Monday, October 29, 2012

Finding the Calm Within the Storm: Spiritual Storm Resources


Given the dire forecasts and our recent local history of power outages, I'm sending this out to our community before the worst of the storm hits.

If, once it is safe to travel, we have power at the temple, I will send out another email notifying congregants that the building will be open and available to you.  We'll heat up some coffee and crank up the wi-fi, and feel free to stay as long as you wish.  If we lose power, alas, we have no emergency generator, so there will be no email from me to let you know that.

Meanwhile, my prayer for all of you is that everyone remains safe and cautious. 

I am looking out my window now and the trees are swaying relentlessly, bending to the wind's increasing power, but not yet breaking.  As the gusts increase through the afternoon, it only seems a matter of time.

I know that for many in our community, there is an even greater threat, as the sea itself prepares to make landfall in a manner that, they tell us, we've never seen before. 

In the primeval narrative of Genesis, the wind brought about a separation of waters, and then a separation of water from dry land.  We're seeing before our eyes an undoing of this primal act of order.  Sandy is a return to primordial chaos. Instinctively we recognize it - or at least my dogs do.  We only need to pull ourselves from our electronic devices and look out the window.

The Hebrew word for wind is ruach, which also means "spirit."  In Judaism. the meteorological and spiritual are deeply intertwined.  The experience of a storm is a profoundly spiritual one, even in our day.  Perhaps especially in our day, since, even when we can pinpoint well in advance what will happen, we are completely powerless to stop it.  The weather is one of the few things left that reduces us to mush in the face of its power.  It makes us realize how insignificant we really are.

Insignificant - and interdependent.

All we have is one another right now.  And our hope in the God whom the ancients envisioned riding on this spirit-wind, and whom we imagine giving us the strength to overcome its impact.

I've collected some inspirational readings to help give you the strength that we all seek at a time like this, so that you can find your own place of calm within the storm.



No one should be traveling now, but for those who are, there is the traditional Tefillat Haderech, the Wayfarer's Prayer.

My own poem, "The Storm Before the Calm" is a commentary on Psalm 29, the storm psalm, in light of modern Jerusalem and the peace process (it was written a few years ago, when there was one).

With my fervent hope that everyone finds a safe place - and that we can all come together to give thanks when the worst is over

Friday, October 26, 2012

I endorse…religious leaders not endorsing candidates

(From Times of Israel)

I endorse… religious leaders not endorsing candidates.
October 7 was declared Pulpit Freedom Sunday as part of an ongoing effort spearheaded by by a group calling itself the “Alliance Defending Freedom” to defy IRS restrictions on pulpit endorsements.   The Alliance claims that over 1,600 pastors have participated thus far.  Pulpit endorsements are, of course, not relegated to conservative groups like the Alliance, or to Christians.  Over 600 of my rabbinic colleagues have signed on to “Rabbis for Obama,” which has led to the creation of a”Rabbis for Romney” group, though those Romney Ravs have chosen to remain anonymous.
The history of the 1954 tax amendment is fascinating.  It was offered by Senator Lyndon Johnson, evidently without any connection to church-state issues or the Bill of Rights.  It was a simple amendment to a bill and there was almost no discussion.  It is targeted toward churches institutionally rather than their employees, referencing clergy only inasmuch as they endorse candidates from the pulpit itself, but not when they speak of their own volition, outside church grounds.  It’s hard to say what the original goal was, but it seems clear that it was not to preserve that precious Wall of Separation. It was more likely intended to keep those pesky Texas evangelicals from upsetting the LBJ apple cart.
But these days, people assume this is all about that Wall. Even though it may not have been the intent either of LBJ or the framers to place  these restrictions on the church, it should have been.
It is understandable that clergy are chomping at the bit to declare an allegiance to a candidate.  The stakes are enormously high, passions are at a fever pitch and the core issues of this campaign touch on those values that define our faith traditions.  If clergy can’t speak out on one of the most important decisions their parishioners are going to make, what can they speak out on?
I could endorse a candidate right here, in this posting, without risking my synagogue’s tax exempt status, since this blog is not owned by my synagogue and, although I’m typing on a shul-owned computer, I’m speaking solely for myself.  But I refuse to take the bait.  It’s clear to most of my congregants that  my priorities and values will lead me toward one candidate over the other.  But by not endorsing a candidate, I maintain the autonomy to differ markedly from party platforms and stump speeches. I remain a free agent.
In my view, clergy can and should speak to the values their traditions hold dear, but directly endorsing candidates blurs that precious Wall of church/state separation, the very thing that makes religious freedom possible in our country.  In most countries, (including, alas, Israel), religion and politics are hopelessly intertwined.  In America, at least in theory, religion speaks from a position of independence and autonomy, rather than as a cog in any partisan political machine.  That enables religious leaders to work toward building bridges that can link those on both sides of the political chasm, bringing together those with divergent views.  It also enables us to speak truth to power authentically and independently, though it can still be supportively.
We can wink and hint and smile and laugh at our guy’s jokes – and I think the I.R.S. would say that’s OK.  We can advocate actively for causes that we care about.  But as a pulpit rabbi, I also want my synagogue to be a safe zone for all my congregants, a place where no one will feel rejected by their rabbi, where no one will be fearful of expressing their views openly.  I want them to know that at day’s end this is where they can come for solace when their candidate has lost, or when they suffer far more painful personal losses.
I also like the idea that these restrictions force me to think extra hard before I say anything about politics.  That extra filter helps train me to think extra hard about the implications of everything else that I say or write.  Restraint is a good thing, even for a blogger.  It might seem foolish to have all that winking going on, but it signals that the word coming from the pulpit is not a commandment from on high, but rather a still small voice of nuance and questioning.  That voice can turn powerful and prophetic at times too, and it’s all the more powerful when it doesn’t sound like an infomercial financed by a Super PAC.
I don’t believe God endorses candidates.  So I don’t endorse.
There is no question that enormous issues are at stake in this election.  For me, as with many (hopefully most) Jews, Israel is high on that list.  I feel that both major candidates are very supportive of Israel and I’m delighted to see that over the past few weeks a real consensus has emerged between them regarding how to deal with the Iranian threat (as we saw particularly in the foreign policy and Vice Presidential debates).  Israel has stronger bipartisan support in the U.S. than ever before, and we all need to keep it that way.  You don’t get unanimous Senate votes like the recent Iran sanctions resolution other than with strong bipartisanship.  It’s strong, but like everything else in this turbulent world, it’s fragile.  We can’t and mustn’t play political games with it.
strongly endorse… bipartisanship on Israel and not turning it into a wedge issue. If that is considered a wink toward one candidate, it shouldn’t be, but I’m willing to take that risk.
That’s how the system works these days. Clergy speak to issues and passions. We rant and rave. We don’t shy away from any important issue. We can hint all we like, trying to buoy our favorite on a wink and a prayer.
But we shouldn’t endorse a candidate.

