2007 March « Shalom Rav

Archive for March, 2007

JRC Construction Diary #11

Well, we’ve lucked out in the dry weather department! The concrete for the third floor was poured yesterday and the second floor was poured today. The picture on top shows the cement mixers sending the concrete through high powered hoses to the third floor. The next picture shows the workers laying out and smoothing the cement. The ground floor will take a little bit more time as more underground work needs to be done before the concrete is poured on.

Today I was given my first grand tour of the interior of the site by JRC President Alan Saposnik and construction supervisor Marc Bonnivier (that’s Marc on the left and me on right, below, standing against the west wall of the third floor sanctuary.)

Alan and I both agreed that the third floor sanctuary is already a sacred space. It felt like we were perched on a mountaintop, with a sublime quality of natural light suffused throughout. It was so powerful to contemplate the countless sacred memories that will soon be created in this makom kadosh – this holy place.

The Cultivation of Gratitude

Published March 30, 2007 Judaism , Prayer , Religion , Spirituality 7 Comments

Among the many sacrifices described in Parshat Tzav this week is the Thanksgiving Offering (“zevach todah”) which is described as one of the sacrifices of well-being (“zivchey shelamim“). The Torah gives few details about the specific functions of the Thanksgiving Offering; the Talmud (Berachot 54b) surmises that they were offered as expressions of gratitude in response to safe passage through dangerous circumstances. (Some commentators believe that the Gomel Blessing which is recited during the Torah service is a direct outgrowth of the Talmud’s discussion of Thanksgiving Offering.)

Gratitude has been considered to be an important spiritual concept by religious traditions from time immemorial. Judaism is replete with expressions of gratitude: the Shabbat and holiday liturgy includes numerous Psalms of Thanksgiving. Modeh Ani, the blessing Jews are prescribed to utter upon awakening every morning, is statement of gratitude for the very breath we breathe. The Blessing of Thanksgiving (“Birkat Hoda’ah”) which is recited during the Amidah prayer is as powerful a liturgical statement of gratitude as we are ever likely to find:

…we thank you for our lives entrusted to your hand, our souls placed in your care, for your miracles that greet us every day, and for your wonders and the good things that are with us every hour, morning, noon and night…

Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk who has written extensively about the spiritual meaning of gratitude, suggests that gratefulness is a spiritual attitude to be cultivated and lived. He describes gratefulness as the moment of awakening to a true gift: the “full appreciation of something altogether undeserved, utterly gratuitous.” In other words, we experience true gratefulness when we accept the gift of life fully – without discrimination or reservation.

Of course, “living gratefully” can be particularly challenging during those inevitable moments when we are feeling the least grateful – when pain or sorrow invariably enter our lives. It is especially during the more difficult times, Brother Steindl-Rast suggests, that we must find the means to be the live gratefully:

A grateful person trusts enough to give life another chance, to stay open for surprises. Since you are doing this, you are grateful, whether or not you can feel it. Like a ship in dense fog, you will have to go on automatic pilot. But the fog will lift. Better still, your going forward gets you out of the fog. As you stay open in grateful trust, grateful feelings will start to bud.

Times that challenge us physically, emotionally, and spiritually may make it almost impossible for us to feel grateful. Yet, we can decide to live gratefully, courageously open to life in all its fullness. By living the gratefulness we don’t feel, we begin to feel the gratefulness we live.

When we view gratitude as somehow dependant upon a the receipt of a specific gift, we will inevitably come to regard it as an emotion that will ebb and flow depending upon how grateful we happen to feel. But cultivating gratitude means training ourselves to greet each day in the spirit of gratitude – even when we don’t happen to feel particularly grateful. Indeed, to experience this level of gratefulness is to understand the true meaning of the Thanksgiving Offering.

Postscript: Did you know that scientists are increasingly discovering the health benefits of living gratefully? Click here for more info!

