Category: blog archive

Standing Tall: Israelis Help Paralyzed People Walk Again

A new Israeli invention is helping paralyzed people walk again.

Something of a mix between the exoskeleton of a crustacean and the suit worn by comic hero Iron Man, the device, called ReWalk, helps paraplegics—people paralyzed below the waist—to stand, walk and climb stairs.

One of these new ReWalk users is former Israeli paratrooper Radi Kaiof, who was injured in 1988 while serving in the Israel Defense Forces. “I never dreamed I would walk again,” Kaiof told Reuters. “After I was wounded, I forgot what it’s like. Only when standing up can I feel how tall I really am and speak to people eye to eye, not from below.”

ReWalk was invented by engineer Amit Goffer, founder of Argo Medical Technologies, a small Israeli high-tech company. “It raises people out of their wheelchair and lets them stand up straight,” Goffer said of his contraption. “It’s not just about health, it’s also about dignity.”

When Goffer speaks about dignity, he understands all too well. He was paralyzed in an accident in 1997 but he cannot use his own invention because he does not have full function of his arms.

ReWalk, which requires crutches to help with balance, consists of motorized leg supports, body sensors and a backpack containing a computerized control box and rechargeable batteries. The user picks a setting with a remote control wrist band—stand, sit, walk, descend or climb—and then leans forward, activating the body sensors and setting the robotic legs in motion.

The ReWalk is now in clinical trials in Tel Aviv’s Sheba Medical Centre, and Goffer said it will soon be used in trials at the Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute in Pennsylvania. Slated for commercial sale in 2010, ReWalk will cost as much as the more sophisticated wheelchairs on the market, which sell for about $20,000, the company said.

Click here to learn more about the ReWalk system.

From Egypt to the Promised Land: Coming Out with the Help of Rabbi Paul Kipnes

We rabbis offer support and counseling to people through the many transitions in life. I recently received this from someone who years ago called me for help:

Coming out in my 50s was painful in the extreme, but having emerged at the other end of a prolonged coming out process, I am so grateful that I had the courage to finally live my truth…and it was Paul Kipnes, rabbi of Congregation Or Ami, who pulled me through the darkness and into the light.

I came home one day a few years back, and my ex-wife asked me if I was seeing anyone else. After having tried for so many years to keep my gayness secret from myself and then, when I could hide from myself no longer, to hold my family together until my youngest child left home, I finally said, “yes,” and all hell broke loose. She became so angry that I had lied to her, not told her of my struggles, not let on how tormented I was. From that moment, my life became almost too much to bear, as all my carefully constructed fictions crumbled.

Rabbi Paul was my refuge. When I called him up, he met me that very afternoon. We sat for hours. I cried, I mumbled, I stumbled my way through my story…and he held me, hugging me and providing me a safe space to try to figure out my life. He talked with me about the Jewish master narrative, leaving the narrow places of Egypt, wandering aimlessly in the desert, and finally arriving at the promised land. In my darkest moment, he showed me a flicker of light.

Today, I am filled with gratitude that I am in the promised land. I have achieved serenity, I have a serious relationship that is almost a year old, I have strong relationships with my grown children, and most important, I have a strong relationship with myself. In those dark hours when I first met with Rabbi Paul, I could not see a way out. He showed me that like Jews and gays so many before me, I too might one day arrive at a promised land.

I could not have seen that on my own. Because of Rabbi Paul, I was able to leave my personal Egypt, was able to muster the courage to wander through my own personal wilderness, and arrived joyously to today. When I say shehechiyanu thanking God for sustaining me, keeping me alive, and allowing me to reach a joyous day, I recognize that I am also thanking Rabbi Paul Kipnes and the divine within him that he showed me that dark day.

Seeing Green in the Shofar and its Call to Action

Gotta love being Jewish. Seems like we are on the forefront of most significant (peaceful) movements that change the world. Jews are all over the Green movement (see COEJL among others).

Now we come to realize that Jews have long promoted one of the most Green, Wireless Communications technologies ever: The Shofar.

