Below is a poem that touched me from the book When A Jew Celebrates, by Behrman House, and I want to share it with you.
Life and history sound very important.
But they are both made up of days and weeks.
Day by day, week by week,
We spend our lives doing good, or bad, in history.If we waste our days,
If we throw them away,
If we do not care how we spend our weeks,
Our lives will be empty and our world full of fear.But if we learn to see each day as an opportunity,
And we use each week to move ahead,
If we learn to fill our days with good deeds and love for others,
If we look upon our days and weeks as our people did—as a chance to serve God,As an opportunity to help build the kingdom of God on earth,
Then our time will have been important—to ourselves, to our people, to the world, to God.
How did you spend your days this summer? Every week Jews celebrate Shabbat. Every month we celebrate Rosh Chodesh (the new moon) and every year Rosh Hashanah. When 5767 begins will you have a list of mitzvot? God doesn’t care how many vacations you went on or whether you decorated your house. Did you spiritually connect with your Judaism. I hope in the coming year we can share many wonderful Jewish experiences together here at HJC.
The Jewish month of Tishre brings us many Holidays to observe and celebrate. Now that the New Year has begun , I have a thought for you to consider. Jewish Law asks each individual to write a Sefer Torah. We are not to write the Sefer Torah in order to possess one physically. We are asked not to own a Torah scroll but rather to write one.
Our lives are parchment, our deeds the words. At each moment we determine the style and content of the scroll. Our masterworks are written in deeds; even those who write for a living must find their inspiration and guidance in life.
If we aim high, we can aspire to write a Torah with our lives. When Rabbi Eliezer the Great died, the Talmud tells us as he was buried the mourners said, “A Torah scroll is being hidden away.” His life was so perfect an example of the ideals of our tradition that it was as if he had become a Torah. Some are given the talent and training to write a Torah scroll on parchment, to all of us it is given to write a sacred story against the backdrop of our lives.
I challenge everyone to begin their own personal Torah in 5767. Huntington Jewish Center Religious School is here to help you write a scroll that connects you to God. We hope all families will take advantage of the family programs and services offered here at HJC. I invite you to be a familiar face.
The month of Tishre was very busy for the Religious School. From hearing the Shofar blown in class by Mr. Raskin to Succah hopping, everyone enjoyed celebrating the holidays. Now its time to move on to the month of Cheshvan/ November. We have a month with no major Jewish Holiday. Can you believe it? So as Jews we always need something to do, so November is dedicated to Jewish Book month. The Bet students are enrolled in a reading program through SAJES to read and discuss the book “ The Christmas Menorah”. The Synagogue has joined in a Long Island wide Community Read, in which we are reading “The Sunflower”. Throughout the entire religious school , We are running a Jewish Book Contest in which participants will get a free new book at the Sisterhood Book Sale. The students can read any book which contains some Jewish content and then make a poster, write an advertisement, or report about the Book.
We also like to concentrate on the holiday of Shabbat which occurs every week. The following is an article called “Floating Takes Faith” by David J. Wolpe.
In a discussion on Shabbat, Adin Steinhaltz writes that we must do no work on the Sabbath—not even work on our souls. Yet we know that our souls are supposed to be elevated on Shabbat, that we should reach higher on Shabbat than we do during the week. How can that be if for the entire day we do not strive spiritually?
I remember when I was learning to swim. The hardest part was floating. Swimming is about propulsion: One must kick, stroke, move. But floating asks us to be still, to trust in the buoyancy of the water. Swimming is work, floating takes faith.
In the ocean it is sometimes necessary to swim, but the swimmer goes beneath the wave while the floater rides its crest. Similarly, the one who works on himself or herself all week should aim to float on Shabbat. Floating will carry you higher than the often strenuous effort of the week.
On Shabbat we are to consider the week’s tasks complete: Shabbat asks us to trust the wave of God’s world.
This Shabbat, do not work on the world or on yourself. Save that for the other six days, and when Shabbat comes, float.
Everyone needs a break, that’s why God created Shabbat. I hope you’ll take the opportunity to experience Shabbat to its fullest and enjoy the rest. Come to Synagogue. Visit with friends and make some new ones. Junior Congregation is offered every Shabbat.
