Holidays – Page 2

“The King in the Field”

September 13, 2016 No Comments

~ Where spirit, nature and people meet An old-new Jewish movement overseas About three months ago I was privileged to participate in a formative event arranged by the JOFEE network (Jewish Outdoor, Food and Environmental Education), which took place in a convention center out in nature in the heart of the U.S. For three days we pored over texts describing events that have shaped us as a people, from the well-known “Lech Lecha” until today; we got to know and examine different projects, for example community gardens of various temples, or agricultural farms run according to halacha; and we experienced spiritual activities in nature itself. I suppose you readers are raising an eyebrow and stifling a yawn – so what’s new? Yet another esoteric new-age gathering about Judaism? In order to understand what the innovation is here, you have to know that this was a conference in which the top Jewish organizations, communities and funds in the U.S took part, as part of the long-term process which the Jewish establishment has undertaken to adopt. For example, in the framework of the event, we celebrated the graduation of thirty young people from a training course which prepared them for leadership roles in the field of Jewish environmentalism in Jewish community centers (JCC) throughout the U.S. These young people will receive guidance and support both from the community institutions and from active local Jewish environmental organizations, and their salaries will be paid by foundations involved with the future of the Jewish people. The expectation of these foundations is that these graduates will recruit other young people who are inspired by Jewish tradition to join and initiate social – environmental activities. The story behind this development is even more far-ranging, in that JOFEE is one of four different “routes” of experiential learning that are concurrently being promoted in Jewish communities in the U.S. The other three routes are culture and art, social justice (Tikkun Olam) and spirituality (non-affiliated). The function of these four routes is to set in motion a process that will bring young people back to Judaism and make them feel at home in Jewish communities. Today’s young people, members of the Y generation as I learned at the conference, have grown up in a world of accessible knowledge and social networks are an integral part of their lives. Members of this generation typically know what they are looking for and know how to find it on their own, while using the system for their needs but without any feeling of commitment to it. With this in mind, it is obvious why young people don’t want any connection with traditional Jewish establishments (temples, communal organizations, youth movements and so on) and view them as irrelevant. On the other hand, many of them show deep commitment and loyalty to other values and outlooks on life which combine fulfillment, acquisition of tools and achievement. The aim of this undertaking is that these four routes – culture and art, social justice, spirituality and the environment – will strengthen the Jewish connection to a variety of current activities and ideas, will give them inspiration from Jewish sources and integrate them into the framework of Jewish organizations. For example, a young adult who feels committed to environmental tikkun olam, would be able to volunteer on a Jewish ecological farm, proceed to run an organic cooperative in the community and wind up heading a Jewish vegan movement offering an alternative to the traditional Shabbos chicken. Moreover, from the point of view of the initiators of this project, these are not post factum approaches, but have been decided on in advance. In their eyes, this project is reciprocal and multi-directional. After years of internal establishment and formation of communities, the time has come for U.S Jewry to share in the molding of life in the 21st century in the fields of culture, spirituality and tikkun olam. “I will make my song heard from the distant land of Israel” (Shai Agnon) Sadly, not only was I the sole representative of Israel at this event, but Israel was not mentioned even once (except at a spontaneous meeting that I headed in order to make this exact point). However, in my opinion there would be deep meaning in learning more about these developments and examining them in Israel. There is no question that there is an immense growth in interest in all four of these fields in Israel. Over the last few years Israel has turned into a superpower in naturalism and vegetarianism, interest in the environment has become the norm, Jewish culture and art are rousing interest, and there are many with a thirst for spirituality. The concept of “social Judaism” is widespread, and many organizations actively involved in tikkun olam get their inspiration from Jewish bookshelves. It is worth noting that all the above-mentioned activities are unaffiliated to any particular sector – there are various different kinds of artists, both bareheaded and wearing kippot, reviving liturgical poetry (piyutim), singing of spiritual growth, composing and playing, inspired by their Jewish sources; in organizations like Tevel B’Tzedek graduates from HaShomer HaTzair and Bnei Akiva volunteer side by side; in Jerusalem there is a popular cooking contest called “The Vegan Cholent”, in which not all contestants know what the original cholent is from home. It transpires that these four fields enable a meeting point and an affinity between individuals, between sectors of society and communities, between elements from different periods and approaches – and all these form a deeply meaningful experience which reflects the beauty of Judaism and of Jews. This kind of activity is “outside halacha” – in other words, it does not go against halacha but rather belongs to the general sphere of moral, humane behavior – and in this way it neutralizes the sectorial divisions that separate and detach us from one another, and the different backgrounds of the various co-activists can serve as a fertile basis for learning, conversing and doing. The multitude of different ways of

Lag B’Omer & Vegetarianism (or Veganism): Making Every Day Count

May 22, 2016 No Comments

By Daniel Brook & Richard H. Schwartz Lag B’Omer is considered a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, but even a minor holiday is worth celebrating. A great way to celebrate Lag B’Omer is through veganism, as Lag B’Omer is deeply connected to veganism. If not quite ready for veganism, a shift to vegetarianism would be a great initial step. Lag B’Omer represents the 33rd day of the counting of the omer, the fifty days from Passover and Shavuot, reminding us of the link between these two holidays. While Passover celebrates our freedom from slavery, Shavuot celebrates our receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. During Passover, Jews would bring barley to the Temple in Jerusalem; on Shavuot, Jews would bring their first fruits. Between these two holidays, while counting the days, Jews traditionally brought an omer of grain to the Temple. The word lag represents 33 and an omer is a sheaf or measurement. The goal is not only to count the omer, but also to make the omer count. According to a midrash, there were fifty days between the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and the receiving of the Torah — between liberation and law — because the Jewish people were not yet spiritually pure. On our modern journeys, in our efforts toward liberation, we can increase our purity by eating vegetarian foods. We can purify our health and purify our planet, while purifying our spirit. Many people who switch to a vegan diet report feeling physically, emotionally, and spiritually better. Lag B’Omer presents a special opportunity to reflect back upon where we’ve come from as well as to look forward to where we might, and should, be going, as it is a time for self-awareness, self-growth, and community development. We sincerely hope that Jews will enhance their celebrations of this ancient and beautiful holiday of Lag B’Omer by making it a time to strive even harder to live up to Judaism’s highest moral values and teachings. We certainly don’t need more “things” in our homes and we don’t necessarily need to make an agricultural pilgrimage; instead, we do need more meaning, purpose, and spirit in our lives. To be grateful for life is to appreciate it, to sustain and protect it, for yourself and others, for humans and animals. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this. One significant way is by moving towards veganism. To be grateful for life is to appreciate it, to sustain and protect it, for yourself and others, for humans and animals. By sharing grain with others, Lag B’Omer demonstrates the power of cooperation and community. In contrast, meat-eating demonstrates the opposite. Raising animals for consumption, besides being cruel to animals (and therefore violating tsa’ar ba’alei chayim, causing unnecessary harm to animals), uses and wastes a tremendous amount of grain as well as water, land, soil, and fossil fuels (transgressing bal tashchit, the injunction not to waste anything of value). It also destroys communities (the opposite of tikkun olam, healing the world), degrades the environment (not the way to be shomrei adamah, partners in re-creating our world), and damages human health (going against pekuach nefesh, the need to protect our health and lives). Judaism also stresses the importance of tzedakah, that we be kind, assist the poor and weak, and share our food with the hungry, yet approximately 3/4 of major U.S. crops – e.g., corn, wheat, soybeans, oats – is fed to the billions of animals destined for slaughter. Further, Judaism repeatedly suggests that we pursue peace and justice, and veganism is one key step on that path. While millions of people annually die from over-consumption, particularly consumption of fat and cholesterol, millions of people annually die from under-consumption, from starvation and hunger-related diseases. Indeed, it takes many pounds of grain, rich in fiber and other nutrients, to produce a single pound of cholesterol-laden meat. Although the world produces more than enough food to feed all its people, the inequality of wealth and power, along with the inefficiency of land use and food distribution creates conditions that lead to scarcity, chronic hunger, malnutrition, and starvation. Lag B’Omer reminds us to enjoy the bounty of our crops and to share our resources. World hunger is neither necessary, automatic, nor inevitable. Veganism creates conditions that are more fair and just, more efficient and sustainable, thereby potentially allowing more people to be fed, rather than using land, grain, water, labor, energy, and other resources to produce food to be fed to animals that are later killed and fed to people. In addition to being better for health and the environment, veganism is better for food security and the alleviation of world hunger. Food security, in turn, may prevent the all-too-common instances of jealousy, covetousness, ethnic tensions, and then violence, war, and genocide. Traditionally, many Jews refrain from open celebration during the counting of the omer. However, Lag B’Omer is a day during this season upon which marriages, haircuts, and other celebrations are allowed to begin again because miracles have occurred on Lag B’Omer. It was on Lag B’Omer, for example, that a plague that had killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students finally ended. Choosing veganism champions life by saving lives everyday. Shortly after the plague, Rabbi Akiva chose five students to carry on his work, one of whom was the great sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son Rabbi Eleazar hid in a cave for thirteen years after Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, known by the acronym Rashbi, was condemned to death by the Roman conquerors of Jerusalem for speaking out against them, following the murders of Rabbi Akiva and many others. While they lived in a cave, they were sustained by their studies of the Torah, a local stream, and a nearby carob tree for their food. These great sages demonstrated that a vegan diet, like the manna the Israelites received in the Sinai desert, is enough to sustain a person as well as a people.

