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| Zevi Eckhaus (JTA) |
A Kiddush HaShem translates to “sanctifying the name of God.” While God does not need us to sanctify Him - since by definition God is the holiest being in existence, we are nevertheless commanded, as God’s chosen people, to act in ways that honor Him and bring glory to His name.
Unfortunately, we more often hear about a Chilul HaShem, which is the
opposite of a Kiddush HaShem. That’s because, by its very nature, the
media generally reports negative events. Positive events rarely make the news,
and when they do, it's usually after a heavy dose of negative news as a
pleasant way to end a newscast.
When an Orthodox Jew commits a crime of any sort, the media
jumps all over it. Although most crimes are white-collar, Orthodox Jews have
had their share of sex-abuse cases in the media. Not that long ago, it seemed
like every other day yet another Orthodox Jew was exposed by a survivor about his
(or her) abuse. Thankfully, it seems that reports of sex abuse by Orthodox Jews
have decreased substantially in recent years—although sadly, it still happens.
But this time, I am happy to report that there are two Jews who have a very different kind of story to tell.
Zevi Eckhaus — A Kiddush HaShem on the Football Field
One of them is Zevi Eckhaus. Zevi is the starting
quarterback for the Washington State Cougars. And as JTA reports:
“On Saturday, Eckhaus led the Cougars’ offense to a 32–8 win, clinching a berth in a Division I college football bowl game. That game will be the final one at the collegiate level for Eckhaus, a redshirt senior.”
What kind of Kiddush HaShem could there possibly be about a Jew who plays college football every Shabbos? Isn’t that a serious violation of Shabbos? ...one of the most stringent Halachos of the Torah and the defining characteristic of an Orthodox Jew? Shouldn’t that, therefore, be seen as a Chilul HaShem - not a Kiddush HaShem?
Well, not exactly.
There is technically no biblical prohibition against
throwing a football on Shabbos as long as it is done in an enclosed private
domain. Which in Halachic terms, a football stadium certainly is. I don’t think there is anything
about football that is otherwise technically a violation of Shabbos.
That said, it is still not something that should be
encouraged on Shabbos, as it runs counter to the sanctity of a day reserved for spiritual pursuits. But Zevi goes out of his way to be observant. He attended a
religious day school (Chabad) through middle school and puts on two sets of
tefillin every day (Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam) without fail. He learns Mishnayos
every week, and does all of this proudly and publicly, all while earning the respect of
his coaches and teammates. (Zevi may not be playing in the NFL after college, but the CFL is
taking a serious look at him.)
That he proudly prays on the field during a game and is
observant in other ways places observant Judaism in a positive light. Thus
becoming something of a role model for other young Jews who aspire to be both
committed Jews and successful in fields where they may have thought being
observant was impossible. Like the world of sports.
That, to me, is a Kiddush HaShem.
Michele Weiss — A Historic Kiddush HaShem in Public
Office
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| Mayor-elect, Michele Weiss (JNS) |
“In November, she was elected with 56.6% of the vote, nearly 20 points ahead of the next highest vote-earner…”
The 50-year-old told JNS that her first conversations after deciding to run were with her family—and her rabbi.
“I really feel that everybody is placed on this earth to make a difference,” she said. “I’m doing it for the klal”—Hebrew for “community.”
“I want to make a kiddush Hashem,” she added.
Interestingly, Michele did not grow up Orthodox. As a
teenager she joined NCSY, and that changed her life:
“By 16, she was keeping Shabbat strictly, and after high school she attended seminary in Israel…”
JNS goes on to list an impressive array of
accomplishments, both secular and religious.
On the secular side:
- Weiss
holds undergraduate and MBA degrees from John Carroll University.
- She is
an adjunct instructor at Cleveland State University.
- She is
a founding member of the nonprofit Amatz Initiative, which provides
professional development for school principals.
On the religious side:
- Michele
has a meeting planned with her rabbi to discuss how to navigate situations
such as citywide emergencies on Shabbat or holidays.
- She
has been a kallah teacher and a mikvah attendant.
- She is
the CFO of the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, the largest Jewish day school
in Ohio.
It is also interesting to note that this self-described
moderate Republican was named vice mayor twice by her Democratic colleagues - under
the tenure of Michael Dylan Brennan, a mayor who displayed subtle undertones of
Jew-hatred, as indicated in the article.
There is obviously a heavy Orthodox Jewish presence in
University Heights. A city with three day schools. But the fact that a city
where Jews are still the minority elected an openly Orthodox Jewish woman as
mayor tells me that most Americans are not inherently antisemitic, even with
the sharp rise in antisemitism over the last two years.
So this story is good news in two ways. First, it is a significant Kiddush HaShem. Second, it underscores my belief that the American people are worthy of the description Rav Moshe Feinstein gave them of being a Medina Shel Chesed - a nation of kindness. NOT a nation of antisemites. When it comes to their elected officials, the American people want good governance. They could not care less how their city officials worship God.
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