I write to you from Dallas, TX at the JNF-USA Global Conference for Israel where 30 of our David and Angella Nazarian Fellows and 30 of our Flesh Family Sinai Temple Israel Center Rabbinical Fellows have gathered among thousands for a Shabbat full of Israel inspiration.
As I sat on the plane, the man next to me saw my kippah and asked where I was going. Amidst the warnings of protests, I told him I was going to a conference about Israel and that I was a Rabbi.
He began to cry. He told me he was not Jewish, but every day since October 7th, he wears a Jewish star with a yellow ribbon pin on top. His wife recently passed away and he has not left his house.
This was his first trip away and he felt scared as a non-Jew to wear the yellow ribbon.
He said he was sorry and wish he had done so.
All I could do was shed a tear and thank him for what he has done the last 400 days.
As we parted ways, he whispered to me, “You have many more friends than you think.”
An hour later I walked into the global conference, surrounded by almost 100 Rabbis, hundreds of college and high school students, and proud supporters of Israel.
This week, we read of the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, the welcoming of guests. Avraham is tired and healing from a Brit milah, but he never stops welcoming people in.
This year, we must also think about how others welcome us in.
This year, we must know that when we wear that yellow ribbon and Jewish star, others see it.
May we take the spirit of Abraham and both welcome others into our tent and be grateful when we too are welcomed in.
