Saying Thanks to Mom at Passover

When you sit down to your Passover meal this year, remember the Jewish women who got you there. Moses is not the sole hero of the Passover story. Every Jewish woman deserves a big “thank you” at Passover, and not just for all the hard work that goes into preparing for the holiday.

According to the Talmud (Sotah 11b) it was due to the merit of Jewish women that the Israelites were redeemed from Egypt. The Talmud tells us that Israelite women continued to conceive despite the Egyptian repression and potential murder of their firstborn child. According to this same narrative, when the Israelite women were ready to give birth, they would go out into the fields to avoid detection and God would send an angle to assist the birthing and feed the child.

We must not forget the Hebrew midwives, Shifra and Puah, who defied Pharoah’s decree to kill all male Israelite babies because they “feared God.” We must not forget Yocheved, Moses’ mother, who hid Moses and placed her family at risk to protect her son, the eventual liberator of her people. We must not forget Miriam, who as a young girl helped bring her baby brother Moses to safety in Pharaoh’s home, and who led the Israelites in recognizing the miracle of G-d’s redemption at the Sea of Reeds. Without all these remarkable women, the Exodus would not have occurred.

We should also remember that these women freedom-fighters were not the last of their kind. Jewish women have always been at the forefront of demanding freedom throughout the generations. Just as we should remember Miriam, we should also remember the efforts and pay tribute to women such as Henrietta Szold, who offered freedom from disease to Jews and Arabs living in the Land of Israel, Barbara Myerhoff, who liberated the voices of the Jewish elderly through her writings, Golda Meir, who helped the State of Israel remain the only democratic state in the Middle East, Gertrude Elion, who offered a cancer-free life to thousands of leukemia-stricken children.

When you are sitting at your Seder table, remember these women, and may others that have had a profound impact on America, Judaism, and the world. If you would like to add their voices to your Passover celebration, you can learn more at the Jewish Women’s Archive. Their database of magnificent women can be accessed online at www.jwa.org. Perhaps their stories, both biblical and contemporary, can help you to find a renewed interest both at your Passover table and in your Jewish living.

Searching for Everyday Miracles

Most of us live our lives like commuters, not paying much attention to the "scenery" of life as we move from one activity to another. Commuters move on auto-pilot, and only pay attention to experiences that jar us from the everyday. So, the birth of a baby or a visit to the Grand Canyon is a miracle moment, but watching your toddler learn to talk is just the natural, developmental progression of a two year old. In today's miracle-jaded society, if an event would not make the evening news it isn't a miracle.

Judaism asks us to be more sensitive to the everyday miracles around us. In being more sensitive to miracles, we may come to greater appreciate Judaism as our tour guide to a miraculous world. In an important and often neglected teaching, the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hassidic Judaism, reminds us that miracles are happening every day but we “take our little hand and cover our eyes, " and the miraculous disappears.

Judaism recognizes two types of miracles, the revealed and the hidden. The miracle of Purim, the saving of the Persian Jewry through the efforts of Esther and Mordechai, is considered a hidden miracle, because God is never mentioned explicitly in the Purim story. Nevertheless, Jewish tradition "writes" God into the story by recognizing certain plot twists as only possible through God's intervention. For example, when King Achashverosh is unable to sleep, checks his royal annals, and is reminded of Mordechai’s loyalty, the Rabbis understand this verse to mean that God, the King of the Universe, woke up to the plight of Persian Jewry and began to work behind the scenes, through Mordechai and Esther, to save the Jews from annihilation.

The revealed miracles of the Bible are more familiar to us, including movie-worthy moments such as the splitting of the Sea of Reeds. It is easy to forget that Purim is a miracle, so the Rabbis wrote Al HaNissim, a prayer that reminds us that Purim is no less of a miraculous event as the Exodus from Egypt. This prayer begins by thanking God “for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds and triumphs, and for the battles which You did perform for our ancestors in those days, at this season.” The prayer continues “You (G-d) in Your great mercy did frustrate his (Haman) counsel and upset his plan; You did cause his plans to backfire upon his own head, so that he and his sons were hanged upon the gallows.” Notice that the Al HaNissim prayer does not praise Mordechai or Esther at all, despite the fat that they are the heroes of the story.

The Al HaNissim prayer, which is also said during Channukah (a different version), reminds us to recognize the miraculous even when events don't stop us in our tracks. Treating our daily experiences as mundane might be necessary to get to work but does not need to spill into all of our daily experiences. Take some time to be awed once in a while and it will transform you into a more appreciative person and, at the same time, put your place in this world into perspective. This is a way that Judaism can make our lives more sensitive to the world around us. Ironically, we have the ability to cover our eyes and make miracles disappear. That doesn't make us powerful, just blind.

