Laura Meltzer is a 7th grader at the Churchill School in lower Manhattan. She loves writing scripts, making films, summers at Camp Ballibay and Cape Cod, but most of all she loves musical theatre.  Laura has performed as Laurey in Oklahoma!, Nancy in Oliver, The Baker's Wife in Into The Woods, Sara in Witch Hazel, The Sheriff in Ransom of Red Chief, and The Gatekeeper in The Wiz, among others.  When Laura was in 5th grade, she formed a group to petition the elementary school to start a theatre program.  The first show was so successful that there is now a new production each year.  Laura loves spending time with her Temple friends and wants to thank her Hebrew School teachers, Connie Heymann, Rabbi Berkowitz, Cantor Kruk, Cantor Fletcher, Rabbi Weiner, and the Hebrew School Committee for all their help in giving her such a great Jewish education.

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In this week’s torah portion “metzorah” the Lord speaks to Moses and tells him the ritual for the cleansing of a leper. G-d instructs the priest to start the cleansing outside of the camp because the leper might get others infected.  Once the priest finally cleanses the leper, the leper is then allowed back into the camp.

Even still, the leper must remain outside of his tent for at least seven days. After that, the priest and the leper go to the Tent of Meeting and sacrifice two lambs for an offering. However, If the leper is a poor person, they may sacrifice only one lamb.

The Lord then tells Moses and Aaron the ritual for cleansing a man whom is having bodily discharges. G-d also instructs them about his recovery and then G-d presents the cleansing ritual needed after sexual contact. God then tells Moses and Aaron the ritual of cleansing for women who have menstruated, and for female emissions, as well.

An important theme in Metzorah is keeping the community safe because the Torah portion is all about disease and  cleanliness; protecting people and healing them.

The Talmud tells us that visiting the sick is important. “A-loo divaream sh’ain lahem sheoor.”  “These are the duties who’s worth can not be measured;” “bichor cholim:  visiting the sick” is one of those duties.  

Visiting the sick is so important but even more important is taking care of the sick. In the days of Moses it was law that you must take care of the sick in your community.  But now our community is much bigger --- with airplanes, telephones, e-mail, and the internet, the world is now our community. 

In this week’s reading there is the understanding that not all people can afford the same things. G-d tells Moses that a poor person does not need to give as much for a guilt offering when he is being cleansed of a disease.

But is that how it works today?

If you have money it probably means you get better healthcare than if you’re poor--many times the poor get no healthcare at all.  Yet everybody deserves to be healthy.  In Metzorah we read that the children of Israel would get the healthcare they needed. But, in the world today we have diseases that are not unlike leprosy ---but the healthcare is not available to all.

AIDS may be the deadliest disease in our world today. It cannot be cured but it can be controlled--if you are able to afford the medicine.

In Africa AIDS has run rampant. According to YouthLinks.org 6,500 people die because of AIDS each day in Africa. There are over 14 million orphans there because of AIDS. The numbers grow every year.  There is no continent poorer than Africa, but the wealthier countries of the world could provide more help.

According to Unicef USA  countries could be doing more to change the course of AIDS in Africa. When I spoke to one of their staff members named Eric, he told me that the largest group being effected were people 15-24 years old. He said that there are two things that provide the biggest help in fighting AIDS. They are monetary donations and education. Not just from governments ---but from individuals everywhere.

Another theme in this week’s portion is dealing with what comes naturally.

When I told people my torah portion was Metzorah, they would sigh and say they felt sorry for me because of all the icky stuff in the portion. My friend Sara’s portion was about crossing the Red Sea, mine is about leprosy and discharges!

But then, I learned that even though these things are kind of gross ---they are still natural and because they are natural --people should not be alarmed.

When AIDS first appeared it was associated with the gay community. Instead of people trying to help, most of society ignored it and called it a gay disease. Time was lost and many people paid dearly. Including my next door neighbor, David.

It was G-d who told Moses and Aaron the way of cleansing disease. If G-d didn’t think people should be ashamed,  then people should have no shame -- it’s natural. In Metzorah we learn that anybody with a disease shouldn’t feel excluded from the community-- you still are a part of the community because you’re human, just a human with a disease.

The lesson we learn from metzorah is that all people who are sick in our community are our responsibility; just like it was for the children of Israel. Rich or poor, gay or straight, no matter the color of your skin-- the world is a big community. And we and the rest of our world should take part in helping out.

In the Babylonian Talmud, we hear the story of Rabbi Joshua who puts the question of helping the sick to no less an authority than the prophet Elijah himself. ”Where”, Rabbi Joshua asked, “shall I find the Messiah?”

“At the gate of the city,” Elijah replied

“How shall I recognize him?” said Rabbi Joshua

“He sits among the lepers.”

“Among the Lepers!” cried Rabbi Joshua. “What is he doing there?”

Elijah replied “He changes their bandages,”

 “He changes them one by one.”

That may not seem like much for a Messiah to be doing. But apparently, in the eyes of G-d, it is a mighty thing indeed.

In your pamphlets you will notice the website names of organizations that are leading the fight against AIDS all over the world. I encourage you to help them out. After all, we are commanded to do so.

I would like to thank the following people for helping me make this day possible.

First, I would like to thank my parents for helping me practice for today, for giving me  pointers on my speech, and always giving  me advise and love.

Next, I would like to thank my Grandpa Lewis and my Grandma Rita for always being there for me and listening.

I would like to thank my Aunt Carol, Uncle Bobby, Aunt Ronni, Uncle Phil, my cousins Daniel, Michael and Rebecca, and also my cousins Kenneth, Jan, and Maddie

And I don’t want to forget my Aunt Bea, Aunt Justine and Uncle Eddy and the rest of my family for always being there for me.

I’m sorry that my wonderful Grandma Nathalie and my Grandpa Henley could not be with us. May their memories always be a blessing.

I would like to thank Rabbi Weiner and Cantor Fletcher, for helping me to prepare for today.  I would like to also thank Rabbi Berkowitz, Cantor Kruk, my Hebrew School teachers and the hebrew school committee for giving me such a great education.

Last, but not least, I would like to thank the fabulous Connie Heymann for helping me to be able to read out of the Torah and recite the blessings. Connie you are truly amazing.

And thanks to all of you for sharing this day with me.  Shabbat Shalom.