Divah World

Blocked

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:53:00 +0000

היום ארבעה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות ושני ימים לעמר
Today is forty-four days, which is six weeks and two days, of the omer
גבורה שבמלכות
A day of strength in a week of majesty

It's time to start thinking what I've gleaned from this year's omer practice.

One thing I've learned is to separate my Facebook count from these blog posts. The count is easy--just sign on and type the information in my status. Doing that, I can keep the base ritual by counting each night, since the start of a day in the Hebrew calendar is at sundown.

The blog posts are more of a commitment and sometimes, neither the time nor the inspiration are there. I can push these into the next day. But still, sometimes, my mind is a blank. Even with the post-it of writing ideas on my bulletin board, the words don't make it to the screen. I fill a post with words from others, or just note the difficulty and move on--an entry is an entry no matter what it says. But I won't put many of those on Facebook--no need to share my writer's block.

Hopefully, I'll be more inspired on my next post.

Loooking for lessons in the Kosher Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:51:00 +0000

היום שלשה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות ויום אחד לעמר
Today is forty-three days, which is six weeks and one day, of the omer
חסד שבמלכות
A day of loving-kindness in a week of majesty

Today I received my copy of Kosher Nation: Why More and More of America's Food Answers to a Higher Authority by Sue Fishkoff. It will be the next book in line for me to read. Friends have given it good reviews. But more importantly, I hope it gives me some ideas on how to teach the concept of kashrut to my students next year.

I teach in a Reform synagogue where the laws of kashrut are no longer followed. However, the students often bring up the subject. They are curious about the what and why's of the practice.

I need to be careful how I teach this--after all, it is not part of the culture of their synagogue and unlikely a part of their home life. When it comes up, I talk about mindful eating--being aware of what is in the food, where is comes from, how it gets to the plate. I show them the animated G-dcast for Shemini which gives the kashrut laws in song. I point out that the verses following the laws talk about each of us being holy--a kind of "you are what you eat."

But I'm hoping this book will enable me to bring in a worldly relationship to kashrut that would be in line with the philosophy of the Reform movement while letting me be true to the mitzvah aspect.

I'll post my own review when I'm done and let you know :)

Step by Step

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Tue, 31 May 2011 05:40:00 +0000

היום שנים וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועת לעמר
Today is forty-two days, which is six weeks, of the omer
מאלכות שביסוד
A day of majesty in a week of foundation

It was four weeks ago that I wrote about looking for balance in my life. I ended that post, "Balancing Act," with the observation that sometimes you need to change the placement of the balancing point. As I mark this sixth week of the omer, I realize there has been a foundational shift in my Jewish ritual practice.

My avodah-my service time is in better balance with my prayer time. I've made a conscious effort to step back from many coordinating roles. I participate in and certainly help support my community, but my responsibilities need to be focused on my teaching and my editing work. I need to make my personal practice a priority over that of the communal practice. I have given too much avodah to the detriment of my spiritual well being. I need to recalibrate that ratio in order to better serve both myself and the community.

Five weeks ago I also focused on finding balance. It was the first day of malchut in the cycle, and I wrote:

I wonder whether malchut is the place where all the other attributes meld with each other--like the way all the colors together make white. I can feel it as the union of the other aspects, a reminder of the balance needed to hold them all.

That aspect of malchut has come to the forefront for me this year. I have used each of the attributes to inform my thinking as I've pondered my next directions. One foot in front of the other, I continue to find my way.

On Memorial Day, Remembrance of my Uncle Eddie is a blessing

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Mon, 30 May 2011 17:48:00 +0000

היום אחד וחמשה יום שהם חמשה וששה ימים לעמר
Today is forty-one days, which is five weeks and six days, of the omer
יסוד שביסוד
A day of foundation in a week of foundation

This morning at minyan I commemorated the yarhzeit of my uncle Eddie. It is a tradition I started about five years ago. Eddie was a bombardier during World War two--one of those who did not make it home. Although I never met him, I feel a close tie to him and need to honor his memory--not just for me, not just for my dad, not just for my family. Each year I share these words with my community so we can remember the reason we mark this Memorial Day.

