Atsmaut Shabbat – Parshat Tazria-Metzora, 2025

On Atsmaut Shabbat, Rabbi Jason Klein told their own “Israel story” and addressed the complexities of Israel’s history, and how we interact with that history. One element he addressed was: “Should we sing a national anthem at all at services? This is davening. We are literally living through a time when the danger of conflating religion and nationalism is so poignant is destroying the best parts of Israel and the best parts of America. So to tell you the truth… I was and I am concerned that singing a national anthem in a religious service is doing ourselves, pardon me, a disservice. Yet for some people, myself included, even this conversation felt emotionally weighty, sad even.” Listen to Rabbi Klein’s full drashah above. 

Rabbi Jason Klein gave this drashah on Friday, May 2, 2025 / 5 Iyar 5785. 

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