Somewhere in the world,
in each generation,
A Pharaoh is born
Who never met Joseph:
Who has no compassion,
Who loves gold and power,
Who hates helpless creatures
Like dogs and little children,
An irrational hate
For industrious immigrants.
Somewhere in the world,
in each generation
We have to say, “Pharoah!
Let those people go.
Let them go where they will
They are not hurting you
They speak their own language
And they have their own songs.”
He will harden his heart
And insist on destruction:
The destruction of others,
The destruction of himself,
The destruction of his followers,
The death of the poor horses,
Because he hates helpless creatures
And loves only himself.
Somewhere in the world
In each generation,
Over and over
The story re-cycles
Spinning and turning:
He will never remember Joseph.
We must never forget.
Copyright, Ruth Adar, 2026.
Hi, Rabbi Adar, how wonderful to see your name on an email! We have sorely missed you, especially during these destructive & murderous governmental actions. Hope all is well with you and your loved ones!
Welcome back.
Shabbat shalom!
Thank you for that.
Shabbat Shalom! It’s so good to see you back here. I have to thank you for posting a list of synagogues some years ago that were livestreaming High Holy Days services. I tuned in to Central Synagogue in Manhattan. That ultimately led to my enrollment in Central’s Center for Exploring Judaism and my conversion almost two years ago now. My parents both had Jewish ancestry but lived as Christians and raised their children in the Episcopal Church. I always knew I was Jewish, and I thank you for helping me return to the faith of my ancestors.