{"id":57075,"date":"2020-09-25T17:23:52","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T23:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=57075"},"modified":"2020-09-25T17:23:52","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T23:23:52","slug":"remember","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/remember\/","title":{"rendered":"Remember"},"content":{"rendered":"

By RABBI JOSEPH H. PROUSER<\/p>\n

Yom Kippur\u2019s \u201cMartyrology\u201d service is a moving tribute to those Jews who, in times of persecution throughout history, gave their lives for our faith. In unsparing, graphic detail, the liturgy describes the tortured deaths of Rabbis Akiba, Chanina ben Teradyon, Yehudah ben Bava, and other Sages.<\/p>\n

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Even as we invoke the darkest moments of our national past, the Martyrology invites us to remain mindful of the proudest, most joyous elements of Jewish history… and to treasure the inspiring beauty of our ancient religious tradition.<\/p>\n

By repurposing Psalm 42, Eileh Ezkerah<\/em> also issues a parallel but more personal challenge. Notwithstanding the adversity, disappointment, and loss we must each inevitably endure \u2013 we are urged by this Yom Kippur ritual to remain focused on the celebrations, the worthy achievements, the community ties, the moments of spiritual fulfillment, the love, and the blessings which define our lives\u2026 and defiantly to insist:<\/p>\n

\u201cThese<\/em> I will remember!\u201d<\/p>\n

(Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser is the rabbi of Temple Emanuel of North Jersey and the former National Chaplain of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting.)<\/em><\/p>\n

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