Hope

By RABBI JOSEPH H. PROUSER

“Dry Bones,” the graphic commentary of political cartoonist Yaakov Kirschen, has appeared in the Jerusalem Post since 1973. “Dry Bones” lightheartedly explores Jewish identity, religious and communal life, Israeli and global politics, and the Jewish historical experience.

The comic strip takes its name from the vision of the valley of dry bones in the biblical prophecy of Ezekiel (Chapter 37). The prophet sees a vast array of human skeletal remains – dry bones – take on flesh and return to life. God explains that this betokens the national resurrection of the Jewish people.

Ezekiel’s vision provides apt literary inspiration for the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah (The Hope).” According to the prophecy, the bones (prior to their miraculous regeneration) lament, “avdah tikvateinu – Our hope is lost!” The Israeli anthem defiantly insists “od lo avdah tikvateinu – Our hope is still not lost, the 2000-year-old hope of being a free people in our own land.”

Hope is the heart and soul of the Zionist dream.

Dr. Jonas Salk, a distinguished son of the Jewish people (and justly acclaimed developer of the first successful polio vaccine), internalized this optimism: “Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”

Anything less would represent a mere caricature of the Jewish faith.

(Editor’s note: This is Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser’s 100th submission to the CCJN. Rabbi Prouser is the rabbi of Temple Emanuel of North Jersey and the National Chaplain of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting and we wish him a hearty mazel tov!)