"Pa - so you thought I forgot your anniversary. Well, at least Ma stood by me. I'm glad you liked the card. . . I received a letter from Seymour on Tuesday and he tells me that he made P.F.C - You can't imagine what a kick I got out of hearing this. I went around and passed cigarettes to the boys just like a father passes out cigars when he gets a baby"

"You ask what's new with me. There is still nothing definite to tell you. We may as well not kid each other - when I finish my training here I will be due to go over. . . Please don't start worrying about me - there is still plenty of time for that. . . I'm not worried about anything except that you are worrying about me. This is a great experience for me and I'm sure I will benefit by it. Why, there must be a million fellows who would do anything to trade places with me and get on a B-29 crew"

Those words were written by my uncle, Lieutenant Edward Heiss, US Army Air Force, in letters to his parents in January and February, 1944. He signed off, as he did all his letters, with "I am feeling fine. So long. Lots of love, Eddie." One year later, on January 11, 1945, his B-29 fell to the ground in pieces somewhere over Malaysia. Of the eleven crew members, only three made it out alive---he was not one of those three.

When I was growing up, a colored version of this photo was on my grandmother's dresser. I was curious who it was, but somehow, never asked. I don't remember when or how I found out who he was. My father has given me bits and pieces through the years. I still don't know much, but I feel very connected to him. I have always wondered how my family's life would have been different if he had come home.

I wonder about this man--the one so often photographed with a smile. The one who, as my father tells it, convinced my dad to go with him to Yankee Stadium one Rosh Hashonah. The commanding officer of his squadron wrote my grandparents, "No matter how fatigued he may have been, or how he felt personally, Edward always had a laugh and a word of encouragement, to cheer the other members of his crew and squadron. . . He undoubtedly was one of the best liked officers in this organization."

My Uncle Eddie received a Purple Heart, posthumously.

I would have rather had him in my life.

On Memorial Day we need to remember that war, justified or not, will always take its toll.

Zichrono L'vracha
His remembrance is a blessing to my dad, to me, and to all with whom I share his story.

No words

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Mon, 30 May 2011 03:23:00 +0000

היום ארבעים יום שהם חמשה שבועות וחמשה ימים לעמר
Today is forty days, which is five weeks and five days, of the omer
הוד שביסוד
A day of humility in a week of foundation

It's already late, and I'm at a loss for words. So I mark the day, and humbly realize that sometimes it's better to stay quiet when there's nothing to say. That, in itself, can be a place of foundation.

Shabbat Shalom

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sat, 28 May 2011 05:26:00 +0000

היום תשעה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעמר
Today is thirty-nine days, which is five weeks and four days, of the omer
נצח שביסוד
A day of perseverance in a week of foundation

On this Shabbat of foundation I share with you Psalm 92 - the psalm of Shabbat - as interpreted by one of my teachers, Norman Fischer, from Opening to You:

It is good to thank you, good to pronounce your unsayable name
With morning's light to remember your kindness
With night's sky to think of your faithful heart
To sing of it with music of the ten-stringed instrument
With the psaltery, with the harp

Because you are at work in what is I rejoice
And the physical world your hands have made
Animates in my body your preciousness

Everything you have made firm is very great
Everything you have coaxed into thought profound
And only someone humane know this, a fool cannot see it

When the crooked spring up like weeds
When he heedless like grass seem to flourish
It is only so that they may be mowed down

But you
Who do not rise up
And cannot be mowed down
Uplift
What opposed you
And it falls and withers
Scatters and is cast away

Knowing this
My resolve is strengthened
Like ram's horn freshly anointed it glistens
So that my eyes see clearly the greed of those who envy
And my ears hear patiently the confused cacophony of the world

Those who go in accord with you grow fresh as palm trees
Grow tall as the cedars of Lebanon
For they are planted in your house, their leaves rustle in your courtyards
Even in old age they'll flourish, vigorous and covered with foliage
Emblems of your uprightness, your rocklike steadfastness
Sealed and without a crack

שבת שלום

Shabbat Shalom

Teaching & Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sat, 28 May 2011 00:17:00 +0000

היום שמונה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות ושלשה ימים לעמר
Today is thirty-eight days, which is five weeks and three days, of the omer
תפארת שביסוד
A day of compassion in a week of foundation

Yesterday I had four different periods of teaching/learning. I could label each one, but each had elements of both.