Shabbat-O-Gram for October 26



I endorse….  Coming to our area’s best Friday night service – 7:30 tonight!

I endorse… Malerie Yolen-Cohen, who will be discussing her new book tomorrow morning – her journey across America parallels the Torah portion, which discusses Abram and Sarai’s journey across the Fertile Crescent, to a land that God has chosen.  We’ll also be celebrating the naming of Jocelyn Sloane Moy, daughter of Russell and Tamar

I endorse… our first family service of the season, tomorrow morning, as well as Rabbi Dardashti’s class about Shabbat on Sunday morning.

I endorse… AIPAC’s “Faces and Races” election preview here on Monday night (and a weather forecast that will push Hurricaine Sandy out to sea).

I endorse… signing the petition for religious equality at the Western Wall. I've written extensively about the heroic efforts of the Women of the Wall to fight for justice and alter the discriminatory status quo at Judaism's holiest site.  Last week it took a turn for the worse, as the leader of W.O.W was arrested for singing the Sh'ma during a Rosh Hodesh service at the Wall.  About 250 women were participating, many of whom were attending the Hadassah convention.  American Jews have been fuming over this arrest and also over the thus far tepid response of Hadassah leaders.  I hope my Hadassah friends can prove me wrong on this one.  Click here for  a news story regarding the arrest, followed by Hoffman's reaction and the petition for us to sign.

I endorse… discussions about how best to incorporate Halloween into our kids’ lives.  See a number of different views here.  Ronnie Brockman offers additional ideas in this week’s early childhood blog post.


I endorse… the fabulous lessons taught to us by last week’s b’nai mitzvah, Sam Porto and Ryan Murphy

I endorse… interfaith conversation.  I very much enjoyed hearing Susannah Heschel at UConn the other night and taking part of the interfaith panel.  You can see a similar lecture of hers here.   See also my Times of Israel commentary on the recent visit of the Dalai LamaI implore you to read Abraham Joshua Heschel’s seminal essay on the topic of interreligious dialogue, ”No Religion is an Island.”  Heschel writes, “ I suggest that the most significant basis for meeting of men of different religious traditions is the level of fear and trembling, of humility and contrition, where our individual moments of faith are mere waves in the endless ocean of mankind's reaching out for God, where all formulations and articulations appear as understatements, where our souls are swept away by the awareness of the urgency of answering God's commandment, while stripped of pretension and conceit we sense the tragic insufficiency of human faith.”

And finally…

I endorse…religious leaders not endorsing candidates.  October 7 was declared Pulpit Freedom Sunday as part of an ongoing effort spearheaded by by a group calling itself the “Alliance Defending Freedom” to defy IRS restrictions on pulpit endorsements.   The Alliance claims that over 1,600 pastors have participated thus far.  Pulpit endorsements are, of course, not relegated to conservative groups like the Alliance or to Christians.  Over 600 of my colleagues have signed on to “Rabbis for Obama” (including several from our area), which has led to the creation of a ”Rabbis for Romney” group, though those rabbis have chosen to remain anonymous. 

The history of the 1954 tax amendment is fascinating.  It was offered by Senator Lyndon Johnson, and evidently without any connection to church-state issues or the Bill of Rights.  It was a simple amendment to a bill and there was almost no discussion.  It speaks to churches as institutions and references clergy on inasmuch as they endorse candidates from the pulpit itself.  It’s hard to say what the original goal was, but it seems clear that it was not to preserve that precious Wall of Separation. 