JRC Construction Diary #10

Published March 29, 2007 Energy Efficiency , Environmentalism , Green Buildings , JRC Construction Diaries , Religion 4 Comments

As you can see, the entire steel structure has now been completely covered by plastic tarps. (We’ve observed more than once that the building frame sort of resembles the Ohel Mo’ed – the ancient Israelite Tent of Meeting.) We’re currently waiting for the rainy weather to subside so the workers can pour the concrete for the floors.

The wet weather is continuing to delay the overall construction schedule, but we are hopeful that we can still make up time into the Spring and Summer. The forecast calls for the rain to subside – if this is the case, Marc the construction manager tells us they will be able to pour the third floor tomorrow.

The picture below gives a great view of the third floor sanctuary. The view faces east, from the back of the room toward the bimah. The east wall will be made almost entirely of glass, so the trees and sky will be clearly visible in back of the bimah and ark. You can also see the clerestory – clear glass panes that ring the top of the walls around the perimeter of the room. Needless to say, natural light will be a main feature of our new sanctuary.

Pray for sun!

Passover Noir

Published March 27, 2007 Comedy , Judaism , Movies , Pesach , Religion Leave a Comment

Just in time for Pesach Spring cleaning, check out “Passover Noir.” (“It’s Passover, kid – it’s the way it’s gotta be…”)

Happy Camp David Day

Published March 26, 2007 Coexistence , Fear , Israel , Peace , Politics/Middle East , Religion/Politics , Terrorism , Zionism Leave a Comment

“Let us work together until the day comes when they beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning books.” — Anwar el-Sadat, March 26, 1979

“No more war, no more bloodshed, no more bereavement, peace unto you, Shalom, Saalam, forever.” — Menachem Begin, March 26, 1979

“We must rededicate ourselves to the goal of a broader peace with justice for all who have lived in a state of conflict in the Middle East. We have no illusions – we have hopes, dreams, and prayers, yes – but no illusions.” — Jimmy Carter, March 26, 1979

Here’s an important anniversary I’m betting will pass by most of the world unnoticed: twenty eight years ago today, Egypt and Israel signed the Camp David Accords at the White House, agreeing to make peace and to establish “normal and friendly relations.”

We would do well to celebrate the work of Sadat and Begin, the most unlikely of peacemakers, as well as the dogged diplomatic efforts of one courageous American President. It’s also worth noting that what seemed like such a fragile peace in 1979 has remained steadfast and intact to this very day. Remember the days in which diplomacy was actually valued, not considered a sign of naivete, weakness or appeasement?

I know what some will undoubtedly say here: it was a different “context” back then, these are different times, yada, yada. Don’t believe it for a second. The world is no more dangerous now than it’s ever been. If there is any difference between then and now, I’ll suggest it’s to be found in today’s notable absence of vision, diplomatic initiative and moral leadership.

So Happy Camp David Day. And pray for the peacemakers…

No Sacrifice At All…

Published March 23, 2007 Energy Efficiency , Environmentalism , Health Care , Iraq , Judaism , Religion , Religion/Politics , Torah Commentary , Tzedakah 2 Comments

The book of Vayikra/Leviticus, which we begin reading this week, is almost exclusively devoted to details of the sacrificial rituals of ancient Israel. Many commentators have pointed out that there is, in fact, no one Hebrew word for “sacrifice” per se. The Torah presents many different words (e.g. olah, zevach, minchah) for various types of sacrificial offerings that function in different ways depending upon their specific purpose.

The most generic word for sacrifice is “korban,” which comes from the Hebrew root meaning “close.” The clear implication is that sacrifice was the spiritual means by which the ancient Israelites were able to feel close to God’s presence.

This, then, is the central focus of Vayikra: the ways in which sacrifice can help us effect a sense of closeness with the Divine. In this way, Vayikra makes it abundantly clear that spirituality and sacrifice are irrevocably intertwined. Only by giving up something precious and valuable could the Israelites find communion with God. To be sure, animal offerings represented a significant personal sacrifice for a community whose wealth was fundamentally tied up with their flocks and herds. Vayikra emphasizes repeatedly that only the best animals – “without blemish” – were worthy of sacrifice upon the altar. These offerings were, without question, truly sacrificial gifts.