Our rabbi has his weekly Torah study session on Thursday mornings after minyan, but yesterday he couldn't stay--his young son was getting his siddur in a ceremony at the day school and, of course, he wanted to be there. The assembled group asked me to lead the study. I have to admit feeling some gratification in the confidence they placed in my ability to do this. I went to the library to grab the Nechama Leibowitz Bamidbar volume--always a good aggregate of commentaries, and led a lively discussion.

Then it was off to the East Bay for my weekly Torah study group. My friend Edna and I have been studying Torah with Rabbi Carol Caine using the Nechama Leibowitz studies as our base. Yesterday, after two years of study, we finished Bereshit. It has been truly wonderful to share in these teachings, sometimes arguing among ourselves but more often arguing with the generations of commentators. We now leave these personal spiritual stories behind and start Shemot--a book of revelation where the Israelites start their journey as an integrated society.

Back over the bridge, I prepared the materials for my new bar mitzvah student and drove over to Beth Sholom for my first meeting with him. The introduction went well. He's an engaging kid and seems ready to take this path with me. He's a sports fan, which always works well in my favor. He's a Giants fan, and had a bit of a mischievous glint in his eyes when I told him I root for the A's. When I told him he gets to choose the color of the streaks in my hair for his bar mitzvah, he said, with a wide smile, "Well, orange and black, of course." We'll see if I can convince him to let me add some blue as well for the Mets--my National League team.

After evening minyan, I ended my day of study with Talmud. Since October I've been part of a small group to be guided through these teaching with Rabbi Avi Novis-deutsch. Avi is an Israeli, a Masorti rabbi, and a great teacher. He doesn't want us to just accept the teachings of the Talmud--he wants us to wrestle with them, to find ways to make them meaningful to us in this day and age. I will miss these sessions, and hope I can study with him in some way next year before he returns to Israel.

A very rich day, indeed. I taught my students, and learned from them. I gained insights from my teachers, I shared my thoughts with them. All good foundations in this foundational week.

Seasons of Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Thu, 26 May 2011 06:21:00 +0000

היום שבעה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות ושני ימים לעמר
Today is thirty-seven days, which is five weeks and two days, of the omer
גבורה שביסוד
A day of strength in a week of foundation

Living in San Francisco, I may not get definite weather clues that reveal the different seasons, but I can mark the time of year with the produce that's available at the farmer's market.

As evidenced by this photo of today's selection, fruit season has begun. The rainier and bing cherries herald the start--their appearance puts a big smile on my face. It's a short run, but a sweet one. This year I'm going to put up some jars of cherry infused brandy, so I'll be able to enjoy their goodness, with a kick, after they disappear from the stalls in late June.

The apricots pop up with the cherries. At first they're a bit hard, a little sour, but I want the taste so much I overlook those flaws. They'll reach their peak in a couple of weeks. and stick around through July.

I wish you could taste the white peaches shown here--incredibly juicy. The different varieties will take me through the entire summer, like the large cling peaches and ultra-sweet donuts.

In California we get winter strawberries, but the ones that come with spring have more concentrated flavor. And I get to match them with the new crop of raspberries with a 2 for $5 deal.

I believe in eating seasonally, which means a limited fresh fruit selection in the winter. But it makes me appreciate those first bursts of summer fruit flavor. So don't tell me we have no seasons here in San Francisco, ours are just defined by a different sense--the sense of taste.

L'Dor V'Dor

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Wed, 25 May 2011 05:53:00 +0000

היום ששה ושלשה יום שהם חמשה שבועות ואחד יום לעמר
Today is 36 days, which is five weeks and one day, of the omer
חסד שביסוד
A day of loving kindness in a week of foundation

In a week and a half, my first official Beth Sholom student will commemorate his bar mitzvah. In this past year there were times of struggle--his haftarah is long; the Hebrew did not come easily. But he worked very hard and put in his practice time while juggling school and band and competitive gymnastics.

Today, he could chant his Torah blessings, his Torah from the Torah text, his haftarah blessings and his haftarah. I am so proud of him. I could see by the smile on his face that he feels that sense of accomplishment that is one of the many lessons of this year long exercise. And I store that look in my heart to carry me through those inevitable tough times with future students.

לדור ודור

From generation to generation

we transmit our tradition

with loving kindness

That is our foundation

My Sunny Yard

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Tue, 24 May 2011 06:33:00 +0000

היום חמשה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות לעמר
Today is thirty-five days, which is five weeks, of the omer
מלכות שבהוד
A day of majesty in a week of humility

This is our lovely little back yard. A few minutes after taking this photo, I was enjoying lunch in the sun at that very table :)

It's a big deal for us to have that table there. For in that place once stood a large yucca tree. But after a two year process of removal, the tree is now gone.

