So, that article I posted... To me, in part, it sums up as "we are responsible for the upkeep of the world". It's a familiar trope in Jewish ethics...
In Genesis, God asks Cain where is his brother, Cain replies "Am I my brother's keeper?", God responds by asking Cain what he has done... and the great sages tell us that this response indicates that the answer to that question is Yes, we indeed are our brothers' keepers.
During the High Holy days, we not only ask forgiveness for our personal sins, but we ask forgiveness for the sins of our community. We have fallen short, not just on our own actions, but for allowing corruption and immorality in our midst.
It's clear to me that the article is correct in its assertion that Tisha B'Av is not meant as self-flagellation for allowing the destruction of the Temple, but as a call to action to not allow the same societal ills that lead to its destruction befall us again and again.
A noble call, to be sure, but also a troubling one.
You see, at what point do I cross the line from fighting immorality and societal decline, to imposing my moral point of view on others?
I'm sure there would be a lot of people cheering someone on if they were taking on corruption in business, or fighting for a living wage for all workers.
Not so much if they were working to make all instances of abortion illegal.
I find myself looking differently at those I would blithely label with the phrase "fundamentalist nutjob". They are acting on that same principle... trying to create a world that is free of immorality... it's just that our definitions of immorality are quite different.
I've come to the conclusion that perhaps "immorality" is just the wrong word to focus on in this discussion.
There is a lot of disagreement on what is considered moral and ethical in our world. (I myself believe that we all share the same human morality and that we just disagree on ethics, the application of those morals, but that's something we can discuss later.) I don't think that God, or our sages, are really asking us to go out and eradicate every instance of immoral/unethical behavior we come across. I really think we need to be looking at corruption.
God has allowed us to have free will. To choose to do right or wrong. To choose the blessing or the curse. To choose to be connected to God, or to walk away from the divine.
Corruption in society takes away individual free will. It makes the playing field uneven. It takes away choice and decisions.
It makes it that some of us cannot truly choose to do the right thing, or cannot avoid doing the wrong thing.
Take away corruption from society, and then everyone is free to make their own choices. Until everyone is free to follow their own moral and ethical compass, we cannot sit as judge on individual decisions or individuals. We can only turn inward and ask what we can do to improve ourselves.
This isn't to say we need to abandon the country's justice system. People should still be held responsible for their actions. However, we need to really look at who we are as a people, as a country, and as a planet... Why did this person choose this path? Did they really choose it, or was it forced upon them, even in part?
If the answer is even a "maybe", then that's where we have work left to do. Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, isn't about imposing one group's social code on another... it's about building a world that allows everyone the ability to develop to their own full potential.
Am I My Brother's Keeper? Yes, and, No. I'm not responsible for his decisions, but I am responsible for the world he lives in.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
A Tisha B'Av Article To Share
The following article was presented as a reading for Tisha B'Av services at Congregation Beth Shalom. I found it an interesting read, as it brought to mind several connections to other Judaic topics, but at the same time raised questions in my mind. I will be posting further on those connections and questions, and so I place the article here for reference.
Tisha B'Av and Contemporary Jews
-Rabbi Joshua Maroof
Tragically, Tisha B'Av is often neglected or overlooked by contemporary Jews. Many are unaware of its existence. Those who are familiar with Tisha B'Av may feel alienated from its message of sadness and gloom. As a result, despite the supreme importance of the day, it is not as widely acknowledged or observed in the Diaspora as it should be.
Tisha B'Av is a reminder to all of us that we live in a dark and unjust world, a world marred by profound ignorance, immorality, materialism, poverty, racism, misogyny, tyranny, and selfishness, and that it is our responsibility to correct this sorry state of affairs.
The purpose of our focus on a wide array of painful and unspeakable tragedies is not to depress, debilitate, or demoralize us, but to awaken within us a sincere desire to avoid such calamities in the future. This means realizing that the terrible occurrences of the past were not accidental; rather, they were the inevitable and inescapable consequences of the corruption of the society in which we live.
The mourning of Tisha B'Av is designed to create a powerful sense of unity among the members of the Jewish people, both in terms of our shared historical fate and in terms of our shared national destiny, so that, together, we can strive for a genuinely better tomorrow.
