Rabbi's Messages

Live Long & Oy Vey!!

On Sunday, February 25, 2017

My favourite rabbi has always been Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise.

No, really! What is a rabbi if not someone who (boldly) leads a community, who cares about people (and androids), who says wise things (“Things are only impossible until they’re not”), and who seeks to understand human nature (“Mr. Worf, villains who twirl their moustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well-camouflaged”).

I grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. Others may argue for the supremacy of Rabbi James T. Kirk instead. Either way, it’s hard to deny that Starship captains have to be philosophers. And it’s hard to deny that Star Trek is deeply Jewish.

Here are a few Jewish strains in the Star Trek universe:
• The world of Star Trek is semi-utopian, almost Messianic. It’s a world where poverty, racism, and war have been vanquished from the Earth (even though the Romulans haven’t figured that out yet). You don’t have to read much further than the book of Isaiah to see the Jewish roots of this vision.
• Starfleet officers are required to have a “can-do” attitude. In space, things will always go wrong, and you have to believe that you have the wherewithal to solve those problems. In Hebrew, we call this “Tikkun Olam – Repairing the World.”
• Like Judaism, Star Trek believes that people are inherently good, but flawed. Captain Kirk said, “The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.” And, though Spock thought it was illogical, the crew always believed humanity’s ability to triumph over their inner demons.

Yes, from the moment Mr. Spock first lifted his hand in the sign of the cohanim, Star Trek has presented us with an optimistic, spiritual, philosophically rich approach of the world that sent the philosophies of Judaism racing toward the stars.

Now it’s time to take our relationship with Star Trek to a whole other level – the level of lampooning it mercilessly! This Purim, we’ll join Captain James T. Kirkowitz and Lt. Kainuhura as they boldly go where no Purim Spiel has gone before. Come join us on March 11 at 6pm for laughter, food, fun, and – as Commander Data would say – to “attempt to fill a silent moment with non-relevant conversation.” It’s the most fun you can have in the Alpha Quadrant!

L’shalom,
Rabbi Micah Streiffer