Among my family’s treasured possessions is a wedding photograph from the early twentieth century. What makes the image so compelling is not simply the faces of my ancestors, but the story it tells about a family in transition. The photo captures an intergenerational bridal party of Jewish immigrants standing proudly before a large American flag.

This flag was more backdrop than background. For many immigrants at that time, patriotic symbols expressed gratitude for the opportunities and freedoms of their adopted homeland.

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary one month from this Shabbat, I find myself returning to that photograph. We have other pictures of Max and Libby Mirkin, but why did this one become a family heirloom?

In this week’s Torah portion, BeHa’alotkha, we encounter a fascinating episode that offers an answer.

As the Israelites prepared the Paschal offering in the wilderness, a group approached Moses and Aaron with an urgent request. Having become ritually impure while caring for a corpse, they were unable to........

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