On June 9, I attended on Zoom a webinar organised by Rabbis for Human Rights. Founded in Israel in 1988, and comprising Israeli rabbis from across the denominational spectrum, Rabbis for Human Rights ‘is dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.^[1] Its activities include: providing a ‘protective presence’ during the olive season by ‘accompanying Palestinian farmers’ in order to ‘help to prevent violence and harassment, ensuring they can safely access and work their lands’; and ‘distributing food and other essential supplies to those affected by settler violence and living under occupation.’ Rabbis for Human Rights also engages in social justice work in general, including advocating for asylum seekers, creating educational programmes that teach human rights through a Jewish lens, and promoting dialogue and corporation among different religious and ethnic groups.

The theme of the webinar was the recent ‘Interfaith March for Human Rights and Peace’, held in Jerusalem that included Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and had been organised under the auspices of thirty organisations, including Rabbis for Human Rights. One of the webinar speakers, who had also spoken at the March, was Ghadir Hani, a Muslim woman, born and raised in the dual Jewish-Arab city of Akko, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel and is active in a range of peace and coexistence organisations, including, ‘Women Wage Peace’.

On screen at the webinar, Ghadir Hani was standing in front of a photograph of the 74-year-old Jewish Israeli peace activist, Vivian Silver, who was murdered by Hamas in her home on Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel near the border with Gaza on October 7 (2023). Zichronah livrachah – may her memory be for blessing. Vivian Silver had been a member of Women Wage Peace since it was founded in the aftermath of ‘Operation Protective Edge’, Israel’s war against Hamas that began on July 8, 2014 in response to rocket attacks from Gaza.^[2] Indeed, she was among those who greeted hundreds of women from all over the country when they travelled to Sderot, the town nearest to Gaza most frequently subjected to rocket attacks, to launch Women Wage Peace.^[3] Meanwhile, Ghadir Hani joined Women Wage Peace, when she came to the ‘Fasting Tent’ outside the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which had been set up by members of the movement, and continued for fifty-two days to symbolise the number of days of ‘Operation Protective Edge’.^[4]

Muslim Ghadir Hani and Jewish Vivian Silver: two women peace ‘comrades’ in each other’s ‘arms’ – as opposed to ‘comrades in arms.’ One, thankfully, still very much alive and active, the other a victim of the depraved violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 that generated a devastating war in Gaza that continues to this day: 260 days so far. Women continue to wage peace but their brave work is largely overshadowed by the men who continue to wage war. As has been overwhelmingly apparent over the past eight months, guns, rockets and bombs with their destructive force speak louder than words and acts of peace.

There was another woman speaker at the webinar, Rabbi Leah Shakdiel, a dedicated peace activist and scholar, who is both orthodox and a feminist and known for her contributions to interfaith and social justice work. Listening to her and to Ghadi Hani, made me reflect on the marginalisation of women’s leadership, particularly, in conflict zones, where it is needed most.

In this weeks’ parashah, B’ha’alot’cha Numbers chapter 12, we find a story that is all about the marginalisation of women’s leadership, specifically, the leadership of one woman: Miriam, the elder sister of Aaron and Moses.

There are just thirty-one verses in all about Miriam in the whole of the Torah^[5] – and sixteen of them are in Numbers chapter 12.

Most of us are probably familiar with the story related in Exodus chapter 2, about how the unnamed mother and sister of the baby, who came to be called Moses, saved him from Pharaoh’s genocidal decree against new-born Israelite baby boys.

Miriam is not mentioned again until Exodus chapter 15, when having taken flight from Egypt, the Israelites crossed the divided Sea of Reeds on dry land. Just two verses are devoted to Miriam, but they are very telling (15:20-21). In addition to being named ‘Miriam’, she is designated as ‘ha-n’vi’ah, achot Aharon, ‘the prophet, the sister of Aaron.’ Miriam is also described as a leader in motion: ‘[she] took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.’ Further, Miriam called on all the people to ‘sing to the Eternal’.^[6]

That is the Torah’s last word about Miriam until Numbers chapter 12. The chapter which closes this week’s parashah, B’ha’a lot’cha, opens with Miriam speaking against Moses. We read (12:1):

Va-t’dabbeir Miryam – ‘Miriam spoke’ – V’Aharon – ‘and Aaron’ – b’Moshe – ‘against Moses.’

Crucially, the verb is in the feminine singular: Va-t’dabbeir, ‘She spoke’. Most translations do not reflect this. We read in the Plaut Chumash, for example: ‘Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses’.^[7] But if the writer of the story had intended to say this, the verb would be in the masculine plural: Va-yom’ru Miryam v’Aharon b’Moshe. As it is, the Hebrew is clear: Even if Aaron went along with his elder sister’s challenge to their younger brother, Miriam was the chief instigator. She had good reason. After all, unlike Aaron, who was destined to be the High Priest, like the prophet Moses, she was also designated as a prophet.

The way the story proceeds supports the plain meaning of Va-t’dabbeir, ‘She spoke’: Miriam alone is punished by God with the plague of leprosy for her impudence in objecting to Moses’ unique relationship with God. Dismayed by Miriam’s punishment, Aaron acknowledges that he shares responsibility for the challenge against Moses (12:11-12), and Moses in his turn, as the singular interlocuter with the Eternal, prays to God for his sister’s healing (12:13). Nevertheless, Miriam’s punishment, which includes being excluded from the camp for seven days, stands.

