Community at Temple Israel
Rabbi’s Message – October 30, 2025
This week’s Torah portion, Lech L’cha, begins with a call to move forward: “Go forth.” Abram is asked to leave behind what’s familiar and step into the unknown with faith and courage.
As we look ahead to Veterans Day, we honor those who have done the same — men and women who have answered the call to serve, protecting both our country and, for many, the land of Israel. Their journeys remind us of devotion, resilience, and the hope for peace that sustains them.
The legacy of Jewish service stretches back to the Revolutionary War, and it has been strengthened through the work of the Jewish War Veterans, the oldest veterans’ organization in our nation. This organization has supported Jewish veterans as they transition back to civilian life and honors those who paid the ultimate price in service to their country. It reminds us of the unique burden that veterans carry — a weight that extends far beyond their time in uniform.
In Israel, this burden is perhaps even more profound, as nearly every family is touched by military service, often with loved ones stationed on the front lines of an ever-present conflict. Lech L’cha reminds us that the journey itself is holy. Just as Abram’s journey marked the beginning of a covenant, so too does military service embody a covenant — to protect the innocent, defend the vulnerable, and strive for a world where freedom and peace prevail.
Next Friday, November 8, we’ll gather for a Share Shabbat to recognize our Jewish veterans — American and Israeli — and to reflect on the cost and sanctity of their service. The evening will include special music, prayers of gratitude, and a reading of the poem below, which captures both the heartbreak and the holiness of their mission.
“The Last Soldier”
by Alden Solovy
When the last soldier passes on,
When armies are disbanded and militias discharged,
When weapons are abandoned and armor discarded,
Your mission will, at last, be over.
For you know the soldier’s secret.
Yours was not a mission of war
Nor a mission of ruin.
Yours was not a mission of destruction
Nor a mission of death.
Your mission was safety, security, protection.
Your mission was honor, loyalty, service.
Your mission was to end violence, tyranny, despair.
When the last soldier passes on,
When the uniforms are retired and the final grave filled,
We will remember all who served and sacrificed for our nation.
Until then G-d of mercy,
Watch over our soldiers and our veterans.
Renew their courage.
Rebuild their strength.
Heal their wounds.
Bind their hearts with Your steadfast love.
Remember them,
Bless them,
Sustain them,
And give them peace. [1]
As we share these words, may we remember all who have served and fallen — and strengthen our resolve to help bring about the day when their work is no longer needed.
[1] © 2017 CCAR Press from This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day
Originally published at To Bend Light