Rabbi Mike Rothbaum: … And on the seventh day, God ceased from His twerk, and rested…
Moshe Heinemann: A matzah that is completely white on both sides should not be used, since it may not have been thoroughly baked. Matzah meal should be slightly brown in color, which indicates a better bake on the matzos that were used for the matzah meal.
WIKIPEDIA: According to the Bible, Galilee was named by the Israelites and was the tribal region of Naphthali and Dan, at times overlapping the Tribe of Asher's land.
ልጥፎችን በመለያ Bereisheet በማሳየት ላይ። ሁሉንም ልጥፎች አሳይ
ልጥፎችን በመለያ Bereisheet በማሳየት ላይ። ሁሉንም ልጥፎች አሳይ
ማክሰኞ
Amalek vs. Benyamin
Benyamin meanings: "son of my right hand"/"son of the south"/"son of the right side"/"son of days"/formerly Benoni, "son of my pain"
"Benyamin is a wolf, he will prey; in the morning he will devour plunder, and in the evening he will divide the spoil." ~ Bereisheet 49:27
"And of Benyamin he said, 'The L-rd's beloved one shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all day long, and He dwells between his shoulders.'" ~ Devarim 33:12
"Mordechai was of Benyamin. Benyamin was the only tribe that didn't bow before Esav. He wasn't born yet, so the descendants of Benyamin have a certain capacity not to be boiled over by the forces of doubt, by hostility, by chutzpah. And we're told that, ultimately, the destruction of Amalek will take place through descendants of Benyamin." ~ Rebbitzen Tziporah Heller
"Benyamin is a wolf, he will prey; in the morning he will devour plunder, and in the evening he will divide the spoil." ~ Bereisheet 49:27
"And of Benyamin he said, 'The L-rd's beloved one shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all day long, and He dwells between his shoulders.'" ~ Devarim 33:12
"Mordechai was of Benyamin. Benyamin was the only tribe that didn't bow before Esav. He wasn't born yet, so the descendants of Benyamin have a certain capacity not to be boiled over by the forces of doubt, by hostility, by chutzpah. And we're told that, ultimately, the destruction of Amalek will take place through descendants of Benyamin." ~ Rebbitzen Tziporah Heller
Related:
Keanu Dances With Wolves
Yoseph's Bow-House
"his bow was strongly established, and his arms were gilded from the hands of the Mighty One of Ya'akov; from there he sustained the rock of Yisra'el, from the G-d of your father, and He will help you, and with the Almighty, and He will bless you [with] the blessings of the heavens above, the blessings of the deep, lying below, the blessings of father and mother. The blessings of your father surpassed the blessings of my parents, the ends of the everlasting hills. May they come to Yoseph's head and to the crown (of the head) of the one who was separate[d] from his brothers."
— Bereisheet 49: 24-26
ሐሙስ
Parshat Matot & Masei: Spirituality of Speech
"Words have souls." — R' Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Vocation of the Cantor
Partial transcription of a shiur based on this week's Torah portion, courtesy of Naaleh:
Partial transcription of a shiur based on this week's Torah portion, courtesy of Naaleh:
"Jewish vows should be sanctified with words of Torah and prayer. Someone who pollutes his speech with Lashon Hara and other verbal transgressions is destroying this holy gift, his Torah will not affect him, and his Tefillos will not have the same power in Heaven. Ha'Shem wished to convey how carefully one must deal with the power of the tongue involving all speech-related issues. Each word must be weighed prudently, lest the wrong word slip out and reek havoc on the world. This choice of brevity is stressed, how careful one must be when choosing words and how guarded we have to be when we speak. All the judgments in the next world are difficult, but those related to speech are among the hardest in terms of the judgment. In terms of the way we interact, using our voice, we use it in a very casual way without thinking. The destruction of the Beis Ha'Mikdash came because of baseless hatred. So often the manifestation of hatred is through speech.
Develop the imperative idea of speaking succinctly. As Rashi notes, 'a person who recognizes that their words, their mouth, what makes them uniquely human is their ability to speak, which makes us different from the animals; that when a person recognizes the inherent holiness that's found in speech, such a person will not disgrace this ability and make it into something profane. That is the challenge incumbent upon each and every one of us. Speech is the ability to reveal this breath of life, it's the quill that writes what is within our hearts, it is the medium that we can connect that spiritual aspect of us — the deeper aspect of us — to the world around us. We must keep our word.
