Rabbi Weill's Blog

Dear Friends:

Water is prominent throughout this week's Torah portion, Chukat, which suits this rainy week. The portion includes the red heifer, the ashes of which are mixed with water to achieve purification for contaminated Israelites. The death of Miriam then marks the end of "Miriam's Well," which provided the nation with water during their desert wanderings. And when the people complain about a lack of water, Moses strikes a rock, and water issues forth.

The Israelites had water anxiety. And we may take water for granted, for we have a grand water source right in our backyard: Lake Michigan. The five Great Lakes -- Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior ("HOMES") -- comprise an astounding 95 percent of America's surface water. The lakes provide drinking water for 30 million people.

Regrettably, even tragically, 24 million gallons of untreated sewage and storm water flow into the Great Lakes each year, in addition to industrial waste. Plastic microbeads are a growing concern as well.

This abuse of the Great Lakes results in hundreds of beach closings every summer, threatening our health, foiling vacations, and costing millions of dollars to local economies.

Our elected representatives recognize the gravity of the issue, but the more they hear from their constituents, the better.

In the spirit of Independence Day and with gratitude for the miraculous Great Lakes, exercise your constitutional right to speak out and advocate on behalf of the waters we cherish.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Jeffrey Weill