In the winter of 1910, six Georgetown merchants came together to form a Jewish worship and community center, unknowingly laying the foundation for Kesher Israel, one of the Washington area’s most prominent places of worship. The modern Orthodox synagogue now celebrating its centennial serves some of the region’s most influential Jews, including Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn. Rabbi Barry Freundel, 58, has led Kesher Israel for nearly 23 years. Amid Passover preparations, he spoke with The Washington Examiner about his faith, and its long-trodden path from oppression to liberation. Do you consider yourself to be of a specific faith?
I am Jewish. I appreciate that Judaism has an answer to any question that comes down the road. It may not always be the easiest answer, but it’s a solid answer. It gives guidance, and structure, and a place to stand in difficult times. I appreciate that Judaism has a this-worldly focus. It teaches that to spend one hour doing good deeds and repentance in this world is better than all the life in the world to come. And I appreciate the Jewish belief that you don’t have to be Jewish to go to heaven. Good decent non-Jews have a share in the world to come, too.
We get used to hearing the same messages around the holidays. As Passover approaches, has anything been on your mind that could cast a new light on how people think about the celebration, and how it could impact their lives?
Passover is the story of Exodus, through which you are supposed to relive the fact that we started in slavery — we started in a pretty rotten place and moved to something much better. That message — that we can improve this world and make it better — is sometimes lost. That’s the essential message, and I feel it particularly this year as I look around at struggles internationally, and at the financial situation here.
We are required by Jewish law to relive the experience of being enslaved and being freed — but freed not just to do what we want, but to a much larger task.
Your congregation serves some of the region’s most influential leaders. What lessons can Judaism offer to those struggling with their power, or becoming too comfortable with it?
I think Judaism teaches that decisions have to be made in terms of a larger set of values. There are standards and values that apply in all situations, and you don’t decide things based solely on what’s inside of you. The standards call us to approach situations ethically, and not selfishly; to approach challenges with integrity, and not with an eye only toward what’s expedient; to view challenges from a broader perspective than exists within our small circles. And Judaism also teaches that when challenges come, we’re called to rise to them — not to run from them.
There’s a sense in our culture that whether or not you believe in a religion, there ought to be life lessons to learn from other faiths’ holiest celebrations. Do you agree? And if so, what can non-Jews learn from Passover?
I do think that’s true — non-Jews have been learning lessons from Passover for centuries. If you look at songs sung during the Civil Rights movement, or the messages of hope during times of conflict, you will find Exodus themes. Almost every oppressed people have borrowed from the Exodus story — the hope of moving from a bad place to something larger and more ennobling has been true throughout generations, and I think our culture resonates with that today.
At your core, what’s one of your defining beliefs?
I believe that human beings are the best of God’s creation, and that we can rise to a level just a little short of God himself if we allow the best that is in us to come to the fore. If we look for guidance in the principles that have been eternally true, in all of the great religions, we can make a good start in that direction.
– Leah Fabel