Greening Your Purim

March 9, 2016 No Comments

The Jewish holiday of Purim, which begins this year on the evening of March 23, celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies in the biblical Book of Esther. Purim typically involves reading from the Megillah, dressing up in festive costumes , eating hamantashen and giving gifts of food and drink to others (Shalach Manot). With a little creativity, you can make this holiday more eco-friendly. Below are some suggestions: Do a clothing/costume exchange with friends: Instead of buying a new costume for the holiday, gather with friends (both adults and children) and do a swap of costumes. Reusing and recycling a costume previously used is key. Make your Shalach Manot gift more environmentally friendly: There are several ways you can do this. First, put your food items in a reusable package, such as a reusable cloth bag or a Mason jar. Second, find organic and local food items to put in your bag. Finally, minimize packaging. Items such as apples, pears and other fresh fruits don’t need to be placed in separate bags. Reduce waste as much as possible. Consider focusing on the needy on this holiday: Giving money and gifts to the poor is an integral part of celebrating Purim. Consider delivering your Shalach Manot gift bags to residents of an area nursing home this year. In addition, donate any unopened food or gifts you don’t need or can’t use after the holiday ends to a local food pantry (such as the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry), rather than throwing anything out. Cook with organic and healthy ingredients for your own Purim festivities: If you are making hamantashen, look for organic jams and jellies for your filling. If you are inviting others over for a meal to celebrate the holiday, focus on foods that are local and healthy for your Purim table. Look for winter farmers markets to buy your ingredients. Chag Sameach!

Yom Kippur at the Lincoln Memorial

September 2, 2015 No Comments

YOM KIPPUR Day of Atonement/ At-Onement Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC September 22-23, 2015 Sundown to Sundown For more information, and to RSVP, please visit the Facebook event page: Yom Kippur 2015 at the Lincoln Memorial Kol Nidre 6:30pm to 8:30pm Morning Service with Yizkor 10am to 1:30pm Minchah/Neilah 5:00pm to 7:45 pm, concluding with shofar blasts followed by a multi-faith vigil Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, a fast day for seeking both Atonement and At-Onement. At this moment in history, we humans are in need of atonement for the ways in which we have desecrated the Earth; this desecration is the result of our lack of at-Onement – our separation from one another, from all living beings, and from the Earth. This year, Yom Kippur falls immediately prior to Pope Francis’s unprecedented address on September 24 to a joint session of Congress. We offer this Yom Kippur service as an invitation to the Jewish community, along with people of all faiths, to come together, acknowledging our profound need for interconnection and atonement. This service will be part of a series of faith-based events planned for the week of September 24 in support of Pope Francis. Why the Lincoln Memorial? The Lincoln Memorial is the pre-eminent American symbol of our collective responsibility to work for freedom and democracy for all people with “malice toward none, and charity for all.” It is where millions of Americans have gathered to stand for the dignity of each person. A Contemplative, Inspired Yom Kippur Service We will draw from the traditional liturgy of Yom Kippur and will also include chanting, contemplative practices, and opportunities for reflection and sharing. Words from Pope Francis’ Encyclical will be interwoven throughout the day, and faith leaders from other traditions will also offer reflections. This invitation to all people of faith is an acknowledgement that our world view is not particular to Judaism, or to Catholicism, or to any one tradition; and rather, together we will engage our hearts and spirits for this sacred moment in time. Please be aware: Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and we prefer that you not bring food or drink with you. If you need to eat or drink for health reasons during the service, please use discretion and step away from the congregation while eating or drinking. Many worshipers will wear white clothing to signify our intention to purify our souls and our lives. You are encouraged to: Invite friends, family and colleagues who may want to join us for any part of the Yom Kippur services. Bring a chair or a cushion to sit on. Wednesday night around 7:45PM: Conclusion of the Service Yom Kippur services will conclude when three stars appear in the sky on Wednesday night, a fitting affirmation of our interconnection with the movement of the universe. We will then join with the Franciscan Action Network and others for a multi-faith vigil in preparation for the Pope’s address. We will break our fast with people of faith who have been fasting for as long as ten days near the White House calling attention to the need for action the sake of life on Earth. Sponsored by the Shalom Center, in partnership with IMAC and MAC RSVP at the Facebook event page: Yom Kippur 2015 at the Lincoln Memorial

Tisha B’Av in the Age of Climate Crisis: Interactive Discussion and Potluck Dinner

July 2, 2015 No Comments

Tisha B’Av is a day of fasting and mourning in response to the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, and other tragedies, with a traditional reading of the Book of Eicha, or Lamentations. Rabbi Katy Allen, rabbi of Ma’yan Tikvah and President of the Jewish Climate Action Network, will lead an experiential evening that will include going out outdoors to connect to the Earth. She will use selected passages Eicha and additional resources in juxtaposition with statements about climate change impact as the basis of our exploration of What Can Judaism Teach Us in the Age of Climate Crisis. Bring a short statement about climate change impact, a vegetarian dish to share, and your own dishes and utensils. As Tisha B’Av draws to a close we will share a potluck dinner together. Enter via the door on the parking lot on Church Street near the corner of Church and Centre. Co-sponsored by the Jewish Climate Action Network. Optional donation: $5-18, more if you can, less if you can’t.

Eden Village is hiring farm educator apprentices for 2015 growing season!