Ever since the destruction of the Temple and the end of the formal sacrificial system, the concept of sacrifice has presented a challenge for Jewish tradition. Though the Jewish sages famously taught that prayer effectively became the functional equivalent of animal sacrifice for Jews, it is worth asking if the sacramental aspect of true sacrifice has somehow become lost to us. Indeed, what significance does korban hold for a contemporary Jewish nation that lives far, far away from the milieu we read about in Leviticus?

As contemporary Americans, we might ask ourselves a similar question: is sacrifice even an operative concept in our civic culture any more? This is a particularly critical question for a country engaged in a war that currently entering its fifth year. Witness this exchange during a recent interview between PBS’s Jim Lehrer and President Bush:

Lehrer: “Let me ask you a bottom-line question, Mr. President. If it is as important as you’ve just said – and you’ve said it many times – as all of this is, particularly the struggle in Iraq, if it’s that important to all of us and to the future of our country, if not the world, why have you not, as president of the United States, asked more Americans and more American interests to sacrifice something? The people who are now sacrificing are, you know, the volunteer military – the Army and the U.S. Marines and their families. They’re the only people who are actually sacrificing anything at this point.”

President Bush: “Well, you know, I think a lot of people are in this fight. I mean, they sacrifice peace of mind when they see the terrible images of violence on TV every night. I mean, we’ve got a fantastic economy here in the United States, but yet, when you think about the psychology of the country, it is somewhat down because of this war.”

Beyond the war in Iraq, we Americans would do well to ask ourselves further: are we ready to sacrifice to pay higher taxes to ensure the welfare of the most vulnerable members of our society? Are we ready to make the financial sacrifices necessary to ensure universal health care in our country? Are we ready to sacrifice our increasing energy consumption to help ensure the survival of our planet?

Are we really, truly ready to open an authentic national conversation about the true meaning of collective sacrifice?

Four Years in Iraq: “Love Always and Forever”

Published March 19, 2007 Iraq , Peace 6 Comments

On this fourth anniversary of our miltary invasion of Iraq, I’m tempted to write a post filled with political analysis and no small measure of bitterness and anger. I will resist this urge and offer you this instead: one soldier’s posthumous letter to his family.

It comes from an article in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune about Capt. Michael MacKinnon (30) who was killed in January 2005 when his Humvee struck an improvised explosive device. He left behind a wife Bethany (now 27), Madison (8) and Noah (7). Shortly before he left for his first deployment to Iraq in 2003, Capt. MacKinnon wrote this letter to his wife and children. He left it in a drawer in their bedroom and asked his wife not to read it unless it was necessary.

I’m posting the letter in its entirety and I implore you to read it until the very end – even if you find the prospect too much to bear. We simply cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the human cost of this conflict. Read this letter, then multiply its sorrow by the thousands. It’s the very least we can do for Capt. MacKinnon and the myriad American soldiers and Iraqi civilians whose precious lives have been sacrificed in a war now officially entering its fifth year.

May their memories be for a blessing.

