Our Torah portion this week will note that on each night of their journey across the wilderness the twelve tribes would all camp beneath their own flag: “The Israelites shall each camp with his flag, under the banners of their ancestral house; they shall camp around the Tent of Meeting” (Num 2:2). The flag spoke to each tribe’ s identity and lineage. The flags helped to foster a sense of belonging within a massive Israelite population that could be overwhelming. I imagine that the flags also allowed for connection and a feeling of safety amid a vast and unforgiving wilderness.  

Flags are still around today of course. We see them on lawns, at schools, on government buildings. We use them today much like those Israelites used them back then: They speak to identity. They tell the story of what we value, where we come from, the school we went to, the team we support, our political party and more. Flags matter, maybe as much as ever. Depending on where you sit, some flags are highly contentious and problematic, such as the Confederate flag. Some have come to view the Israeli flag in problematic terms, or the American flag as emblematic of evil or oppression. Since the beginning of time, flags have simultaneously censored in (I am part of this group) as they have censored out (I am not part of this group). Such was the case in the Torah and such is the case today. 

I am proud that there are three flags displayed on the KI bimah: The American flag, the Israeli flag and the Pride flag. These flags are there intentionally and for reasons that are layered and important. The American flag connotes that we are American Jews, living American lives, part of the American populace, participating in American culture and society in ways that are extensive and robust. We are among the 343 million that call this place home. The American flag on our bimah speaks to the fact that we have found safe haven here, in ways that we have often struggled to find elsewhere. The flag does NOT represent our agreement with every American administration, government official or public policy but rather our continued grappling with what it means to be an American and what version of America is to exist going forward.

Much of the same can be said of the Israeli flag, which was designed in various ways to mimic a tallis. For many of us, the Israeli flag is sacred. It represents an age-old people striving for life and peace in our ancient Homeland. It speaks to the generations of Jews who sought out a place in which they could live at last as Jews, sheltered from the hate too often spewed by European neighbors and governments. For many, it speaks to the wonder of Israel, the marvels and miracles that occur daily there, the pioneers that brought Israeli to life, the heroes that dared defend her amid the Six Day War or Yom Kippur War. Of course, for many, the Israeli flag represents warfare, aggression and ongoing brutality. It represents occupation and prejudice. They associate it with pain and horror. It is burned and bandied about by those who, through thin veils of antisemitism, can only see the worst of Israel. For us, the Israeli flag speaks to an eternal relationship with the land and the people, its mission and its future. Its appearance on our bimah does NOT mean we agree with every official Israel action. Hardly. Its appearance rather connotes our forever wrestling with Israel, as Jacob wrestled with the angel so long ago. 

Lastly, as we approach Pride Month, is the Pride Flag, the newest addition to our bimah. This flag sends a message to our LGBTQ friends that KI welcomes you. You belong here. This is your home. While there remains homophobia and transphobia in our world, we love you here for who you are. The road has not always been easy, as the path was not always easy in the biblical wilderness, but here you have abundant acceptance and support. 

All three flags, for me, reinforce what it means to be a Jew in 2026. They reinforce where we come from and the world we seek to build up today, a place of inclusion, compassion and greater peace.