When we moved into this house 19 years ago this coming August, there were two trees in the garden--the other one was planted in the center of what is now the back stone area. That tree fell in a storm about ten years ago. I can't find any photos of the yard with the trees. It's hard to imagine how they fit in. I wonder why anyone would plant them in that small space

We know they were a fairly new addition to the yard. Below you see a photo from 1927. In the upper left hand corner you see the back of two houses. Our house is the white one, second in from the edge. the yucca trees are not there. If they were, you would not see the back of our house, looking pretty much as it does today, except for the windows.

The slope you see is now filled with greenery, there are more houses to the left, and the street is paved. But the neighborhood looks pretty much the same. I love living in this city. It may have its ups and downs--topographically and economically. But it has become my home.

Keep on keeping on

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Mon, 23 May 2011 05:54:00 +0000

היום ארבעה בשלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות וששה ימים לעמר
Today is thirty-four days, which is four weeks and six days, of the omer
יסוד שבהוד
A day of foundation in a week of humility

One of my elementary-through-high school buddies who I'm now connected with through Facebook asked this week, after seeing my omer counting posts each day, "How long are you going with this?" Although I responded with the particulars of the ritual, he brought to mind an aspect concerning the flow of the practice I hadn't considered before.

In the framework of the counting of the omer, this fifth week is the first full week over the halfway point of the period. I have to admit, I'm feeling the weariness when I have to force myself to post each day. I'm sure the writing suffers. Even those who just follow the count are getting that "is this done yet?" feeling.

It is these tired moments that are crucial in any practice. Practice is about doing--just doing. You don't have to like doing it, you don't have to want to do it, and you don't have to do it well. You just keep up the practice and see where it leads. Some paths bring revitalization to the practice form, others may transform it into something very different, and there may be circumstances when it needs to stop altogether.

But if it just ends with a tired shrug, then it's not the practice that didn't work, it would mean I couldn't work with the practice. And while that's not necessarily bad, it would be something to be noted.

A foundational thought in this week of humility.

Organized Religion? I think not...

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sun, 22 May 2011 22:17:00 +0000

היום שלשה ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה עבועות וחמשה לעמר
Today is thirty-three days, which is four weeks and five days, of the omer
הוד שבהוד
A day of humility in a week of humility

For the past few years, I've been pondering the statement I hear often from friends, "I don't believe in organized religion." It's often said as part of a discussion as to why I have taken on a Jewish spiritual practice. Sometimes I respond in a joking manner, "Have you read nothing about the different factions within Judaism? There's nothing very organized about the religion :)"

But as I get deeper into my practice in this time and space, I understand that statement more and more as I affiliate with the "official" Jewish organizations less and less. While I belong to a synagogue that is fiercely egalitarian, where women and men have equal footing in ritual practice, the movement it is affiliated, the Conservative Movement, won't take an unequivocal stand on that issue. At the synagogue that I grew up in, located on Long Island in New York, women still can't chant Torah, and if I were to attend their weekday minyan, I would not count as one of the ten needed to say kaddish. Yet they are also affiliated with the Conservative Movement, so my synagogue dues helps support them.

The Groucho Marx line keeps going through my head, "I don't want to belong to a club that would have me as a member." They want me as a member, but I don't fully belong. While some members would embrace me and my practice, others would block me from fulfilling roles important to that practice. And the big organization that is supposed to support me still, won't make a full commitment to egalitarian ritual practice in the name of not upsetting some of their members. I guess I don't matter too much to them, since upsetting me and others like me is okay.

Not a very uplifting message for the day, but one that I must continue to bring up and ponder--not just for myself, but for future generations of Jewish women.

Perseverance, not Rapture

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sat, 21 May 2011 21:25:00 +0000

היום שנים ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעמר
Today is thirty-two days, which is four weeks and four days, of the omer
נצח שבהוד
A day of perseverance in a week of humility

While there are times that it seems like the world can't survive much longer, we've made it through today. Maybe the Rapture happened for some, but all was fine this morning as we witnessed the rite of passage of a bat mitzvah.

There's something to be said for perseverance.....

