Community Torah Corner - February 27, 2026 - Shabbat Zachor

Oliver: Shabbat Shalom. This week we have a special Torah reading called Parashat Zachor. In this reading, we learn about a time when Amalek tried to attack and destroy the Israelites. The Torah says,

זָכ֕וֹר אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ עֲמָלֵ֑ק בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֥ם מִמִּצְרָֽי׃

Zachor et asher asah lecha Amalek baderech b’tzeitchem miMitzrayim.

This means, “Remember what Amalek did to you on the road when you were leaving Egypt.”

Emmy: We talked about this verse and came up with some questions. One big question was, why is remembering so important? We decided that remembering helps us not repeat the same mistakes. We chose this quote because the word “remember,” or zachor, is very important. This matters to us because remembering what Amalek did is similar to remembering October 7th, which was a very painful day for Jewish people. It’s something that will never be forgotten.

Oliver: This pasuk teaches us that the Israelites were told to remember how Amalek attacked them when they were weak. Remembering helps us honor our past and understand the pain our people went through, so it doesn’t happen again. We also looked at a commentary by Matthew Henry, an British commentator. He says, “The longer it is before judgement comes, the more dreadful it will be at last.” It explains that people who hurt the Jewish people will eventually be held responsible. Amalek reminds us of enemies who try to harm others, and we are supposed to stand up against hate and wrongdoing.

Emmy: From this commentary, we learn that hurting the Jewish people is very serious, and waiting to do the right thing only makes things worse. The Amalekites were cruel because they attacked the Israelites right after they escaped Egypt, not only when they were tired and defenseless, but they targeted the weakest: the elderly, the women, and the children. This shows how unfair and inhumane the Amelekite’s actions were.

The lesson from this parashah is that remembering is important because God helped us survive. God doesn’t tell us to remember many things, so when God tells us to remember Amalek, it must be very important. Just like we are told to remember Shabbat and creation, we are told to remember Amalek, so we learn to treat others with compassion.

Oliver: This lesson connects to our lives today because we need to remember our history and how we got here. We remember October 7th so we can stay strong as a community. We remember the Holocaust and the concentration camps that our families suffered through, so it never happens again. Remembering Amalek teaches us to care for people who are weak and can’t protect themselves.

Emmy: This also affects our daily lives because antisemitism still exists today. Recently, the last hostages were returned home, and that is something we will remember forever, including the 843 days of suffering. Hamas showed hatred toward Jews, similar to Amalek. Many people experience antisemitism every day, and because of that, we need to stand up and be proud of who we are and remember our history.

Oliver: One important message from this parashah is remembering our past. I see this in school when we have to remember information for social studies. Remembering helps us learn and grow.

This message also applies to my relationships because it’s important to remember things about my friends and family to show that I care.

Emmy: I experience this idea personally when I say the Shema every day and night without needing to look at the paper. This parashah teaches us the Jewish value of memory, which means remembering isn’t just thinking about the past 6— it’s using the past to make better choices today.

Oliver: This message connects to what’s happening today because we have been remembering the tragic events of October 7th since 2023. This Torah message is still important because our history helps us understand who we are and how we got here.

Emmy: As Lucy Montgomery said, “Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.” I hope we take this lesson with us outside the synagogue and classroom and use it in our everyday lives. 

Shabbat Shalom.