Aloha v’shalom (love and peace)! I have a story to share about island Jews. Or as we would say in our island creole: Like talk stori with u bout da hana butta dayz! Can o wot?
In the hana butta dayz (the days of youth, childhood), ka’u kumu (chachami, my rabbi) was fond of saying, ” התורה לא משתעלת (ha’torah lo mishta’èlet, the Torah does not cough, folks)!” As part of his mantric aʻo (his dvar, teaching), he would also add to this, “Every word is in there for a reason.” And, by added implication, he meant every scribal mistake or error of omission within Torah, too.
Ours was a “Conservadox” hale heiau (a Traditional esnoga, synagogue), long before there was ever such a word for this kind of Jewish community. But, we were more than this as a community, too. What was special about our hale heiau, was our manaʻo (our kavanah, thoughtful intention) to include every community member in the experience of walaʻau (schmoosen, chatting) our way into non-pressured community Jewish education. Anyone who walked through the doors experienced Jewish ancestral ways.
Yes, for our hale (our kahal, community, lit. our “house”), every member regardless of age girsa d’yankuta (imbibed knowledge as if mother’s milk). It was the ‘uhane (the nashamah, breath, essense) of our wā (our עֵת èt, period of time). The way we island Jews holoholo (tiyàlnu, strolled) upon the ‘āina (ha’èretz, the land). And it showed most evidently in our manawaleʻa (our tzedakah, generous heart, our justice).
Though ia wā (at the time) puaʻa (khazir, pork) is kapu (asur, forbidden), as it is still today, for our lāhui (am/le’om, our people, nation), the poi (boiled taro root) is a pōmaikaʻi (a bracha, blessing) for our kino (nefesh, our body-mind). Much like the salty fresh ane (ruach, breeze) that enlivens our koko (our dam, blood) – renewing our mauli ola (our nishmat chayìm, power of healing).
And, if you sneeze, “kihe a mauli ola (labriut, sneeze and live)!” For, at this au (zman, time), I wish to bring us, now, back to our island Jewish hālau (our yeshiva/shul, school of learning) where a kumu (a rabbi, teacher) reaches our māno (our lev, heart) with inspiring ‘ōlelo (mèlel, words) – not on what we should believe, but on why we should be inspired to learn!
Aloha, a hana hou kākou i kēia!
יוסף פרקשדי
Reb Sean, you have no idea how well you seeded a joyous and all-encompassing Judaism within me. The example you set, by being authentically you as a Rabbi, has inspired me and has grounded me within our people. כל הכבוד kol ha’kavod!
Reprinted from our online Kahal website, original post date February 5, 2021
Update Aug 8, 2023: “As an Islander Jew who is Indigenous to the land of Israel and is also kama’āina (a land child) to the land of kanaka Hawaii, I am touched deeply by this joining of the house of Māori with the house of Israel – the sharing of trees, a sacred act to plant the land, for a future of prosperity and peace among our Indigenous nations!” – Yosef ibn Yehuda
WATCH: Powhiri For Israeli Ambassador
A special event organized by members of Ngapuhi Iwi in the north of Aotearoa New Zealand to welcome the new Israeli Ambassador also provided an opportunity to mark Earth Day. The two indigenous peoples exchanged trees native to their lands as a mark of the deepening friendship between Ngapuhi and Israel.
For those interested, learn what else is happening in the Indigenous Coalition for Israel – https://www.indigenouscoalition.org/
“Traditional identity, once considered confined to specific demographics, namely Mizrahi Jews [and Sephardi Jews], has transcended borders. Today, an increasing number of Ashkenazi Jews, individuals from the former Soviet Union, and others, are embracing traditionalism as their self-identity. This remarkable development demonstrates that traditionalism has evolved into a post-denominational movement, surpassing its initial confines.”
Full article below…
https://m.jpost.com/judaism/article-749488
Almost half of Israelis identify as traditional Jews, defying conventional labels – analysis
By Zvika Klein, July 10, 2023
Rejecting coercion in any form, traditionalists staunchly support freedom of religion and religious liberties, extending this support to both secularists and the ultra-Orthodox.
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