Rabbi Cohen informs us that Yitro, Shu’ayb in the Druze culture, is revered as both a prophet and a foundational figure. Yitro’s tomb, which is in Hittin, near Tiberias, is a site of pilgrimage, prayer, and study. The message of shared reverence for a single biblical figure demonstrates the potential for mutual respect and understanding
Rabbi Pardo was born in Amsterdam in 1626 and emigrated to Jamaica, at a time when Jews were gradually re-adopting religious practices after persecution in Spain and Portugal. His gravestone bears a quote from 2 Kings 22:2 – [he] “never turned right or left from the path of G-d.” That is a message that is particularly relevant today.
Rabbi Sacks writes that the Revelation at Sinai was unique in history. God spoke to an entire nation of individuals, not one individual. It had political significance, as well as religious significance; a new society was formed. The covenant with God superseded any political entity of power. Any king who violated Torah could be challenged.