In preparing myself for the holiday of Hanukkah, I read a Yiddish story called “Life is Like a Dreidel”, by I.L. Peretz. The story is about the ups and downs of a family, but through each changing year the family continues to light the same Hanukkah menorah. It emphasizes the importance of lighting the Hanukkah lamp and of keeping the old traditions alive even as things change and spin in our lives.
The story made me think about how life really does spin like a dreidel. Some days we have so many things going on we feel like we will never get a chance to fall down and win. Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom. In America we tend to take this freedom for granted. I encourage everyone to enjoy your freedom and celebrate Hanukkah with all its traditions. Bake cookies, fry latkahs, play dreidel, sing songs, and most of all light the menorah all eight nights.
Hanukkah traditions vary among Jews from different countries. For example, some countries eat latkahs while others eat jelly doughnuts. Children sing many different Hanukkah songs with other melodies.
But Jews everywhere do one thing that is the same. They all light some sort of Hanukkah lamp each night of the holiday— to publicize the miracles. This year put a menorah in your window. Show the world that your proud to celebrate your holiday. My kids like when we drive down streets at night and can count all the Jewish families by their Menorah in the window. Try it its nice to know there are other Jews near by.
Chag Sameach! Happy Hanukkah from my house to yours!
The month of January is the anniversary of my Bat Mitzvah. (Yes, I remember it well!) My Haftorah was Parshat Bo. As a child of thirteen I really didn’t understand the meaning of the Torah reading. Now as a grown woman I actually feel that it was a very appropriate parsha for me. It’s the Exodus from Egypt and the first seder. One remarkable lesson for all future generations would be the marking of the doorposts with lambs blood, this marking on the doorposts would be recalled through the commandment of placing a Mezuzah on the doorpost. The mezuzah which is really a cover of any sort containing within it a piece of Kosher parchment on which the declaration of faith, the Shma Yisrael, is written, testifies that this home is committed to the preservation of Judaic ideals, ethical teachings and religious principles.
All too often, nowadays, we find that mezuzah covers are sold or given away with a non-kosher enclosure within it. A mezuzah cover without a proper parchment is an empty shell, because it is the inner message which speaks to our hearts. Likewise, for a Jew, the external trappings of Jewish identity are hollow unless they are accompanied by an inner feeling of commitment and faith. Similarly, a home with only a Mezuzah on the door but no semblance of Jewish life on the part of the occupants within lacks the spiritual dimensions that the mezuzah conveys.
To be meaningfully Jewish, one’s outward actions should mirror an inner faith and religious commitment. That is why I went into Jewish education. I have very deep feelings for my Judaism and I want to share that enthusiasm with others to make Judaism more alive. Two weeks ago the Aleph students made clay mezuzzot. My hope is that each family would buy a Kosher scroll and put it up on a doorpost in their home. Having a mezuzzah that their child handmade would inspire the family to embrace their Judaism and feel proud to be Jewish. May the mezuzzah on your doorpost allow you to open your heart to see the beauty of God’s teachings and creations.
Religious School report cards have recently been sent home, and one of the most common comments the teachers wrote is that the students need to pay attention, listen more closely. I admit, I am a “multi-tasker”, and as a multi-tasker I often try to do other things when someone is talking to me. That is merely hearing, not listening. People’s words are important and to show respect to them and treat them with kavod (honor) that they deserve, it is necessary to be a good listener. When someone speaks they deserve complete attentiveness and you deserve it too. That is why in class we ask that only one student at a time speaks, so they can hear what each has to say.
When we listen we need to be unbiased, compassionate and understanding. These are good listening qualities ascribed by God. To emulate these qualities means that you are doing more than just hearing someone’s words. But there is another kind of listening that also needs to be practiced. That is listening with the heart. The unspoken words that might go unnoticed unless we learn to listen well with our hearts. I encourage everyone to put down what you are doing, look others in the eye and open your heart to really listen.