We understand that the process of redeeming our broken society cannot begin until we face the stark, harsh, and painful realities that surround us. We know that the joyous rebuilding of Jewish community and the achievement of the Prophetic ideals of peace on Earth and universal brotherhood will be inspired and fueled by the feelings of sadness and despair we experience on Tisha B'Av.
The message of Tisha B'Av is meant to resonate and should resonate with all those who are sensitive to the plight of mankind and are truly concerned about the injustices and abuses - physical, moral, and intellectual - that are perpetrated daily across the globe.
When we, as a people, cannot tolerate this state of affairs any longer; when we are finally willing to set aside all of our trivial concerns and petty disagreements for the sake of a greater good; when the lessons of Tisha B'Av finally penetrate our hearts and we are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to transform a disappointing and diseased world into the inspiring and idyllic one of which we have dreamed for centuries - then, and only then, will the light of true redemption burst forth in all its glory.
Tisha B'Av and Contemporary Jews
-Rabbi Joshua Maroof
Tragically, Tisha B'Av is often neglected or overlooked by contemporary Jews. Many are unaware of its existence. Those who are familiar with Tisha B'Av may feel alienated from its message of sadness and gloom. As a result, despite the supreme importance of the day, it is not as widely acknowledged or observed in the Diaspora as it should be.
Tisha B'Av is a reminder to all of us that we live in a dark and unjust world, a world marred by profound ignorance, immorality, materialism, poverty, racism, misogyny, tyranny, and selfishness, and that it is our responsibility to correct this sorry state of affairs.
The purpose of our focus on a wide array of painful and unspeakable tragedies is not to depress, debilitate, or demoralize us, but to awaken within us a sincere desire to avoid such calamities in the future. This means realizing that the terrible occurrences of the past were not accidental; rather, they were the inevitable and inescapable consequences of the corruption of the society in which we live.
The mourning of Tisha B'Av is designed to create a powerful sense of unity among the members of the Jewish people, both in terms of our shared historical fate and in terms of our shared national destiny, so that, together, we can strive for a genuinely better tomorrow.
We understand that the process of redeeming our broken society cannot begin until we face the stark, harsh, and painful realities that surround us. We know that the joyous rebuilding of Jewish community and the achievement of the Prophetic ideals of peace on Earth and universal brotherhood will be inspired and fueled by the feelings of sadness and despair we experience on Tisha B'Av.
The message of Tisha B'Av is meant to resonate and should resonate with all those who are sensitive to the plight of mankind and are truly concerned about the injustices and abuses - physical, moral, and intellectual - that are perpetrated daily across the globe.
When we, as a people, cannot tolerate this state of affairs any longer; when we are finally willing to set aside all of our trivial concerns and petty disagreements for the sake of a greater good; when the lessons of Tisha B'Av finally penetrate our hearts and we are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to transform a disappointing and diseased world into the inspiring and idyllic one of which we have dreamed for centuries - then, and only then, will the light of true redemption burst forth in all its glory.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Next year in Jerusalem?
At the end of the Seder, we all sing "l'Shana Haba B'Yrushalayim", next year in Jerusalem. As a child, it was explained to me by my school teachers that we were still enslaved, and hoping that next year we will be able to live in freedom in Israel. So, even while living in freedom here in the United States, we were slaves, because we were unable to make Aliyah. It was presented to me that historically the phrase was written because Israel as a country didn't exist, and it was our sincere hope that someday it would. But now that Israel did exist, at that time that it was too risky and expensive to simply move there... Not having the money to move internationally, not having a job in Israel, not having any friends/family there... People still were prevented from making Aliyah.
So, to my teachers, the phrase literally meant that they wanted to physically be in Israel the next year, but did not see any clear way to make that happen, and did not see this as ever being achievable within their lifetimes.
But, now making Aliyah is much easier, and while still a big risky move, there are many more families making this transition happen than ever before.
So, what of the Seder phrase? If you were one of my teachers, and finally made Aliyah, then what do you now say at your Seder? In fact, if you live in Jerusalem in the first place, does saying this make any sense at all?
And what if you don't want to make Aliyah? What if you're happy living in whatever country you are living in, and don't have any desire to live in Israel?
