Holding our heads high: From Naso to Eurovision

Last week, as Jews around the world watched Israel stand proudly on the Eurovision stage despite boos, hostility, and protests, I couldn’t help but think of our South African Jewish community. 

Small in number. Sometimes feeling isolated. Yet constantly refusing to lower our heads. 

Whether it’s volunteers delivering meals to seniors, communities rallying for Israel, young people putting on tefillin, or ordinary Jews performing extraordinary acts of kindness, our community continues to stand tall with dignity, faith, and pride. 

The opening words of this week’s parshah feel incredibly relevant, “Naso es rosh [Lift the heads of the Jewish people].” 

Parshah Naso begins with a seemingly simple instruction to take a census of the Jewish people. Yet the Torah doesn’t use the usual Hebrew word for counting, lispor. Instead, it says “Naso es rosh [Elevate their heads].” 

Why describe a census as an elevation? 

Because when we look only at our numbers, it can feel discouraging. We are one of the oldest nations on earth, yet among the very smallest. Moses already told us in the Torah, “You will be fewest among the nations.” How does such a tiny people survive? How do we continue influencing the world, building communities, defending values, and carrying the torch of morality and faith? 

The Torah answers: don’t merely count Jews, elevate them. Let everyone know that they matter infinitely; you are indispensable. Judaism was never just about how many Jews there are. It’s about the strength of our soul and the impact each person can make. 

I see this constantly as director of Chabad Seniors programmes. Every week our dedicated volunteers visit dozens of elderly members of our community who may feel forgotten by society. A warm meal, a birthday celebration, a hospital visit, a Shabbos food parcel, or simply sitting and listening to someone’s story becomes an act of naso es rosh, lifting another person’s head. 

Sometimes the greatest achievement is simply reminding one person that they matter. 

Last week, Israel’s representative at Eurovision, Noam Bettan, stood before millions under enormous pressure and hostility, yet performed with poise, pride, and strength. In the face of boos and protests, Israel still sang. 

That is the Jewish story. The Jewish people have learned that we cannot always control the noise around us, but we can choose what song we sing. 

Before stepping onto the stage, Bettan put on tefillin and recited Shema. Before the finals, he celebrated Shabbos proudly with the Israeli delegation. And after his performance, his message of Am Yisrael Chai rang out clearly. 

In the face of rising antisemitism, Jews continue to sing, to dance, to build, and to bring light into the world. 

Perhaps that is the deeper meaning of naso es rosh. Hold your head high. 

Not arrogantly, but proudly. Proud to be a Jew. Proud of our Torah. Proud of our values. Proud to care for one another. Because when you lift another’s head, you discover that, in truth, you have elevated your own. 

• Rabbi Ari Kievman, Chabad House Sandton Central