Many people ask does God speak to us? It may not always be words, but in life itself. On a personal note, I have some coincidences to share with you, that I believe are ways God has communicated with me. My Hebrew name is Chavah. Chavah means life and was the name God gave Eve in the Garden of Eden. I can’t sit still very long because there are always so many things I want to do. My husband calls me the energizer bunny. Many of you always see me running around the synagogue. It’s interesting that my job is to teach children how to live a Jewish life. Along those lines I was born on Tu B’Shvat , the holiday of trees, the tree of life. Now if that isn’t enough, my oldest daughter is named Elana, which means strong tree. Elana was born on the 18th of June, Father’s Day. Eighteen in Hebrew letters spells Chai, which means life, and my daughter Elana is full of life like her mom. She is a go-getter and doer. She originally wasn’t supposed to be named Elana, but my grandmother Edyth died three months before she was born. My grandmother was a life member of Hadassah. When Elana became a Bat Mitzvah I gave her the gift of being a life member of Hadassah also. Her certificate came signed and dated June 18, 2002. I couldn’t believe it. I can’t explain any of this except that God is trying to tell me something. So I hope you take the time and try to listen to God also. Who knows what you will hear.
When we think of the Holiday of Purim we think of fun. With groggers, costumes, hamantashen, wine/ grape juice, dancing, singing, what could be bad? I read an article in the Babaganewz magazine about laughter. I thought this was the perfect topic for Purim time. Here are a few quotes to get us started:
“You put gladness in my heart” (Psalms 4:8) “A happy face makes a cheerful face” (Proverbs 15:13) “As people think in their hearts, so they become” (Proverbs 23:7) “It’s a great mitzvah to always be in a state of simcha – happiness” (Rabbi Nachman)
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Many people believe that laughter boosts the immune system, reduces pain and stress and even prevents heart disease. Research has shown that laughing increase respiration, improves blood flow to the brain, and creates a general sense of well-being.
There is a Jewish troupe of clowns called Lev Leytzan (heart of a clown). They are also known as mitzvah clowns. These clowns are volunteers who go to hospitals and nursing homes to cheer up people and make them feel better. One Israeli hospital even offers a “medical clowning” course to train professional on how to use laugh therapy. Soon, doctors might say, “Listen to two jokes, and call me in the morning.”
They say that laughing and smiling are contagious and can be spread from one person to another. Have you ever had a stranger smile at you and all of a sudden you feel a little happier? Have you ever started laughing at something a friend said and you don’t even know why you began laughing, but all of a sudden your entire group is laughing?
Rabbi Nachman, a great Hasidic sage, said that happiness was essential to life, and he recommended that Jews act as if they were happy, even when they were not. Remember that things can always be worse, so try to think of the brighter side.
As many of you know my husband and I are living in a house of four teenagers; 13, 14, 15 and 16 years of age. Everyday crazy things go on. My husband and I look at each other sometimes and just laugh at what goes on. My husband has been known to answer our phone by saying, “ Bellevue Mental Ward”. My friends say I should write a book about the funny things that occur. We laugh a lot in my house or otherwise we’d be crying, so maybe that is why I consider myself pretty happy.
So start today, smile at a stranger, tell a joke or watch a funny movie, but most of all be HAPPY!
The Holiday of Passover (Pesach) is also known as Z’man Chayrutaynu , ‘The Season of Our Freedom.’. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, and then during this season became a free people. Once a year it is a mitzvah for Jews to set themselves free. No matter what’s happening in the outside world, celebrating Pesach means rediscovering our inner freedom. Every year, each of us goes through our own version of ‘escape from Egypt’. In the Haggadah we are told: “Each Jew is required to see him/herself as if s/he personally escaped from Egypt.” In fifteen steps, the Seder takes us from slavery to freedom.
Fifteen steps led to the sanctuary in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. These fifteen steps led up to the Holy of Holies. That was the one spot on earth where people were sure to come close to God.
The Haggadah was the creation of the Rabbis. It was their way of fulfilling the mitzvah: “Remember this day on which you came out from, the house of slavery, how the eternal brought you by strength of hand” (Exodus 6.6-7). The foods, blessings and ceremonies of the Seder take us through history. The Seder’s fifteen steps take us from slavery to freedom, from degradation to dignity, from the rule of evil toward the rule of God.
At your Seder this year, think about how you will feel when you are taken out of slavery into the land of freedom? Our experience has bonded us together into a people connected to God’s vision of history.