Develop the imperative idea of speaking succinctly. As Rashi notes, 'a person who recognizes that their words, their mouth, what makes them uniquely human is their ability to speak, which makes us different from the animals; that when a person recognizes the inherent holiness that's found in speech, such a person will not disgrace this ability and make it into something profane. That is the challenge incumbent upon each and every one of us. Speech is the ability to reveal this breath of life, it's the quill that writes what is within our hearts, it is the medium that we can connect that spiritual aspect of us — the deeper aspect of us — to the world around us. We must keep our word.
Only a person who feels disconnected from G-d, could such a person speak words that are improper.
If a person is careful that all of his speech is proper, then all that that person says, Ha'Shem will do. We, coming from the spiritual part of ourselves, have the power through speech to create worlds or to destroy worlds. Death and Life are in the hands of the mouth. The Angel follows through at whatever you say. You can create positive angels or you can create negative angels. But recognize: that whatever you say has an affect on this world and creates a reality, spiritual energy in the world. Every time a word comes out of your mouth, recognize you are opening worlds up in Heaven and the angels are listening to what you say: if it's positive speech, it's going to create positive repercussions and if it's negative speech, G-d forbid, it can create negative repercussions. The Gemara says, 'every single conversation that we have is recorded and will be brought back to you.'
A Jew who sanctifies his mouth, his mouth becomes like a vessel used in The Temple. And just like you put the flour in the frying pan, it takes on holiness because the frying pan is holy, so anything that comes out of our mouth is levels and words that have in them holiness. Indeed, the reason why G-d created us is that we would speak words of thanks and praise to Ha'Shem. That's the point of creation: our purpose in this world, whether or not we truly understand it, is to recognize the Divinity of The Almighty within His creation; that is the essential function of the human intellect: to observe, study, think, and discover the guiding hand of The Almighty and His infinite greatness. But, knowing G-d is not enough. The Seal of G-d is Truth. To be able to emulate Ha'Shem is to be able to speak words of Truth.
A Jew's mission in this world is to spend time in Torah study. Learning should be done out loud. Even when we sanctify Shabbos, we sanctify it with words because our mouths is the way we serve G-d. Your words should be minimized on Shabbos. Before you say anything: think how we speak, when we speak, and what we do to understand the full severity of speech. Is this appropriate to say? Should I say this? Is this worth saying or not? If you're not sure, silence is golden. Don't make grandiose promises: not only on a macro level, but on a micro level, as well. As a leader, Moshe was teaching this pivotal lesson: our words mean something. One of the pivotal themes in Sefer Bamidbar is this theme of The Spiritual Power of Speech. — Mrs. Shira Smiles, The Art and Science of Speech
If Anti-Semitic Trolls don't learn their lessons and stricter controls on social media networks and forums are not enforced, I suppose a global blackout/brownout will have to suffice.
Related:
Bereisheet 12: 1-3
"And the L-rd said to Avram, 'Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse."
Devarim 11:29 and Devarim 27: 12,13
"When you cross the Jordan, the following shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin."
"And the following shall stand upon Mount Ebal [to] curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naftali."
ማክሰኞ
WrestleMania
"And Ya'akov was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he could not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip, and the socket of Ya'akov's hip became dislocated as he wrestled with him. And he (the angel) said, 'Let me go, for dawn is breaking,' but he (Ya'akov) said, 'I will not let you go unless you have blessed me.' So he said to him, 'What is your name?' and he said, 'Ya'akov.' And he said, 'Your name shall be called no more Ya'akov, but Yisra'el; for you have contended with G-d and with men, and have prevailed'" (Bereisheet 32:25-29). It was the eve of Nissan 15.
ሰኞ
Face to Face with Robert Bernardo
"When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the everlasting covenant between G-d and every living creature, among all flesh on earth" (Bereisheet 9:16).
2006 San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade
"I was extremely proud to wear my Filipino Barong Tagalog shirt. It was lavender with traditional white embroidery. I also wore a Hawaiian Lei that was given to me by founding GAPA member and former Parade Grand Marshal, Hoover Lee. To represent my Jewish side, I wore a rainbow-colored yarmulke on my head. It felt truly liberating to show the different components that make me who I am" (GAPA).
Robert Bernardo (whose Hebrew name is Ravid Netzach) is the first openly-Gay Jewish-Filipino commissioner in the City of South San Francisco. He is also co-chair of the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance. His community activism spans 20 years: while a student at UC Davis, he helped establish a Gay Studies course. During the AIDS crisis, Bernardo worked as a Health Educator at the Asian AIDS Project. He worked as a San Francisco District Attorney Criminal Investigator solving hate crimes and volunteered for Community United Against Violence. He is active at his synagogue, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav.