It is understandable that clergy are going so far as to declare an allegiance to a candidate.  The stakes are enormously high, passions are at a fever pitch and the core issues of this campaign touch on those values that define our faith traditions.  If clergy can’t speak out on one of the most important decisions their parishioners are going to make, what can they speak out on?  

In my view, clergy can and should speak to the values their traditions hold dear, but that directly endorsing candidates does blur that precious Wall of church/ state separation, the very thing that makes religious freedom possible in our country.  In most countries, (including, alas, Israel), religion and politics are hopelessly intertwined.   In America, at least in theory, religion speaks from a position of independence and autonomy, rather than as a cog in any partisan political machine.  That enables religious leaders to work toward building bridges that can link those on both sides of the political chasm, bringing together those with divergent views.  It also enables us to speak truth to power authentically and independently, though it can still be supportively.  So I don’t endorse.

There is no question that enormous issues are at stake in this election.  For me, as with many Jews, Israel is high on that list.  As I have stated before, I feel that both major candidates are very supportive of Israel.  I am delighted to see that over the past few weeks a real consensus has emerged between them regarding how to deal with the Iranian threat (as we saw particularly in the foreign policy and Vice Presidential debates).  Israel has stronger bipartisan support in this country than ever before, and we all need to keep it that way.  You don’t get unanimous Senate votes like the recent Iran sanctions resolution other than with strong bipartisanship.  It’s strong, but like everything else in this turbulent world, it’s fragile.  We can’t and mustn’t play political games with it.  I strongly endorse… bipartisanship on Israel.

Anat Hoffman's Arrest at the Kotel for Praying the Sh'ma

I've written extensively about the heroic efforts of the Women of the Wall to fight for justice and alter the discriminatory status quo at Judaism's holiest site.  last week it took a turn for the worse, as the leader of W.O.W was arrested for singing the Sh'ma during a Rosh Hodesh service at the Wall.  About 250 women were participating, many of whom were attending the Hadassah convention.  American Jews have been fuming over this arrest and also over the thus far tepid response of Hadassah leaders.  I hope my Hadassah friends can prove me wrong on this one.  The news story is below regarding the arrest, followed by Hoffman's reaction and a petition for us to sign.



Jerusalem police arrested the leader of Women of the Wall for singing at the Western Wall.

Anat Hoffman was arrested Tuesday evening for “disturbing public order.” The organization posted on its Facebook page Wednesday afternoon that Hoffman was in court. “She is being accused of singing out loud at the kotel, disturbing peace,” the post read.

Two other members of the organization, Director Lesley Sachs and board member Rachel Cohen Yeshurun, were detained Wednesday morning by police for the same offense. They were released after being interrogated and fingerprinted at the police station in the Old City. According to the organization, the women admitted to wearing a prayer shawl at the Western Wall but not to disturbing public order.

Women of the Wall has held a special prayer service at the Western Wall each month for Rosh Chodesh, or the beginning of new month, at the back of the women’s section at the Western Wall for the last 20 years. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning’s 
prayer services for the month of Cheshvan were scheduled to be held together with delegates to the conference marking Hadassah’s 100th birthday.
Hoffman was arrested Tuesday night after she had begun singing the “Shema” prayer, according to Haaretz.

In 2003, Israel’s Supreme Court upheld a government ban on women wearing tefillin or tallitot, or reading from a Torah scroll at the Western Wall. 
In August, Jerusalem police arrested four women for “behavior that endangers the public peace” and wearing prayer shawls. They were forbidden to enter the Western Wall Plaza for the next 50 days, according to the organization.

In June, Israeli police detained a woman wearing a tallit at the Western Wall and later questioned her for four hours after asking her to wear her prayer shawl as a scarf. In May, three women from Women of the Wall were stopped for questioning after praying at the Wall in prayer shawls. They also had been asked to wear the tallitot as scarves rather than shawls.
To read this article in The Jewish Daily Forward click here.

Here's what Anat Hoffman wrote about her experience:

Last Tuesday I was arrested when I took a group of over two hundred women to the Western Wall to pray together in the women’s section. I was arrested for disturbing the peace and endangering the public good by wearing my tallit and saying the Shema out loud.

It was a traumatic experience. I was pulled along the ground by my wrists, strip-searched, shackled by the hands and feet and left to sleep on the floor of a jail cell with nothing to keep me warm but my tallit.

The treatment I received was designed to make women scared of entering the Western Wall complex with a tallit. Women wearing prayer shawls are common all over the world. Only in Israel does this simple act meet with such intense pressure. You have to remember that when I enter a room of Israelis with my tallit, most of them have never seen a woman wear one before.

So why do I do it? The reason is simple: if women do not stand up for their rights the religious authorities in Israel will continue to push women further and further out of sight. Hopefully the more regular Israelis see me and other women wearing tallitot, the better they will come to understand that it is not religious subversion on our part.