Dear Bethany, Madison and Noah,

If you are reading this, then I failed to be fast enough, smart enough, or lucky enough. Writing this is very difficult for me so bear with me if I ramble along. I needed to write this letter because there are some things that I needed to say and that I wanted you to hear. Bethany, you are the love of my life. I’ll never forget the first time I say you. You were so beautiful. I had so much fun falling in love with you. Our long walks at West Point, our trips to New York City and Niagra Falls. The times we spent in Montana even if we almost froze on the river that day. I loved every second that I spent with you. I know that through the years we had some rough times, but our love and enjoyment of each other was so much stronger. A funny little thought I always had. You know that all the formals at West Point were nothing but a competition of who had the prettiest date? I’m not going to lie, but I always checked the competition. Every time you were the most strikingly beautiful woman in the room. I know I told you that every time and you brushed it off, but I truly believed it. I think ring weekend was the most beautiful I had ever seen you second only to watching you hold and sing to babies Madison and Noah. I want you to know that my biggest regret during my relationship with you is that I never gave you the wedding ring you/we both deserved. I have never doubted that someday we would make it happen and that we would have our day in the sun. I hope someday you will find someone who loves you as much as I do. I want you to be with someone who sees you as beautiful as I did. Don’t ever feel guilty if you fall in love again. You don’t deserve to be alone and unhappy the rest of your life. I understand. I believe there is a heaven and I think I have been a good enough man to be there. I’ll watch you and I’ll watch the kids grow up with a tear in my eye wishing I was there to see with my own eyes. Some day we will all be together again. I don’t think words could ever describe how much I love you. I want you to know that I loved my life. You made me very happy. I became a better person after meeting you – more complete. When you think of me in years to come, I want you to celebrate my life and not mourn my death. Don’t think about all that you, Madison and Noah and I missed but think of the good times we had together.

Madison, I’m sorry I broke the promise I made to you when I said I was coming back. You were the jewel of my life. You made me so happy every time I saw you. You are the sweetest little girl. Don’t ever change. I wanted nothing more in my life than to be with you as you grew up. I want you to know that I loved you more than I can ever imagine. If you can do anything for me, you can take school seriously and do well. With a good education you can become anything you want. Stay away from drugs. They will ruin your life. Finally, stay away from bad men. You deserve too much. I don’t think that anyone would ever be good enough for you. I have to tell you that you really broke my heart that day when I left you and you said “don’t go, I need my daddy, I don’t want my daddy to go.” I nearly cried in front of all the army guys. Stay beautiful, stay sweet. You will always be daddy’s little girl. I loved every minute of my life that I spent with you. From the first time I held you, to pushing you on the swings, playing steamroller and walking you to school. I always felt that that was our little thing. I loved holding your hand and walking you to class. You are a good girl. I am so proud of you. You made me so happy. I will always be with you.

Noah, you are my miracle son. I loved you very much. I regret that we never got the bond together that we so much wanted. I know I was hard on you, but only because I saw so much potential. You made me very happy and proud. I admired how tough you were when you had your surgery. That was the first time that I realized you would always be a fighter and never give up on anything. I have the same dying wish for you as Maddie. Take school seriously and do well. Stay away from drugs. Try to live the rest of your life as the best man you can be. I remember holding you after you were born. I was so happy. You loved it when I stroked your head. You are now the man of the house. Take care of your mom and your sister. You now have the same burden as your father had, to carry on the MacKinnon legacy. Try hard to keep it alive. Noah, I loved you very much and am proud to have you as a son. You brightened up my life every time we spent together. I will always be with you.

I want you all to know that I loved my family very much. Every time I was away, all I could think about is all of you. I know I wasn’t the best husband or father in the world, but I always want to be remembered as a family man. I don’t care to be remembered as a smart guy, an athletic guy, or a good soldier. I want people to say “that Mike really did love his family.” I want you to know that my last thoughts in my life were of you. All of you need to get on with your life and do the things that make you happy. It’s OK to be sad that I’m gone but be happy for me that I got to spend time with a loving wife, a beautiful daughter, and an exceptional son. I got to see both your births, I got to see your first steps. I got to watch you grow into perfect children. I am very honored to have the three of you as my family. My greatest regret in this life is that I can’t watch you grow up. I will be with you all for ever. I consider myself the luckiest man ever to have lived. I couldn’t have asked for a better soulmate or better children. I don’t think that in any letter I could ever say all that needs to be said, so I will end it here. I am proud, I am happy, I have been filled with so much love. I will always be there in your hearts.