Robert graciously agreed to virtually enter Bahay Shalom and share his insights on Filipino Jewry in this exclusive interview.
Bahay Yosef: There are approximately 30,000-60,000 Ha'Filipinim (Taglit/Tagalog-Hebrew for "The Philippines" or "The Filipinos") currently living and working in Eretz Yisra'el, a majority concentrated in Tel Aviv's Shuk Tahana Merkazit, otherwise known as "The Little Manila of Israel"; the city is also considered "The Gay capital of the Middle East" (Out Magazine). Since some Jews consider living in Israel a mitzvah, do you see yourself making aliyah one day?
Robert Bernardo: Yes, I do hope to visit our Holy Land someday, but not anytime soon because right now, I do have a genuine fear of terrorist activity due to the general instability in the region. I also realized that this fear is probably unfounded because so many Jews visit Israel without problems—including my own synagogue. Our Rabbi takes a group to Israel at least once a year, and one of these days, I will do it. But not right now.
Bahay Yosef: Tropical Goshen: Manuel Quezon—President of The Philippine Commonwealth, 1935-1941—assisted in harboring/resettling 1,200 Jewish refugees, escaping Nazi persecution, in the South-Eastern stronghold of Mindanao and posthumously honored with the title of "Righteous Among The Nations," as well as commemorative Israeli citizenship. Nevertheless, patriotic and hardworking Ha'Filipinim with children born in Israel currently struggle for benefits that come with official state recognition. If given the opportunity for advocacy, what steps would you take to advance the cause of Israeli Ha'Filipinim?
Robert Bernardo: Although I have neither lived in the Philippines nor in Israel, I still feel that I can make a difference by continually educating people about Filipino Jews—whether they are similar to my situation or not. I feel that Filipino Jews need to be respected and accepted within the larger Jewish family. There is plenty of room for Jews of all colors and nationalities.
Bahay Yosef: Since 1993, homosexuals have been allowed to openly serve in the Israeli Defense Forces, including special units (unlike the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy of the U.S. Armed Forces). Were Ha'Filipinim OFWs, as well as Filipino Jews, encouraged to serve in the I.D.F., how would this concrete act of solidarity transform societal perceptions of Filipinos in Israel and bring about lasting reforms?
Robert Bernardo: I feel that this act of inclusion would make a global statement that would boldly say: "We accept Filipino Jews because you are part of the Jewish family." Also, if Filipino Jews wish to risk their lives for the safety and security of Israel, that should be respected, honored and encouraged.
Bahay Yosef: On LiveJournal, you blogged about the discovery of Spanish Jewish roots on your Grandmother's side of the family. Ako rin! To embrace dormant Jewish roots, dating back to the Inquisition, would understandably be a challenge for fundamentally-reared Filipinos. How extensive do you think this Hudyo-Matrix phenomenon of Sephardic/Ladino ancestry is within the Filipino diaspora? What would its significance be?
Robert Bernardo: I strongly believe that Filipino Sephardic ancestry is much more common than we have come to believe. The only challenge is that there is little research in this area because the Philippines is such a mega-Christian country. If studies were conducted, I feel that the significance of the findings would completely alter what the next generation of Filipinos believe.
Bahay Yosef: Your Rosh Ha'Shanah 5767 message, "Strangers Among Us" compliments the spirit of The Pilipino, whose kindness to strangers is also chronicled in Frank Ephraim's WWII biography, Escape to Manila: From Nazi tyranny to Japanese Terror. Diplomatic relations between Israel and The Philippines remain strong and dynamic, yet the two Democratic nations also share the burden of extremism and terrorism from within their respective borders. Could you describe how hospitality can be both a blessing and a curse, from a Filipino-Jewish perspective? As an openly-Gay Jewish man of color, how has anti-Semitism manifested itself in your life? Because of these existential risks, would you discourage Filipinos from converting to Judaism?
Robert Bernardo: Hospitality is always a blessing, regardless of how horribly we are treated sometimes. Whether we like it or not, we Jews have an obligation to both educate non-Jews as well as protect ourselves from slander and violence. I find that I have to educate people nearly every day, and although I feel tired and frustrated in having to teach people, I still believe that it is my job because as we decrease the ignorance around us, this allows the seeds of tolerance and acceptance to grow.