Rabbis have told me that the "Jerusalem" referred to in that statement is a theoretical Jerusalem, a reference to the messianic era. It doesn't mean being physically situated in the city, but that by this time next year the messiah would have arrived. It's an excellent answer.
But, going back to my childhood, many of my teachers saw this phrase as a literal injunction. We should all desire to move to Israel at the first opportunity to do so. I wonder today how they would answer my question.
So, to my teachers, the phrase literally meant that they wanted to physically be in Israel the next year, but did not see any clear way to make that happen, and did not see this as ever being achievable within their lifetimes.
But, now making Aliyah is much easier, and while still a big risky move, there are many more families making this transition happen than ever before.
So, what of the Seder phrase? If you were one of my teachers, and finally made Aliyah, then what do you now say at your Seder? In fact, if you live in Jerusalem in the first place, does saying this make any sense at all?
And what if you don't want to make Aliyah? What if you're happy living in whatever country you are living in, and don't have any desire to live in Israel?
Rabbis have told me that the "Jerusalem" referred to in that statement is a theoretical Jerusalem, a reference to the messianic era. It doesn't mean being physically situated in the city, but that by this time next year the messiah would have arrived. It's an excellent answer.
But, going back to my childhood, many of my teachers saw this phrase as a literal injunction. We should all desire to move to Israel at the first opportunity to do so. I wonder today how they would answer my question.
Friday, February 3, 2012
A Garden Needs Tending
I have a really interesting backyard. There is the house, then a wide stripe of open grass we've often referred to as our soccer field, and then a wide stripe of trees and undergrowth. Ever since we moved into our house, I have referred to this back section of the yard as my "fairy garden".
You see, I have this vision that this area will come to have meandering wander-paths through the trees, a small pond or fountain, various shade-loving plants and flowers in decorative planters, bird feeders, and whimsical decorations, all designed so that we could enjoy the uniqueness of this area of our property.
We've lived in our house for almost nine years now, and the closest I've gotten to this vision is that we have a bird feeder hanging from a metal hook.
It's not because I no longer like my initial vision, or no longer want all that it entails. It's that all of those things that I want to see in my backyard take a lot of work to put together and maintain. I've tried many times to plant flowers and plants, almost all of which have died off. I have a box of decorations to put out, and every time I have found free time to dedicate to this outdoor space, it's raining.
It is simply a matter of so much work, so little time. And that is why I think Tu B'Shevat is so important. Besides being my Hebrew birthday, this holiday reminds us that a garden needs tending. Everything in our world, from living things like plants and animals, to more esoteric items like love and ideas, need care and feeding to grow and thrive.
God created the world in six days, and rested on the seventh. Imagine the enormity of the work, that God needed a nap when he was done! (and thus was born the tradition of the Shabbos Shluf) We call it the Garden of Eden, not the Land of Eden, because it grew all life, and needed God's continuing care to exist. Tu B'Shevat reminds us not only of the importance of our environment, but also of our responsibility to maintain it, for ourselves and future generations.
Tu B'Shevat is the new year for trees. The Torah, in the book of Leviticus, outlines that when you plant a tree, you must wait three years before taking any of its fruit, and then on the fourth year, the fruit is to be used for temple sacrifices only. It is only when a tree is five years old that the fruit may be consumed by the community. This created a problem, how do you know how old a tree is? When you are busy planting many different trees, how do you record the different planting dates of each and every tree? Our sages came up with the practice of having one day a year, the 15th of Shevat, when they would consider all trees one year older for the purposes of following the Torah commandment surrounding the fruits of trees.
Fun facts about Tu B'Shevat:
"Tu" is not a word, it stands for the number 15 in Hebrew. Why do we use a Tet and Vav (9 & 6), instead of the easier Yud and Hey (10 & 5)? Because Yud and Hey make up God's name, and we don't want to use God's name as a number.
Tu B'Shevat is one of four New Years mentioned in the Torah. Just as the secular world has different calendars - think of our secular calendar, business fiscal years, and school calendars - so too Judaism has different calendar years for different purposes.
