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Who Calls the Shots?
An archaeologist works on a sarcophagus, around 2,500 years old, from the newly-discovered burial site near Egypt’s Saqqara necropolis, during a presentation in Giza, Egypt, Nov. 14, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Mohamed Abd El Ghany.
JNS.org – I think it’s incredible how the weekly Torah portion can often give us the most powerful lessons for life.
One of the most dramatic, emotionally moving biblical stories occurs this week in Vayigash when Joseph and his brothers reunite. After more than 20 years of not seeing each other and having no contact, the brothers come down to Egypt to buy grain during a time of famine and must negotiate with the viceroy of Egypt. Unaware that he is their long-lost brother, Joseph leads them in a complicated charade designed to test their character and commitment. When Joseph realizes that they are indeed remorseful over selling him as a slave all those years ago, he finally reveals his identity.
Shock and humiliation! Can you imagine how the brothers must have felt at that moment of truth? How deeply ashamed they must have been. Their little brother of 17 is now in his 30s and is the most powerful ruler in the region. And they had bowed down to him, fulfilling those irritating dreams of his youth.
But Joseph is not the vengeful type. Quite unbelievably, he bears no anger or resentment whatsoever. It was all part of God’s vast, eternal plan, he tells them. He comforts them and promises to look after the whole family if they all come to Egypt. They do, and the rest is history.
Joseph’s exact words were:
“Now, do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me here; it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For it is now two years that there has been famine in the land, and there are still five years to come in which there shall be neither plowing nor reaping. God has sent me ahead of you to ensure your survival in the land and to sustain you in an extraordinary deliverance. So, it was not you who sent me here, but God who has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household, and ruler over the whole land of Egypt.”
What an amazing perspective on life! All the troubles and travails that Joseph experienced first as a slave and then as a prisoner in the dungeons of Pharaoh were part of a divine plan, and look how well it turned out. He was now the viceroy of the superpower of the day. The young “Hebrew” boy, initially disdained and looked down upon, rose to prominence overnight when he correctly interpreted the pharaoh’s dreams. And thus, he tells his brothers not to worry or feel embarrassed. It was all part of the grand heavenly plan.
How well we could all learn from Joseph’s perspective on life.
There is something called Divine Providence. It is Jewish theology and part and parcel of our belief system. We really can’t know exactly how it works, but the point is that everything is by Divine design.
Do you have any idea how comforting it is to know this?
How do people who don’t believe that God is running the world ever find comfort if they lose a loved one?
If it was an accident or if they think that the hospital or the doctors messed up, do they wallow in their anger and bitterness for life? Or do they accept that somehow, for reasons unbeknownst to them, it was meant to be?
If it happened, it must be part of God’s vast, eternal, unknowable and infinitely mysterious plan.
And, if we know that it was not random but that it was meant to be and part of the great plan of life, then we can possibly find comfort. But if it is random, then why me? Why him? Why her? If there’s no rhyme or reason to life, how can we possibly handle it when things go bad?
That’s why the great religious scholar Chofetz Chaim, once said, “To the skeptic, there are no answers. To the believer, there are no questions.”
If you believe that God runs the world and that every single thing that happens is part of His Divine plan, then we need not ask any questions. We are secure in the knowledge that whatever happened was not random but planned, purposeful, destined and meant to be. One day, in hindsight, we may find the answers. Or, perhaps, we will only know why these things happened when we get to heaven.
And it extends from the big issues of life and death right down to the small stuff. If we suffer a burglary, if we break a leg or stub our toe, we can handle it because it’s all meant to be. There is no such thing as an “accident” or a “coincidence.”
When disappointing things used to happen to my late mother, she always had a Yiddish saying as her response, Zol zein ah kapparah, literally, “May it be an atonement.”
But what it conveys is that if something negative happens, and it’s a pain in the neck, a hassle, or if it’s damaging and disappointing, it’s still OK. I can handle it. Why? Because nobody’s perfect. If I deserved some kind of punishment, so let this little misfortune be my atonement.
Have you heard Yiddish-speaking people say those deeply philosophical Yiddish words, nu, nu, or nisht geferlach, or in Hebrew, Lo norah, meaning “It’s not so terrible.” It’s not that serious. It’s not the end of the world. Life will carry on. Don’t sit down and cry, and don’t become disillusioned or depressed.
If we know that it is meant to be, then we can handle it. This attitude brings such contentment and peace of mind. What do you do for peace of mind? How do you handle the stresses in your life?
Do you shout at your spouse and kids? Do you go and hide in your cave? Do you go out for a drink … or two?
Or maybe you do something healthier, like going for a run or working out in the gym. Or maybe you box and take it out on a punching bag instead of the people in your family.
Perhaps you book yourself into a spa or wellness resort. Maybe you try and get it out of your system by meditating or doing yoga. Maybe you are wealthy enough to pick yourself up and go on vacation to the Bahamas or Hawaii or the Greek Islands.
Well, this rabbi here is telling you that if you can develop the conviction that everything that happens in life—and I mean, EVERYTHING—is part of the vast eternal plan of Almighty God, then you will have peace of mind. You won’t need to go anywhere, and it’s free of charge.