Bahay Yosef: Tiebreaker: The decisive vote in the United Nations on November 29, 1947 reviving Israel as a sovereign nation was cast by The Philippines (and was the only Asian nation to support Jewish Nationhood). What kind of impact would greater Filipino-Jewish identification—Pilipinong-Hudyo Pride, if you will—make in promoting peace and tolerance?
Robert Bernardo: Again, it's about education and teaching Filipinos around the world that their duty is not over... Our duty did not end with the tie-breaking vote. We have a daily obligation to help Jews around the world and to teach our children about Jewish history and Israeli history.
Bahay Yosef: Rob Schneider, arguably the most high-profile Filipino Jew in entertainment, quipped: "My mother's side had the better food, my father's side had the better jokes" to describe his Filipina Ima and Jewish Abba. Other notable Filipino Jews include Dean Devlin, Producer of Independence Day, Godzilla, and The Patriot; Nicole Scherzinger, lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls; Michael Schwartz aka Mix Master Mike, American Turntablist and contributing member of the Beastie Boys; Actress, Phoebe Cates (wife of Academy-Award winner, Kevin Kline); and Author, Geronimo Tagatac. We should all go out for merienda and Kosher Kamayan, diba? What makes Filipino Jewry unique from other burgeoning cultural kehilot, such as Beta Israel, The Kaifeng Jews, and B'nei Menashe? To my knowledge, a Filipino Jew has not yet been ordained as a Rabbi. Do you think Sefer Ha'Torah should be translated into Taglit-Tagalog? Is there a need to establish an authentic, Filipino-Jewish community-identity?
Robert Bernardo: I feel that we are unique because Filipino culture is so heavily influenced by American culture. Just look at our pop idols. That's one of the reasons that most of the people you listed are pop stars (actors/singers/etc.) No, I do not believe the Torah should be translated. I believe Filipinos (and others who wish to learn Torah) should learn Hebrew. Also, I do not feel that an "authentic Fil-Jew community" identity needs to be established because by being Filipino and Jewish — one already exists. It exists in every shul across the country. I feel that to "create" a community means that you take something away from what already exists. I feel at home in my local community at Congregation Sha'ar Zahav. We have Filipinos at the shul, and that's MY community.
Bahay Yosef: Gay and Lesbian Jews seeking Rabbinical ordination in Yeshivot are on the rise. And with Jewish Queer Cinema such as Bent, Trembling Before G-d, and Yossi & Jagger garnering accolades, significant strides have been made through a Jewish lens in combating homophobia, while maintaining halakhot relevant to the GLBTIQA community. You are active in a Gay-affirming synagogue in San Francisco, namely Congregation Sha'ar Zaav. How do you see the GLBTIQA Jewish community serving as a "Beacon to the Nations"?
Robert Bernardo: I feel that Jews are natural ambassadors of peace in the world because our religion teaches us to embrace the stranger. Also, Judaism generally accepts homosexuality—unlike a lot of Christian religions which condemn it.
Bahay Yosef: Paper Dolls is an award-winning documentary which follows the lives of transgender migrant workers from The Philippines who work as health care providers for elderly Orthodox Jewish-Israeli men. Furthermore, JDate has a flurry of Filipino men seeking Jewish men, myself included=) Can you explain the significance of this mystical magnetism?
Robert Bernardo: Hmmm... I can't really explain this phenomenon because although there are many attractive gay, Jewish men, my partner is not Jewish. So, I can't say that I feel this "mystical magnetism." LOL! My only explanation is that it's like preferring strawberry ice cream over vanilla ice cream. It's a matter of taste and not something that can be explained...
Bahay Yosef: If you were the Grand Marshal of the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, how would you envision such a landmark event?
Robert Bernardo: Wow, I couldn't even imagine what that would be like! However, if it were to happen—I would try to include Filipinos, Jews and Gays in my contingent in the same way I did it in San Francisco when I was elected. I believe that I can be a BRIDGE to cultures, sexualities and religions. As a BRIDGE, the goal is always to bring people together...
Bahay Yosef: Just as the Hebrews struggled with overcoming a slave mentality after being physically emancipated from Mitzrayim and Pharaoh, as well as spiritual liberation of the giving of the Torah at the foot of Mount Sinai on Shavu'ot, to a certain extent the Wandering Filipino (estimates of Overseas Filipinos correspond to the population of Diasporic Jews) still struggles with an island mentality. With Pesakh and Shavu'ot approaching, how will you commemorate Liberation?
Robert Bernardo: During Pesach, I commemorated liberation by being the "Out, Gay, Filipino Jew" that I am... Being public about my sexuality and religion are the ways in which I feel liberated and how I feel I can help liberate others.
