How do they treat you? – Lech L’cha
Movement and migration have always been part of the human and Jewish story.
What spurred it on? Sometimes a spirit of adventure. Often, economic or political insecurity. On occasion, expulsion and exile. And, as in this week’s sidra, a beckoning vision of a land of promise.
Migration to Australia has been motivated by all these factors and more. All of us except the aboriginals are migrants or the descendants of migrants. We have come from many lands, groups and cultures. And we or our migrant forebears all have a tale to tell about how earlier generations of Australians regarded newcomers at any given time.
It is tragic that the Australians with the least tolerant and welcoming attitude to migrants tend to be those who – at least nominally – belong to Bible-based religions.
For Biblical teaching is quite clear concerning the ger v’toshav, the stranger and settler. 36 times the Torah insists that we love the ger, “for you were gerim in the land of Egypt”. A corollary rule declares, “When a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not oppress him. Like a home-born among you shall be the stranger who dwells with you, and you shall love him as yourself” (Lev. 19:33-34).
Which stranger is the Torah talking about? Europeans but not Asians? Christians but not Jews? There are no distinctions. They are all entitled to tolerance, protection, dignity and opportunity.
Will someone please tell Pauline Hanson?