Writing the Torah of Mankind

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Fri, 20 May 2011 23:45:00 +0000

היום אחד ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות ושלשה ימים לעמר
Today is thirty-one days, which is four weeks and three days, of the omer
תפארת שבהוד
A day of compassion in a week of humility

When describing the Daughters of Tzelophchad in an earlier post about the Avivah Zornberg teaching session, I said: "These women, whom I have dubbed "Women with Chutzpah" stood up for their right of inheritance." While this is the only time in Torah where women make a legal claim, Dr. Zornberg makes the point that in its context, it's a relatively minor achievement. Yesterday, she brought to light something else for women to celebrate when studying this story--something far less obvious but very powerful.

After the Daughters state their case, Moshe has no answer for them--he takes their case to God. And God says "Yes" to the words of the Daughters, telling Moshe to give the women their inheritance (Num 27:5-7). And then God takes Moshe up to Har Ha'Avarim, which Dr. Zornberg translates here as "the Mountain of Crossings," to prepare for Moshe's passing.

Why didn't Moshe have a ruling? Didn't he know the law? A midrash says no, he did not--yet the women did. And the Kabbalists say that it is this change in "who knows what," that marks the shift from the absolute Torah of Moshe to the transformational, oral Torah of the Israelite people. It is then that the people began to take the Torah of God and its teachings to create the Torah of Mankind as part of their inheritance.

It is when the Daughters speak, take the risk of standing up in front of all the people, of all the chieftains, when they find their voice and stake their future in Eretz Yisrael, that the world of the Israelites steps into that new era. And so, Dr. Zornberg concludes, the feminist angle of this text is not due to a legal concept, but because it is these women are the first authors of the Torah in this new mode. Moses cannot venture further--it is not his place; it is the women who lead this part of the journey into the new world.

School Daze

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Thu, 19 May 2011 05:45:00 +0000

היום שלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות ושני ימים לעמר
Today is thirty days, which is four weeks and two days, of the omer
גבורה שבהוד
A day of strength in a week of humility

This evening was the last session of religious school at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo, the synagogue where I teach seventh and eighth graders. This completes my second year of teaching there. They have asked me back for next year, and I have accepted their offer.

It was far from smooth sailing this year. Some teachings that went over well last year didn't work this year. I had less individual discipline problems, but the group of students in my first trimester core class at times got the best of me. And for some reason there were more attendance issue this year. It seemed like I had a different group of kids each week.

But these issues made me work harder, look for new ways to engage my students. Through the Bureau of Jewish Education I learned new classroom management techniques. My involvement in the LINK Fellowship at the Contemporary Jewish Museum gave me new insights into curriculum, which led me to better ways to structure my lesson plans. Sometime mid-year I hit my stride, and my last trimester core class went very well. There was lots of active participation during the lessons. And the meditation element that I introduced at the start of each session seemed to resonate with quite a few of the kids. So while it's not easy to figure out how much of this year's teachings reached my students, I know some of them will move on in their lives knowing they have the ability to ground and center themselves when the atmosphere around them is full of stress.

Both strength and humility are important attributes for teachers. Strength is needed to stay on course with kids whose goal is to distract you; humility opens your eyes to see when those detours can lead to more and sometimes more important learning. The knowledge I gain from my students makes me a better teacher.

Baruch Dayan Emet - Harmon Killebrew

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Wed, 18 May 2011 06:22:00 +0000

היום תשעה ועשרים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות ויום אחד לעמר
Today is twenty-nine days, which is four weeks and one day, of the omer
חסד שבהוד
A day of loving kindness in a week of humility

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Harmon Killebrew, a great power hitter of the 60s, died today of esophageal cancer. He was 74 years old.

For some reason that I cannot explain, I was a Harmon Killebrew fan. I didn't know much about him, or the team he played for, the Minnesota Twins. As a little Jewish kid living in Long Island, New York, I would have been hard pressed to find Minnesota on a map :) And my baseball heart was with the National League Mets, so I would guess that I rarely watched him play. Knowing the way my mind works, I could have been fascinated with his name. But whatever the reason, I was very aware of his existence, and happy when he made the sports news on the radio.

Appropriately enough for the start of this fifth omer week, NPR ended their tribute to Killebrew with these words:

Besides his achievements on the field, fans will also remember Killebrew for his sportsmanship and humility — qualities that can't be measured in the record books.