January 26, 2015 No Comments

Eden Village Camp is Hiring! Submit Your Application About Eden Village Camp: Eden Village Camp aims to be a living model of a thriving, sustainable Jewish community, grounded in social responsibility and inspired Jewish spiritual life. By bringing the wisdom of our tradition to the environmental, social, and personal issues important to today’s young people, we practice a Judaism that is substantive and relevant. Through our Jewish environmental and service-learning curricula, joyful Shabbat observance, pluralistic Jewish expression, and inspiring, diverse staff role models, we foster our campers’ positive Jewish identity and genuine commitment to tikkun olam (healing the world). Our 3 acre educational farm and orchard are based on principles of permaculture, sustainable and organic farming. We produce annual vegetables, perennials, and tend educational gardens as well as animals. About the Farm Educator Apprenticeship: This is a paid six-month apprenticeship for young adults seeking hands-on experience. In the Spring build your knowledge based on agriculture, farm-based education and Jewish community. In the Summer, work at our 8-week intensive summer camp as Jewish Farm Educators. In the fall, take ownership and integrate your new skills by diving deeper into independent projects. Live on-site at our beautiful camp, one hour north of New York City. By joining the farm staff at Eden Village, apprentices will hold two main responsibilities – tending our growing spaces and educating in our all of our programming through the spring, summer and fall. Apprentices will also have an opportunity to dive deeper into one of four focus areas: perennials, annuals, animals, and educational gardens. In these specialties apprentices will gain a deeper understanding of certain aspects of farming and will take on leadership and special projects to booster their learning and the learning of campers and program participants. Details: April 14th, 2015 – October 22nd 2015, Apprentices receive full room and board at Eden Village, as well as a modest stipend. Extensive experience is not necessary but experiential curiosity is required. We recommend you explore our website thoroughly to get more information about our apprenticeship, farm, camp, and more at Eden Village Camp. More questions? Explore the FAQ page. For all other questions, contact

R&R Shabbat at the JCC

December 3, 2014 No Comments

R & R: Shabbat at The JCC is an antidote to our 24/7 lifestyle. Make your Shabbat afternoon special and share in our community with workshops in art, yoga, meditation, food, music, study sessions, film, performances, creative art projects, spa experiences, and indoor and outdoor play. Enjoy programs for both children and adults. R&R is an amazing weekly opportunity to be together as a family and as a community; it’s an incredible alternative to the typical New York Saturday and it is our gift to you. Join us for programs that respect all levels of observance. Come in from the ordinary and experience Shabbat. It’s an ancient solution to a modern dilemma, so priceless we’ve made it free.

#Yemima, Rachel Imeinu and the Merit of Righteous Women

October 31, 2014 1 Comment

There is a place in Shabbat tefillot where we should have “Yemima bat Avraham Avinu haKadoshah” in mind together with all who died Al Kidush HaShem. It’s the part called “Av HaRachamim” found before Ashrei of Musaf. Karen Yemima Mosquera Barrera, 22, was buried on the Mountain of Olives in the Holy Land this week. The story of Yemima’s life is becoming known during these days preceding the anniversary of the death of our matriarch Rachel. “She was buried at midnight of Oct. 27th – on the Mount of Olives. The cemetery facing the Old City of Jerusalem – the site famous for being the place where the righteous ones will first be resurrected at the End of Days,” wrote Chaya Lester, co-founder of Shalev Center, spoken word artist, and tour guide in the Holy Land in the Jewish arts online publication Hevria. “It is the greatest spiritual aliyah that any man or woman has ever attained in the history of Am Yisrael, granting her the privilege of being buried on the highest point of the Mount of Olives and earning her the title ‘HaKedoshah Yemima bat Avraham Avinu, H”YD,’”wrote Sabrina Schneider, women’s health and childbirth worker and relative of Yemima. “Among many other things that were said in her hesped, one Rebbe said she will be the first to rise from the dead.” Schneider’s posek, Talmid of HaGaon Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, t”zl advises all of Am Yisrael that there is a place in Shabbat tefillot where we should have “Yemima bat Avraham Avinu haKadoshah” in mind together with all who died Al Kidush HaShem. It’s the part called “Av HaRachamim” found before Ashrei of Musaf. Schneider has been posting updates to her facebook wall since the senseless tragedy at Ammunition Hill light rail station October 22, 2014, where the first to die was 3 month old baby Chaya Zissel Braun. A look into on Yemima’s background was published in Voices Magazine blog when she was in critical condition at Hadassah hospital October 24. Reports included information for praying, offering charity, or doing other mitzvot for her recovery. The Foreign Ministry of Israel flew in Yemima’s family from Ecuador following the attack. The Jerusalem Mayor and the Ecuadorian Ambassador to Israel were at the funeral, but no state representatives attended. “My daughter died in God’s name. I don’t want her death to be in vain,” said Yemima’s mother Rosa Cecilia Barrera at the funeral. “Her dream was to come to Israel to start her life. I am heartbroken. No one can heal my sorrow. “It pains me that these terrorists are so full of hate and they set out to murder innocent people… She was murdered just because she was Jewish.” In fact, Yemima was murdered on her way to study Torah. Rachel Cries for her Children Earlier this year, we heard from the mother of a kidnapped boy, when she spoke at the United Nations in defiance of a request from the government of Israel appealing for the safe return of her son and the two other abducted boys. Rachel Frankel, director at the Jewish women’s studies institute Advanced Halakha Program at Matan and Jewish law instructor at Nishmat, continued on as a spokesperson for the missing and then murdered children. Rachel Frankel said kaddish at the funeral for her 16 year old son Naftali Frankel on July 1, 2014. It was the first time most Israelis and Jews on the planet saw and said “Amen” on a blessing spoken by a woman. “Rachelle Fraenkel became a public leader, a national heroine and, just as important, a religious heroine as well, over the 18 days that her son and his friends were missing,” wrote Haaretz reporter Yair Ettinger. Rosa Cecilia Barrera and Rachel Frankel are two of many mothers grieving the loss of their children to violence, terror and war. May these mothers and all the mourners be comforted. Our great matriarch Rachel Imeinu cries, in the Jewish bible, the book of Jeremiah, grieving the exile of her children. And the Creator annuls a decree against the Jewish people in her merit, promising that they will return home. Heart and Prayer of the Jewish Matriarchs As we read in the book of Samuel during Rosh Hashana, Hashem “remembered” Chanah and blessed her with a child after her heartful pleas. The way that Chanah prophetically prayed at the holy site became the basis for how Jewish people pray the Amidah – sober and standing, with their lips forming their words from the heart. We have a story about Yemima praying Shemona Esrai, and it serves as another model for devotion. Yemima prayed the Amidah so devoutly that she did not notice that a 7.1 Richter earthquake hit, describes Varda Epstein in her blog post after attending Yemima’s funeral. This experience as well as a dream that her mother had, propelled Yemima to go to Israel from Equador, her country of origin. “She would bring her mother and her sister over to Israel and help them follow in her footsteps,” Epstein wrote. In a report in Israel HaYom, Yemima’s teacher compared her to another great biblical woman, Ruth. “She was like Ruth the Moabite, who came here and sought to be part of the Jewish people… She really loved Israel, and was connected to it in an exceptional way.” Yemima converted to Judaism 5 months ago. Like so many people across the Americas today whose ancestors were forced to convert to Christianity or die, many descendants of Converso Jews have retained some rituals, and Yemima’s mother had inherited the customs of lighting candles Friday nights, and covering mirrors in the home after the death of a family member. Yemima is not alone in her passion to return to her Jewish spiritual roots, a phenomenon among Conversos from the American Southwest and southward. In Jewish tradition, converts are highly regarded for making the incredibly heroic life transformation. A week after her burial, next Monday night November 3, 2014 is on the Hebrew calendar 11 Cheshvan

