An ode to Joe Wars.
There was a famine in the land. So begins our portion today.
Joseph and the Egyptians had prepared for this. During the seven years of plenty they had stockpiled food. It was a tale of delayed gratification. Joseph was a dreamer; and this was a fulfilment of his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, his prophesy. Like Herzel, “if you will it it is no dream.” Or maybe even better Yoko Ono said “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” Joseph converted Pharaoh’s dream into reality. Or maybe Walt Disney: “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Joseph was able to rally the people and create a reality that included feeding people even in the bleakest of famines.
The rest of the world? Not so much and people were hurting. Jacob sent his remaining sons to Egypt, hoping to find food, not knowing that Joseph was there. Yet he held Benjamin back. How could he risk losing another son? Losing Joseph earlier had been painful enough.
When the sons came back to Jacob, needing to take Benjamin to Joseph, Jacob still balked. But then said, “If it must be so, do this: take some of the choice products of the land in your baggage, and carry them down as a gift for the man—some balm and some honey, gum, ladanum, pistachio nuts, and almonds.” So, there was still some food left in the land of Israel and Jacob was willing to share it. I am told that percentagewise, the people who are the least wealthy contribute the most to non-profits. People who have gone without are more likely to share what they do have.
Imagine needing to pick up everything you have and move because you don’t have food. That is what is happening in today’s story and that is what is happening today in many parts of the globe.
As the climate crisis become more pronounced, there are continuing discussions about mass migration. However, “Most climate change- and natural disaster-related movement is internal rather than cross-border, and temporary rather than permanent. The likelihood of migration also depends on communities’ vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, which can be mitigated by adaptation measures such as building sea walls or other defenses, as well as individuals’ access to resources to move (including transportation, social networks, and legal pathways). There were 33 million natural disaster-related displacements in 2022, but the biggest displacement situations—from floods in Pakistan to droughts in East Africa—saw people move within their countries, at least at first. And by the end of the year, most disaster-displaced people went back to their homes. Over time, a bigger issue may be migration prompted by slow, gradual climate change impacts. Hotter temperatures can threaten agricultural livelihoods, sea-level rise can make floods more severe, and desertification can foster conflict over water access, all of which can lead to migration.” https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/climate-migration-101-explainer
Living in a desert environment is tricky to say the least and you need access to food and water. Critical. Think oasis. Egypt was known as the breadbasket of the Roman Empire. Israel was able to make the desert bloom again by using innovative technology like drip irrigation, increasing yields all over the world. They still actively consult on this topic.
This year we saw tornados impact Elgin and at least several families at Del Webb force to evacuate. That was not a food insecurity issue, but a housing issue. And people had enough money, resources, friends and family to come out all right, except for the emotional trauma of being displaced, even temporarily.
It is an example of it just doesn’t happen over there somewhere, but right here at home.
Everyone needs nutritious food to thrive. And, while people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families, approximately 49 million people—that’s one in six people in the U.S.—still relied on food assistance from charities like Feeding America in 2022. According to Feeding America, one in five children in this country goes to bed hungry without knowing where their next meal is coming from.
https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/child-hunger-facts
It can seem overwhelming. Yet there is something about this portion that brings me hope. That someone who was foreign born and had been falsely imprisoned rose to be a great leader. That he could rally people together who did what needed to be done, allowing people. All people, even the “migrants” to survive. There’s a lot of hope in that.
There is also something about our community right here that brings me hope, in a sad way. This week Elgin lost a good one. Joe Wars served on the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee with me. He was all about the kids and the scholarships that the committee would give to deserving students in U-46. But more than that he spearheaded the Martin Luther King Food Drive for years. His goal was always to bring in 40 tons of food which were then distributed to the various food pantries in Elgin. I spent many an early, cold Martin Luther King, junior Monday morning, sorting food with Joe at the Church of the Brethren headquarters, with countless teen agers, eating a donut and watching Joe be a cheerleader as the food would roll in. His sense of optimism was outstanding, impressive. His ability to bring people together: U46, the library, the fire department and the City of Elgin itself was amazing, And if you thought you couldn’t do something, anything, he would remind you that “G-d got you.” He was a man of deep faith. And excellence. His definition of excellence according to the Chicago Tribune, “If people are seeing you do your very best, hopefully you will influence others to do better in life,” he said. “Do the best you can to make the world a better place.”
Soon, in our Jewish calendar, we begin the Book of Exodus, which states that there arose a leader who knew not Joseph. We in Elgin can’t allow that to happen here. Sure, we need to remember our patriarch Joseph. AND. We need to remember Joe Wars and his commitment to the kids, to ending hunger and to building bridges throughout the city.
By the way, did you know that CKI has its own little food pantry. Just when you walk in, there are some green pantry doors. I peaked in at the beginning of December when we were making blessing kits for Centro. Someone had cleaned it all out. Perhaps, the food was expired. Perhaps someone came in need. We do have members that sometimes take. And we have members who sometime contribute. It is very useful for someone who is not quite making it. Like Jacob, I have seen at least one person put something in that perhaps they couldn’t use and take something out they needed. I have seen the police department ask if we have anything they can offer someone.
We can’t solve global famine, but we can participate in helping those in need by replenishing our own food pantry and when the details come out helping with the Martin Luther King food drive. This year’s goal for the MLK food drive is 50 tons of food. Let’s make both Joseph and Joe War’s dream a reality.
List of foods for CKI Food Pantry:
Easy open cans (some people don’t have can openers!)
Peanut butter and jelly
Tuna
Canned protein, meat meals, chili, etc.
Pasta
Tomato sauce
Rice in 1 pound bags
Pinto beans
Oatmeal in small packets
Saltines or other crackers
Mac and cheese in boxes or individual servings
Baby food