I respect Jews who pray differently than me, and I understand that many women do not wish to wear a tallit. But there are millions of Jewish women who do wish to pray at the Western Wall with a tallit. Enabling them to do so in peace and safety was never meant to infringe on the rights of others. It simply means that there is more than one way to be a Jew.

In the past week, I have received more love and support than I knew was possible.  Many of you have written me to express your care and concern and this has meant so much to me in these difficult days. I also thank the organizations who issued statements to condemn my arrest.  It is clear that this issue resonates with Jews from all denominations. Unfortunately, the Israeli government and the Orthodox rabbis that they have charged with administering the Wall still fail to understand that the Western Wall is holy for all Jews.  Together we can stand up against this insanity and show that the Kotel belongs to us all.

L’shalom,
Anat Hoffman
Executive Director, IRAC

Voting - A Jewish Value!


The following is an excerpt from Koach’s Guide to the Elections (for Jewish college students)


Voting:  A Jewish Value?

We never hear about the rabbis of the Talmud voting.  And Moses certainly didn’t take a vote before leading the people out of slavery.  Still, the democratic value inherent to voting does find expression in Jewish tradition:

§         Not long after the Israelites leave Egypt, God calls for a census.  This count of the population reminds us of the significance of every individual.  In the nation being created, each person must be accounted for, as each person plays a vital role in the viability of the whole.  In the same way, each person in the United States plays some role in determining the future of the country as a whole.

§         The principle “you should go after the majority (Exodus 23:2) is understood by the rabbis to mean that the majority rules in legal disputes.  In one famous Talmudic story, a group of rabbis argue over a legal point. Even though a divine voice supports the lone opinion of one rabbi, the majority opinion wins.  Once the Torah has been transmitted to the Jewish people, the will of the people—understood as the majority opinion of the decision makers—determines the law.  (Talmud Bava Metzia 59b)

§         The concept of hiyyuv, or personal obligation, is the central theme of Jewish law.  We have obligations toward ourselves, toward God and toward others.  Living with this sense of obligation means approaching the world with a feeling of responsibility for what happens.  Voting is one way of acting on each of our individual obligations to make our part of the world a more just place. 

§         Jews were deeply involved in both the women’s suffrage movement of the 1920s and in the civil rights struggle of the 1960s, which, among other accomplishments, achieved the extension of the right to vote to African Americans.  Some early Jewish voting-rights advocates included Clara Lemlich who, in 1909, following the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, organized one of the most important strikes in American history and who then turned her energies to creating a working class women’s suffrage organization; and Gertrude Weil, a leader of the North Carolina Equal Suffrage League beginning in 1915 and a crusader for voting rights and election reform.

Should Jewish Children Trick or Treat?

Should Jewish Children Trick or Treat?
Here’s a selection of views from Moment Magazine (always a great barometer of Jewish currents).  While the overwhelming sentiment here is that Halloween is harmless, non-religious and American and basically no big deal (a sentiment that I subscribe to), there are those who feel differently.



Modern Orthodox
This is not so much a halachic question; it is a public policy question. Do we want to prohibit or permit this activity? 
Historically, Orthodoxy has been suspicious of letting its youth celebrate American holidays for fear that this would lead to assimilation or adoption of “practices of Gentiles.” When I was growing up Orthodox rabbis were critical of those who celebrated Thanksgiving, but as Orthodoxy has acculturated such attitudes have relaxed.
One could argue for prohibition of Halloween because it is associated with witches and ghosts. Judaism has implacably opposed witchcraft or attempted communication with the dead since biblical times. Monotheism is the antithesis of magic. “There is none beside Him” (Deuteronomy 4.35), and no abracadabra tricks can manipulate God to get unnatural results. That having been said, Halloween is almost entirely a product of American consumer culture, and there’s more mockery than true belief to be found in the ever-popular costumes of witches and monsters.
My wife and I discouraged our children from trick-or-treating—partly out of fear of religious syncretism, but mostly because we did not want them to internalize American consumerist psychology and because eating a lot of candy is unhealthy. But I confess, trick-or-treating is popular in our neighborhood. In order to be good neighbors, we leave boxes of fruits, treats and candy goodies in front of the house with a sign inviting kids to help themselves to one item out of each box. We don’t check if any of the kids are Jewish. Conclusion: If a Jewish child wants to go trick-or-treating for social reasons, it’s not a big deal.

Rabbi Irving Greenberg
President, Jewish Life Network/ Steinhardt Foundation
New York, New York

