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A Dvar Torah Direct from Camp Ramah Yachad – Ukraine (Parashat Eikev)

Love of the Jewish People and love of Zionism are lessons Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin’s father and grandfather imparted upon him and his family. This is how Rabbi Prof. Golinkin imparted this wisdom to the children and staff of Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine.

Shalom

I returned a few days ago from a very inspiring visit to Camp Ramah Ukraine, the 31st season of the camp.

On Shabbat morning I gave a Dvar Torah to over 125 children and 36 staff members as well as to our Mission of visitors from throughout the world. I’d like to briefly recap what I said on Shabbat morning.

I asked the kids: where are you from? 16 kids raised their hands ‘Kharkiv.’ Another 16 kids ‘Kyiv.’ Others said ‘Odessa’ ‘Chernivsti,’ ‘Ushgorod,’ ‘Berdichev,’ ‘Belozerka’ — from all over Ukraine.

Then I said as follows: I was *born* in the United States but I am *from* Ukraine! My grandfather, Rabbi Mordechai Ya’akov Golinkin z”l was born in Kherson in 1884. My father Rabbi Noah Golinkin z”l was born in Zhitomer in 1913. So even though I was born in the United States, I am from Ukraine.

I would like to share with you two things that they said: one in the area of Jewish Education and the other in the area of Zionism.

My grandfather Rabbi Mordechai Yaakov Golinkin z”l published this booklet in Berditchev in 1913. It is a booklet of sermons in Hebrew which he delivered in the city of Zhitomer at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Rabbi Mordechai Ya’acov Golinkin’s pamphlet published in 1922 – Berditchev

On page 22, he said as follows, and I am translating into English:

“In order to hope and to wait for the redemption, it is necessary to plant in the hearts of the young generation a love for our people and our religion. It is necessary to educate them and to accustom them to the customs of our people, and to endear them in their eyes. It is therefore necessary to first teach them the history of our people and to show them all the treasures hidden inside the Jewish people and its spirit. Then certainly the young generation will not be embarrassed by its origins and will not despise all of our precious treasures.”

It was true over 100 years ago in Zhitomer and is still true today at Camp Ramah Ukraine. We hope that you young people will continue to learn about Jewish tradition, history and culture.

The second teaching is related to the Haftarah of this Shabbat, one of the seven Haftarot of consolation after Tisha B’Av (9th of Av).

Isaiah chapter 49:

“Zion says the Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her baby or disown the child of her womb? Though she might forget, I could never forget you…Look up all around you and see there assembled, all are come to you. You shall soon be crowded with settlers, while destroyers stay far away from you.”

The final line of Haftarah:

כִּֽי־נִחַ֨ם יְהֹוָ֜ה צִיּ֗וֹן נִחַם֙ כׇּל־חׇרְבֹתֶ֔יהָ וַיָּ֤שֶׂם מִדְבָּרָהּ֙ כְּעֵ֔דֶן וְעַרְבָתָ֖הּ כְּגַן־יְהֹוָ֑ה שָׂשׂ֤וֹן וְשִׂמְחָה֙ יִמָּ֣צֵא בָ֔הּ תּוֹדָ֖ה וְק֥וֹל זִמְרָֽה

“Truly the lord will comfort Zion, comfort all the ruins. He has made her wilderness like Eden, her desert like The Garden of the Lord. Gladness and joy shall abide there, thanksgiving and the sound of music.”

The theme of this year’s camp is Israel at 75. So I want to tell you a story about my father, Rabbi Noah Golinkin z”l.

In 1951, the State of Israel began to sell the first Israel Bonds. My father who was living in Washington, D.C. heard from the Israeli Embassy that the Bonds were going on sale. He bought the very first Israel Bond. He bought it in honor of the first birthday of my first cousin, Meyer, and he wrote him a letter in Yiddish, which I will translate into English. This is what he wrote to him:

Copy of First Ever Israel Bond – purchased by Rabbi Noah Golinkin

“Tomorrow you will receive in the mail a Bond from our long dreamt of State of Israel. Today is the first day when Bonds of the Jewish State will go on sale throughout the world. You will be one of the first to receive a Holy Bond from the Holy Land which will connect your young life with the great fulfilled dream of tens of Jewish generations.

You were born in a great time. And as you grow up let the Bond serve you as one of the symbols of your connection to Israel and of your growth.”

So from my grandfather, Rabbi Mordechai Ya’akov Golinkin from Kherson, we can learn the importance of Jewish Education. And from my father, Rabbi Noah Golinkin from Zhitomer, we can learn the importance of Zionism.

We hope and pray that you will continue to study about Judaism and to learn about Zionism at Camp Ramah Ukraine and at all the branches of Midreshet Schechter, throughout the years and throughout the generations.

Shavua Tov from Schechter        

David Golinkin is President of The Schechter Institutes, Inc. and President Emeritus of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. For twenty years he served as Chair of the Va’ad Halakhah (Law Committee) of the Rabbinical Assembly which gives halakhic guidance to the Masorti Movement in Israel. He is the founder and director of the Institute of Applied Halakhah at Schechter and also directs the Center for Women in Jewish Law. Rabbi Professor Golinkin made aliyah in 1972, earning a BA in Jewish History and two teaching certificates from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He received an MA in Rabbinics and a PhD in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America where he was also ordained as Rabbi. For a complete bio click here.

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