One custom for Tu B'Shevat is to eat a new fruit on the holiday so that you can say the Shehecheyanu blessing. We also should eat from the seven species mentioned in the Torah as being from Israel; wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. A Tu B'Shevat Seder is a common way to accomplish this.
Many families send money to plant trees in Israel for Tu B'Shevat.
Much of the discussion of Tu B'Shevat mentions that it is the beginning of spring, however, we're celebrating in the middle of winter, what gives? While it is still winter here in the United States, and we won't be seeing trees budding for a while, over in Israel, Tu B'Shevat is the very beginning of the spring growing season.
You see, I have this vision that this area will come to have meandering wander-paths through the trees, a small pond or fountain, various shade-loving plants and flowers in decorative planters, bird feeders, and whimsical decorations, all designed so that we could enjoy the uniqueness of this area of our property.
We've lived in our house for almost nine years now, and the closest I've gotten to this vision is that we have a bird feeder hanging from a metal hook.
It's not because I no longer like my initial vision, or no longer want all that it entails. It's that all of those things that I want to see in my backyard take a lot of work to put together and maintain. I've tried many times to plant flowers and plants, almost all of which have died off. I have a box of decorations to put out, and every time I have found free time to dedicate to this outdoor space, it's raining.
It is simply a matter of so much work, so little time. And that is why I think Tu B'Shevat is so important. Besides being my Hebrew birthday, this holiday reminds us that a garden needs tending. Everything in our world, from living things like plants and animals, to more esoteric items like love and ideas, need care and feeding to grow and thrive.
God created the world in six days, and rested on the seventh. Imagine the enormity of the work, that God needed a nap when he was done! (and thus was born the tradition of the Shabbos Shluf) We call it the Garden of Eden, not the Land of Eden, because it grew all life, and needed God's continuing care to exist. Tu B'Shevat reminds us not only of the importance of our environment, but also of our responsibility to maintain it, for ourselves and future generations.
Tu B'Shevat is the new year for trees. The Torah, in the book of Leviticus, outlines that when you plant a tree, you must wait three years before taking any of its fruit, and then on the fourth year, the fruit is to be used for temple sacrifices only. It is only when a tree is five years old that the fruit may be consumed by the community. This created a problem, how do you know how old a tree is? When you are busy planting many different trees, how do you record the different planting dates of each and every tree? Our sages came up with the practice of having one day a year, the 15th of Shevat, when they would consider all trees one year older for the purposes of following the Torah commandment surrounding the fruits of trees.
Fun facts about Tu B'Shevat:
"Tu" is not a word, it stands for the number 15 in Hebrew. Why do we use a Tet and Vav (9 & 6), instead of the easier Yud and Hey (10 & 5)? Because Yud and Hey make up God's name, and we don't want to use God's name as a number.
Tu B'Shevat is one of four New Years mentioned in the Torah. Just as the secular world has different calendars - think of our secular calendar, business fiscal years, and school calendars - so too Judaism has different calendar years for different purposes.
One custom for Tu B'Shevat is to eat a new fruit on the holiday so that you can say the Shehecheyanu blessing. We also should eat from the seven species mentioned in the Torah as being from Israel; wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. A Tu B'Shevat Seder is a common way to accomplish this.
Many families send money to plant trees in Israel for Tu B'Shevat.
Much of the discussion of Tu B'Shevat mentions that it is the beginning of spring, however, we're celebrating in the middle of winter, what gives? While it is still winter here in the United States, and we won't be seeing trees budding for a while, over in Israel, Tu B'Shevat is the very beginning of the spring growing season.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
A note for new readers
Welcome!
Just so you know, I'm in the process of transferring older posts from two separate, now defunct, discussion groups to my blog here. So, while there may not be any new posts for a while, you might want to check the archives from time to time to see if anything new has popped up there.
Thanks!
-Meri
Just so you know, I'm in the process of transferring older posts from two separate, now defunct, discussion groups to my blog here. So, while there may not be any new posts for a while, you might want to check the archives from time to time to see if anything new has popped up there.
Thanks!