Let’s learn from Joseph so we can find comfort and peace of mind. One change of mindset is all it takes.
The post Who Calls the Shots? first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Three-Quarters of Jewish Students Worldwide Report Concealing Religious Identity on Campus, New Survey Finds
College students hold dueling demonstrations amid Israel’s war with Hamas in April 2024. Photo: Vincent Ricci via Reuters Connect
The vast majority of Jewish students around the world resort to hiding their Jewishness and support for Israel on university campuses to avoid becoming victims of antisemitism, according to a new survey conducted by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS).
A striking 78 percent of Jewish students have opted to “conceal” their religious affiliation “at least once” over the past year, the study found, with Jewish women being more likely than men to do so. Meanwhile, 81 percent of those surveyed hid their support for Zionism, a movement which promotes Jewish self-determination and the existence of the State of Israel, at least once over the past year.
Among all students, Orthodox Jews reported the highest rates of “different treatment,” with 41 percent saying that their peers employ alternative social norms in dealing with them.
“This survey exposes a devastating reality: Jewish students across the globe are being forced to hide fundamental aspects of their identity just to feel safe on campus,” ADL senior vice president of international affairs Marina Rosenberg said in a statement. “When over three-quarters of Jewish students feel they must conceal their religious and Zionist identity for their own safety, the situation is nothing short of dire. As the academic year begins, the data provides essential insights to guide university leadership in addressing this campus crisis head on.”
The survey said additionally that 34 percent of Jewish students reported knowing a Jewish peer whom someone “physically threatened on campus,” while 29 percent reported difficulties in attaining religious accommodations from their professors, confirming months of reports that Jewish students face both social and institutional discrimination at universities.
Tuesday’s survey comes amid a flood of data illustrating the severity of the campus antisemitism crisis.
Earlier this month, another survey commissioned by the ADL and the Academic Engagement Network (AEN) found that 73 percent of Jewish faculty witnessed their colleagues engaging in antisemitic activity, and a significant percentage named the Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP) group as the force driving it.
Of those aware of an FSJP chapter on their campus, the vast majority of respondents reported that the chapter engaged in anti-Israel programming (77.2 percent), organized anti-Israel protests and demonstrations (79.4 percent), and endorsed anti-Israel divestment campaigns (84.8 percent).
Additionally, 50 percent of respondents said that anti-Zionist faculty have established de facto, or “shadow,” boycotts of Israel on campus even in the absence of formal declaration or recognition of one by the administration. Among those who reported the presence of such a boycott, 55 percent noted that departments avoid co-sponsoring events with Jewish or pro-Israel groups and 29.5 percent said this policy is also subtly enacted by sabotaging negotiations for partnerships with Israeli institutions. All the while, such faculty fostered an environment in which Jewish professors were “maligned, professionally isolated, and in severe cases, doxxed or harassed” as they assumed the right to determine for their Jewish colleagues what constitutes antisemitism.
Administrative officials responded inconsistently to antisemitic hatred, affording additional rationale to the downstream of hatred. More than half (53.1 percent) of respondents described their university’s response to incidents involving antisemitism or anti-Israel bias as “very” or “somewhat” unhelpful, and a striking 77.3 percent thought the same of their professional academic associations.
In total, alleged faculty misconduct and administrative dereliction combined to degrade the professional experiences of Jewish professors, as many reported “worsening mental and physical health, increased self-censorship, fear for personal safety,” and a sense that the destruction of their careers and reputations was imminent.
Higher education institutions in the US are showing some signs of recognizing the problem.
This week, administrators from across the US will amass in Washington, DC for a three-day symposium on combating campus antisemitism. Organized by AEN, which promotes academic freedom unfettered by boycotts and ideology, the event will be attended by administrators representing dozens of institutions such as Harvard University, Barnard College, and George Washington University, all of which have drawn scrutiny for responding to campus antisemitism in ways that critics — including Jewish community leaders and senior US officials — have described as insufficient if not dismissive.
Dozens of conversations and seminars will be held over the three-day event, with many being led by AEN faculty, as well as staff from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and experts from the Jewish Federations of North America and the American Jewish Committee.
“College administrators are the ones tasked with recognizing and addressing antisemitism on campus, as well as setting the tone for behavioral expectations and campus culture,” Miriam Elman, executive director of AEN, said in a statement. “Today’s antisemitism, though, often takes forms that can be less familiar or harder to identify, making it all the more important to provide campus leaders with the tools, training, and support they need to recognize and respond effectively.”
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
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Norway to Donate Proceeds From Israel Soccer Match to Doctors Without Borders in Gaza
Alexander Sørloth of Norway scores the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier football match between Israel and Norway on March 25, 2025, in Debrecen. Photo: Photo: VEGARD GRØTT/Bildbyran/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
The governing body of soccer in Norway announced on Monday that profits from an upcoming Norway-Israel qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will go to the international NGO Doctors Without Borders to support humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip.