Make Your Thanksgiving Celebration Eco-Friendly

October 29, 2014 No Comments

Thanksgiving, while an ecumenical holiday, is a great time to consider the Jewish principle of baal tashchit (do not waste). There are many things you can do to make your celebration of this holiday more earth friendly. Reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible: Try to buy only as much food as you need and look for food that either has no container or that has a container that can be recycled. Plan to compost any non-meat food items that can’t be eaten (such as carrot peel) or that have to be thrown out after the meal. Also plan to use reusable cloth napkins instead of disposable paper ones. Use local and organic products for your feast: Most Thanksgiving meals focus on food that is in season. Use organic and locally grown pumpkin for your pie. Locally grown vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash taste great and are plentiful this time of year. Buying locally means that your food is not flown miles away wasting fossil fuels as it travels from across the country or another continent. Eating organic food means that what goes on your plate will not contain traces of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. If you plan to make a traditional turkey for the holiday, buy one that is from a family farm that does not use antibiotics or artificial hormones. Celebrate at home: Thanksgiving is one of the holidays when many people travel by car or plane. Do your part to reduce global warming by planning to celebrate at home for a more green holiday. Your stress level also will decline as you avoid crowds on the highways or airport terminals. Make your own decorations: If you plan to decorate your home (inside or outside) for the holidays, use simple compostable or recyclable materials to create your decorations rather than buying new ones. Consider picking up pine cones and leaves and using these in a centerpiece for your table. Have your children cut construction paper into turkeys, pilgrims or other Thanksgiving themed designs. (The paper can be recycled when done.) Give thanks to nature as you celebrate: In many households, those attending the Thanksgiving meal go around the table and give an example of what they are thankful for. Add a new twist by also thanking the natural world around you for helping to sustain and enrich your life. Weather permitting, consider a short nature or garden walk before or after the meal to make the connections between this food-centered holiday and the earth around us more visible. Happy Thanksgiving!

Earth Etude for Elul 3 – Let it Rest

August 28, 2014 1 Comment

Earth Etude for Elul 3 – Let It Rest by Carol Reiman Let it rest– the land that we have worked so hard, the grassy fare for geese now taken by the high tech labs, the water diverted far away to leave the old spot bare, the day diminished by our dense cramming, electronics robbing our eyes of moisture… Let it rest– the fish sleep still near the bottom, the standing horse relaxes muscles, the cat stretches and curls… Let it rest– the yawn exchanges stale air for fresh, cells grow, the blood flows with its passengers for new destinations, brain pathways renew… Let it rest– allow the deep within to reflect that beyond; hear and see, smell, touch, and taste; be in the moment; live… Let it rest– the quiet company of presence and reconnection, time for parts to settle, ideas to form, words to fall into place… Let it rest– let go the grudge; allow resentment, fear, discomfort to dissolve; accept us all as parts of the Community… The seventh day, the seventh year, the jubilee– see what is good, respect Creation, acknowledge the work that has been done, share fairly, come together for next steps… Carol C. Reiman works as library support staff in Dorchester. She finds support with Somerville and Wayland congregations and with her cat.

Spread over all of us the Sukkah of shalom, salaam, paz, peace!

August 25, 2014 No Comments

Can our Sukkot become not only symbols but peacemaking sanctuaries for both "adam" and "adamah"? As we enter the Shmita / Sabbatical Year, we may be asking what its content might be. We can begin, just a few days before Rosh Hashanah, joining the several dozen Jewish organizations that will take part in the People’s Climate March in New York City, Sunday Septembr 21, beginning at 11:30 am. Then on Rosh Hashanah (which can mean “New Year” or “Start of Transformation”), we might celebrate what the tradition sees as the birthday of the world, or of the human species (adam) as we emerged from Mother Earth (adamah). On Yom Kippur, we might enrich the Avodah service by prostrating ourselves on the grass of Mother Earth as our forebears did at the Temple in Jerusalem, murmuring to ourselves the sacred name of YyyyHhhhWwwwHhhh by simply breathing, as the High Priest did on that day when he emerged from the Holy of Holies. And on Sukkot, the Festival of fullness (Full Moon of the sabbatical/ seventh month, the harvest time of full abundance), we might draw on a powerful line from our evening prayers: “Spread over all of us a sukkah of Your peace.” What is a “sukkah”? It is a fragile hut, fragile in time and space. Its leafy, leaky roof must be open to the stars and the rain. It stands for only a week –– a festival week called by its name, Sukkot, to celebrate the harvest, to pray for the rain that will make the next harvest possible, and to implore God’s bounty not for Jews alone but for all the nations of the world. This is our proposal for active hope, hopeful activism: On the Sunday and (Columbus Day holiday) Monday that fall during Sukkot this year — October 12 and 13 — let Jews invite into their sukkot, those leafy, leaky, vulnerable huts, the actual people and the explicit intent of celebrating peace, welcoming all peoples, and healing the Earth. That intent calls us to merge the joy of Sukkot – which is called “The Festival,” “the season of our joy” – with determination to end the militarization of our lives and the extreme, quasi-military, exploitation of our Earth. Examples of this militarization abound, but for Jewcology let us focus on : The quasi-military destruction of mountains, the creation of asthma epidemics, and the overheating of our planet for the sake of profit-hungry Big Coal. The quasi-military fracking and poisoning of our water, the burning of towns along the railroad tracks, the despoiling of land along the pipelines, and the overheating of our planet for the sake of profit-hungry Big Oil. The quasi-military forcefulness of global scorching that imposes on the Earth and on the human community – especially on the poor – the droughts that make for famine, turning poverty into hunger and hunger into starvation, and the superstorms and rising sea levels that flood our cities and our homes. How do we make the sukkah into both a joyful affirmation of peace and a challenge to purveyors of such violence? To begin with, why does the prayer not call for a Temple of peace, a Palace of peace, a Fortress of peace, even a House of peace — but instead for the most vulnerable of all dwellings, a Sukkah of peace? Precisely because it isvulnerable. The sukkah is in itself a teaching that peace cannot be achieved with steel walls, lead bullets, fiery bombs –- but only with a sense of welcome, of compassion, and of shared vulnerability In fact, as the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11 showed, despite all our efforts to storm Heaven by building towers to scrape the sky, we all actually do live in sukkot, vulnerable to attack unless we turn our enemies into friends. But that implicit quality of the sukkah is not sufficient to challenge the explicit forces of destruction that we face. So — Jews who honor the traditions of Sukkot could invite those who are likeliest to be the targets and victims of this attack against the Earth — African-Americans, Hispanic immigrants, Appalachian poor whites — to join in sukkot on October 12 and 13 to sing, dance, tell each other stories of our different lives, pray, discuss the needs we all have for sustainable sustenance and equal justice, and make sure that we all vote in the elections that will come a few weeks later. Besides hundreds of such peacemaking sukkot across our country and the world, perhaps a sukkah should be built during those days in Lafayette Park across from the White House, in the USA; in Independence Park, in Jerusalem.There we could challenge the US government — to end the heating and poisoning of our country and all Earth by Big Carbon, and to seek peace and pursue it in a myriad other contexts – our cities and our neighbors overseas. And so may we ourselves “spread over all of us the sukkah of shalom, salaam, paz, peace”!

