Betsy Frank is UHC para-rabbinic fellow and president.
During Sukkot there is a tradition of welcoming guests or strangers into our sukkah.
The tradition comes from the story in Genesis where Abraham welcomes guests he doesn’t know.
In our partisan world, what does it mean to welcome the stranger? Welcoming the stranger can mean a radical action such as housing a refugee or a more common action such as welcoming a visitor to our synagogue.
We are commanded to remember we were once strangers in a strange land. If we all followed this commandment, how much better our world and community would be.
When we welcome those we don’t know we are truly performing a mitzvah. Do you smile and engage the international students in our community? Do you contribute to organizations that help settle refugees such as the Jewish Federation?
Welcoming the stranger exemplifies sharing the Divine within all of us.
Furthermore, we are commanded to remember we were once strangers in a strange land. If we all followed this commandment, how much better our world and community would be.
So let us each make an effort to become acquainted with just one stranger. That stranger may just become a new friend.
Shalom,
Betsy Frank