Exploring Judaism with a Fresh Set of Eyes

The best avenue to begin an exploration of Judaism may not be a holiday, a course, or a family celebration. It might be at the check-out counter of your local organic food store.

At the end of this month we celebrate Tu B’Shevat, a holiday that has been transformed throughout its history. Often referred to as the “birthday of trees,” Tu B’Shevat was initially the artificial date used by the Rabbis to count the age of trees. If a tree had passed the requisite number of years, its produce was available for food. Later Jewish mystics re-invented Tu B’Shevat as a holiday to connect them both to the Land of Israel and to the levels or “worlds” of creation that brought them closer to God. Zionism has added to Tu B’Shevat’s transformation by connecting the planting of trees to the establishment and development of the State of Israel. Today institutions like the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and Hazon have helped to transform Tu B’Shevat into a day to recognize Judaism’s concern for the environment.

Although never called by the modern terms of green politics or ecology, Judaism has always had a serious concern for the environment. This concern is discussed throughout the Torah and the rabbinic literature. In the Bible, the most commonly cited ideas can be found in the Book of Genesis (Chapter 2, Verse 15), which discusses the role of humanity in cultivating and protecting the Earth, and in the Book of Deuteronomy (Chapter 20, Verses 19-20), which discusses the importance of protecting fruit trees during warfare. In the rabbinic literature, the Talmud discusses the distance that must be kept between our residential areas and environmentally unfriendly trades (Talmud, Baba Batra 25a). It is amazing how Ecclesiastes Rabbah (7:13), a midrashic text from over 1000 years ago, reminds us that if we damage our environment it can never be returned to its original state. These concerns are captured with the following teaching:

At the time when G-d created humanity, G-d took him around the trees of the Garden of Eden, and G-d said to him, “Look at My works! How beautiful and praiseworthy they are. Everything that I have created, I created for you. Take care not to damage and destroy My world, for if you damage it, there is no one to repair it after you.”

Concern for the environment is not an exclusively Jewish issue but how we voice, challenge, and act on this concern can be infused with a Jewish sensibility. By doing so, we grow both as environmentalists and as Jews; exploring our religious tradition side by side with our concern for issues of the broader world. This merger of interests has the potential to help to make Judaism a more meaningful experience.

If environmentalism is not one of your priorities, consider a path of Jewish exploration that begins not with an overtly Jewish experience but with a concern for something close to your own heart. Judaism is a civilization that has something to say about every human endeavor. When you find a personally meaningful topic seek opportunities to explore the Jewish avenues within it. Your journey might start at an unlikely place, but in that hides the opportunity to explore Judaism with a fresh pair of eyes and a new perspective.

The Power of Adult Jewish Learning

Most Jews end their Jewish study either at Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Confirmation age but their Jewish lives continue to evolve. Just as you wouldn’t end your general education at age thirteen, you shouldn’t end your Jewish education at that age either. Adult Jewish learning is part of a life-long process of growth that will help you advance in your Jewish journey.

Being Jewish is like learning to play piano. The piano is considered the easiest instrument to learn but one of the most difficult to master. Judaism is a great faith for children, with rituals that make our tradition tangible even for the youngest in our community. However, Judaism is a text and idea based religion that demands time and maturity to explore to its fullest. Adult Jewish education programs allow you to explore Judaism with a new pair of eyes, bringing with you the skills and life experience needed to examine these discoveries.

Most adults interested in Jewish study are unsure where to begin. The Talmud, the central rabbinic text of the Jewish tradition, which boasts over 12,000 pages, is often likened to an ocean. To begin Talmud study, you jump in and make your way through the language, ideas, and arguments of the texts. Adult Jewish study can begin the same way, with learners navigating their studies through topics that interest them. Although this is a traditional way to approach Jewish learning it is not necessarily the best for a new student. The challenge of this approach is that it can often leave a learner frustrated when there are still gaps in his or her knowledge. Another method of study is one with a defined curriculum, which guides the learners systematically and comprehensively. Programs such as these will often include textbooks and series of graduated courses that help a learner build a strong foundation.