Are There Special Foods to Welcome Shmita?

August 1, 2014 No Comments

Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin has suggested that for the Erev Rosh Hashanah meal which this year, on Wednesday evening September 24, begins the Shmita Year of Shabbat Shabbaton, we have a seder plate, with seven items (marking the seven-ness of Shmita). What might these seven be? Already nominated: bread (like challah for Shabbat, should this be a “woven” bread? round, for the cycles, as is a traditional Rosh Hashanah challah? how about woven into seven spirals?), an apple, honey, wine, pomegranates. What might the others be, and why? I would add to this Shmita Seder plate charoset, on the grounds (as I have previously suggested) that it is the embodiment of Shir HaShirim which bears the recipe for charoset — nuts, apples, wine, apricots, spices. I suggest that the whirling spirals of Shabbat => Seventh moonth/Tishrei => Shabbat shabbaton (Shmita) => Yovel, each one a whirl in the spiral of healing, are all aiming toward Shir HaShirim and its embodiment, charoset. That, I suggest, is the fruitful fulfillment of all history, Gan Eden for grown-ups and a grown-up human race. No “mashiach” needed for these messianic days because we all, adam and adamah, women and men, anoint each other. Shabbat first comes into human practice with manna. Why? I think, because the misdeed of Eden was about eating — gobbling up the Earth’s abundance without any self-restraint. (“From one tree you shall not eat….”) . This misdeed brings about the end of the abundance: “Every day of your life you shall toil with the sweat pouring down your face to barely eat, because the Earth will bring forth thorns and thistles. And women will be subordinated to men.”) Shabbat comes with Manna precisely to begin the first stages of the reversal of the post-Edenic disaster. This food comes freely from YyyyHhhhWwwwHhhh, the Interbreath of Life. It can only come after Pharaoh has been overthrown and slavery — the worst version of endless toil — has been dissolved. And this manna comes with an intrinsic limit on over-eating — if you gather too much, the extra rots — and it comes with a built-in “operant conditioning” that you can’t work for it on Shabbat and don’t need to, because extra comes on the sixth day, it does not rot, and none comes on Shabbat. Abundance flowers again, and this time self-restraint is built in. The first step in reversing the post-Eden disaster. The second step is the seventh moonth, in which we celebrate four festivals, one at each phase of the moon. The third and fourth steps are Shmita and Yovel. And then we glimpse Pardes, the free and joyful Garden of Shir HaShirim, in which we are playfully loving with and in the Earth, in which a woman leads the story and is not subordinate to men, and in which the Erotic — sexuality — is not shameful as in the adolescent Eden, but playful and joyful. In Eden for grown-ups, the Parental God of Eden does not need to appear because we have grown up to spiritual maturity. Even “YHWH,” the Breath of Life, does not need to be specifically named, because the whole Song is the Name of God. So this whole spiral of Shabbat => Tishrei => Shmita => Yovel aims toward => the Pardes of Yom sheh-Kulo Shabbat (the day that is fully Shabbat) == Shir HaShirim. Charoset makes six on the Shmita Seder plate. We might say it is really the seventh, but if so it leaves open the question — What, dear chevra, might be the sixth? This year, this summer, we are in the “sixth year” of the cycle, “Friday afternoon” of the week, yearning toward Shabbat. Perhaps we are experiencing the torments of that time, the frantic rush that so many of us experience as we try to be ready for Shabbat. For Shabbat shabbaton. Shabbat shabbaton shalom, Arthur

Can we see all Earth as our Holy Temple of today?

July 21, 2014 No Comments

There are two crises in the world today that call especially for Jewish responses: One because it involves the future of a state that calls itself “Jewish,” and of its supporters in America — their spiritual, intellectual, ethical, and physical futures – at a moment when the relationship between Jews and our Abrahamic cousins of Palestine is filled with violence that threatens to kill more people, breed more hatred, and poison the bloodstream of Judaism and Jewish culture; The other because it calls on Judaism as –- probably uniquely — a world religion that still can draw on having once been an indigenous people of shepherds and farmers with a Torah, offerings, festivals, and many other practices centered on the sacred relationship with the Earth. Can these roots regrow new flowering at a moment when all the wisdom of all human cultures is needed to cope with a planetary crisis that originates in human mistreatment of the Earth? We are living in the midst of the planetary climate crisis, the scorching of our Mother Earth, the choking of what was the balanced Breath of Life, our atmosphere, Whose sacred Name is YyyyHhhhWwwwHhhh. If we pronounce those letters, that “Name,” without vowels, we can hear the “still small Voice” Elijah heard, the sound not of silence but of breathing; the sound that susses between trees and human beings as we breathe in what the trees breathe out and the trees breathe in what we breathe out; the balance of CO2 and Oxygen that through our atmosphere breathes life throughout our planet. We call the radical disturbance in that balanced breathing the “climate crisis”; it is a crisis in the Name of God. Our ability to pay attention to the climate crisis seems always to be drowned out by the blood of war or the tears of the poor; but the scorching of our planet is already causing far more deaths and is threatening the lives and foods and homes of millions more. How can we draw on the ancient wisdom of Biblical Israel as an indigenous people in sacred relationship with the Earth? How can we use this storehouse of wisdom toward helping heal all Humanity and Mother Earth today, from a crucial planetary crisis threatening the very life and health of all of us? There are three weeks from 17 Tammuz (when the Babylonian Army broke through the walls of Jerusalem) to Tisha B’Av (when they destroyed the Temple). (In the Western calendar in 2014, these three weeks run from July 15 to August 4-5.) Traditionally, these three weeks were about danger to the Temple and then its destruction. It was through the Temple that ancient Israel made contact with God. The contact came not by words of prayer or words of Torah study, but by offering on the Altar a portion of the foods that YyyyHhhhWwwwHhhh, the Interbreathing Spirit of all life, had brought forth from adamah, the Earth. So adam, the human community, praisedYHWH and celebrated the sharing of life through the food that came from adamah. According to the records of the Prophet Jeremiah (chapter 34), as the Babylonian Army approached the city, he had called on the Israelites to free all their slaves and make real the Jubilee. In that Homebringing, the Earth was released from human exploitation and the poor were released from exploitation by the rich — for each family received an equal share of land. The rich would release themselves from greedy domination, the poor would release themselves from fear and rage. So the people heeded Jeremiah and freed their slaves. The Babylonians pulled back. Perhaps they were impressed by this demonstration of the people's unity and commitment. But — seeing the besieging army withdraw, the slaveholders changed their minds and took back their slaves. Then Jeremiah prophesied their doom: "Says YHWH, Breath of Life: 'You would not hear My Voice and proclaim a release, each to his kinsman and countryman. Here! I proclaim your release — declares YHWH — to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine." Paraphrasing: If you will not let the Land rest, you will be exiled and it will rest in your absence. If you will not free your slaves, you will all become slaves. If you will not hear and listen to the still small Voice of the Breathing that connects all life, your own breath will be taken from you. And he was right. The Imperial Army realized that the people were no longer united, but divided by the greed of the rich and the rage of the poor. The Army returned, conquered the city, and destroyed the Temple. Much later, the Rabbis named the ancient sin as idolatry. And indeed, as the slave-holders made idols of their own domineering power, they rejected the Interbreathing Spirit. They themselves had already destroyed their real connection with God, and the Destruction was simply an affirmation of their rejection. The three weeks between 17th of Tammuz and the 9th day of the Jewish “moonth” of Av were weeks of uncertainty — of choice. Choice for the Israelites and for the Babylonians. Which side were they on — their own power to lord it over other people and Mother Earth herself, or the Breath of Life that intertwines us all? Shall we choose the God Who calls for freedom, for release, for a turning-away from our own arrogance? When the walls between us have fallen, can both sides reach out to release themselves and each other from being enemies? Or shall we resort to subjugating others, and pay the price of being ourselves subjugated?  In 586 BCE, both peoples failed. And for the Jews, the day of the final Destruction became a day of deep mourning, a 25-hour Fast from food and water, luxurious clothes and perfumes, even sex. Jewish tradition also saw this day of despair, Tisha B'Av, as the day when the Messiah was born — and hidden away for a time of transformation. From hitting rock