Conservative 
As Halloween is celebrated nowadays, it is mostly about trick-or-treating, dressing up, having fun and getting free candy, with few or no religious overtones. That said, there are issues about celebrating it that are Jewishly problematic and are worthy of consideration by thoughtful Jewish parents. 
There is a halachic prohibition against a belief in sorcerers and magic. Some of this begins with the biblical tale of Saul, who consulted a fortune teller instead of God about his future. His misjudgment resulted in Saul losing both his throne and his mind. 
As long as parents discuss with their children the difference between believing in sorcery and reality, I see no significant objection here. Most of my objections are related to the conflicts that can arise between celebrating Halloween and doing the right thing, Jewishly. For example, for the family that keeps kashrut, there is surely the issue of whether some of the candy and food that their kids will “bag” will meet the Jewish edible standards. But this could be addressed by carefully “sifting” through the candy, and donating all unacceptable items to a food bank for other children who can partake without religious restrictions.
A more serious conflict arises when Halloween coincides with Shabbat, Jewish holidays or Hebrew school attendance. What kind of message is a parent giving to his or her child when he or she is told that to go out trick-or-treating takes precedence over Jewish study or celebrating Shabbat and other Jewish holidays? 
Parents may also wish to consider the values suggested by Halloween, such as demanding sweets from strangers. The original saying is in actuality a threat: “If you don’t give me a treat, I’ll give you a trick.”
Can Jewish kids live without these ghosts, goblins and candy? I certainly think so. Will it do irreparable damage to their Jewish identities if they participate? Probably not. But as parents, we should think about the values, priorities and commitments we want our children to develop. 

Rabbi Ron Isaacs 
Temple Sholom
Bridgewater, New Jersey



Reform
Though I write as a Reform rabbi, I offer what can be called (in the phraseology of Rabbi Isaac 
M. Wise) an American Jewish response.
To be completely true to our tradition, the answer is, “No. Jewish children should not go trick-or treating on Halloween.” Inasmuch as this is a Christian/ pagan holiday—no matter how secularized it has become—it is inappropriate for Jews to observe it in any manner.
However, the matter is more complicated. Are there moments when Jews have taken an 
essentially foreign idea and co-opted it and changed into an authentic Jewish tradition? Of course! 
And the most obvious example is the Passover seder. So many of our traditions were lifted 
directly from Roman influences. In acknowledging those antecedents, would anyone suggest that our practices are somehow inauthentic? Of course not!
In this same light, there are few who would connect the carefree, costume-wearing, candy gorging escapades of our children on October 31 with the religious overtones that the holiday once carried. As such, the holiday has evolved into a secular celebration. Therefore, it would seem to be as innocent an activity as celebrating New Year’s Eve or Thanksgiving (both of which once had Christian connotations).
Even in accepting Halloween, do I want our Jewish children to associate the best time of the year (dressing in costumes and getting as much candy as one can carry) with a holiday with nominal pagan and/or Christian overtones? Of course not! Instead, wouldn’t it be wonderful if they thought of the Jewish holiday where children dress in costumes, eat lots of goodies and act in all types of silly and fun ways? (Purim!) But that, I guess, is for another discussion.

Rabbi Arthur P. Nemitoff
The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Overland Park, Kansas

Reconstructionist
We could boycott All Hallow’s Eve for its ghoulish associations—and, in medieval Christendom, Jews received more trick than treat. We might avoid this holiday of “pagan” origin, lest we “do as the other nations.” Ghosts of Halloweens past may still haunt us.Or Halloween could be just a harmless diversion. We might accompany our Power Rangers and Doras around the neighborhood to say that “America is different,” that we feel safe(r) on these shores. Since it usually falls in Mar-Cheshvan, the only holiday-less Hebrew month, we might even make it our own.
Mordecai Kaplan taught that we who “live in two civilizations” must answer as Jews and 
Westerners both. We live in mostly mixed communities where Halloween is an accepted norm. Our kids have friends, Jewish and non, who will invite them trick-or-treating. Though we reserve the right to withhold children’s immediate gratification, should we put our foot down here? It’s a tightrope act: Avoiding Halloween may feel like the Jewish thing to do, yet a simmering feeling of “I missed the funnest thing ever” can subtly undermine future Jewish identity. So rather than decree or surrender, we should decide with our kids and engage them in discussion of the values at hand. Secular concerns at Halloween have a Jewish angle, too—moderation, safety, neighborliness, ethics of food—making it a “teachable moment.” We can balance values like kavod (respect), tzedakah, kashrut, briyut (health) and oneg (enjoyment). Options abound: Serve treats, but not go door-to-door? Avoid skeleton costumes? Collect candy, then donate it? Between abandon and avoidance lie many possibilities. Let’s choose wisely, together.

Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb
Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation, 
Bethesda, Maryland

Renewal
In the American melting pot of shared cultures, trick-or-treating is as religious as a bagel. 
Dressing in costume for occasions other than Purim is Jewishly acceptable. It makes sense that Jewish schools don’t celebrate Halloween, but it’s normal for Jewish students to want to take part in it.
Halloween is a time to teach piku’ah nefesh—protecting or saving a life. A few examples: When trick-or-treating children should be accompanied by an adult. Teens are safer at a Halloween party than going out alone. Products that are unsealed shouldn’t be eaten. Large amounts of candy can be dangerous to our health. 
When Halloween falls on a Friday, hold a party on motza’ei Shabbat. Invite your child’s Jewish and non-Jewish friends and serve delicious, kid-friendly food. More harm is done to Jewish continuity by forbidding youth from observing holidays like Halloween than by supporting the celebration in safe and healthy ways.