Nirtzah is a short poem, which says that we have completed all the laws of Passover and want God to redeem us. The Seder ends with “soon lead Your people back to Zion, next year in Jerusalem.” Even people living in Jerusalem say “next year in Jerusalem,” because we are not asking for just physical location but for a Jerusalem that exists in the Messianic Era. Here are some other questions to think about at your Seder. Why do we tell the story of Passover before we eat? Why not eat and then tell the story? What is your favorite step in the order of the Seder? Why? Remember the Seder is a mitzvah not just a dinner. Make the most out of your Seder. You can have some fun and interesting discussions. I wish everyone a very Happy Passover.
Chag Sameach!
The following is an excerpt from The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things by Rabbi Steven Leder.
The concept of an acquired taste-enjoyment or understanding resulting from regular exposure. At the bottom of Mount Sinai Jews responded to Moses by saying, ”We will do and we will listen.” From the start, Jews affirmed that in order to really understand Judaism they had to practice it. I often tell my students that Judaism is like learning to swim—a textbook only takes you so far. A student behind a desk can read every book ever written on swimming, see every instructional video, hear the best motivational speaker, and then, no matter how lengthy or extensive their train, enter the deep end of a pool and quickly drown. Everyone understand the difference between learning and doing in swimming, and in many other things too. Any skill that enhances our life and brings us pleasurepainting, playing the piano, even a decent game of tennistakes time, effort and practice. Most Jews understand this fact of life...except when it comes to Judaism.
Many among us want simple answers to tough personal and societal questions. People want ‘spirituality’ without taking the time to acquire the religious knowledge and skill that real spirituality demands: they want the keys to the inner doors of wisdom without first unlocking the outer doors of study and practice. I hear it almost daily; every rabbi does. “Rabbi, I’m not very religious, and I don’t know or do very much, but I feel Jewish and that’s the important thing.” Pride in our heritage as Jews is crucial. But it it’s pride without any real understanding or commitment, then it’s false pride. Feeling Jewish is not enough. Judaism isn’t easy. Seeking meaning involves living, praying, making Shabbat, giving tzedakah, mourning, celebrating, and even eating as a Jew.
Our ancestors understood that action preceded insight and effort necessarily came before reward. It’s an equation that seemed clear to them and seems equally clear to many of us in every aspect of life except our spirituality. Jews who want to find meaning in their tradition have to put forth at least as much effort a Jew who wants to improve their golf fame! Judaism is an acquired taste. We have to try it over and over again to discover just how sweet it is.
When I read this chapter in Rabbi Leder’s book, I felt as if he read my mind. Getting to Religious School is hard, practicing to read Hebrew is a challenge. The rewards at the end are very sweet, a sense of accomplishment and knowledge of Judaism. Then you can be proud to be Jewish. This month we celebrate Shavuot, the day we received the Torah. I hope you choose to accept the Torah and practice it over and over again until you find just how sweet Judaism can be.
Chag Sameach.
I was sent the following poem and I thought it was so wonderful I wanted to share it with you. Between Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and the end of the year, everyone should feel appreciated for all that they do. The poem below is for every adult, because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.
WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you hang my
First painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted
To paint another one.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you feed
Stray cats, and I learned that it was good to be kind
To animals.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my
Favorite cake for me and I learned that the little
Things can be
The special things in life.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I heard you say a
Prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always
Talk to and I learned to trust in God.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a
Meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
Learned that we all have to help take care of each other.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of
Your time and money to help people who had nothing
And I learned that those who have something should
Give to those who don’t.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take
Care of our house and everyone in it and I learned
We have to take care of what we are given.When you thought I wasn’t looking how you
Handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t
Feel good and I learned that I would have to be
Responsible when I grow up.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come
From your eyes and I learned that sometimes things
Hurt, but it’s all right to cry.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you
Cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I learned most of
Life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and
Productive person when I grow up.When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you
And wanted to say, “Thanks for all the things I saw
When you thought I wasn’t looking.”
This poem is for all the people I know who do so much for others and think no one ever sees. Little eyes see a lot. Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) Influence the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today?
If you want your child to be Jewish and proud of it then she or he needs to see you practicing your Judaism and being proud of it. Shabbat occurs every week. Come to synagogue with your children.
I’d like to thank all the parents who volunteered to help the Religious School this year. I did see when you thought I wasn’t looking. Have a great summer and remember to practice your Hebrew reading.