JTA, in Seeing Green in the Shofar and its Call to Action, offers:

Is green the theme of the shofar this Rosh Hashanah season? In a year of sustainability and carbon footprints, high gas and hybrids, the shofar is the simplest, most eco-friendly method of reaching the Jewish community with a vital message.

The shofar, if you pause to think about it, is a rhapsody in green. Lightweight and easily transportable, it sports no moving parts — the shofar blower, or ba’al tekiah’s, own mouth becomes the mouthpiece. Yet it’s dependable enough to deliver the complex musical message required to begin a new Jewish year.

A totally natural product, its availability is a byproduct of an already ongoing ancient enterprise — sheep herding.

Powered by one human, and empowered by a congregation, the shofar requires no batteries, power cord or transformer. When we hear it, we are the ones who become transformed.

13 Ways to Commemorate 9/11 (It is Still Not Too Late)

A favorite blog, Ima on (and off) the Bima, offered these 13 ideas of how to commemorate 9/11.

  1. Attend a ceremony. We will be at the flagpole at Am Shalom, 840 Vernon Avenue, in Glencoe, at 7:45am.
  2. Give blood.
  3. Donate money to a political campaign. Any campaign. Being able to participate freely in the democratic process is a victory!
  4. Call or connect with an old friend.
  5. Tell your children where you were when it happened.
  6. Send a card or care package to soldiers overseas
  7. Visit a veterans’ home or hospital.
  8. Bring flowers, cookies, or just a note to your local police or fire department.
  9. Read the biographies of some of the victims of the attacks. Share them with your family or friends.
  10. Fly a flag.
  11. Read the Bill of Rights. Remember how important it is to us.
  12. Wear red, white and blue.
  13. Smile at a stranger. Try to remember what it felt like on September 12th and 13th…we all felt connected, bonded. Everyone was a little kinder, a little gentler.

How did you commemorate this holy day?

Support Team Sophie: For Universally Accessible Playgrounds

Amazing people do amazing things to transform themselves and the world. My congregants Jeff and Kellie Singer support Shane’s Inspiration, an organization which works to create Universally Accessible Playgrounds and programs that integrate children of all abilities socially, physically and emotionally, fostering acceptance, friendship and understanding. They helped vision Calabasas’ Brandon’s Village.

Jeff and Kellie invite people to hear their story. Our Brandon Kaplan Special Needs Program urges us to support their Team Sophie in the Shane’s Inspiration walk. Read on:

As many of you know, our daughter Sophie was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia when she was 5 months old. It is a very rare disorder which is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in children. We did not know whether she would be able to see, walk, or talk and so many of the other normal things that we all take for granted each day. Sophie has spent the past 8 years going to physical, occupational and speech therapy up to five days per week. She has worked so hard and achieved so much. She has inspired everyone in our family to reach higher than we thought we could, to work harder than we thought possible and be more compassionate than we knew how to be. Sophie is now in third grade; she attends Hebrew school, spent a week this past summer at sleep away camp, does gymnastics, karate, plays baseball and played in her first soccer game this weekend. We are so proud of Sophie and all of her accomplishments. Shane’s Inspiration came into our lives almost 8 years ago and has given my family so many gifts; the gift of sharing, acceptance and love. The gift of embracing a world without bias and barriers. And most importantly, for Sophie, the gift of laughter and the joy of play. Shane’s Inspiration makes that lesson possible for all children by building “Integrated Playgrounds”. Playgrounds that your children can enjoy alongside a child that may not be able to put themselves on a swing or walk across a play bridge, but can roll with a wheelchair alone or with the aid of their parent or another child and be able to laugh and enjoy a day in the park. The vision of Shane’s Inspiration is to eliminate bias against children with disabilities. The mission of Shane’s Inspiration is to create Universally Accessible Playgrounds and programs that integrate children of all abilities socially, physically and emotionally, fostering acceptance, friendship and understanding. Over the years, we have been so honored to have so many friends join Team Sophie at the annual Walk & Roll. We would like to invite you to join us on Sunday, September 28th at 7:30 AM at Griffith Park for the 11th Annual Shane’s Inspiration Walk & Roll. We are proud to say that Team Sophie has been the top fundraising team for the past 7 years raising more than $100,000. We have set a goal to raise $25,000 in 2008. We appreciate any donation that you can make. We have set up a Team Sophie Fundraising website . All donations are secure and sent directly to Shane’s Inspiration by Firstgiving, who will email you a printable record of your donation. Or if you prefer to mail a check, just send the check payable to Shane’s Inspiration to 15213 Burbank Boulevard, Van Nuys, CA 91411, and acknowledge TEAM SOPHIE. Contact Jeff with questions.