Refreshing our Prayers

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Tue, 17 May 2011 06:49:00 +0000

היום שמונה ועשרים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות לעמר
Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks, of the omer
מלכות שבנצח
A day of majesty in a week of perseverance

Tonight I attended another class in liturgy taught by Rabbi Stuart Kelman. It's great to delve into the prayers led by a teacher who has such a passion for liturgy. I shared a teaching of his last year in "The Prayer Experience." Today's session was on the Prayer for the State of Israel.

Once again, I find myself getting the teaching that I need to hear right when I need to hear it. This year I've been part of a group of Beth Sholom congregants participating in a nationwide program of the Jewish Community Relations Council, "The Year of Civil Discourse." At monthly meetings, we share with each other the difficulties engaging in discussion about our ties and feelings about the Israel of today. From our facilitator, Rachel Eryn Kalish, we learn tools to help us hear and react to differing viewpoints without being so overwhelmed with emotion that we are no longer communicating with each other.

In one session, we talked about our practice of reciting the Prayer for the State of Israel in every service. Although many of us are chanting the same prayer together, each individual's kavannah--intention--may be very different and often in opposition to each other. As we discussed some reasons for this, the idea emerged that perhaps we work together to write a new prayer. The process of writing the prayer could serve as a safe and sacred space where we could discuss these difficult issues.

Tonight I learnt that the Prayer for the State of Israel that we say was written in 1948, just after the founding of modern Israel with the Shoah--the Holocaust--all too fresh in all minds. Sixty-plus years later, the language needs to be updated to reflect the present face of the land. A prayer we all can say, as we can support the existence of Israel as a nation without agreeing with all its policies or politics.

Changing a community's standard liturgy can be very upsetting to its members, even when the new version will will speak more clearly to the spirit of the prayer. After so many years, we can recite the Hebrew with ease. It will be a while before we can recite the new words by rote--and that's a good thing. Refreshing the words will bring new focus to our minds--a focus that can lead to our hearts and souls. And as we chant, we can be linked together rather than be at each other's throats.

Strong Women--then and now

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Mon, 16 May 2011 05:57:00 +0000

היום שבעה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות ו ששה ימים לעמר
Today is twenty-seven days, which is three weeks and six days, of the omer
יסוד שבנצח
A day of foundation in a week of perseverance

This coming Thursday I will attend a teaching given by the pre-eminent Jewish scholar, Avivah Zornberg. If you search this blog you'll find posts on other teachings of hers I have attended. Her lectures are very deep but oh so enlightening. The session I'm attending will be on the Torah story of the daughters of Tzelophchad--five of my favorite characters who appear in the parsha of Pinchas (Numbers 25:10 - 30:1). Pinchas is my birth parsha, a parsha that mentions nine women by name--something very unusual in the Torah, which was written within a very patriarchal society. These women, who I have dubbed "Women with Chutzpah" stood up for their right of inheritance. I am proud to have these strong women as part of my personal heritage. I can't wait to hear what insights Dr. Zornberg will shed on the tale of these outspoken women.

As a tribute to strong, outspoken Jewish women, I will once again share a favorite poetry jam of mine--Hebrew Mamita, by Vanessa Hidory. It is a rerun for this blog--I first posted this two years ago. But it is so good, it is worth another share.

Enjoy.....

Generational Connections

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sun, 15 May 2011 07:45:00 +0000

היום שלשה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות ושני ימים לעמר
Today is twenty-three days, which is three weeks and two days, of the omer
גבורה שבנצח
A day of strength in a week of perseverance

NOTE: Somehow, this post has migrated out of its place--it was written on Wednesday night, May 11

In my seventh grade Torah study class tonight we studied the Torah parsha, Devarim (Deut 1:1 - 3:22). This parsha starts with Moses giving a recap of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. There is a summary of the incident with the scouts (Num 13:1 - 14:44), resulting in the decree that only the next generation of Israelites will be able to enter the land of Israel.

We talked about the difference between the generations in their relationship with the exodus from Egypt. As part of the discussion, I asked the kids about their connection with the Holocaust. One boy has a grandfather who was able to escape from France through Switzerland--he felt very connection. Other kids felt the historical tie, considering this the most major event in modern Jewish history. Some mentioned the need to "never forget" that this happened to us--that phrasing alone, "to us," showing their connection. But one girl stated she had no connection at all to the Holocaust. She didn't know anyone who was affected, and while she gets that it was terrible, she feels no connection at all.