Yovel: Divine Sparks in New York

July 1, 2014 No Comments

By Yael Schonzeit "One generation goes, another comes," reads Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), "but the Earth remains the same forever." The sun will rise, the wind will blow and the rivers will continue to flow into the sea, uncontrollable no matter what we do. As the most recent natural phenomenon of Sandy has shown us, nature is so much larger than us. The Earth is unpredictable and holds endless power and strength. We as humans tend to forget that we are partners with God in creation. Part of our role is to maintain the planet's homeostasis, to keep Earth healthy — because when the Earth gets sick, it affects us all. We must tune into the Earth's messages, as they are divine whispers, reminding us to come home. However, humankind has chosen to ignore these whispers. Even as whispers turn to shouts, and shouts to desperate cries, we continue to destroy the Earth's resources, to pollute its waters, poison its air and skew perfect ecosystems with our mindless and power-driven actions. Click here to continue reading this article

The Seder’s Innermost Secret — Charoset: Earth & Eros in the Passover Celebration

April 8, 2014 No Comments

There it sits on the Seder plate: charoset, a delicious paste of chopped nuts, chopped fruits, spices, and wine. So the question would seem obvious: "Why is there charoset on the Seder plate?" That's the most secret Question at the Seder – so secret nobody even asks it. And it’s got the most secret answer: none. The Haggadah explains about matzah, the bread so dry it blocks your insides for a week. The Haggadah explains about the horse-radish so bitter it blows the lid off your lungs and makes breathing so painful you wish you could just stop. The Haggadah even explains about that scrawny chicken neck, or maybe the roasted beet, masquerading as a whole roast lamb. But it never explains charoset. Yes, there's an oral tradition. (Fitting for something that tastes so delicious!) You've probably heard somebody at a Passover Seder claim that charoset is the mortar the ancient Israelite slaves had to paste between the bricks and stones of those giant warehouses they were building for Pharaoh. But that's a cover story. Really dumb. You think that mortar was so sweet, so spicy, so delicious that every ancient Israelite just had to slaver some mortar on his tongue? You think it wasn't leeks and onions they wailed for after they crossed the Sea of Blood, but the mortar they were pasting on their masters' mansions? You think they were whining, "Give me mortar or give me death?" Forbid it, Almighty God! OK, maybe it’s a midrash? Those bitter-hearted rabbis, always fresh from some pogrom or exile, claiming that to the Israelites, slavery was sweet? So sweet that it reminds us that slavery may taste sweet, and this is itself a deeper kind of slavery? No. The oral tradition transmitted by charoset is not by word of mouth but taste of mouth. A kiss of mouth. A full-bodied, full-tongued, "kisses sweeter than wine" taste of mouth. Charoset is an embodiment of by far the earthiest, sexiest, kissyest, bodyest book of the Hebrew Bible —- the Song of Songs. Charoset is literally a full-bodied taste of the Song. The Song is the recipe for charoset. You think they were going to tell you that when you were six years old, just learning how to stumble through "Mah nishtanah," the Four Questions? Or maybe when you were fourteen, just beginning to eye that good-looking cousin sitting right across the table? Or maybe when you were 34 and they were all nagging you to settle down already, get married –– that's when you thought they might finally tell the truth about charoset? Face it: They were never going to tell you. Maybe, without ever asking or answering about charoset, they might mention something that seemed entirely different: that the olden rabbis thought the Song of Songs should be recited during the festival of Passover, but quickly they'd explain that what seems so erotic in the Song was really about God's loving effort to free the Israelites from Pharaoh. And – especially important in our generation: The Song is by far the likeliest candidate of all Biblical books to have been written, or collated, or edited, by a woman. A woman’s experience is central to it. AND – it is filled with love not only between human beings but between human beings and the Earth. The luscious tastes of fruit, nuts, spices, wine – are the delicious savors and flavors of the Earth. Time to tell the passionate truth: The Song of Songs is the recipe for charoset, and charoset is the delicious embodiment of the Song. Verses from the Song: "Feed me with apples and with raisin-cakes; "Your kisses are sweeter than wine; "The scent of your breath is like apricots; "Your cheeks are a bed of spices; "The fig tree has ripened; "Then I went down to the walnut grove." There are several kinds of freedom that we celebrate on Pesach: The freedom of people who rise up against Pharaoh, the tyrant. The freedom of Earth, the flowers that rise up against winter. The freedom of birth, of the lambs who trip and stagger in their skipping-over, passing-over dance called “pesach.” The freedom of sex, that rises up against the prunish and the prudish. The text of the Song subtly, almost secretly, bears the recipe for charoset, and we might well see the absence of any specific written explanation of charoset as itself a subtle, secret pointer toward the "other" liberation of Pesach –- the erotic, Earth-loving freedom celebrated in the Song of Songs, which we are taught to read on Passover. The Song of Songs is sacred not only to Jews, but also to Christians and to Muslims, and especially to the mystics in all three traditions. Its earth-and-human-loving erotic energy has swept away poets and rabbis, lovers and priests, dervishes and gardeners. Yet this sacred power — "Love is strong as death," sings the Song — has frightened many generations into limiting its power. Redefining its flow as a highly structured allegory, or hiding it from the young, or forbidding it from being sung in public places. Even so, long tradition holds that on the Shabbat in the middle of Passover, Jews chant the Song of Songs. Why is this time of year set aside for this extraordinary love poem? At one level, because it celebrates the springtime rebirth of life. And the parallel goes far deeper. For the Song celebrates a new way of living in the world. The way of love between the earth and her human earthlings, beyond the future of conflict between them that accompanies the end of Eden. The way of love between women and men, with women celebrated as leaders and initiators, beyond the future of subjugation that accompanies the end of Eden. The way of bodies and sexuality celebrated, beyond the future of shame and guilt that accompanies the end of Eden. The way of God so fully present in the whole of life that God needs no specific naming

