By RAEL KOPING
Raging global antisemitism seems to be the only common unifier among the fragmented groupings of an increasingly fracturing world.
Many Jews I have spoken to, myself included, feel a frustration and perhaps a fear in confronting this onslaught. We feel alone, isolated and torn between wanting to declare our Jewish identity, and feeling fearful of the repercussions of being seen as Jewish.
I am not a particularly religious person, but as a traditionalist, I go to shul each morning to say kaddish for my recently deceased father. One morning, I was awarded a hagbah – the honour of lifting the Torah scroll after it has been read. Later that morning, a fellow congregant sent me a picture of the ceremony.
The image was so rich in the iconography of our identity: wearing a tallis, tefillin, holding up the Torah, and surrounded by our community members. I felt a profound, deep connection with my Jewish heritage.
It turns out that taking these photos is a grassroots initiative started by two of our shul members, Hylton Arelisky and Morris Munitz. It is very popular among the morning minyan. Hagbah is amazing because it is at the same time an ancient ritual, and one that does not require a knowledge of religious Hebrew to be able to participate. I love it because it is not a political statement, or a specifically religious activity. It is so easily broadly accessible to most Jewish men, and yet so profoundly connected to our thousands of years of heritage. It certainly met my need to publicly and profoundly affirm and connect to my Jewish identity.
Considering ourselves a microcosm of our broader community, we, the members, recognise that our need is probably widespread, and we seek to roll out this initiative so that others can join in. We call the initiative Globalise Hagbah. While others seek to globalise destructive and antisemitic ideologies, we seek to offer Jewish people, at this historical inflection point, a way to proudly connect to our heritage.
No doubt, future generations will look back on these times in wonder at how our community met our challenges, which is why this record is so important. We seek to create both a broad platform and a repository of photos of people declaring their Jewish identity. The photos will be published anonymously on a social media group (run by another member of the group, Ariel Katzen), where friends and family can see their loved one captured in the moment! The group will be closed to comments and all measures will be taken to maintain the anonymity of the participants.
With humble beginnings at the Marais Road Shul, we aim to roll this initiative out across Cape Town, and indeed the Jewish world. Be a part of this amazing vibe. Chat to Rabbi Hecht to get onto the Hagbah roster and be part of this great vibe! Be proud! Globalise Hagbah! ●
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