As I continue on my teaching path, I need to remember that girl. Like it or not, the Holocaust is now a part of Jewish identity. It shaped and changed our people. To honor all those needlessly and horrifically lost, we need to make sure the lessons of that time are learnt by the next generations. As we spoke about in class today:

History is not just about what happens to us

History is what we do with what happens to us*

*Thanks to G-dcast for giving me the tools to lead this discussion.

A walk to the park

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sun, 15 May 2011 07:43:00 +0000

היום ששה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות וחמשה ימים לעמר
Today is twenty-six days, which is three weeks and five days, of the omer
הוד שבנצח
A day of humility in a week of perseverance

In Zen Buddhism, Yoga philosophy, and probably some other Eastern religions, the principle of non-attachment is integral to the practice. While there's nothing I know of in Judaism that would prohibit this practice, I don't thing it's something that's encouraged. There is a tendency to hold on to our traditions so tightly that we sometimes squeeze the life right out of them. We take customs that have developed out of a particular time and/or place and make them a mandatory aspect of rituals now performed in times and places far removed from their origins.

I thought about the concept of non-attachment as I was rushing to get to the Giants/Diamondbacks game on Thursday afternoon. I thought I had allotted enough time to get from my weekly Torah study in the East Bay to the ballpark. But a car stalled at the entrance to the Bay Bridge caused a slow down in traffic as I drove back to San Francisco. That led me to take a Muni train that did not go directly to AT&T park, so I had to walk four crosstown blocks to get there. All of this conspired to make me miss the beginning of the game.

I'm someone who prides themselves as being a first-pitch to last-pitch kind of fan, and this did not sit well with me. As I walked those long blocks, I realized how attached I was to being "the one who is always on time." It's not like I had a client waiting, a job that had to be done. It was a sunny afternoon, I should just enjoy the stroll. The timing of my arrival was up to me, not set by any rule. A fun afternoon watching a baseball game with a friend was the point--fifteen minutes was not going to ruin that goal. But I had to talk myself out of being annoyed and upset with myself for being late. While during the course of the walk I was able to relax, I hope someday I can get to that place more easily :)

Commitment is an important part of practice. Rituals need a structure. But context and meaning also need to be in the mix. Sometimes, in the rigidity of attachment, we lose the essence we're striving for.

Oneness

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sat, 14 May 2011 05:04:00 +0000

היום חמשה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעמר
Today is twenty-five days, which is three weeks and four days, of the omer
נצח שבנצח
A day of perseverance in a week of perseverance

In honor of finishing a week of yoga - oneness, I bring you this poem:

Finding Unity

Those who know do not speak;
Those who speak do not know.
Stop up the openings,
Close down the doors,
Rub off the sharp edges.
Unravel all confusion.
Harmonize the light,
Give up contention:
This is called finding the unity of life.
When love and hatred cannot affect you,
Profit and loss cannot touch you,
Praise and blame cannot ruffle you,
You are honored by all the world
---Lao Tzu

Wishing you a good Shabbos

Sefirot Circles

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Wed, 11 May 2011 06:04:00 +0000

היום שנים ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות ויום אחד לעמר
Today is twenty-two days, which is three weeks and one day, of the omer
חסד שבנצח
A day of loving kindness in a week of perseverance

Ein Sof and the Ten Sefirot
David Friedman
www.kosmic-kabbalah.com

I love this image of the Sefirot as concentric circles. There is much depth, and the feeling of infinity. There's movement to the center of the round, as well as a flowing outward, making a continuous tube of the Sefirot. The container for this tube is the white אינ סוף - the Ein Sof, that without end.

This is how I'm beginning to see my spiritual center. For the past ten years, that center was housed in a very concrete place that held the framework of my rituals. My teacher also resided there, bringing deep meaning to the structure of the practice.

That building is still there, helping me maintain the practice. The community contained within will still be there, I hope, to support the practice. But my spiritual center must live within me, moving to the center of my personal circle. And I must travel out through the tube of Sefirot, the tube of life, to find nourishment for my soul, and to help feed others.