Joon: Reveling in the Rich Flavors of Persian Jewry

Editor Rob Eshman, in the Jewish Journal, wrote Joon, an explosively honest essay about the integration of the Persian Jewish community into the LA Jewish community. Wrote he:

For as long as I’ve worked in the Jewish community — 14 years — I’ve heard insults leveled at Iranian Jews.

They’re pushy, acquisitive, flashy, nouveau riche, cheap. They’re grasping, insincere, clannish, suspicious, old-fashioned. “They’ve ruined Beverly Hills High.” “They’ve invaded Milken High.” “They’ve taken over Sinai Temple.”

I repeat the invectives by way of making one point: Enough already.

Eshman continues:

As for the established Jewish community, I’d like to believe we have become 100 percent accepting. I’d like to believe that on the occasion of this 30-year anniversary, those of us who still default to — I’ll be blunt — racist generalizations, take the time to learn the remarkable recent history of Iranian Jewry — a story as compelling, frightening and death-defying for those who lived it as any our own relatives experienced.

I’d like to believe we’ll come to understand that there was exactly no — zero — difference between our antagonism of this greenhorn community and the cold-shoulder with which established German Jewish communities in America greeted the waves of our Eastern European ancestors 100 years ago.

At Congregation Or Ami, we have a handful of Jews of Persian descent. They are some of the warmest, most expressive, wonderful members of our congregation. Two became Adult B’not Mitzvah last year and gave Divrei Torah that captured so vividly the love of Torah and Judaism that they brought tears to the eyes of everyone in the sanctuary. They represent the best of our Jewish people. I cannot imagine Or Ami without these two or their relatives.

My kids went to school elsewhere and had wonderful Persian Jewish friends. Michelle and I loved experiencing the rich Persian Jewish culture, food, and family. We supported those friendships wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately, not everyone felt the same way. The level of animosity – stereotyping bordering on racism – by Ashkenzi Jews toward the Persian Jews was astonishing. At times, I recall responding to someone’s borderline racist comment about “Persian Jews” by saying sarcastically “they’re almost as bad as [insert racist slang for another group here]”. It was the only way to show them how offensive their comments were.

We take pride in Or Ami’s acceptance of the multicultural, multiethnic, multiracial uniqueness of many of our families. Each brings delicious new flavors to our smorgasbord; each weaves colorful threads into the tapestry we call our community. We even have a page on our website devoted to our openness to this uniqueness. We can only hope that the rest of the Jewish community follows suit too!

Dancing to Jack with the Kids

We brought our older to kids to see Jack Johnson in concert at UCLA. The first concert for both.

We all love Johnson’s music. We listen to him at home, in the car, everywhere. But as wonderful as it was to hear him play live, the best part – hands down – was being with our two children, dancing with them (we set the “no embarrassing dancing” rule ahead of time: no dancing unless you are at least 40 years old).

Surprisingly, many many kids – teens, younger and college – were there with their parents. Kind of cool.

We were also impressed with his commitment to Tikun Olam, fixing the world. At the center of the field was a tent city of volunteer organizations. Each was explaining their mission, signing up new members, inviting volunteers. If you filled out a passport, having visited 3 booths, you were entered into a drawing for front row seats. Music, family and Social justice! A great evening

Caring for the Mourners: Writing Condolence Cards and Supporting the Mourners

The mitzvah (responsibility) of halvayat hamet (literally “accompanying our dead to their final resting place”) does not end when the deceased’s body is placed in the ground. Rather it continues until the mourners can walk forward into life with some semblance of confidence and strength. Our tradition reminds us that this is a long process, taking a minimum of eleven months and often longer.