Robert graciously agreed to virtually enter Bahay Shalom and share his insights on Filipino Jewry in this exclusive interview.
Bahay Yosef: There are approximately 30,000-60,000 Ha'Filipinim (Taglit/Tagalog-Hebrew for "The Philippines" or "The Filipinos") currently living and working in Eretz Yisra'el, a majority concentrated in Tel Aviv's Shuk Tahana Merkazit, otherwise known as "The Little Manila of Israel"; the city is also considered "The Gay capital of the Middle East" (Out Magazine). Since some Jews consider living in Israel a mitzvah, do you see yourself making aliyah one day?
Robert Bernardo: Yes, I do hope to visit our Holy Land someday, but not anytime soon because right now, I do have a genuine fear of terrorist activity due to the general instability in the region. I also realized that this fear is probably unfounded because so many Jews visit Israel without problems—including my own synagogue. Our Rabbi takes a group to Israel at least once a year, and one of these days, I will do it. But not right now.
Bahay Yosef: Tropical Goshen: Manuel Quezon—President of The Philippine Commonwealth, 1935-1941—assisted in harboring/resettling 1,200 Jewish refugees, escaping Nazi persecution, in the South-Eastern stronghold of Mindanao and posthumously honored with the title of "Righteous Among The Nations," as well as commemorative Israeli citizenship. Nevertheless, patriotic and hardworking Ha'Filipinim with children born in Israel currently struggle for benefits that come with official state recognition. If given the opportunity for advocacy, what steps would you take to advance the cause of Israeli Ha'Filipinim?
Robert Bernardo: Although I have neither lived in the Philippines nor in Israel, I still feel that I can make a difference by continually educating people about Filipino Jews—whether they are similar to my situation or not. I feel that Filipino Jews need to be respected and accepted within the larger Jewish family. There is plenty of room for Jews of all colors and nationalities.
Bahay Yosef: Since 1993, homosexuals have been allowed to openly serve in the Israeli Defense Forces, including special units (unlike the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy of the U.S. Armed Forces). Were Ha'Filipinim OFWs, as well as Filipino Jews, encouraged to serve in the I.D.F., how would this concrete act of solidarity transform societal perceptions of Filipinos in Israel and bring about lasting reforms?
Robert Bernardo: I feel that this act of inclusion would make a global statement that would boldly say: "We accept Filipino Jews because you are part of the Jewish family." Also, if Filipino Jews wish to risk their lives for the safety and security of Israel, that should be respected, honored and encouraged.
Bahay Yosef: On LiveJournal, you blogged about the discovery of Spanish Jewish roots on your Grandmother's side of the family. Ako rin! To embrace dormant Jewish roots, dating back to the Inquisition, would understandably be a challenge for fundamentally-reared Filipinos. How extensive do you think this Hudyo-Matrix phenomenon of Sephardic/Ladino ancestry is within the Filipino diaspora? What would its significance be?
Robert Bernardo: I strongly believe that Filipino Sephardic ancestry is much more common than we have come to believe. The only challenge is that there is little research in this area because the Philippines is such a mega-Christian country. If studies were conducted, I feel that the significance of the findings would completely alter what the next generation of Filipinos believe.
Bahay Yosef: Your Rosh Ha'Shanah 5767 message, "Strangers Among Us" compliments the spirit of The Pilipino, whose kindness to strangers is also chronicled in Frank Ephraim's WWII biography, Escape to Manila: From Nazi tyranny to Japanese Terror. Diplomatic relations between Israel and The Philippines remain strong and dynamic, yet the two Democratic nations also share the burden of extremism and terrorism from within their respective borders. Could you describe how hospitality can be both a blessing and a curse, from a Filipino-Jewish perspective? As an openly-Gay Jewish man of color, how has anti-Semitism manifested itself in your life? Because of these existential risks, would you discourage Filipinos from converting to Judaism?
Robert Bernardo: Hospitality is always a blessing, regardless of how horribly we are treated sometimes. Whether we like it or not, we Jews have an obligation to both educate non-Jews as well as protect ourselves from slander and violence. I find that I have to educate people nearly every day, and although I feel tired and frustrated in having to teach people, I still believe that it is my job because as we decrease the ignorance around us, this allows the seeds of tolerance and acceptance to grow.
Bahay Yosef: Tiebreaker: The decisive vote in the United Nations on November 29, 1947 reviving Israel as a sovereign nation was cast by The Philippines (and was the only Asian nation to support Jewish Nationhood). What kind of impact would greater Filipino-Jewish identification—Pilipinong-Hudyo Pride, if you will—make in promoting peace and tolerance?
