Deliverance is Possible

This week I've been able to connect more deeply with some of the families we are supporting who are currently in hiding. These families are not able to work - they've lost their income and are unable to pay their bills. I am so grateful to my community, and so amazed that we've been able to raise over $8,000 to support these families whose gratitude is beyond measure (I wish I could share photos but I cannot risk exposing their identity so including this screen shot as a representation of their appreciation).

The terror these people are experiencing is beyond comprehension. One family has hung blankets over all their windows, even those that already had blinds. Another home - once a family of nine, now only eight-is reeling from the emotional weight of having a family member unlawfully separated from them, with no knowledge of where he is. One woman has not stepped outside for two months - not even once. Children who were born in this country, U.S. citizens, are staying home from school out of fear that they will be racially profiled and either picked up or followed home.

Many of the people we are supporting had to flee dangerous conditions in their home countries. Some have pending asylum cases; others are too scared to talk to anyone at all.

We have begun to hear murmurings from a few of the people we are supporting, quietly wondering whether they might be better off returning to their countries of origin-realizing that the freedom they believed they were pursuing is not, in fact, freedom at all.

These words resound with pain in my ears, this week more than ever, as we retell the story of God leading the Israelites out of Egypt-toward freedom.

This week's Torah portion begins:

וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י  ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃

Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, "The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt."

And sure enough, the text continues…

וּפַרְעֹ֖ה הִקְרִ֑יב וַיִּשְׂאוּ֩ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֜ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִצְרַ֣יִם  ׀ נֹסֵ֣עַ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיִּֽירְאוּ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃

As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites caught sight of the Egyptians advancing upon them. Greatly frightened, the Israelites cried out to GOD.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ הֲֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־קְבָרִים֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם לְקַחְתָּ֖נוּ לָמ֣וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר מַה־זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְהוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

And they said to Moses, "Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt?

הֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ אֵלֶ֤יךָ בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חֲדַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us be, and we will serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness'?"

The fear of ICE has been described to me as a physical trembling - a paralyzing horror that can make one wonder whether the narrowness of servitude is preferable to the uncertainty of terror. I never imagined it would come to this-that the American government would be responsible for inducing this level of fear in my lifetime. And yet, here we are.

We have no choice but to do everything in our power to emulate God's will: to protect and save those who are being terrorized. To be like Moses, who heard the cries of his people and responded with support and hope:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־הָעָם֮ אַל־תִּירָ֒אוּ֒ הִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר רְאִיתֶ֤ם אֶת־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם לֹ֥א תֹסִ֛פוּ לִרְאֹתָ֥ם ע֖וֹד עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

But Moses said to the people, "Have no fear! Stand by, and witness the deliverance that GOD will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.

This is the work we are doing here in Minnesota. We are telling our neighbors: do not be afraid. Do not return to the narrowness you left behind. You belong here. And we will do everything in our power to partner with God in bringing forth the deliverance you need and deserve.

This is why stepping up in this moment requires both mutual aid AND civic engagement. Yes, our neighbors need our love. Yes, they need mutual aid. But they also need to know that we are fighting for them-that we are advocating for them, and that we will not stop until they are once again safe enough to remove the blankets from their windows and leave their homes. This won't happen if the only thing we do is deliver them groceries. This moment requires both - both the emergency aid and also the political pressure that will bring this nightmare to an end. The tides are turning and we must continue to exert pressure through every avenue available to us.

Ken y'hi ratzon-may we achieve this deliverance through the work of our hands and the will of God.