Rabbi Pamela Frydman 
President, OHALAH: Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal
Baltimore, Maryland


Independent
This is a tough one. Jewish children should learn about their own traditions rather than always celebrating everyone else’s. Still, it is far better for a Jewish child to go trick-or-treating than to celebrate an iota of Christmas and Easter. 
Why? Because Halloween is probably a whole lot closer to Jewish tradition than Christmas or Easter. After all, Jewish tradition also held annual rituals of warding off evil spirits, or winds, with the approach of major seasonal changes. As the Midrash teaches, “What is the ritual of the barley offering? One waves the barley shoots in its season, first inward and outward to ward off harsh winds that are harmful to the crops, then upward and downward to ward off harsh rains that are harmful to the crops. Others say, first inward and outward to the One to whom belongs all of the universe, then upward and downward to the One to whom belongs both the Upper Realms and Lower Realms.” Even the shofar that we blow so glibly these days on Rosh Hashanah was to our ancestors an implement to ward off evil forces. So if you must take your kids trick-or-treating, employ it as an opportunity to introduce them to the richness of their own tradition.

Rabbi Gershon Winkler
Walking Stick Foundation
Cuba, New Mexico


Malerie Yolen-Cohen on her new book "Stay on Rt. 6"


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Sam Porto on Noah


Those of you who know me know that I love animals.   I have a cat, Maurry, three fish, Phil, an African blue Zebra, Mike, a Beta, and Abby, a Crowntail Beta…oh yes, and a frog, Hopper, who will literally come up to you, hop and steal the food out of your hands. 

I don’t really have a favorite animal.  I love them all equally.  But there is a special place in my heart for one creature in particular.  That’s right … you guessed it, the Sloth. 

Sloths are misunderstood and unappreciated.  Actually, many people like sloths, including many of my friends. 

How could you not admire a sloth?  They really have the life!  They just sit around all day hanging from trees.  Some may call them lazy, but I call them smart.  They know exactly how high to climb to stay out of the way of predators.  And they’re so cute with those three toes.  Their claws may look dagger sharp, but they are really gentle animals.

OK, so you’re probably wondering, what’s Jewish about sloths?   Well, I did some research.  In the words of one sloth expert, sloths are in “a league of their own.”  They are used to standing out because they evolved in South America a continent that for a long time wasn't connected to any others. They're also very old—their family tree, which also includes anteaters and armadillos, diverged from the rest of the mammals some 75-80 million years ago. They're also pretty strange.

No, Jews aren’t strange, but the Torah does call the Israelites “a People that dwells alone.” Jews have always found a way to stand out from the crowd, to be different.

Sloths are also not particularly aggressive.  They eat leaves and berries and kill almost nothing.  Jews are also historically peace loving. Sloths, like Jews are also very social. And finally, like Jews, sloths have had to overcome prejudice.  Even their name has become synonymous with laziness.  Sloths are not really lazy!

One more interesting thing.  Sloths can hold their grip after they are dead. It’s similar to the fact that when our ancestors pass away, they still hold an influence over us as we remember them. 

In addition to being a sloth expert, I’m a fan the “Big Bang Theory,” and in one episode, Sheldon demonstrated the old “Live long and prosper” hand signal made famous by Mr. Spock in Star Trek.  It turns out that this was derived from the way the ancient priests used to bless the people in Jerusalem.  When I saw this for the first time, of course it reminded of the three toed sloth and how it would bless the other sloths.  If they would talk, they would hold those three fingers proudly and say to the people, “Live long and lazy.”

For my mitzvah project, I raised $400 for the Connecticut Humane Society by swimming 64 laps, a full mile, in the JCC pool.  As we honor our pets today, a special shout out to Maurry, Phil, Mike, Abby, and Hopper. And also I want to take a moment to remember my friend Chris’s dog Lily, who passed away a couple of months ago.

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Ryan Murphy on Lech Lecha


Shabbat Shalom.  My Bar Mitzvah torah portion is Lech Lecha. The readings which I just recited are found in Chapter 16 of Genesis.  Though we would  like to think of Abraham and Sarah, the first Jews, as being perfect in every way, this portion teaches us that is most certainly not the case. They were humans just like you and me, capable of doing good and bad and making the right choices.

In Chapter 16, Sarah, heartbroken by her inability to have a child, offers Abraham her maidservant, Hagar, as a concubine by which he would have an heir. Lo and Behold, Hagar is impregnated, and Sarah now has a huge problem on her hands. No, not finding out who the baby daddy is, but rather the fact that her former maidservant is now her equal. Overcome with jealousy and spite, Sarah begins a campaign of  abuse towards Hagar. Tormenting her endlessly, Sarah pushes Hagar over the edge and eventually she is forced to run away.

In the desert, an angel confronts Hagar and tells her that she must return to Sarah because her son is destined  for greatness. The Rabbis pose the question: Why would an angel of god tell Hagar that she must not only stop running away from Sarah, but return to her for what they acknowledge will be even more brutal treatment?

This just may be one of the first cases of bullying in recorded history. Judaism teaches us that bullying is a cancer that must be crushed, lest it continue and grow more intense. In the next parsha, Vayera, Sarah takes her hatred of Hagar to the next level by expelling her and her son, Ishmael, into the wilderness. If bullying is not stopped at the source, the seed, a truly evil tree will grow in the ground instead of the Tree of Life.