Love always and forever,

Michael – Daddy

People You Should Know About: Maya Escobar

Published March 18, 2007 American Judaism , Art , Judaism , People You Should Know About , Women's Issues 3 Comments

Meet Maya Escobar: a talented young interdisciplinary artist, JRC member who grew up in our congregation, soon-to-be graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago (and regular commenter on this blog…)

Here is Maya’s artist’s statement, which will give you a good sense of the artistic depth and intensely personal power of her work:

Through the performance of actual and fictitious moments of my life, I explore my personal identity as the daughter of a Guatemalan father and Jewish mother. I compare the complexities of projected societal, cultural, and gender-determined roles to the lived experiences of Latina and Jewish women in our contemporary American culture. My work translates ongoing anthropological and sociological investigation into accessible narrative forms, incorporating technical skills in multiple mediums. As a commentary to the objectification and exoticization of otherness that I have personally experienced, I reclaim ownership of myself; I transform my body as well my “self” into an object used within the performed ritual, which is then documented through analog and digital photo, video and collage.

Maya’s latest work is a called “Acciones Plasticas,” which includes four short videos that she refers to as “satirical characterizations” of the many roles that have been projected upon her as a woman of Jewish-American-Guatemalan heritage. The videos have made something of major splash in the Jewish blogosphere after they were discovered on YouTube by Jewschool. The extensive discussion provoked by the videos has been quite powerful, which, I believe, was precisely Maya’s intent. For those of us who want art to challenge, to dig deep, and to confront preconceived notions of identity, I would say Maya’s work succeeds brilliantly.

Maya has asked me to encourage you to add your comments on her blog. If you are a Chicagoland resident, you should also be aware that “Acciones Plasticas” will also be presented at her undergraduate thesis exhibition. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, March 31, from 7:00 – 10:00 pm at Gallery 2 and Project Space , 847 W. Jackson Blvd, Chicago.

Safety From Within

Published March 16, 2007 American Judaism , Fear , Judaism , Peace , Religion , Religion/Politics , Terrorism , Torah Commentary 2 Comments

In this week’s double Torah portion, Vayakhel/Pekudei, the Israelites finally set about to build to Mishkan (“tabernacle”), led by the master artisan Bezalel. Among the many details of the construction, we read:

(Bezalel) made a cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work, at the two ends of the cover: one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end…The cherubim had their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. They faced each other, the faces of the cherubim were turned toward the cover. (Exodus 37:6-9)

While most of us tend to picture cherubs as cute flying babies, the original cherubim (in Hebrew: “cheruvim”) were often fearful and ferocious creatures. Near Eastern scholars point out that statues of cheruvim were common in the ancient world, and were typically understood to be the guardians of sacred places. They were often represented with the body of an animal (such as a bull or a lion) and the face of a human. (The Egyptian sphinx is probably the most well known example of an extant cheruv.)

In the Torah, there are several important references to cheruvim. It is a cheruv that guards the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden after the expulsion of Adam and Eve. In some prophetic visions, cheruvim guard the Heavenly Throne itself; in Ezekiel they are famously described as creatures with four faces: a human, a lion, an ox and an eagle. Our Torah portion does not identify the precise form of the cheruvim that guard the Ark of the Covenant, but it seems clear that they have a similar protective function – “ancient Israelite gargoyles,” as it were.

If this was indeed the case, the physical stance of the cheruvim seems more than a little curious. As described in our portion, the cheruvim are facing each other, with their wings outspread over the ark. But if the function of the cheruvim was to guard the holy ark, wouldn’t it make more sense that they would face outward (i.e. toward a potential intruder?)

Many commentators suggest that the image of the cheruvim is one of mutuality and intimacy, not vigilance, per se. It is powerful to contemplate this image: the ark, which resided in the holiest of holy places, was “guarded” by symbolic sentries that were turned eternally toward each other. It might be said that only here could there be a place truly worthy of the Divine presence.

Perhaps this image also suggests that true vigilance is not be directed outward but inward. What does it mean, for instance, when when a civilization betrays its most sacred values in the name of “national security?” Indeed, history has demonstrated that the downfall of empires from ancient Rome to the Soviet Union have not come at the hand of external enemies, but rather a gradual rotting away from within. In a world constantly on alert, ever on guard, the image of the Holy of Holies may have much to teach us about the true source of safety and peace.