So often our intentions are pure but life gets in the way. Or our discomfort with death keeps us from acting. Here are two simple ways to reach out to mourners, to fulfill the mitzvah within a community?

1. Write a Condolence Card.
If you know the deceased or his/her family, but even if you do not, sending a note (or e-mail) of condolence helps break down the sense of isolation that accompanies the death of a loved one. It shines a light through the darkness. A condolence letter has two main goals: to offer tribute to the deceased and to be a source of comfort to the survivors. Some people are uncomfortable writing such a note. We wonder what to say.

Usually, in writing a condolence card/note, focus on accomplishing any of six things:

  • acknowledging the loss and naming the deceased
  • expressing your sympathy
  • noting special qualities of the deceased (if we knew him/her)
  • recalling a memory about the deceased
  • offering help (but only if you can be specific: e.g., “let me bring a meal next week” or “I will come and do some shopping for you.”)
  • ending with a word or phrase of sympathy.

Sometimes I begin a condolence card by noting that “although I did not know (insert person’s name), I am nonetheless saddened by your loss.” Such a letter need not be long – just heartfelt. So many mourners have expressed to me their appreciation for letters from other members of the community have written that they did not even know the author. One person noted that he reread these cards of sympathy and consolation many times during the year of mourning.

2. Call the Survivors on a Regular Basis.
We often forget that mourning is a long process. After pausing for a few days or a week to console our friends over their loss, we are quickly pulled back into the routine of our daily lives: work, school, our kids, our parents, our social life. This is normal and appropriate. Yet the mourners need almost a year to be able to walk forward with some semblance of confidence.

We support those who have lost loved ones by making a point of keeping in touch. Some people write a note in their calendars (datebooks, BlackBerrys) reminding them to call the survivors every few weeks (or at 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 9 months, a year). We can say, “I have been thinking about (insert deceased’s name) and I was thinking about you, and I wanted to tell you a story I remembered about him/her.” Or perhaps “I was thinking about you and I was thinking about (insert deceased’s name), maybe you can tell me a story about (deceased) so together we can remember him/her.”

Nothing is more isolating than when people stop asking about the deceased. Some mourners have told me that they desperately wanted to recall their loved one, yet callers – afraid apparently that such recollections would cause pain – refrained from mentioning his/her name or asking about him/her. Although sometimes we can bring a mourner to tears, more often we provide a loving release from the pent-up sadness.

So Take a Chance.
When someone you know, or know about, loses a loved one, reach out. Send a condolence letter, and then check in in the weeks and months following the death.

You will be doing a mitzvah. You will be bringing them comfort. You may even be training them to reach out to you if and when you experience such a loss in your life in the future.

