Noah: Olam Chesed Yibaneh

Jacob is with IfNotNow NYC.

Last Friday, IfNotNow NYC members gathered before Shabbat, outside the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, singing Rabbi Menachem Creditor’s Olam Chesed Yibaneh, written in the shadow of September 11th, and translated to English as “We Will Build This World with Love.”

Two weeks ago, we celebrated the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, a time when we conclude our annual study of the Five Books of Moses. Without missing a beat we immediately turn the page and begin the Torah again with Bereishit, the genesis of the world.

Last week, only days after the creation of mankind, we read the story of Noah, and already the world is in disrepair. Humanity is stained and broken. The flood is coming, and Noah prepares by building an ark. This ark not only protects Noah and his family, but also the innocent lives of God’s many creations, who could not have defended themselves otherwise. And, in so doing, this ark preserves the beauty and the goodness of a world that was, in hopes of creating a better world to come. Noah therefore plays an important role in creation — he protects the innocent and shepherds them into a new world post-flood.

There are four important agents of change in the story of Noah: The flood, the ark, the ark’s inhabitants, and Noah himself. The flood, of course, washes away the impurities of the cruel and unjust world that once was. The ark protects the inhabitants, the remnants of purity and goodness whose survival is imperative. And Noah, the builder, brings initiative and compassion to ensure the existence of a new world.

Without the flood, change would not be possible. Without Noah, there would be no ark to protect the innocent. Without the ark, there would be no future. And, had Noah left the innocent animals to perish in the flood, what good would he be? He would be no different from the rest of mankind, whose cruelty and selfishness had brought about the flood in the first place.

A new year begins in 5778, and we return again to these juxtaposed narratives — the birth, and then the rebirth, of the world. Every year brings a new lens to an ancient story, and this year is no different. All around us we see racism, sexism, militant nationalism and xenophobia. Once again, humanity feels stained and broken. And, all too often, it feels like we have little say in creation. We feel vulnerable to the hatred surrounding us and vulnerable to the fear within our own hearts. We find ourselves asking: Where did it go wrong? How can we undo what has been done?

But each and every one of us is an agent of change. And change is coming. Reflecting upon the story of Noah, one might ask: “Am I the flood? Am I Noah? Am I innocent?” But what good are we as the flood, washing away the impurities of this world without ensuring a brighter future? What good are we building an ark in the absence of change? What good are we, claiming innocence, if we build an ark to preserve only ourselves, inconsiderate of those who cannot defend themselves otherwise?

Just as each and every one of us is an agent of change, so too must we be each and every agent of change. Olam Chesed Yibaneh. We must build an ark to protect the freedom and dignity of all people. We must stand up against our communities’ explicit and complicit support for the Israeli government’s continued occupation of Palestinian lives in the West Bank and Gaza. In the face of hatred and fear and oppression, we will build this world with love. And in so doing, and only then, will we be preserving the beauty and goodness of our people; the Judaism that has sustained us for thousands of years, propelled by the humbling call-to-action, that We were once strangers in the land of Egypt.

The waters of change are fast approaching; will you help us build the ark?

A new year, and an opportunity to turn the page on the American Jewish narrative; how will you build this world?

Olam Chesed Yibaneh — Join IfNotNow as we build this world with love!