Robert Bernardo: Again, it's about education and teaching Filipinos around the world that their duty is not over... Our duty did not end with the tie-breaking vote. We have a daily obligation to help Jews around the world and to teach our children about Jewish history and Israeli history.
Bahay Yosef: Rob Schneider, arguably the most high-profile Filipino Jew in entertainment, quipped: "My mother's side had the better food, my father's side had the better jokes" to describe his Filipina Ima and Jewish Abba. Other notable Filipino Jews include Dean Devlin, Producer of Independence Day, Godzilla, and The Patriot; Nicole Scherzinger, lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls; Michael Schwartz aka Mix Master Mike, American Turntablist and contributing member of the Beastie Boys; Actress, Phoebe Cates (wife of Academy-Award winner, Kevin Kline); and Author, Geronimo Tagatac. We should all go out for merienda and Kosher Kamayan, diba? What makes Filipino Jewry unique from other burgeoning cultural kehilot, such as Beta Israel, The Kaifeng Jews, and B'nei Menashe? To my knowledge, a Filipino Jew has not yet been ordained as a Rabbi. Do you think Sefer Ha'Torah should be translated into Taglit-Tagalog? Is there a need to establish an authentic, Filipino-Jewish community-identity?
Robert Bernardo: I feel that we are unique because Filipino culture is so heavily influenced by American culture. Just look at our pop idols. That's one of the reasons that most of the people you listed are pop stars (actors/singers/etc.) No, I do not believe the Torah should be translated. I believe Filipinos (and others who wish to learn Torah) should learn Hebrew. Also, I do not feel that an "authentic Fil-Jew community" identity needs to be established because by being Filipino and Jewish — one already exists. It exists in every shul across the country. I feel that to "create" a community means that you take something away from what already exists. I feel at home in my local community at Congregation Sha'ar Zahav. We have Filipinos at the shul, and that's MY community.
Bahay Yosef: Gay and Lesbian Jews seeking Rabbinical ordination in Yeshivot are on the rise. And with Jewish Queer Cinema such as Bent, Trembling Before G-d, and Yossi & Jagger garnering accolades, significant strides have been made through a Jewish lens in combating homophobia, while maintaining halakhot relevant to the GLBTIQA community. You are active in a Gay-affirming synagogue in San Francisco, namely Congregation Sha'ar Zaav. How do you see the GLBTIQA Jewish community serving as a "Beacon to the Nations"?
Robert Bernardo: I feel that Jews are natural ambassadors of peace in the world because our religion teaches us to embrace the stranger. Also, Judaism generally accepts homosexuality—unlike a lot of Christian religions which condemn it.
Bahay Yosef: Paper Dolls is an award-winning documentary which follows the lives of transgender migrant workers from The Philippines who work as health care providers for elderly Orthodox Jewish-Israeli men. Furthermore, JDate has a flurry of Filipino men seeking Jewish men, myself included=) Can you explain the significance of this mystical magnetism?
Robert Bernardo: Hmmm... I can't really explain this phenomenon because although there are many attractive gay, Jewish men, my partner is not Jewish. So, I can't say that I feel this "mystical magnetism." LOL! My only explanation is that it's like preferring strawberry ice cream over vanilla ice cream. It's a matter of taste and not something that can be explained...
Bahay Yosef: If you were the Grand Marshal of the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, how would you envision such a landmark event?
Robert Bernardo: Wow, I couldn't even imagine what that would be like! However, if it were to happen—I would try to include Filipinos, Jews and Gays in my contingent in the same way I did it in San Francisco when I was elected. I believe that I can be a BRIDGE to cultures, sexualities and religions. As a BRIDGE, the goal is always to bring people together...
Bahay Yosef: Just as the Hebrews struggled with overcoming a slave mentality after being physically emancipated from Mitzrayim and Pharaoh, as well as spiritual liberation of the giving of the Torah at the foot of Mount Sinai on Shavu'ot, to a certain extent the Wandering Filipino (estimates of Overseas Filipinos correspond to the population of Diasporic Jews) still struggles with an island mentality. With Pesakh and Shavu'ot approaching, how will you commemorate Liberation?
Robert Bernardo: During Pesach, I commemorated liberation by being the "Out, Gay, Filipino Jew" that I am... Being public about my sexuality and religion are the ways in which I feel liberated and how I feel I can help liberate others.