Freeing Ourselves at Passover From Diets That Harm Us and Our Planet

April 1, 2014 No Comments

Some Jews commendably go to extraordinary lengths before and during Passover to avoid certain foods, in keeping with Torah mitzvot. But at the same time, many continue eating other foods that, by Torah standards, are hardly ideal. On Passover, Jews are prohibited from eating, owning, or otherwise benefiting from chometz, foods such as breads, cakes, and cereals, that are made from one of the five grains (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and oats) that ferment from contact with liquid. These prohibitions are based on several Torah verses and are observed with great care by religious Jews. Many Jews spend weeks before Passover cleaning their houses, cars, and other possessions to make sure that not even a crumb of chometz will remain during the holiday. Moreover, many Ashkenazi Jews accept the additional stringency of abstaining from eating kitniyot, a category of grains and legumes, including rice, corn, lentils and beans. So important are the chometz prohibitions that, while a common greeting on other Jewish festivals is “chag sumach” (may you have a joyous holiday), on Passover it is often “”chag kasher v’sameach” (may you have a kosher and joyous holiday). I believe that Jews should be highly commended for the great dedication to Jewish commandments and traditions shown by their adherence to chometz prohibitions. But I would like to suggest that they could be even more consistent with Jewish values and teachings by giving up foods that Jews eat on Passover (and at other times), including meat, fish, dairy products and eggs. Please consider: 1. Judaism mandates that people should be very careful about preserving their health and their lives. But numerous scientific studies have linked animal-based diets directly to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, many forms of cancer, and other chronic, degenerative diseases. 2. Judaism forbids tsa’ar ba’alei chayim, the inflicting of unnecessary pain on animals. Yet most farm animals — including those raised for kosher consumers — are raised on factory farms where they live in cramped, confined spaces, and are often drugged, mutilated, and denied fresh air, sunlight, exercise, and any enjoyment of life. That’s all before they are transported, often under abominable conditions, to slaughterhouses and violently and cruelly killed. 3. Judaism teaches that “the earth is the Lord’s” (Psalm 24:1) and that we are to be God’s partners and co-workers in preserving the world. In contrast, modern intensive livestock agriculture contributes substantially to climate change, soil erosion and depletion, air and water pollution, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, species extinction, and other environmental damage. 4. Judaism mandates bal tashchit, that we are not to waste or unnecessarily destroy anything of value, and that we are not to use more than is needed to accomplish a purpose. But animal agriculture requires the wasteful use of grain, land, water, energy, and other resources. For example, it takes up to 20 times as much land, 14 times as much water, and 10 times as much energy to feed a person on an animal-based diet than to feed a person on a plant-based diet. 5. Judaism stresses that we are to assist the poor and share our bread with hungry people. Yet more than 70% of the grain grown in the United States is fed to farmed animals, while an estimated 20 million people worldwide die due to hunger and its effects each year. One could say “dayenu” (it would be enough) after any of the points above, because each one constitutes by itself a serious conflict between Jewish values and current practice. Thankfully, more and more Jews are shifting to a plant-based diet, recognizing that the Jewish case for vegetarianism and veganism is quite compelling. After all, if God is concerned about us getting rid of every speck of chometz that we can, He surely must want our diets to avoid harming our health, inflicting suffering and violence on animals, damaging the environment, and depleting our natural resources. It is time to apply Judaism’s important teachings to our diets, demonstrating the relevance of Judaism’s eternal teachings to current issues, and helping move our precious, but imperiled, planet onto a sustainable path. Since Passover is the holiday of freedom, it presents a wonderful opportunity to free ourselves from harmful eating habits and to shift to ones that are beneficial for our health and for our souls.

Uplifting People and Planet

January 14, 2014 No Comments

Exciting news! Just in time for Tu b’Shevat, Canfei Nesharim and Jewcology are proud to announce the launch of a new ebook exploring traditional Jewish teachings on the environment, Uplifting People and Planet: Eighteen Essential Jewish Lessons on the Environment, edited by Rabbi Yonatan Neril and Evonne Marzouk. This ebook is the most comprehensive study in English of how Jewish traditional sources teach us to protect our natural resources and preserve the environment. From food to trees, energy to water, wealth to biodiversity, the book studies eighteen topics where Jewish tradition has a relevant lesson for today's environmental challenges. All materials were comprehensively studied and reviewed by scientists and rabbis before printing. These materials were originally created for the Canfei Nesharim/Jewcology Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment in 2012, and were released between Tu b'Shevat 5772 and Tu b'Shevat 5773. The materials were shared widely throughout the Jewish community, reaching more than 50,000 people. Source sheets, podcasts and videos are also available separately for each topic. The ebook can now be ordered for your Kindle or Ebook device. Podcasts now available: Another exciting release from the Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment: all podcasts from our series are now available on iTunes! To see the full series, simply search “Canfei Nesharim” in the itunes store, or go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/canfei-nesharim/id646475293?mt=2. You can listen to the podcasts right there, or click "view in iTunes " and then click subscribe to have them appear in your iTunes podcast library. Don’t have itunes? All items are also available for listening or downloading at http://canfeinesharim.podbean.com/. Check out all the materials, including source sheets and videos, at www.canfeinesharim.org/learning or www.jewcology.org/learning.