The Norwegian Football Federation, also known as the Norges Fotballforbund (NFF), made the announcement ahead of the sold-out game on Oct. 11 scheduled to take place in Oslo. Roughly 23,000 tickets were sold for the game at Ullevaal Stadium. The organization first announced in mid-August that it would donate profits from ticket sales for the match to a humanitarian cause that helps Palestinians in Gaza, but its selection of Doctors Without Borders was not publicized until Monday in a statement on NFF’s website.
“The money will be earmarked for the organization’s emergency relief work on the ground in Gaza and the surrounding areas affected by the war,” the NFF said. One of Norway’s largest investment companies had pledged to donate an additional 3 million Norwegian kroner – which is almost $307,000 – to Doctors Without Borders, according to the federation. The NFF did not disclose the name of the company but said both the NFF and Doctors Without Borders know the identity of the donor.
NFF President Lise Klaveness said that as a member of FIFA and the UEFA, the Norwegian governing body of soccer “has to deal with Israel participating in their competitions.”
“At the same time, we cannot and will not be indifferent to the humanitarian suffering that is taking place in the region, especially the disproportionate attacks against civilians in Gaza,” she added. “We want to give the profits to an organization that saves lives in the Gaza Strip every day and that contributes with active emergency aid on the ground, and that is what Doctors Without Borders does.”
The NFF previously shared that extra security measures will be taken at the match on Oct. 11, including limited capacity, to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance.
Also on Monday, Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation, said in an interview with national public radio that his organization “will coordinate with UEFA to implement some humanitarian initiatives” surrounding Italy’s game against Israel on Oct. 14. The Italians will host Israel in Udine.
Klaveness and Gravina are both part of the UEFA’s 20-person executive committee, which also includes Israel Football Association President Moshe Zuares.
When the NFF announced last month that it will donate profits from the Norway-Israel match on Oct. 11 to a humanitarian cause, Zuares’s organization urged its Norwegian counterpart to “make sure the money is not transferred to terrorist organization.” The Israel Football Association also said it “would be nice” if the Norwegian Football Association condemned the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
“We do not usually advise associations regarding the use of match revenue, even if it is obtained thanks to a match against our proud national team, but we will deviate from our custom this time,” the Israeli Football Association said in a statement. “It would be nice if some of the amount were directed to try to finding a condemnation by the Norwegian FA of the Oct. 7 massacre that claimed the lives of hundreds of Israeli citizens and children, or action in favor of the release of 50 hostages – and please, make sure that the money is not transferred to terrorist organizations or to whale hunting.”
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In Show of Support, Belgian PM Attends Concert of Israeli Conductor Disinvited From Music Festival
Lahav Shani, future chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, stands on stage after receiving the Golden Medal of Honor from the City of Munich. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa via Reuters Connect
Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever attended a concert by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra over the weekend in a sign of solidarity after a Belgian music festival rescinded its invitation to the orchestra because its future chief conductor is from Israel.
Organizers of the Flanders Festival Ghent canceled a scheduled performance by the Munich Philharmonic set for later this week due to concerns regarding Tel Aviv-born conductor Lahav Shani, and his “attitude to the genocidal regime in Tel Aviv.” Shani is the chief conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and will take over as chief conductor of the Munich orchestra for the 2026/27 season.
The cancellation of the concert sparked widespread criticism and accusations of discrimination and antisemitism. The move was condemned by senior German and Belgian politicians, including Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter and the prime minister of the Belgian region of Flanders. De Wever, who also previously criticized the decision, wrote in a post on X that he traveled to the German city of Essen on Saturday to attend a performance by Shani and the orchestra, and to “strongly condemn” the decision.
“Let me be very clear: there will never, ever be any room for racism and antisemitism in this country. That is where I draw the line,” the prime minister wrote in a post on X, which included a picture of him shaking Shani’s hand.”I therefore strongly condemn the recent cancellation of the Münchner Philharmoniker by the Flanders Festival Ghent, solely on the basis of the origin of conductor Lahav Shani. I insisted on conveying this message to him personally and expressing my appreciation for his contribution to the power of music.”
After being booted from the Flanders Festival Ghent last week, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra was invited to perform on Monday at the Konzerthaus Berlin as part of the Berlin Music Festival. The short-notice invitation and guest performance was organized as a joint effort by the Berlin Philharmonic (also known as the Berliner Philharmoniker), festival organizers, and in cooperation with the Konzerthaus Berlin. Shani conducted the orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s violin concerto and extracts from Richard Wagner’s opera “Tristan and Isolde.”
In a released statement, the board of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation expressed “full solidarity” with Shani, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, and violinist Lisa Batiashvili, who was scheduled to perform alongside them at the Flanders Festival.
“Lahav Shani has been closely associated with our orchestra since his debut in Sept. 2020,” the board said. “During this time, we have come to know him as a thoughtful artist and a person who – especially with regard to the Middle East conflict – has repeatedly spoken out in favor of peace, dialogue, and reconciliation. Excluding an artist from a festival because of his nationality is wrong and contradicts our understanding of music and culture. We are convinced that, especially in these times, music should build bridges rather than deepen divisions.”