In this week’s Torah portion, Shelach, Moshe sends the heads of the tribes to spy out the land and report back—10 of the 12 come with a bad report, saying they do not think it can be conquered. Two of the spies come back with a good report and reassure the people that they can indeed take the land. These two spies, Calev and Yehoshua, not only tell the people that it’s a good land and the Jewish people can take it, but they add something that the other 10 spies had not—God.  They tell the people that God brought us to the land so we can take it; do not fear.   

Calev and Yehoshua realize two very important things: first, it is fear of the unknown, of the future, of the new that petrifies the people. Second, taking the land, moving into an unknown future is possible only if we keep central in our minds the “why”—that this is spiritual work and that God is with us. We are not doing it for ourselves, but for a greater purpose. If God brought us to this place and this situation, God has a plan and a purpose for us—to grow, to change, to spread Torah and sanctify God in the world with greater tools and in a bigger way.   

Kesher Israel is in the midst of embarking on several new projects, departing from the way things have been in the past. We just hired two new staff: a Yoetzet Halacha, Rachel Cohen, and a new program director, Alicia Rosenbaum, who will start later this summer. Both are excellent at what they do and come with the highest of recommendations. This will not change who we are, but will deepen Kesher’s impact on its members and others, to help people engage more deeply in Jewish life, Torah learning, community building, and prayer at Kesher. Additionally, we are embarking on expanding the Kesher building.   

It is natural to be hesitant and afraid. Change is scary. We worry about losing things from the past, about failure, and about things being different than they have been. We must take the approach of the two spies and not the 10 negative spies. Both groups saw the same thing, but the two spies kept in mind the “why.” That God is with us and these changes will help our community to have a greater impact, to have more room for programming, a safer and more accessible building, and to have more community, more learning and more outreach. We have a mission to our community and to the Jewish people. Fear is natural, but as Calev and Yehoshua put it in this week’s parsha: “If God has brought us to this land….then this is what God wants….we must have no fear.”

This week I leave for Jerusalem for an intensive month of learning with other Rabbis focused on issues of Jewish peoplehood and the modern State of Israel. My blessings to all of you for a good few weeks.