As I am writing my September article, I am reminded of the word “Bereshit” – In the Beginning. The month of September is filled with many beginnings: the new school year, the Jewish New Year, and Simchat torah when we begin reading the Torah again. In “Bereshit”, after each day of creation God saw “Ki-Tov” and it was good. My wish for everyone this Rosh Hashanah is that each day should be “a good day”. May you learn something new , do a mitzvah, have peace and joy with your family. One of my goals for the new Religious School year is to make sure that each day is a “good day” for our students and some days to be even excellent. In Pirke Avot it says, “Who is rich? One who is happy with their portion. It is up to each individual to make each day a good one. How we perceive things is either in a bad or good way will determine our days. Is the glass half full or half empty? There is the quote, “Things can always be worse”. We have to appreciate the good things we have: health, shelter, food, and family.
In the coming New Year I hope we can find it in ourselves to make each day “Ki-Tov”. This may seem like a difficult task, but if we start each day positive and with Torah in our hearts, it will probably be easier.
L’Shanah Tovah to everyone at Huntington Jewish Center.
My parents would say to me when I was a child, “All I care about is that you should be a mensch”. So what is a mensch? It’s a concept that most Jews understand but can’t explain. To be a mensch has nothing to do with success, wealth or status. The key to being “a real mensch” is character. Many a poor man, many an ignorant man, is a mensch. It’s hard to define mensch. In fact, it’s easier to say what a mensch is not than to say what a mensch is. But since mensches are the cure to the world’s troubles, I offer you “Rabbi Leder’s Eleven Suggestions for Becoming a Mensch,” from his book The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things.
Remember what success really means. As Rabbi Neil Kurshan
points out: “The Talmud states that when a child is born, it is
visited by an angel who requires that the child take a simple oath:
‘Be righteous, and never be wicked.’ A child is not asked to be
brilliant, cute, athletic or popular. A child is asked to be kind,
honest, and understanding.”
A mensch worries more about being better than about being better off.
Do we tell our children to be honest but sneak them into the
movies for the under-twelve price when they are twelve and a
half? Do we tell them we’re going out to a meeting, and they
later find out we went to dinner and a movie? Do we tell them to
be lawful and then park in a handicapped spot? Do we tell our
kids to be kind to their brothers and sisters, while we haven’t
spoken to our own siblings in months? Do our children hear us
say we care about the poor and then ignore their outstreched
hands and their hungry eyes as we walk by them in our designers
clothes?
A mensch is always a mensch, in word and in deed.
A mensch treats everyone decently. When a man who served as a
White House stenographer for over forty years retired, he was
asked which President he enjoyed working for the most. He
answered that Harry Truman was his favorite because he was the
only president who called him by his name.
A mensch doesn’t treat anyone like hired help—even hired help.
When a friend is sick, experiences a divorce, tragedy, or death in
the family, no matter how busy, a mensch takes time to call or
visit. A mesch reaches out to people who ache instead of running
away.
A mensch doesn’t disappear.
Do the people closest to us see us angrier about rush hour traffic
and the housekeeper folding our laundry improperly than we are
over racism, pollution, or violence?
A mensch knows the difference between real problems and minor annoyances.
One of the most famous sayings in all Judaism is by Rabbi Hillel
in the Talmud: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And
if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” This
was Hillel’s plea for a life balanced between personal and
communal obligations, appreciating the urgency of both.
A mensch gives more money to charity than he or she can afford and more time to the community than he or she has to spare, but somehow always manages to be home when needed.
Maybe we don’t use the “N’ word in our homes. But what words
do we use—fag, bitch, schvartze, goy? Whoever said “sticks and
stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” was
wrong.
We can wound with words; a mensch is careful not to.
Black, white, brown, or some combination; man or woman;
young or old; married or single; thin or overweight—a mensch
really doesn’t care.
The only thing that matters to a mensch is whether you, too, are a mensch.
Do you cheat in sports or in business? Have you ever seen your
child cheating at something—even just a little bit—and done
nothing about it?
A mensch is honest—always.
A mensch doesn’t gossip.
A therapist once said that ninety percent of what she treats people
for could have been prevented or cured by ordinary kindness. A
kind word, a call, a touch—the world is starving for kindness.
A mensch is kind.
Everyone wants the world to be a better place. Being a mensch is the best way to make it happen.
Here at HJC, the Religious School staff teach the students how to be mensches. We hope when they leave their classroom and go into the real world they put into practice what they have been taught. The world would be a better place if we all tried to be a mensch.
