus chapters 1-15 to refresh your maggid/storytelling
• Open your planner and trim what you can during the coming week to make space - for some outside time, a chat with friends or family, yourself. 
• Check out Kadima’s Passover 5782 page and come to one of Kadima's assortment of events:
  • Shabbat Passover Morning Service & Torah Discussion, Sat, 4/16, 10am-12pm
  • Lunch, Learn’n’Connect: Climate Justice & Collective Liberation, Wed, 4/20, 11:45am-1:15pm (come when you can for as long as you can)
  • 8th Night Earth Day Seder, Fri, 4/22, 6-8pm
  • Adult Ed: Unforgiven? Pharaoh, Jonah & High Holiday-Passover Connections, Sun, 4/24, 10:30am-12n

Finally, Passover 5782 is Friday night, April 15 - Saturday night, April 23 (though some keep through Friday night, April 22, depending on your politics ). HOWEVER you celebrate, acknowledge, remember, prep for, gather around, ignore, or forget Passover is something our ancestors may have also done and something someone else in our community might also be up to, so you are in holy company. And besides, if you end up wishing you had done something else, there is always Pesach Sheni (our tradition’s built in SECOND CHANCE PASSOVER!) - so try something, knowing there is always another opportunity, sometimes sooner than we think.

No matter what it is we do, may it be a joyous season and may we get in touch with our liberation!

L’chayim,
Rabbi David

PS- As our Season of Liberation is still the season of war, be in community with this tool kit for solidarity with Ukraine