-Meri
Monday, May 16, 2011
Concepts for Organization Growth - Note
Just a note about the format of these posts. I am going to talk from the perspective that your organization is a synagogue. I started writing and it's how the topic best presents itself - at least going from my brain to the page - in a way that isn't bogged down by the grammatical issues of using the phrase "your organization" or "the organization" all the time. This being said, I believe that the concepts and lessons presented are applicable to all Jewish communal organizations (and non-Jewish organizations too). Just change the references in your head to what you need them to be.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Concepts for Organizational Growth - Introduction
Something I've been "studying" - if one could call the organizational version of people-watching "study" - is why some organizations are gaining members and raising money hand over fist, while other organizations are floundering trying to maintain their current membership and budget. What is it about these organizations that are in an extreme "growth mode" that makes them so successful? Or, what are other organizations lacking that creates barriers to growth?
What I found was simultaneously surprising and not. What was surprising is that the vast majority of growing organizations belong to what I would term "fundamental" movements. In other words, extremist and fundamentalist religious and political groups. What is not surprising are the key reasons why these types of organizations are growing.
It did not surprise me that extremist groups are growing - the world around us today is an ideal breeding ground for such groups and people looking for easy answers. Rather, I was surprised that there are few if any mainstream groups/movements that show any kind of growth. Most mainstream groups are stable or in decline. The few that are growing are growing slowly, and the growth is a result of "natural causes" - for example AARP is growing in membership numbers, but that's expected based on the rising number of Americans becoming "senior aged" in this country.
As you would expect, the cornerstone of most extremist groups' membership recruitment and retention plans is fear. Fear is a great motivator - someone is out to get you. It causes your membership to unify and circle the wagons, upholding your message and financially supporting your cause. The other aspects of what an organization like this does to recruit and retain membership range from expected public relations messaging to cult-like brainwashing.
I spent some time looking into these recruitment and retention tactics to see if there was something to be learned. I could, right now, give everyone an easy recipe for creating a grassroots "renewal movement" within your organization, with clear, easy to introduce and maintain steps for membership growth and maintenance, as well as high-powered fundraising. The problem is, I don't think anyone would have the stomach for implementing it... and if they did, I wouldn't tell them how to do it.
So rather than dwelling in the realm of manipulation of our base human natures, I attempted to distill positive lessons that we could apply to our organizational development.
I combined the best and most successful parts of the programs I studied, broke them into related categories - concepts - and then defined what those concepts mean on the organizational level, and how to apply them positively towards membership growth and fundraising efforts.
Look for future "Concepts for Organizational Growth" (COG) posts on each topic.
What I found was simultaneously surprising and not. What was surprising is that the vast majority of growing organizations belong to what I would term "fundamental" movements. In other words, extremist and fundamentalist religious and political groups. What is not surprising are the key reasons why these types of organizations are growing.
It did not surprise me that extremist groups are growing - the world around us today is an ideal breeding ground for such groups and people looking for easy answers. Rather, I was surprised that there are few if any mainstream groups/movements that show any kind of growth. Most mainstream groups are stable or in decline. The few that are growing are growing slowly, and the growth is a result of "natural causes" - for example AARP is growing in membership numbers, but that's expected based on the rising number of Americans becoming "senior aged" in this country.
As you would expect, the cornerstone of most extremist groups' membership recruitment and retention plans is fear. Fear is a great motivator - someone is out to get you. It causes your membership to unify and circle the wagons, upholding your message and financially supporting your cause. The other aspects of what an organization like this does to recruit and retain membership range from expected public relations messaging to cult-like brainwashing.
I spent some time looking into these recruitment and retention tactics to see if there was something to be learned. I could, right now, give everyone an easy recipe for creating a grassroots "renewal movement" within your organization, with clear, easy to introduce and maintain steps for membership growth and maintenance, as well as high-powered fundraising. The problem is, I don't think anyone would have the stomach for implementing it... and if they did, I wouldn't tell them how to do it.
So rather than dwelling in the realm of manipulation of our base human natures, I attempted to distill positive lessons that we could apply to our organizational development.
I combined the best and most successful parts of the programs I studied, broke them into related categories - concepts - and then defined what those concepts mean on the organizational level, and how to apply them positively towards membership growth and fundraising efforts.
Look for future "Concepts for Organizational Growth" (COG) posts on each topic.
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