Cheshvan is the Hebrew month for November. There are no major holidays in Cheshvan other than Shabbat. The Jewish community has dedicated November to two projects. The first November is known as Jewish Book Month. To help support this project, the Religious School is having a Jewish book contest. Each student that reads a book and makes a poster, will receive a $5.00 gift certificate toward a new book at the Sisterhood book fair. The Bet class (4th grade) is participating in the SAJES 4th Grade Read On by reading the book Reach for the Stars and doing a project about it. The Synagogue is also participating in SAJES “On the Same Page” program and reading the book Joy Comes in the Morning. I hope in the month of November you can find the time to read a good Jewish book.
November /Cheshvan is also known as Social Action. Tzedakah is a beautiful mitzvah—and a surprising one. Jewish law mandates that even a beggar who receives Tzedakah must in turn give Tzedakah, for it is important for all of us to feel that we have something to give. But what of people who truly have nothing? Sharing a story or spending time with someone is giving something.
Tzedakah is often material, but not always. We give tzedakah when we share our imagination, our efforts, our love. In the Ashrei, each day, we speak metaphorically of God’s open hand. We, too, must open our hands, our minds, and our hearts. Tzedakah is the gift God expects us to give one another. Giving money, while essential, is only the beginning.
Gemilut Chasadim—Acts of Loving Kindness are other ways of giving. Parents teach their children by example. If you help feed the hungry, clothe the needy, visit the sick, help a disabled person, or volunteer at the Synagogue or School your child will learn these are important ways of opening our hands to one another and do a mitzvah. I hope in the month of November you will find the time to give a little of yourself to help someone else.
December (Kislev) the month of Chanukah. How many things can you say about Chanukah? It's the holiday in which we remember the miracles that happened long, long ago. Whether it be how long the oil lasted for or how the Maccabees defeated the army of King Antiochus, we celebrate the "rededication of the Temple".
How we celebrate is another story. We light candles for eight nights or use a real oil chanukiyah (menorah), say the blessings and sing some Chanukah songs (my favorite is Maotzur.) There is the playing of dreidal with a shin or a pay depending on if you are in Israel. The Chanukah gelt, chocolate or real money. Then, of course is everyone's favorite, potato latkes, with applesauce or sour cream. Sufganiot, jelly donuts, from Israel have become a popular treat.
I think the most important part of celebrating Chanukah is family. We all get together with our relatives to remember our Judaism. It gives us a reason to get together to spend time with family, to make Jewish memories. I have pictures of the first times my kids were old enough to light the candles and when we used the first chanukiyot they made. The family parties where we made chanukah cookies and danced to tapes of Chanukah songs, like "I am a Latka" and " Dreidal Dreidal." If you create enough Jewish memories for your family, Christmas should never be an issue. Both holidays give presents, have songs, have family get-togethers. The only thing is that there is no such thing as a chanukah bush! We have beautiful chanukiyot burning candles for 8 great nights.
I hope that everyone can make wonderful Chanukah memories this year. From my house to yours Chag Sameach!
I think that I shall never see,
A poem as lovely as a tree;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
—Joyce Kilmer
This January 22, the 15 of Shevat, Jews the world over will celebrate Tu B’Shevat—The New Year of Trees, our very own environmental holiday. In Israel the trees are beginning to bud and the almond trees do to Jerusalem what the cherry blossoms will do to Washington, D.C. in the springtime. Here in Huntington we find ourselves in the dead of winter, a strange time to be thinking about trees. We know that people need trees... but do “Trees need people?” Human being couldn’t exist very long on earth without trees but many people thing that trees may be better off without human beings. Those who think this way point to air and water pollution which have damaged our environment. Trees need sunshine and fresh air and clean water in order for photosynthesis to take place. Toxic waste and garbage buried in the wrong place can kill trees by damaging the soil and affecting the tree roots. Also, there are so many trees that people tend to take for granted and may not realize that wood and wood products should be recycled to save the lives of other trees.
From the Jewish point of view, people need trees AND trees need people. When the world was created people were given trees to eat from and also take care of...Tu B’Shevat is the day we remind ourselves of this earth-care partnership. Trees will take care of us, only as long as we take care of them. Have you hugged a tree today?