Be It Resolved…

Published March 14, 2007 Iran , Iraq , Peace , Politics/Middle East , Religion/Politics , Terrorism 4 Comments

I’m writing this post from Phoenix, AZ, where I’ve been attending the annual convention of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. I’m thrilled to report that the RRA overwhelmingly passed the following resolution on Iraq and Iran at our Business Meeting today (submitted by myself and incoming RRA President Rabbi Toba Spitzer.)

I am immensely proud of my association for passing a Jewish institutional statement such as this – one that expresses a viewpoint that has been largely absent from the organized Jewish community until now. I encourage you to read our resolution carefully and pass it on:

Whereas the war in Iraq has been promoted by the Bush administration as a central component of “the war on terror,” but instead Iraq has become a haven and training ground for Islamist terrorists, and the war has contributed to the destabilization of the Middle East; and

Whereas in addition to the deaths of thousands of American service people and untold tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians, the invasion and occupation of Iraq has had the unintended consequences of greatly strengthening Iran’s influence in the region and of further emboldening the forces of extremism in the Middle East; and

Whereas the failure of U.S. policy in Iraq highlights the grave danger of resorting to military force in place of serious diplomatic engagement, and demonstrates the fallacy of the proposition that extremism can be eradicated solely through the force of arms; and

Whereas war should always be a terrible last resort, and not an expedient attempt at solving complex political problems that deserve every diplomatic initiative; and

Whereas misleading rhetoric was used to create a pretense for the U.S. invasion of Iraq when subsequent events proved that there were no “weapons of mass destruction” as was alleged by the Bush administration as its primary argument in favor of war; and

Whereas we are disturbed and concerned by direct as well as indirect suggestions that the U.S. should initiate military action against Iran based on similarly imprecise, disputed and politically-influenced intelligence and military analyses; and

Whereas we recognize that the threatening, inflammatory and extremist threats against the U.S. and against Israel made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad must be taken seriously; and

Whereas we are also aware that countervailing forces within the Iranian political and military establishments have, at great personal risk, increasingly gone on record in opposition to those threats; and

Whereas a military strike against Iran would only result in another military, political and humanitarian crisis and would further strengthen Ahmadinejad’s regime and radical elements within Iranian society;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, opposes any escalation of troops to Iraq and urges the Bush administration and the Congress to create a plan for a rapid and responsible withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq.

Be it further resolved that we urge the U.S. to engage with the international community, particularly with those nations of the Middle East willing to work together in a political and diplomatic initiative designed to help Iraq move towards stability and away from its current state of violence and chaos.

Be it further resolved that the RRA opposes any unilateral and preemptive U.S. military intervention in Iran, and instead calls on our government—in partnership with European and moderate Arab allies—to pursue diplomatic engagement with Iran with the goal of containing its potential military threat to the region.

Be it further resolved that the RRA calls on the U.S. government to engage in diplomatic efforts to build relationships with and strengthen the forces of moderation within Iran’s political leadership and its civil society.

Be it further resolved that the RRA calls on the Congress to exercise its Constitutional role of oversight and to demand that any charges alleged by the Bush administration in support of any military action be investigated, debated and subject to the most rigorous examination before any additional American troops are ever again asked to place their lives at risk.

Be it further resolved that RRA members should communicate these concerns, as well as the text of, this resolution to their elected representatives in Congress.

Be it further resolved that the RRA encourages its members to address this issue with the communities they serve; and

Be it further resolved that the leadership of the RRA is directed to advocate for this position in denominational, Jewish communal, and interfaith forums.

Shalom Rav

Archive for March, 2007

JRC Construction Diary #11

The Cultivation of Gratitude

JRC Construction Diary #10

Passover Noir

Happy Camp David Day

No Sacrifice At All…

Four Years in Iraq: “Love Always and Forever”

People You Should Know About: Maya Escobar

Safety From Within

Be It Resolved…

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