Israel Matzav: Ambassador Michael Oren's Rosh HaShana letter to the Jewish community

Ambassador Michael Oren's Rosh HaShana letter to the Jewish community

This open letter to the American Jewish community below was sent by Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren (Hat Tip: Lance K).

Notice how much of the letter is devoted to Iran. I hope you all had the threat to Israel from Iran in mind during your prayers this weekend, and that you will do so on Yom Kippur as well. For those who are familiar with the Shmoneh Esrei prayer, I personally find the the three paragraphs that begin "u'v'chein tein" to be the most appropriate place to have this in mind. Your mileage may vary.

For those who cannot read it from the picture above, here is the full text of Ambassador Oren's letter:

September 17, 2009

Dear Rabbis, community leaders and friends:

This month, Jews throughout the world will celebrate the New Year of 5770. Both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur instruct us to reflect on our previous year and prepare for the year to come.

This past year, Israel has made significant accomplishments. Our scientists are unlocking the secrets of the human body to discover new cures for diseases. Israeli art, film, and literature received prestigious recognition from internationally renowned institutions. The Israeli economy was one of the first countries to emerge from the economic recession.

In spite of a year of many achievements in a variety of fields, these are challenging times for the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The direst threat to Israel—indeed to the Middle East and the world—is a nuclear armed Iran.

Iran's support for terrorism, its commitment to Israel's destruction, and its determination to produce nuclear weapons represents the most pressing issue of our time. Iran has repeatedly demonstrated its refusal to accept norms of democracy and civility. Iranian security forces killed dozens of their fellow citizens in the aftermath of the recent elections and Iranian judges routinely sentence juvenile offenders to death. Last month, President Ahmadinejad appointed an internationally-wanted terrorist, the mastermind of the murderous attack on the Jewish Center in Buenos Aires in 1994, as his defense minister. The president has publicly called for a world without Zionism and America.

While uniting against the Iranian threat, Israel also seeks American and international support in moving toward a permanent, sustainable peace. Israel will continue to reach out to Palestinian leaders without preconditions in the hope of realizing this dream in our lifetime.

We are facing a critical juncture in our history. The Jewish community must confront this unprecedented threat before it is too late. I urge you as leaders of the Jewish community to impress this situation on your congregations. It is imperative to act now, at the start of a new year, and to join our voices in doing what absolutely necessary to stop the Iranian nuclear threat.

L’Shana Tova U’Metuka,

Michael Oren
Israeli Ambassador to the United States

Israel Matzav: Ambassador Michael Oren's Rosh HaShana letter to the Jewish community

The Timeless Gift - Tzipiyah.com

The Timeless Gift

September 9, 2009 · Filed Under Uncategorized ·

Written by: Florence

Living in our fast paced world, it is very difficult for us to think of anything that has remained the same. Before we can enjoy what we have, we are bombarded by a new car model or an updated cell phone that has become the new trend. Even many beliefs and ideas that were accepted for many years and given credence to are also changing before our eyes.

As I was reading through Parshat Nitzavim and Vayelech I came to a great realization about the greatness of our holy Torah. As we know these last few parshiot are part of Moshe’s last words to the Jewish people before he passes away. In addition to reviewing many of the torah concepts that he taught them, Moshe also uses this opportunity to strengthen them before they go in Eretz Yisrael. Moshe as Hashem’s messenger tells the Jewish people that all the mitzvot that Hashem has commanded them to do “is not in the heaven”, meaning that it is within their reach. In addition, we are told that the Torah is timeless and no matter where we Jews live and what time period we are living in, the Torah will still remain the same. In addition, as we were told in previous parshiot how we can not add or subtract from the Torah, because Hashem has given it to us. I think that not only was this applicable to strengthen the Jews then but it can also be a source of strength for us in our times. The same struggle that the Jews went through in their times is still a struggle for us today. As I read this I felt a great sense of happiness that we were given such an important gift from Hashem that helps us navigate our way is such a rapidly changing world where nothing remains the same. It is amazing to me how our Torah that was written down thousands of years ago is still applicable and relevant as it was when the Jewish people were given the Torah. Though at times the Torah may be viewed by some to be restrictive, outdated and unattainable in our times, we must remember that unlike many other things in life where one needs certain prerequisites and certain privileges to get a job of be part of a certain group in Judaism it is very different. As we have seen Torah is not unattainable but is accessible to all of us no matter what our life situation is and Hashem has given us the perfect guide to help us succeed in this world of confusion.

As we approach Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we need to realize that instead of fearfully approaching them, we can be comforted by the words from this week’s parshiot and realize that even if we have lowered ourselves spiritually throughout the year, we are still given another chance to improve and change our ways for the better. May we all be inscribed in the book of life and for great year!

Originally posted by :

The Timeless Gift - Tzipiyah.com

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