Category Archives: Judaism

Shavuah tov

Judaism

Shavuah tov, a good new week to you. I hope that your Shabbat was a good one.

This week is parashat Lech-lecha, including the Holy One’s famous call to Avram,

Lech lecha mei’artzecha, mee’molad’techa, u’mee’beit avich… Go forth from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s land…and go to a land that I will show you.

G-d challenges Avram with an enormous challenge, one that changed his life, his family’s life and the life of our people. Avram and Sarai reached within themselves and risked everything to follow G-d’s call and our people’s life began.

There are times when the challenges before us can seem immense. Perhaps remembering the ability of our ancestors to find the courage, strength and faith for their lives will help us find the same.

Naomichana's take on the muppets

Jewish Blogs, Judaism

Yes, the muppets.  Naomichana of Baraita (always an interesting and enjoyable read) looked at the muppet characters in Sesame Street and casted the muppets in Tanach roles.  For example,

“Adam: Aloysius “Snuffy” Snuffleupagus [This is not random: Snuffy does embarrassed better than anyone else in the cast, and he has a large enough body to be animated by two actors, lending credence to the primordial-hermaphrodite theory of Midrash. But please try not to think about whether this makes Big Bird God or Lilith.]
“Eve: Alice Snuffleupagus [Yes, that’s Snuffy’s baby sister. And Eve was related to Adam how again?]
“The Serpent: Slimey the Worm [Typecasting. Sorry.]
“Noah: Forgetful Jones [Since Sesame Street lacks an openly alcoholic Muppet, we are going with a more subtle choice. This presumably makes Clementine Noah’s long-suffering wife.]”

Read her entire post here.

I grew up in the 70s & 80s.  During the early years I watched a lot of Public Television, including Sesame Street, the Electric Company (I was very sad when it went off the air) and Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.  These shows helped me learn to read and more.   Naomichana’s finding of paralles between muppet characters and aspects of Tanach characters brings a smile to my face. Perhaps it will to your too.  Read and enjoy.

Where has all the time gone?

Judaism

Wow. It is September 16th, nearly September 17th. Where in the world has the time gone? Next Shabbat is Rosh Hashanah. Amazing. I’m not sure what 5767 will bring for Israel, the Jewish people and the world as a whole. I hope and pray it is more peace than war, more acceptance than hate, more fed than hungry, more safety than fear, more love than abuse….

May this last week of 5766 be a good one for you and yours.

Intriguing blog seeking the Jews of Lebanon

Judaism, Lebanon

A (relatively) new blog is seeking Jews of Lebanon.  Their mission statement begins,

It is the intent of this blog to reestablish a connection between Lebanese of the Jewish faith around the world with their country of Lebanon. The message of coexistence and genuine national unity is not applicable so as long as a fragment from Lebanon’s mosaic of minorities is missing. If religious coexistence fails in Lebanon it will ultimately fail throughout the world.

Read the entire mission statement or go to the Jews of Lebanon blog.

Important Article on Judaism & Domestic Violence

Judaism

My Jewish Learning has web-published an important article by Naomi Graetz on "Domestic Violence in Jewish Law: How Judaism views wifebeating." In her article you can learn some of the basics of Jewish law on this topic as well as how the biblical and rabbinic authorities understood halachah (Jewish law) in each time period and major area of the Jewish world.

Yes, abuse, domination and violence in the home happens in Judaism. It is not a pleasant reality. However, it is one which our people must face, address and work to end.

Connecting, Planning, Collaborating and Working Together

Judaism

I had a fantastic meeting today, acutally, two of them. The first I expected to go well, as it was a networking meeting with a non-rabbinic (non-Jewish, actually) colleague in LocalTown to talk about collaborative programming and community building.  We connected on so many levels, I look forward to continued work together.

This  afternoon I had a committee meeting for a LocalTown board that I was just asked to join. We are working on a new agency to combat hunger.  It was one of those meetings where we got a lot done in less than an hour.

 So what is the Jewish connection to this other than the fact that I am a Jewish professional?  I think the connection resides in the statement in Pirkei Avot (Ethics/Teachings of the Ancestors), "You are not required to complete the work, but neither may you desist from it."

 May your work be fuitful and enjoyable.