Rain as Reward? Reward and Punishment in the Torah

How do we modern Jews understand reward and punishment? My colleague and friend Rabbi Jocee Hudson, Director of Education at Temple Beth Sholom of Santa Ana, CA, reflects upon this question, which arises in the Torah portion Ekev (Deuteronomy 11:13-21):
This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Eikev, includes the theologically troubling second paragraph of one of our central Jewish prayers, the Sh’ma. In fact, these words are so challenging, the Reform movement long ago removed them from our liturgy. And, while the words are preserved in our TBS siddur (Or Ami keeps only , we don’t often recite them. What are these words that cause us so much worry? Deuteronomy 11:13-21 reads: If, then, you obey the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day, loving Adonai your God and serving Him with all your heart and soul, I will grant the rain for your land in season, the early rain and the late. You shall gather in your new grain and wine and oil — I will also provide grass in the fields for your cattle — and thus you shall eat your fill. Take care not to be lured away to serve other gods and bow to them. For Adonai’s anger will flare up against you, and He will shut up the skies so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its produce; and you will soon perish from the good land that Adonai is assigning to you. Therefore impress these My words upon your very heart: bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a-symbol on your forehead, and teach them to your children — reciting them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up; and inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates — to the end that you and your children may endure, in the land that Adonai swore to your fathers to assign to them, as long as there is a heaven over the earth. What can we, as Reform Jews, do with such a firm theological statement of reward and punishment (a theology that our movement long ago rejected)? This way of looking at the world (i.e. good behavior = rain) clearly no longer fits with our ethics and morals. I believe we must look past the simple (p’shat) meaning of these words and explore their relevance in our world today (d’rash). I believe that God, through the words of Torah, is speaking to us today. God is saying to us: If you continue to burn fossil fuels for your benefit today, without exploring alternative technology, you will feel the ramifications of your actions, as your weather patterns will change (droughts, hurricanes, floods, and mudslides). And, you will feel the consequences of worshipping the gods of “convenience” and “progress.” God is saying to us: If you continue to produce “new seeds” and use dangerous, poisonous chemicals and fertilizers, planting without concern for native environments or the needs of local populations, you will experience hunger and create inarable land. And, you will feel the consequences of not researching the possibilities of locally grown produce, organic growing, subsistent farming, or alternative theories of agriculture. God is saying to us: If you continue to strip the land bare of old growth trees and pay no heed to your efforts at deforestation, you will experience mudslides and climate change. And, you will feel the consequences of not treating the land with respect. I fear that we, as a world collective, have begun to believe that we are no longer subject to the Divine laws of the elements. We have begun to imagine that we are no longer intimately connected to the land and her rhythms. We have begun to believe that the intricate, Divinely controlled relationship between human actions and needed rainfall no longer apply to us. We have begun to believe that we no longer need God’s commandments. This year, as we read these timeless words of Deuteronomy, let us return to our God — to the cautions we were long ago commanded to impress upon our hearts. We learn in this week’s parashah that we cannot compartmentalize our actions. The way we treat our planet is the way we treat our God is the way we treat ourselves. On this Shabbat, let us hear Torah anew. On this Shabbat, let us recommit ourselves to enduring — and even thriving — in our land.

Structured Caring: Reaching Out to Families with Children with Special Needs

When loving a child with special needs, the pressure and the work to meet his/her needs are constant. Crises come regularly; exhaustion is a constant companion. It is a unique struggle. That’s why at Or Ami, our Henaynu Caring Community Committee, in partnership with our Brandon Kaplan Special Needs Program, has found a unique way of reaching out. We have created a special outreach chairperson who reaches out regularly, multiple times over the course of a year, to each family with a child with special needs.

Once a year the families receive a letter (see below). Then the contacts begin. Caring is heart-felt, but the pressures of life keep us from regularly participating in random acts of kindness. That is why we have created a structure, led by a caring individual, to deepen our support and outreach.

This year’s letter:

Dear NAME:
I am writing on the request of Rabbi Paul Kipnes and our Henaynu Caring Community Committee. I have been asked to co-chair the Henaynu Caring Community Sub-Committee to help serve the needs of the congregants who have children with special needs. As the mother of two special needs children, I understand the daily struggles and joys of parenting our unique children. I also know that, at times, it can seem like no one else “gets it” — the particular sorrows of seeing our son’s or daughter’s differences, the struggle with the school system, or the isolation that our families experience. We all crave community, a place where we can share our extraordinary lives and be understood. Our Rabbi, our Cantor and the members of Congregation Or Ami want to provide you that community. We want you to know that you can reach out to Rabbi Kipnes and to the Henaynu Caring Community Committee for support. Perhaps the stresses that you experience become part of your routine, but there may be times that you feel you need extra care and prayers from others. Please know that we are here for you. I will be calling you sometime within the next couple of months to check in with you. In the meantime, you can reach me at PHONE NUMBER or dianesmithmft@earthlink.net. L’Shalom, Diane Smith

Climate Change: What’s the Jewish Take?

Shabbat. The day of rest. We refrain from acting on the world, so as to take pleasure in it. We thank the Holy One for the world in which we live.