These same values hold fast in today's society as well. Throughout my life, I have tried to step up to the plate and make sure that bullying has been batted far out of the park. In first grade, I stood up and was the sole defender of a student who was being picked on. The values impressed upon me by my parents are nothing unique to my family. The best gift a person can give is friendship to another.  Whether it's between adults or children, there is bullying all across the world, It's our job as good people to ensure that we do not find ourselves acting like Sarah and insulting, teasing, humiliating, tormenting, or torturing others no matter who they are or what they look like or believe in, because we all seek the same things in life. Whether its hitting a home run or running a touchdown, or just doing well in school, we all have the same goals in life and should not make it our business 
to impede anyone else's attempts at achieving those goals.

So tonight, when the  party starts, I hope you will talk to strangers, make some new friends, and even try your hand on the dance floor. Just have a great time!

My Mitzvah Project, "Books and Baseball," has had a profound effect on me, and I hope, an even more profound effect on the Islanders of Anguilla. I, as many of you may know, have been vacationing to the Island of Anguilla in the Caribbean since I was an infant, and I have loved the time I spent there. When I found out about the wonderful opportunity to give back, I was enthralled. The over 400 books that I donated to an elementary school library there will serve as educational tools, teaching the students not only to read, but educating them about the greatest gift a man can give. The second aspect of my project actually allowed the children to make friendship and come closer as a community. I donated five bats, nine gloves, and dozens of baseballs to a little league on the Island. In playing these games, the children have the chance to make meaningful and lasting friendships. 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

The Dalai Lama and the audacity of simplicity | Joshua Hammerman | Ops & Blogs | The Times of Israel



This week I had the privilege of hearing the Dalai Lama, as he spoke before 5,600 guests, primarily students, at Brown University in Providence, RI. I was awash in admiration, with a dash of clergy-envy, for one able to touch the lives of so many. One student tried to make me feel better by stating that a good percentage of the students there had no idea who he is and some probably thought they were coming to see a talking llama.
He directed his comments primarily to young people, reminding me that within the next few weeks I’ll be officiating at the final bar mitzvah of a student born in the 20th century. The world is swiftly changing, but the Dalai Lama chooses to look at the future optimistically, placing it firmly but gently in the hands of the next generation, the Millennials. 
Although English is not his primary language, he spoke fluidly and with great humor — and an infectious Eddie Murphy laugh — demonstrating an ability to reach people at their level. Since one side-story has received undue attention online, it must be pointed out that ha profanity ascribed to him was a clear misinterpretation by the device handling closed captioning. Still, even the misquote (what he really said was “just forget!”) was an indicator of how comfortable he was with this demographic — and how at ease the students were with him. He could have said it (though to be clear, he never cursed) and we hardly would have flinched. He was that relaxed, that congenial, and that connected to this audience. One minute, John Stuart Mill, the next minute, Jon Stewart; one minute, we were at the feet of the master, the next, downing beers at the pub down the street (though he doesn’t).
“This 21st century should be a century of dialogue,” he said, calling on the students to cultivate an ethos of compassion, love and forgiveness, in both religious and secular contexts. He sees a trend toward greater spirituality, even among secularists and scientists, toward a mature world of unity and reconciliation.  It’s pretty hard to agree when you look out the window — but equally hard to disagree when you see the world through the window of his eyes.
In response to a question from a Native American professor about being kicked off his land and living in exile, he spoke about the extraordinary lengths he has gone to reach out to Chinese communities, even as China still paints him as a terrorist. China exiled him, still hates and fears him and is committing cultural genocide in his ancestral homeland, but this perennial victim refuses to hate back. Remarkable — and a valuable lesson for Jews.
In another lesson for Jews and other peoples who have been displaced, he emphasized the importance of sustaining a culture through the preservation of language. He described how Tibetan education became the top priority for his community when they resettled in India in 1959. Within a year, they had opened a separate Tibetan school, fully supported by the Indian government.
“The most important aspect of our identity is our language,” he said, and Jewish educators everywhere nodded, “Amen.”
He discussed encounters with many displaced peoples all over the world, though, to my relief, none in Israel’s backyard. In fact, although his infrequent comments on the Israel-Palestinian issue have been continuously dissected, he seems to identify more with Jewish historic victimization and steers away from contentious political waters. He is, through and through, a man of peace.
One student asked him, in light of the frightening events transpiring in the Middle East, how we can process these events from a peace-centered perspective. Is it possible to maintain a sense of optimism in this dark environment? He responded by describing his outreach to the Muslim community following Sept. 11. It’s not about Islam, he said. Muslims in India and Indonesia are different. “Same Quran. Same Allah.” He sees education as being the key toward changing attitudes in the Arab world, that and “more interaction, more contact.”
He spoke much about happiness, not derived simply from material success but through kindness toward others and inner peace.
He remains steadfastly hopeful and optimistic. “We are the same human being, mentally, emotionally, physically,” he said, adding that when he meets new people, it’s as if they have already met.
It was a message these students needed to hear, as they prepare to forge a future that is increasingly scary, for them personally and for the world as a whole.
I came away from the lecture inspired and uplifted. Funny thing, though, because if you just read a transcript of what he said, you will probably wonder why the guy is so revered. The message is basic and it’s not exclusive to Buddhists. Love and hope work well for rabbis too; not to mention bishop, ministers, religious leaders of all stripes and the occasional politician. The message could not be simpler. But there is a power to his simplicity, a defiance, an audacity. Maybe it comes from his background, his courage to love despite his people’s perpetual suffering, his embracing his nation’s burden despite having been chosen for leadership while still a toddler, his steadfast refusal to give up.
It makes the rest of us feel real small. And it made me feel real lucky to have heard him.
Something he wrote:
NEVER GIVE UP
No matter what is going on
Never give up
Develop the heart
Too much energy in your country
Is spent developing the mind
Instead of the heart
Be compassionate
Not just to your friends
But to everyone
Be compassionate
Work for peace
In your heart and in the world
Work for peace
And I say again
Never give up
No matter what is going on around you
Never give up”

