By Donald H. Harrison
POWAY, California – For my always-on-the-go grandson Sky, 9, there were plenty of activities to keep him un-bored in the hours leading up to the July 4 fireworks. Not only was there a jump house, but there also were games and competitions organized for his age group. By the time the fireworks began, he was both happy and nearly exhausted, meaning he was ready to sit down and take it all in.
As for me, the evening of July 4th on the grounds of Ner Tamid Synagogue was for the main part a reflective time. Graciously shown through the sanctuary by Rabbi Nadav Caine, I mulled the facts that ner tamid means eternal light, and fittingly enough, that Ner Tamid Synagogue has a ner tamid hanging over its holy ark (known in Hebrew as the aron kodesh). So Ner Tamid’s ner tamid, signifying that God’s light—as expressed in Torah—is eternal, can be thought of at this particular Conservative congregation as ner tamid2.
The doors of the aron kodesh at Ner Tamid Synagogue are brightly painted with a modernistic representation of the Burning Bush, the one that startled Moses by burning without being consumed. It amazed Moses further when the voice of God began to give him instructions about how his people could be brought out of slavery in Egypt and into freedom in the Promised Land.
So we had the eternal light shining over an image of God’s very special light, and then, after a fine barber-shop style rendition of the Star Spangled Banner performed by three students, we were treated to even more light in the form of fireworks shot from the nearby grounds of Rancho Bernardo High School.
Though temporary in nature, these lights cascaded the message of the New Promised Land in the skies above Congregation Ner Tamid; their bright, booming, sparkling essence emphasizing that although America’s promise of freedom, equality, and opportunity is not as old as the Torah, it too is a message that we, as Americans, must hold fast. As humans are urged to engage in tikkun olam, or repair of the world, and to be, in essence, God’s partners in making the world more perfect, so too are we Americans impelled to work for the betterment of our wonderful nation.
Earlier in the day, I had been listening to television commentaries and reading local editorials to the effect that the United States is sharply divided between those people who are angrily dissatisfied with the status quo—such as the people supporting the presidential candidacies of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, respectively on the right and the left—and those who are content with the way things are going, or at least trust that whatever problems our nation may have can be resolved both amicably and incrementally. The latter, I suppose, are Hillary Clinton’s supporters. Personally, I am within the latter category of Americans, ready to trust that the mechanisms and ideals bequeathed to us by the U.S. Constitution can help us to solve our problems, provided that we extend good will to each other.
July 4th always brings out the optimist in me. Had he survived to the present, my father would have turned 106 years old on this July 4th—a fact that always makes me smile because until he was 5 years old my dad’s parents had tricked him into believing that all the hubbub in the skies was to celebrate his birthday.
This July 4th was a special night as well because my wife Nancy and I were able to mingle pleasantly with some old friends, while making new acquaintances. Conversation was mellow and friendly as people stood in line for either two hot dogs or one hamburger – kosher, of course—complemented with corn on the cob, potato salad, watermelon, various kinds of chips, and bottled water.
Along with Sky, we had been fortunate to drive to the event accompanied by our neighbors, Bob and Alisa Lauritzen. Once our lawn chairs were unfolded, we relaxed amid good fellowship and moderate temperatures, the evening altogether enjoyable and hassle free.
My wish is that every American also had a fine and meaningful Independence Day. Surely, we’ve all been blessed!
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)