But it seems that we never stop acting on the world. And often in very detrimental ways.

Once again Thomas Friedman (NYTimes, 8/5/08) poignantly and articulately sounds the alarm (speaks the truth) about the effects of Climate Change on our world. Writing from Greenland he notes:

And my trip with Denmark’s minister of climate and energy, Connie Hedegaard, to see the effects of climate change on Greenland’s ice sheet leaves me with a very strong opinion: Our kids are going to be so angry with us one day. We’ve charged their future on our Visa cards. …
That’s how I learned a new language here: “Climate-Speak.” It’s easy to learn. There are only three phrases. The first is: “Just a few years ago …” Just a few years ago you could dogsled in winter from Greenland, across a 40-mile ice bank, to Disko Island. But for the past few years, the rising winter temperatures in Greenland have melted that link. Now Disko is cut off. Put away the dogsled. There has been a 30 percent increase in the melting of the Greenland ice sheet between 1979 and 2007, and in 2007, the melt was 10 percent bigger than in any previous year, said Konrad Steffen, director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado, which monitors the ice. Greenland is now losing 200 cubic kilometers of ice per year — from melt and ice sliding into the ocean from outlet glaciers along its edges — which far exceeds the volume of all the ice in the European Alps, he added. “Everything is happening faster than anticipated.”

It occurred to me that scientists have made clear that Global Warming and Climate Change are facts (not theory). Businesses and some politicians are starting to see the light. What about Jews? What is the Jewish take on Climate Change?

Head over to the Jewish Climate Initiative to read their blog and check out their website. Dedicated to illuminating the Jewish ethical and philosophical response to Climate Change, they write about a Jewish theology of climate change, Midrashic narratives, and a thoughtful article on Halakha and Climate Change: Because the Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions. Clearly Jewish thought and teaching makes clear that we are responsible in big and little ways to protect the earth, a gift from God.

Head over to Shma Magazine and read its August 2008 issue. The issue focuses on environmental issues from a Jewish perspective. Or check out COEJL (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life), which is chock full of articles on Jewish values as it relates to climate change.

It is Shabbat. Today, up here during our jaunt in Northern California, I shall refrain from acting on our world and just schepp nachas (share the joy) at the beauty that surrounds me. Nonetheless, I shall be thinking about what we are doing – on non-Shabbat days – l’takein haolam, to fix this broken world.

For Those Dealing with Chronic Illness: A Prayer for Persisting

In her article, Prayer for Persisting: Moving Beyond Mi Shebeirach, my colleague Rabbi Julie Pelc, Assistant Director of the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health, reflects upon facing the constant long term of chronic illness:

During Rabbinic school, I spent more time in doctor’s offices than in seminary classrooms. Whereas it was initially an acute illness (for which the traditional misheberach and prayers in hopes of a “refuah shleima” would have been appropriate), the years of recovery and the resulting, permanent disability ensuring thereafter no longer qualified for such a hope or wish.

She thinks about the many who are with incomplete health, yet, are not entirely “sick” either:

I think of my coworker with diabetes, a friend with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, an aunt struggling with chronic clinical depression, a classmate with lupus and ulcerative colitis and an acquaintance living with HIV. I think of my own incomplete recovery. To pray for “complete healing” for those whose ailments cannot or will not ever be completely “healed” seems audacious and even offensive. My coworkers, colleagues, family, friends, and I will negotiate medications, medical appointments, dietary needs, and fears throughout our lives. We will face unexpected side effects, professional and personal repercussions of our special needs, and stigma from many well-meaning strangers every day. Our everyday reality is one of incomplete health; yet, we are not entirely “sick”, either.

She offers a new kind of Mi Shebeirach, a prayer for a different kind of healing:

To pray for the “complete healing of body and spirit” is to misjudge the realties of many people’s lives. To understand or redefine “healing” as “making peace with one’s fate” is to alter the meaning of the prayer and it may also serve to ignore our specific kind of suffering and its ever-changing realities… We need a prayer that acknowledges the reality of chronic illness. We need a prayer that asks God for the strength to persist even in the face of challenges that may seem insurmountable. We need a prayer asking that we be granted the courage to continue in life even as we face the reality of our death; to rage and to praise, to bless and to curse, to accept and to reject diagnoses simultaneously.