– Dalai Lama XIV

Friday, October 19, 2012

Bark Mitzvah Booklet 2012





Click here for part one of our 2012 TBE Bark Mitzvah booklet

Click here for part two, including Blessings for the animals and other material on the Jewish value of "Tza'ar Ba'alay Hayyim" (Sensitivity to Animals)

Conservative Judaism: Directions for Today and Tomorrow

A star-studded symposium held this week on the future of the Conservative movement.


Introduction of Program: Professor Jonathan Sarna, Brandeis University Keynote Address: Chancellor Arnold Eisen, Jewish Theological Seminary Remarks: Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive VP, Rabbinical Assembly Remarks: Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Panel Discussion: Professor Jonathan Sarna

NEXT WEEK! INTERFAITH CONFERENCE
Wednesday, October 24 at UConn Stamford 
Professor Susannah Heschel, Dartmouth College
The Center for Judaic & Middle Eastern Studies at UConn Stamford,
and the Louis J. Kuriansky Foundation, in cooperation with the Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut, presents the annual Kuriansky Lecture,
Narratives of the Holy: Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the Modern Jewish Imagination 
Community Reception & Dinner, 5:30 - 7 pm  
Keynote: 7:15  pm; Interfaith Panel (which I'm honored to be on): 8:15 pm
$5/person lecture only; $15/person lecture & dinner. 
For more information,email or call (203) 251-9525/0184

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Alyssa Goldberg on Sukkot


I’ve always enjoyed Sukkot – and part of the reason is that I’ve always liked the fall. 
Of course I like summer too – especially camp, and I’m so glad that some of my camp friends are here (wave?).   But summer can’t happen all year long.  If summer were all year long, we wouldn’t appreciate it.  It would get boring.  I would eventually miss my family and  home and my feet would get tired of flip flops.  I would even miss school – sort of – but especially my school friends. 
The fall is important because it reminds us that summer can’t last forever.  And that helps us to appreciate summer even more, which then helps us to appreciate fall, and then winter, and eventually spring. 
Sukkot is about appreciating the fall.  The leaves change color and crunch under our feet.  The air gets cooler, but not too cold.  Sukkot is also about appreciating life.  It is important to appreciate what we have and not always be wishing for more.  Sukkot is the original Thanksgiving festival.  In fact, when the pilgrims were looking for a model for the holiday they wanted to celebrate, they looked to the Bible and to Sukkot.
          The sukkah is the main symbol of the festival.  You can see it right outside the sanctuary.  When I was in Hebrew School, I used to love making decorations for the temple’s sukkah. The most important thing to know about a sukkah is that it needs to be fragile enough so that the walls will come down in a wind storm and allow rain to come through the roof.
          Yet, the sukkah is like a home, because what matters most is not the strength of the walls or roof, but the love and warmth generated by the people inside. It’s a custom to eat meals in the Sukkah and to always welcome your guests.
Sukkot is also called the “time of our joy” “z’man simchataynu” –  but it’s not about having a great time at a party.  The kind of happiness celebrated on Sukkot is the kind you feel when you are thankful for all that you have.
As you know, today we read from Kohelet, the book of Ecclesiastes, another custom of this holiday.  It has many bits and pieces of wisdom about how we need to live for the day and appreciate every day of our lives.  It advises us to be patient and not frustrate easily; also, it advises us that it is better to take criticism from someone we respect than to listen to the “praise of fools.”
But most of all, Kohelet teaches us to appreciate every day of life, that we should enjoy everything we have in our lives. 
My parents have been such a good example for me in this regard, especially my mom because she has taught me to stay strong even when she’s not feeling well.  And I know that when I stay strong, it can help her feel better, and my dad and brothers too.  Staying strong doesn’t mean hiding your feelings.  It means being able to enjoy every day, just like Kohelet teaches us.
For those who don’t know, my mom has been battling breast cancer for several years.  I chose my mitzvah project in her honor, to raise money for the Paint the Town Pink project of the Bennett Cancer Center.  Last week, I participated in the Mile of Pink event to raise awareness for breast cancer. So far, I’ve raised over $1000.  If you would like to make a donation, you can find the information in my booklet.