Tu B’Shevat is the day we celebrate and appreciate the many gifts we receive from trees. And so it seems logical to repay the earth for all we’ve been given. This is why we plant trees and give tzedekah on Tu B’Shevat.
It’s traditional to give 91 cents to tzedekah on Tu B’Shevat because 91 is the numerical equivalent of the word ELAN which means tree. Jews all over the world collect money for the Jewish National Fund to plant trees in Israel, Please help in our effort and send in your completed forms and money to the Religious School office to show your appreciation of trees.
February on the secular calendar is honored as Black History Month. The two things that come to my mind when I hear this are: Jews were once slaves in Egypt; and we have been subjected to discrimination too. Because of these two facts Jews have tried to help African -Americans fight for their rights. This was clearly demonstrated by Rabbi Abraham Heschel. Below is an article about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Heschel that I feel truly expresses what “Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself “ means. I hope you will agree.
TWO PROPHETS, ONE SOUL: REV. MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. AND RABBI ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL
by Harold M. Schulweis
More than a coincidence of calendar couples the anniversary of the births of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., January 15 and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, January 11. Two men from different geographies, color, creed, theological background were joined in a spiritual kinship whose legacy address our own times.
Heschel, a Polish immigrant, scion of a long line of Chasidic rabbis, Professor of Jewish Ethics and Mysticism at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and King, an American descendant of slaves, a compassionate protector of the oppressed, charismatic orator, writer and theologian, marched side-by- side from Selma to Montgomery to protest the pernicious racism that poisoned America and humiliated its African-American citizens. A host of white citizens, filled with venomous hate, surrounded the marchers, jeered and spat upon them. But as Heschel declared later: "When I marched in Selma, my feet were praying." It is important not only to protest against evil but to be seen protesting. Faith in the goodness and oneness of God is powerfully expressed through the language of feet, hands, and spine.
Heschel and King, these two contemporary prophets remind us to eschew the invidious "one downsmanship" that compares one people's sufferings against another. Comparative victimizing is a divisive exercise that diminishes the anguish of our pain and replaces empathy with insensitivity. King and Heschel were united in the kinship of suffering and the shared vision of great dreams. Strengthened by the tradition of both biblical testaments, they defied the killers of the dreams quotations out of their bodies.
Describing Heschel as "one of the great men of our age, a truly great prophet", Martin Luther King declared: "He has been with us in many struggles. I remember marching from Selma to Montgomery, how he stood at my side...I remember very well when we were in Chicago for the Conference on Religion and Race...to a great extent his speech inspired clergymen of all faiths to do something they had not done before."
At that conference Heschel reminded the assembly that the first Conference on Religion and Race took place in Egypt where the main participants were Pharaoh and Moses. Moses' words were: "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, let My people go" and the Pharaoh retorted "Who is the Lord that I should heed this voice and let Israel go." That summit meeting in Egypt has not come to an end. Pharaoh is still not ready to capitulate. The Exodus began, but we are still stranded in the desert. It was easier for the Israelites to cross the Red Sea than for men and women of different color to enter our institutions, our colleges, our universities, our neighborhoods.
"How can we love our neighbor", Heschel asks rhetorically when we flee from him and leave him abandoned, congested in the neglected ghettos of the inner city?
After the assassination of King, Heschel said of him "Martin Luther King is a sign that God has not forsaken the United States of America. God has sent him to us...his mission is sacred...I call upon every Jew to hearken to his voice, to share his vision, to follow in his way. The whole future of America will depend upon the influence of Dr. King."
King and Heschel speak to our community in the diction of the ancient prophets. They dare remind us that while "some are guilty, all are responsible." That moral responsibility transcends class, creed and race. Heschel and King taught us that the opposite of good is not evil but indifference and that silence in the presence of evil amounts to consent. They charged us to transcend the cleavages that distract us from the solidarity of our goal, and to publicly stand together against the twin evils of racism and anti-Semitism.
The calendrical coincidence of their birth anniversaries calls upon us to resurrect the moral passion and wisdom that infused their lives. Our celebration of their birthdays offers testimony to the immortality of their influence. Their creeds, dogmas, pigmentation, like ours, are different. But our tears are the same.