Organizations across Houston, including my own, offer both kinds of programs. As a new learner, you should definitely consider which type of program best serves your educational goals. Most importantly, you should not delay in getting started, or feel frustrated when the study seems overwhelming. Yalkut Shimoni (863), a medieval anthology of midrash aggadah, teaches: Do not say, "I cannot master the entire Torah and observe all its commandments." Think upon the following parable: A king asked two men to fill a deep pit. The first, upon looking into the pit, exclaimed in despair, "How can I fill so deep a cavern?" The other, a wise worker, said, “What concern of mine is it that the pit is so deep? I am hired by the day, and I shall, therefore, perform my work each day." G-d says to us: "What concern is it of yours that the Torah is so extensive and that there is so much to learn? You are hired to do My work from day to day. All that I expect of you is that you perform, each day, a full day's work in the study of the Torah.”

Our tradition has countless teachings on the value and reward of study. Most educators agree that Jewish learning at its best is a transformative experience. Adult Jewish learning is certainly an intellectual challenge, but should not be just an exercise of the head. Jewish learning should also exercise your heart and your hands. In Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiba’s debate between the competing values of study and practice, the rabbis determine that “study is greater because it leads to practice.” This rabbinic paradox suggests that the two are indivisibly linked, and what begins in our head will also shape the way we live our daily lives. Adult Jewish learning has the power to do just that and there is no better time to hit the books!

Cyber-Jewish Exploration

Today you can take a meaningful Jewish journey without leaving your office chair.  All you need do is turn on your computer and point your mouse in the right direction.    Last week, I participated in a three-day conference on utilizing technology in developing the field of Jewish education.  Considering myself tech-savvy, I wasn’t sure what I would get out of the program, I was humbled to realize just how little I knew about legitimate websites that can spark and guide Jewish self-discovery.  The internet is exploding with opportunities to explore Judaism, some that are intrinsically Jewish and others that you wouldn’t think of right away like YouTube and wonderhowto.com.

Some advantages of internet Jewish discovery are the ability to cater your browsing to your own interests and explore these topics at your own schedule.  The most frequent explanation I hear for why interested adult learners are not engaging in Jewish learning is “I’d love to but I just don’t have the time.”  Cyberspace learning makes this explanation an excuse. If you are interested in a “traditional” Jewish learning experience, you can sign up to receive daily or weekly e-mails from around the world and participate in the ongoing study of Jewish texts, including challenging opportunities such as the daily cycle of Talmud study or halachic (legal) literature.  Many of these websites also create podcasts and videos that you can use for self-guided learning.  If you are interested in something more structured, it is now possible to take online college courses from universities such as Gratz College, Siegal College of Jewish Studies, and Spertus College.  Many of these programs offer on-line degrees as well. 

As a casual explorer, the possibilities for Jewish learning are seemingly endless.  If you are an information seeker, the Jewish Virtual Library, a division of the American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, is a vast resource for all things Jewish on history, literature, Israel, religion, culture, and politics.  The site provides concise entries that link to other areas of the library, allowing browsers to expand their search across multiple subject areas.  The site also includes an article about how to evaluate the quality of internet resources, a necessity in an age when everyone can create a webpage of their own. 

If you are a seeking insights into Jewish practice or a trans-denominational exploration of Jewish thought, myjewishlearning.com, is a great source for a pluralistic approach to Judaism.  Of course, many denominational websites also exist, with each of the major movements, and their associated institutions of higher learning, offering their perspective on Jewish living and learning that often includes an exploration of the weekly Torah portion or of the significance of an upcoming holiday.  If you are interested in a specialized subject matter, sites such as the Jewish Women’s Archive (jwa.org) or the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (jofa.org) are dedicated to exploring the history, contributions, and challenges of Jewish women.  Websites also exist to provide information and support to interfaith families (interfaithfamily.com) and others dedicated to providing curricular materials to teachers in Jewish schools (chinuch.org).

Technology has fundamentally changed our ability to access information and explore our world.  Although I think that the best Jewish interactions are those between people, the internet may be a very comfortable gateway to Jewish discovery.  If we recognize that on-line Jewish learning cannot be a substitute for face to face learning encounters, we can use the internet wisely to broaden our Jewish experiences and find creative and accessible ways to continue our self-discovery

Exploring our Jewishness

Welcome to Jewish Living and Learning, a new blog on discovering Judaism at the intersection between Jewish study and exploring Jewish art, music, literature, dance, film, and everything else that makes Judaism a great civilization.  Let's get a conversation going about how to connect with Judaism in a way that is personally meaningful and might encourge others to do the same.  As the Co-Director of the Center for Jewish Living and Learning at the Houston JCC, I am always trying to create experiences for others to engage in Jewish self-discovery and often don't take the time to reflect on those experiences myself.  I hope that this blog will do just that - and that you will add your thoughts to mine.