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32 December 14 • 2017 Y ou may learn from the story of Jacob that it is our "worst trial to have our children ask us for food when we have nothing to give." — Midrash HaGadol Jacob's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were at risk of starving. Ten of Jacob's sons made the long journey to Egypt from their home in Canaan to buy food so they and their families would survive. In the intricacies of the narrative of Mikketz — the rise and assimilation of Joseph in Egypt, the drama of his rec- ognizing his brothers with- out revealing his own iden- tity, the trials and trans- formations that allow for the brothers to ultimately reconcile — it is easy to for- get that the backdrop of the later part of the parsha is pervasive hunger. After seven years of plenty, there is famine; and this hunger drives the plot. Jacob instructs his sons to "go down [to Egypt] and buy us provisions from there, that we may live and not die." Joseph changes his mind about the brothers' initial imprisonment so that "[only] one of your brothers be confined … while the rest of you go bring provisions to relieve the starvation of your families." And finally Judah is able to convince Jacob to allow Benjamin to join his brothers in returning to Egypt so "we may live, and not die — we ourselves, and you, and our little ones as well." The midrash reminds us of this fundamental human suffering. For some of us, it is a daily reality, and we don't need a reminder. Many of us are blessed with the incredible privilege of never worry- ing about whether, if our children ask for food, we will have noth- ing to give. And in the intricacies of our daily lives — the joys and challenges and appointments and deadlines — it is easy to forget that we are living in a time when one in six children in our country is food inse- cure. It is time to address this crisis. Members of our syn- agogues, our friends and neighbors, and families in our schools are struggling to provide for their fami- lies and sometimes unable to put food on the table. Hunger touches everyone and can have profound implications for our city, our state and our country. We can respond by giving time and money to hun- ger organizations. We can advocate for public policies that reduce hun- ger. We can share our bounty so that no one needs to face a hungry child and have nothing to give. A Pharaonic record states that, "I was in distress on the Great Throne, and those who are in the palace were in heart's affliction from a very great evil, since the Nile had not come in my time for a space of seven years. Grain was scant, fruits were dried up ... The infant was wailing; the youth was wailing; the heart of old men was a sorrow …" If Pharaoh could hear the suffer- ing from his throne, we can hear the hunger pangs of our neighbors. Let's make sure that we respond. • Ariana Silverman is the rabbi of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. She lives in Detroit with her family. Rabbi Ariana Silverman Providing For Families spirit torah portion Parshat Mikketz: Numbers 7:30-41; Zechariah 2:14-4:7 (Shabbat Chanukah) JOHN HARDWICK Monday December 25 Together we will celebrate the strength of our community. Select and participate in a volunteer service project at one of many locations in metropolitan Detroit. The tradition continues. L E N D A H A N D ! Registration: November 16 - December 18 mitzvahdaydetroit2017.eventbrite.com Questions? Call the Mitzvah Day Hotline: 248-642-2656 or email: nlevine@jfmd.org Mitzvah Day Co-chairs: Micki Grossman Milt Neuman Illana Stern MITZVAH DAY 2017