"When the Torah scroll is returned to the Ark, we recite that the Torah “is a tree of life to all…” In our daily morning service we are reminded “…how beautiful is our heritage.” In the midst of our struggles that we are involved in daily trying to forge ahead in a world beset by problems, we should take a few moments and reflect how our noble tradition has sustained us over the millennia. Albert Einstein captured the essence of our beautiful heritage when he wrote: “The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice, and the desire for personal independence—these are the features of Jewish tradition which make me thank my stars that I belong to it.” > Rabbi Stephen Wise, the great Zionist and civil rights leader and founder of the Jewish Institute of Religion (which merged with Hebrew Union College), captured the pride that he felt for his Jewish legacy in the following story. “At a public banquet, I happened to sit next to a lady who tried to impress me by letting me know that one of her ancestors witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I could not resist replying: ‘Mine were present at the Giving of the Ten Commandments.’ ” Kaufman Kohler, a great rabbinic theologian observed that “Far from having become 1900 years ago a stagnant religion, Judaism has ever remained ‘a river of God full of living waters,’ which, while running within the river–bed of a single nation, has continued to feed anew the great streams of human civilizations.” Edmond Fleg in his essay, “Why I Am a Jew” also stated succinctly, “I am a Jew because the message of Israel is the most ancient and the most modern.” There are many affirmations by famous Christian ministers and theologians who openly admit to “Christianity’s Debt to Judaism”. Lyman Abbott, the well-known clergyman and author, reminded his religious constituency that “…all we have and all that we are we owe, under God, to what Judaism has given us.” We recently celebrated the universal Great Festival of Freedom, Pesach/Passover. Let us recall the opening Seder prayer that obligates us to feed all who are hungry. Let us also remember, especially in difficult times, the holiday Kiddush. We should take time out for “mo-a-dim l’simcha, appointed season for happiness, cha-gim oo-z’ma-nim l’sa-soan, (and that we have) holidays and times to rejoice.” Our Torah is a tree of life to all. Let us take pride in our beautiful heritage. Even during troublesome times, let us rejoice in our festivals. Rabbi Cyrus Arfa