Dear Friends,
This week we read Parashat Balak, the story of a Moabite king who hires the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites. Yet when Balaam opens his mouth, he cannot curse them. Instead, he offers one of our most beautiful blessings:
“Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael—How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel.”
It is an extraordinary moment: what was meant as a curse is transformed into a blessing. That idea feels especially relevant right now. Around the world, here at home, and in Israel, we see efforts to sow fear and division. Terror and hatred target civilians. Israeli society wrestles with painful internal disagreements while still praying for the safe return of hostages. Antisemitism rises worldwide, threatening not just our sense of security but the bonds that hold us together.
Here in St. Louis, we are not immune. That is why, last week, members of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Jewish community security amid rising threats and stalled federal funding. We joined nearly 400 Jewish leaders from more than 100 communities nationwide for the United for Security Emergency Leadership Mission, organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Together, we urged lawmakers to adopt a six-point plan that includes increased federal security grants, stronger enforcement of hate crime laws, and new regulations of online incitement. This is the modern work of protecting our “tents” —our synagogues, schools, JCCs, and communal spaces. It is how we ensure our dwellings remain safe and welcoming for all. No one should be afraid to embrace their Judaism, and we are committed to safeguarding that freedom every day.
Parashat Balak reminds us that our people have always faced those who would curse us. And yet, we have also always found the strength to transform those curses into blessings—by standing up for one another, by building coalitions, by refusing to be defined by fear, and by investing in the safety, resilience, and vibrancy of our community.
As the old Yiddish saying goes:
“Ven es iz shvarts, darf men zingen.”
“When it is dark, one must sing.”
May this Shabbat inspire us to keep singing, keep building, and keep turning fear into hope, curses into blessings, and darkness into light.
Danny Cohn
President & CEO
Jewish Federation of St. Louis