Her prayer:

“May the One who blessed our fathers and our mothers, bless _______ son/daughter of _______: strengthen his/her heart and raise up his/her hand, with the blessings you gave to Yaakov, to Yonatan and David, to Daniel the Prophet, to Tamar mother of Peretz, to Miriam the Prophetess, and to Naomi.
May God give to him/her grace, compassion and loving-kindness; love, harmony, peace, and companionship. Speedily, Adonai our God, hear our voices, take up our prayers, and watch over his/her life-force, spirit, and soul. With respect to your power, your loving-kindness, and your great compassion, behold we say to him/her: be strong and of good courage . Spread over us all Your shelter of peace. And let us say: Amen.”

Why these Biblical ancestors?

Rabbi Pelc writes:

  • Jacob struggled with an invisible being in the night, emerging with a limp. He would not cease his wrestling until he also emerged with a blessing from his adversary.
  • Jonathan was the rightful inheritor of his father’s (King Saul’s) throne but desired instead to yield leadership to his beloved friend, David. Because he refused to abandon his deeply held convictions, he fought against his father and died in battle defending his companion and his beliefs.
  • David (King David) is perhaps best known for his battle against the giant, Goliath, though the odds were firmly not in his favor.
  • Daniel’s enemies threw him into the lion’s den, by order of the king.
  • Tamar was twice widowed, childless, and then denied remarriage by her father-in-law because he feared that she would somehow cause the death of a third husband, were she to be allowed to marry again.
  • Miriam was struck with a skin disease, tzarraat, which forced her to live outside the camp until she was healed.
  • Naomi lost her husband and both her sons in quick succession in a foreign land. She cried out, “God has embittered my soul”, feeling that she was left completely empty, devoid of blessing or hope.
  • As Moses passes the mantle of leadership to the next generation, he says, “hazzak v’amatz”, meaning: “May you be strong and courageous”

So often we are able to deal with the crisis of illness. We know how to reach out before or after the surgery or visit to the hospital. But when illness moves into the long-term – like Fibromyalgia, chronic depression, or…, we often do not know how to sustain our support. This prayer may help both the person living with chronic illness and the community as we try to change attitudes.

Read Rabbi Pelc’s full article here. Read my more complete teaching on this topic here.

Maintaining the Bible as Inspiration, and Science as… Science

Rabbis across the country are joining with Christian and other clergy to “affirm our commitment ot the teaching of the science of evolution.” In a world where various fundamentalists want to mix religious teachings (so-called “creationist theories”) with bone fide scientific theory in science classes, we raise our voices to challenge this religious indoctrination. Our Union for Reform Judaism passed a policy statement on “The Politicization of Science in the US“. I signed onto the Rabbis Letter today. Read about the project here.

An Open Letter Concerning Religion and Science From American Rabbis As rabbis from various branches of Judaism, we the undersigned, urge public school boards to affirm their commitment to the teaching of the science of evolution. Fundamentalists of various traditions, who perceive the science of evolution to be in conflict with their personal religious beliefs, are seeking to influence public school boards to authorize the teaching of creationism. We see this as a breach in the separation of church and state. Those who believe in a literal interpretation of the Biblical account of creation are free to teach their perspective in their homes, religious institutions and private schools. To teach it in the public schools would be to assert a particular religious perspective in an environment which is supposed to be free of such indoctrination. The Bible is the primary source of spiritual inspiration and of values for us and for many others, though not everyone, in our society. It is, however, open to interpretation, with some taking the creation account and other content literally and some preferring a figurative understanding. It is possible to be inspired by the religious teachings of the Bible while not taking a literalist approach and while accepting the validity of science including the foundational concept of evolution. It is not the role of public schools to indoctrinate students with specific religious beliefs but rather to educate them in the established principles of science and in other subjects of general knowledge.