It is a shocking story. Aaron is not on par with Moses, but as High Priest he later assumes an important leadership role. Miriam’s punishment reflects her marginality in the Torah and exclusion from the two-man leadership team. And yet, despite this, an important detail towards the end of the narrative suggests that although Miriam did not hold a specific leadership position, the people regarded her as a leader. We read (12:15-16):

Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days; and the people did not journey on until Miriam was brought in again. / Then afterwards, the people journeyed from Chazeirot, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

‘The people did not journey on until Miriam was brought in again’. The people waited for Miriam.

They waited for her to lead them forward, as she had led the women with song and timbrels through the Sea of Reeds.

We are also waiting. We are waiting, as people everywhere are waiting during this global year of elections, for leadership that is ethical and effective. We are waiting: for the violence in Gaza to cease; for the hostages to return; for the people of Gaza to be free of the tyranny of Hamas and the siege imposed by Israel; for the occupation to end and for a new government in Israel and in the Palestinian territories that is committed to peace, security, justice and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians.

We are also waiting, here in Britain, for polling day on July 4. We are waiting for the opportunity to elect a new government that will put country before party, the needs of the poor before the greed of the rich, that will repair our broken NHS and properly fund social care, that will untangle public transport chaos, and, rather than continue to pander to the economic interests of the fossil fuel industry, prioritise tackling the threat of climate catastrophe through investment in home insulation and green energy.

I mentioned earlier that Ghadir Hani is active in a range of peace and coexistence organisations. These include, omdim beyachad, ‘Standing Together’, ‘a progressive grassroots movement’, established, like Women Wage Peace, after the last Gaza war of 2014. Standing Together ‘mobilises Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel against the occupation and for peace, equality, and social justice.’^[8] To achieve ‘a future of peace and independence for Israelis and Palestinians’, Standing Together operates on the basis that ‘we must stand together as a united front: Jewish and Palestinian, secular and religious, Mizrahi and Ashkenazi, rural and urban, and people of all genders and sexual orientations.’ Standing Together has tripled in size since October 7, and now encompasses twelve local chapters and eleven student chapters. In addition to daily demonstrations, since the beginning of March, Standing Together has been organising a ‘Humanitarian Guard’ to ensure that aid trucks get into Gaza in the face of settler violence.^[9]

Standing Together is looking for ‘friends’ across the world, and the UK Friends of Standing Together has been set up to galvanise support here in Britain.^[10] As we wait and wait, we can also act. We can raise our voices. We can offer moral and financial assistance. We can also join Progressive Jews for Justice in Israel/Palestine, a network initiated by Liberal Jews, that now includes members of both Liberal and Reform congregations.^[11] As we continue to feel traumatised and horrified by October 7 and its aftermath, may each one of us find strength and hope in the efforts being taken by Rabbis for Human Rights, Women Wage Peace, Standing Together, and others, to create ‘an alternative to our existing reality’, and build a future of peace, equality, and justice for all.^[12] And let us say: Amen.

Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah

Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue

22^nd June 2024 – 16^th Sivan 5784

1. https://www.rhr.org.il/eng ↑

2. https://www.womenwagepeace.org.il/en/about/ ↑

3. https://www.womenwagepeace.org.il/en/vivian-silver/ ↑

4.  https://www.womenwagepeace.org.il/en/ghadir-hani-woman-waging-peace/ ↑

5. The narrative verses in the Torah that mention Miriam: Exodus 2:1-10 (not by name); Ex. 15:20-21; Numbers 12:1-16; Num. 20:1 (Miriam’s death). The non-narrative verses: Deuteronomy 24:9 (concerning the plague of leprosy); Numbers 26:59 (in the context of the members of the family Amram). ↑

6. We read: Va-ta’an la-hem Miryam: Shiru ladonai, ‘Miriam responded to them: “Sing to the Eternal.”’ If she had addressed the women alone, the Hebrew would say la-hen, ‘to them’ (feminine), not la-hem, to them (masculine). ↑

7. The Torah. A Modern Commentary. General Editor, W. Gunther Plaut. General Editor, Revised Edition, David E.S. Stern. Union of Reform Judaism, New York, 2005, p. 965. Chumash, meaning, ‘Fived’ is the traditional way of referring to the book version of the ‘Five Books of Moses’, that is divided into weekly portions, and which is used by congregants to follow the reading of the Torah during Shabbat morning services. The Chumash includes the haftarah, the reading from the Prophetic books of the Bible that forms the ‘conclusion’ of the reading from Scripture. ↑

8. https://www.standing-together.org/en ↑

9. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-03-08/ty-article-magazine/.premium/i-couldnt-just-sit-at-home-the-arab-jewish-gaza-aid-convoy-carrying-food-and-hope/0000018e-1e72-df0d-adaf-9efee0d50000 https://www.ukfost.co.uk/standing-togethers-humanitarian-guard-defeats-far-right-settlers ↑

10. https://www.ukfost.co.uk/ ↑

11. For further information about Progressive Jews for Justice in Israel/Palestine, email: info@ljjip.org ↑

12. https://www.standing-together.org/en ↑