Rabbi Klein: Shalom Means One Thing

A short Hebrew lesson as we approach Mi Chamocha: some of us who grew up with Jewish education may have learned that the word shalom could mean three things. Remember them? What are they? [Hello, goodbye, and peace.] 

I want to undo that lesson tonight. Shalom means one thing. Shalom means peace, and if we greet someone or say goodbye to someone by wishing them peace. That is a really wonderful way to use that word. But Shalom means one thing, peace.

When we inquire about someone because we care about them and say, ma shlomcha / ma shlomech – what is your peace? We are invested in someone. It is a peaceful way. It is a way of building relationships with someone. Shalom means peace.

And as Purim wanes and we approach this prayer of redemption, I want to name that so many of us as Jews bear the inherited trauma of what has happened and what happens when people don’t speak up for each other, when people don’t speak up for everyone’s rights, whether you agree or disagree with someone else’s opinion, whether you’re offended by Someone or they’re your best friend. It doesn’t matter.

In this past week, right here in our city, at Columbia University, between the federal withholding of $400 million of funds to support academic inquiry, to support healthcare, to support the quest for truth. And the illegal detention of Mahmoud Khalil claims antisemitism. Weaponization of antisemitism has been used to suppress free speech.

One of the beautiful aspects of our community at CBST is that our members are not monolithic. We are often energized by our commonalities, but we are also energized by our disagreements and by being here we are in relationship with one another. Systemic racism and antisemitism function by allowing people who do not know us to ignore how varied and diverse we actually are.

Earlier this week, Ariel, our communications director, and I were discussing how antisemitism is experienced in different ways, and how we see it play out interpersonally and systemically. Antisemitism is shooting in synagogues, defacement of our cemeteries and buildings, making a Nazi salute on television.

Antisemitism is posting… sorry, having a hard time saying this… antisemitism is posting “Shalom, Mahmoud” on social media using the Hebrew word for peace. Using the Hebrew word for peace, that means only one thing. It means peace to justify unlawfully removing a person from his family and detaining him. The Trump administration carrying out outrageously immoral and illegal actions in the name of Jewish safety is not only ridiculous, but it further scapegoats, scapegoats us as Jews by associating us with the degradation of freedom rather than the commitment to freedom. How dare you? President Trump, if you’re watching, I’m saying this to you: how dare you? How dare you use our word shalom, the words that we end our prayers with and repeat over and over three times a day, the word shalom means peace.

Using language that indicates that Mr. Khalil’s detention and possible deportation for speaking out about his political opinion, using language that somehow that this is going to keep Jewish people safe or anyone safe, is not the truth. It is a diversion tactic that seeks to intentionally divide people from one another, and I hope, as we pray for redemption tonight, that more Jews, that more people who claim to be our allies, wake up to this: a permanent resident of this country was illegally moved 1,000 miles from his family without due process. What happened to Mr. Khalil could happen to anyone. 

Twice each day, we are called by our tradition to remember the ancient story of the Exodus, linking our sacred story of freedom to the experiences of people who are yet to be free. As we sing Mi Chamocha tonight on page 94 may our prayers lead to further actions.