Holding Past, Present, & Future

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:13:00 +0000

היום אחד ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות לעמר
Today is twenty-one days, which is three weeks, of the omer
מלכות שבתפארת
A day of majesty in a week of compassion

Nine of the fourteen videos I've been working on are now done and delivered. With the decrease in my workload I'm able to participate in the yoga immersion this week given by my teacher, Susannah Bruder, at her studio on Portrero Hill, Yoga Sita. This time it's a group of seven students practicing together each morning from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Along with the physical, asana practice we also spend some time at the end of each session learning and discussion the philosophy of yoga.

This week we are looking at some of the Yoga Sutras, the foundational text of yoga. Susannah has asked us to look at the third chapter of the Sutras which focuses on the capabilities of the mind. Several of the Sutras focus on developing a state of concentration of the mind. In my first read this evening, I was drawn to the sixteenth Sutra of the chapter, which says that bringing Samyama--concentration and meditation--to the process of change and time brings in knowledge of the past and the future. Once again, I experience a convergence of my Jewish, Yoga, and meditation practices.

When I teach Torah, whether it's to adults or adolescents, I always talk about the timelessness of the text and it's teachings. The beauty of true sacred texts is that they are able to speak to each generation in its time. That is how they have remained relevant for thousands of years, and will continue to be relevant for thousands of years to come.

When I teach meditation, I always talk about the importance of being in the present moment. The present moment is a container for all moments, for the time past has a part in this moment and this moment will be a part of the time to come.

It also came to mind on this day of majesty, this day that I am looking at through the lens of leadership, that a good leader needs to hold the past and look to the future while making the best decisions for the present. A difficult balancing act, but necessary to be able to lead with clarity.

My Two Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Mon, 09 May 2011 06:03:00 +0000

היום עשרים יום שהם שני שבועות וששה ימים לעמר
Today is twenty days, which is two weeks and six days, of the omer
יסוד שבתפארת
A day of foundation in a week of compassion

I know this doesn't look like much, but amidst the dry dirt are two tree sprouts. Written on the back of this photo--"My two trees." These are the trees I planted in Israel during my United Synagogue Youth Pilgrimage trip in the summer of 1971. I can still remember the pride I felt, planting them with my own hands.

At that time, Israel was a place where I belonged. When George Wallace was running for president in 1968, I remember very consciously thinking that if he became president, I was going to Israel. I was not going to wait for "them" to come for me. Yes, I was an American, but as a Jew I knew that could be a tenuous connection--the German Jews were German, but ultimately they were considered "other." But as long as there was an Israel, I had a home.

Fast forward 40 years, and Israel is not a place where I belong. It's a sad irony that the one place where it once felt totally safe to be a Jew does not now support my Jewish practice--solely due to my gender. I have huge issues with the government's treatment of Israeli Arabs and the policies regarding the Palestinians.

My feelings towards Israel are so complicated, and for many years I felt alone as I held my thoughts. And then in September of 2009, I read an article in The Forward by Jay Michaelson entitled, "How I'm Losing My Love For Israel." Finally--someone who felt as I did, who understood being squeezed by all sides of the issues, and then needing to factor in those personal, inner feelings of unrest about what is happening and where, if at all, I fit in. As Michaelson concludes:

In my heart, I still love the stones and trees of Jerusalem, even though I know that love is sentimental, problematic and shared with people I mistrust. I am still awed by the tkuma, the resurrection and rebirth of my ancient people. And, yes, I feel like underscoring, I still support the State of Israel, its right to exist and the rest. Most important, it is still, in part, my home.
But especially on this side of the ocean, more and more of those who feel similarly have politics, agendas and overall experiences of Israel very different from mine. What they love is not what I love, and how they love is terrifying. And so while my love endures, my unease grows, and with it, the gnawing sense that this relationship is in trouble.

On this day of יום העצמאות - Yom Ha'Atzma-ut - Israel Independence day, I understand how important it is for Israel to survive as a nation and to guard the heritage of the Jewish people. But as things stand now it can not be my home. Knowing that makes me very sad.

Mom-entos

noreply@blogger.com (Divah) — Sun, 08 May 2011 08:17:00 +0000

היום תשאה עשר יום שהם שני שבועת וחמשה ימים לעמר
Today is nineteen days, which is two weeks and five days of the omer
חוד שבתפארת

A day of humility in a week of compassion

This is my baby cap and blanket
that my mom recently gave to me.
She saved them all these years.
Because that's what moms do....

Happy Mother's Day, Mom

Love,

Marilyn