On Tishah Be'av, you sit on the floor of the synagogue in the DP camp and read from the Book of Lamentations in the Bible. You identify strongly with what the author, of those biblical verses, wrote; your life has been filled with the same agony and sadness. Because you were born and raised as a Jew, you have been persecuted and nearly killed. Because they were Jews, six million of your brothers and sisters have died. Perhaps it is time to stop being a member of this people of misery.
Then, another thought comes to you. As an infant, your parents held a ceremony welcoming you into the ancient covenant with God, a covenant that stretches back to Mount Sinai. As a Jew, you accepted the duty of living up to that covenant, of making this world better and more godly. Your job is certainly not finished; the last few years have surely proved that. You cannot step away from this obligation merely because it has been difficult and painful. You are a Jew; you must remain one.
Rabbi Lipman's influence has helped you decide to attend a rabbinical seminary in the United States. You choose to attend the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York and are ordained as a Conservative rabbi. You take a pulpit and spend the rest of your life teaching other people about the importance of being Jewish. It is this mission that gives your life meaning.
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