As I am writing this article I am packing to leave for Israel for 10 days on an educator’s trip through SAJES. At the same time I am packing to move into a new home. If you would have asked me a year ago did I imagine doing either of these things, I would of told you no. They wouldn’t have even been a thought. We learn a lot of things along our journey in life, and sometimes great opportunities just hit you in the head. Below is a poem of some things you can learn along the journey of life:
Things I’ve learned Along the Way
By: Sally P. Karioth Ph.D.I’ve learned to take my job seriously but myself lightly.
I’ve learned that if I don’t take care of myself,
I can’t take care of anyone else.
I’ve learned that reality is what is,
Not what I would like it to be.
I’ve learned that whatever you need in a hurry
Will be in someone else’s room.
I’ve learned to separate between a minor event
And a major episode.
I’ve learned that every day I can make a difference
In someone’s life, and that I can choose
To make it a positive difference.
I’ve learned that times flies whether I’m having fun or not.
I’ve learned that if I don’t celebrate the exquisiteness of each day,
I’ve lost something I’ll never get back.
I’ve learned that some things have to be believed to be seen
You need to believe in God to see his miracles.
My belief in God is unquestionable, and the trip and house are miracles to me. I’ll tell you all about Israel next month.
The Holiday of Passover (Pesach) is also known as Z’man Chayrutaynu , “The Season of Our Freedom.” The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, and then during this season became a free people. Once a year it is a mitzvah for Jews to set themselves free. No matter what is happening in the outside world, celebrating Passover means rediscovering our inner freedom. Every year, each of us goes through our own version of ‘escape from Egypt.’ In the Haggadah we are told: “Each Jew is required to see him/herself as if s/he personally escaped from Egypt.” In fifteen steps, the Seder takes us from slavery to freedom.
Fifteen steps led to the sanctuary in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. These fifteen steps led up to the Holy of Holies. That was the one spot on earth where people were sure to come close to God.
The Haggadah was the creation of the Rabbis. It was their way of fulfilling the mitzvah: “REMEMBER THIS DAY ON WHICH YOU CAME OUT FROM EGYPT, THE HOUSE OF SLAVERY, HOW THE ETERNAL BROUGHT YOU OUT BY STRENGTH OF HAND” (Exodus 6.6-7). The foods, blessings and ceremonies of the Seder take us through history. The Seder’s fifteen steps take us from slavery to freedom, from degradation to dignity, from the rule of evil toward the rule of God.
At your Seder this year, think about how you will feel when you are taken out of slavery into the land of freedom? Our experience has bonded us together into a people connected to God’s vision of history.
Nirtzah is a short poem, which says that we have completed all the laws of Passover and want God to redeem us. The Seder ends: “Soon lead Your people back to Zion. Next year in Jerusalem.” Even people living in Jerusalem say “next year in Jerusalem,” because we are not asking for just physical location but for a Jerusalem that exists in the Messianic Era.
Here are some other questions to think about at your Seder. Why do we tell the story of Passover before we eat? Why not eat and then tell the story? What is your favorite step in the order of the Seder? Why? Remember the Seder is a mitzvah not just a dinner. Make the most out of your Seder. You can have some fun and interesting discussions. I wish everyone a very Happy Passover.
Chag Sameach
Ellen Marcus
April Showers bring May Flowers and Hundreds of celebrations. It always amazes me how many functions can be squeezed into one month. The problem is there are so many wonderful things to celebrate at the same time you can’t always be at all of them. That’s where the difficulty lies. Below is only a short list of Jewish activities coming up this month: Yom Hashoah, Yom Ha’Atzmaut, The Israeli Fair, Bet Shabbaton, Gimel Shabbaton, Aleph Consecration, Hebrew High School Graduation, Religious School Graduation, The METNY Hidon (Bible contest), METNY Awards Night for Akiva and Keter Torah Students and the holiday of Shavuot. Then add to that family birthdays, anniversaries, bar/bat mitzvahs, college graduations, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, school concerts and then you have no time to breathe. The dilemma is that these are all wonderful things and you really don’t want to miss any of the special moments. You just have to hope they all don’t fall on the same day at the same time.
L’Chayim to Life! Live life to the fullest. It may be tiring at times, but joy, happiness and nachas can give you a lot of energy. There’s a saying, “If there’s a will there’s a way.” I hope you all find the will to enjoy all the good things that will be coming your way this month.
Happy May!