A Tu B’Shvat Seder to Heal the Wounded Earth

January 7, 2014 No Comments

The New Year – for Rebirthing Trees: [This version of the Haggadah for Tu B’Shvat has been greatly adapted by Rabbi Arthur Waskow of The Shalom Center from a Haggadah shaped by Ellen Bernstein, as published in Trees, Earth, and Torah: A Tu B’Shvat Anthology (Jewish Publ. Soc., 1999, ed. by Elon, Hyman, & Waskow). Bernstein wrote introductory remarks to sections of that Haggadah, many of which have been included or adapted for this one. They are indicated in the text by the initials “EB.” * The desire for such a Haggadah grew from discussions of the Green Hevra, a network of Jewish environmental organizations. Thanks to Judith Belasco, Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, Sybil Sanchez, Rabbi David Seidenberg, Richard Schwartz, Rabbi David Shneyer, and Yoni Stadlin for comments on an earlier draft of this Haggadah. With especially deep thanks to Ellen Bernstein and the Green Hevra, I note that neither bears responsibility for this version. — AW] This Tu B’Shvat haggadah focuses on healing the wounded Earth today, with passages on major policy questions facing the human race in the midst of a great climate crisis and massive extinctions of species. In each of the Four Worlds in this Haggadah (Earth, Water, Air, Fire) there are traditional, mystical, and poetical passages, and in each there are also contemporary passages on aspects of public policy (Earth: food and forest; Water: fracking; Air: climate; Fire: alternative and renewable energy sources.) These policy-oriented passages help make this a unique Haggadah. After these passages, this Haggadah encourages Seder participants to take time for discussion. They may also decide to omit some passages and/or add others. Please feel free to use this Haggadah in your own celebration, and to share this letter with others who might be moved by its fusion of spiritual ceremony, poetic insight, and activist energy for profound social change. To support The Shalom Center in creating such work, please click: <https://theshalomcenter.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=1 A TU B’SHVAT SEDER TO HEAL THE WOUNDED EARTH A Song to Welcome the Celebrants: We’ve got the whole world in our hands: We’ve got the rivers and the mountains in our hands; We’ve got the trees and the tigers in our hands; We’ve got the whole world in our hands. We’ve got the wind and the oceans in our hands, We’ve got our sisters and our brothers in our hands, We’ve got our children and their children in our hands, WE’VE GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN OUR HANDS! Introductory Invocations “Said Rabbi Simeon: ‘Mark this well. Fire, air, earth and water are the sources and roots of all things above and below, and all things above, below, are grounded in them.’” (Zohar, Exodus 23b) “Sh’sh’sh’sh’ma Yisrael, Yahhhh Elohenu, Yahhhh Echad: Hush’sh’sh’sh to Hear, you Godwrestlers: our God is The Interbreathing-Spirit of all Life; The Interbreath of Life is ONE. “If you hush’sh’sh’sh to listen, really listen, to the teachings of YHWH/ Yahhhh, the Interbreath of Life, especially the teaching that there is Unity in the world and inter-connection among all its parts, then the rains will fall as they should, the rivers will run, the heavens will smile, and the good earth will fruitfully feed you. BUT if you chop the world up into parts and choose one or a few to worship – like gods of wealth and power, greed, the addiction to Do and Make and Produce without pausing to Be and make Shabbat — then the rain won’t fall – or it will turn to acid; the rivers won’t run – or they will flood your cities because you have left no earth where the rain can soak in; and the heavens themselves will become your enemy: the ozone layer will cease shielding you, the Carbon Dioxide you pour into the air will scorch your planet. And then you will perish from the good earth that the Breath of Life gives you.” (A midrashic translation by Rabbi Arthur Waskow of the Sh’ma and its traditional second paragraph, which originally appeared in Deuteronomy 11: 13-17,) “Know that every shepherd has a unique niggun [melody] for each of the grasses and for each place where they herd. For each and every grass has its own song and from these songs of the grasses, the shepherds compose their songs.” “…Would that I merited hearing the sound of the songs and praises of the grasses, how every blade of grass sings to the Holy One of Blessing, wholeheartedly with no reservations and without anticipation of reward. How wonderful it is when one hears their song and how very good to be amongst them serving our Creator in awe.” (Rebbe Nachman of Bratslav) “A person who enjoys the pleasures of this world without blessing is called a thief because the blessing is what causes the continuation of the divine flow of the world.” (Peri Eitz Hadar, the original plan for the Tu B’Shvat Seder, publ. 1728). The Four Worlds [If there is a leader, s/he may lead the group in the meditations at the beginning of each world, and the kavannot before the blessings. The group as a whole sings. Distribute the readings in each world ‑embellish here, too…. from your own sources‑‑ before the beginning of the seder so that as many people have parts as possible. Other activities, such as dancing, storytelling, etc, should be inserted into the appropriate world. – EB] I. ASIYAH (Actuality, Physicality): The World of Earth MEDITATION: Earth is the rhythm of our feet on the Mountain. In this world, we bless the physical: our bodies, our land, our homes. It is our connection to the Earth which inspires Action. [EB] SONGS: “Tzadik KaTamar,” ”You Shall Indeed Go Out with Joy,” “Inch by Inch (The Garden Grows)” READINGS: FOOD “And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken, yes hearken to my commandments which I command you this day, to love YHWH your God and to serve the One with all your heart and soul, then I will give the rain of your land

Lessons From Trees: a Tu Bishvat Message

January 2, 2014 No Comments

Some of my most important lessons in life I learned from Jewish verses about trees. From the following I learned that I should be an environmental activist, working to help preserve the world: In the hour when the Holy one, blessed be He, created the first person, He showed him the trees in the Garden of Eden, and said to him: “See My works, how fine they are; Now all that I have created, I created for your benefit. Think upon this and do not corrupt and destroy My world, For if you destroy it, there is no one to restore it after you.” (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:28) From the following and the rabbinic commentaries on it I learned that I should avoid destruction and should conserve resources: When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy (lo tashchit) the trees thereof by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them, but you must not cut the down; for is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you? Only the trees of which you know that they are not trees for food, them you may destroy and cut down, that you may build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it fall. (Deuteronomy 20:19, 20) The following helped convince me that I should be a vegan: And God said: “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has seed-yielding fruit — to you it shall be for food.” (Genesis 1:29) From the following I learned that as a Jew I should strive to serve as a positive example: And they came to Elim, where were 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees; and they encamped here by the waters. (Deuteronomy 15:27) Rabeynu Bachya saw a much deeper message. He stated that the 12 springs represented the 12 tribes and the 70 palm trees represented the 70 then nations of the world. He stated that just as the 12 springs nourished the 70 palm trees, the 12 tribes (the Jewish people) should serve to “nourish” the world by serving as a good example. From the following I learned to consider the consequences of my actions on future generations: While the sage Choni was walking along a road, he saw a man planting a carob tree. Choni asked him: “How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit?” “Seventy years,” replied the man. Choni then asked: “Are you so healthy a man that you expect to live that length of time and eat its fruit?” The man answered: “I found a fruitful world because my ancestors planted it for me. Likewise, I am planting for my children.” (Ta’anis 23b) From the following I learned how important it is to be involved in the natural world: In order to serve God, one needs access to the enjoyment of the beauties of nature – meadows full of flowers, majestic mountains, flowing rivers. For all these are essential to the spiritual development of even the holiest of people. (Rabbi Abraham ben Maimonides, cited by Rabbi David E. Stein in A Garden of Choice Fruits, Shomrei Adamah, 1991). From the following I learned the importance of acting on my knowledge and beliefs: Whoever has more wisdom than deeds is like a tree with many branches but few roots, and the wind shall tear him from the ground… Whoever has more deeds than wisdom is like a tree with more roots than branches, and no hurricane will uproot him from the spot. (Pirke Avot 3:17) From the following I learned the importance of working for a more peaceful world: And He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide concerning mighty nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken. (Micah 4:3-5) Last but far from least, from the following I leaned how the Torah is a guide to a happy, productive, and fulfilling life: [The Torah is] a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and all who cling to it find happiness. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace. (Proverbs 3: 17-18)

For Tu Bishvat: Quotations from Jewish Sources about Trees

January 1, 2014 No Comments

Since Tu Bishvat is considered the “birthday for trees,” a time when trees are to be judged regarding their fate for the coming year, I hope the following Jewish quotations about trees and fruits will be helpful for celebrations of this increasingly popular holiday. 1. And God said: “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has seed-yielding fruit — to you it shall be for food.” (Genesis 1:29) 2. In the hour when the Holy one, blessed be He, created the first person, He showed him the trees in the Garden of Eden, and said to him: “See My works, how fine they are; Now all that I have created, I created for your benefit. Think upon this and do not corrupt and destroy My world, For if you destroy it, there is no one to restore it after you.” (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:28) 3. When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy (lo tashchit) the trees thereof by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them, but you must not cut the down; for is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you? Only the trees of which you know that they are not trees for food, them you may destroy and cut down, that you may build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it fall. (Deuteronomy 20:19, 20) 4. And they came to Elim, where were 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees; and they encamped here by the waters. (Deuteronomy 15:27) Rabeynu Bachya saw a much deeper message. He stated that the 12 springs represented the 12 tribes and the 70 palm trees represented the 70 then nations of the world. He stated that just as the 12 springs nourished the 70 palm trees, the 12 tribes (the Jewish people) should serve to “nourish” the world by serving as a good example. 5. Happy is the man … who delights in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. (Psalms 1: 1-3) 6. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing. (Ezekiel 47:12) 7. Rabbi Shimon said, “The shade spread over us by these trees is so pleasant! We must crown this place with words of Torah.” (Zohar, 2:127a) 8. While the sage Choni was walking along a road, he saw a man planting a carob tree. Choni asked him: “How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit?” “Seventy years,” replied the man. Choni then asked: “Are you so healthy a man that you expect to live that length of time and eat its fruit?” The man answered: “I found a fruitful world because my ancestors planted it for me. Likewise, I am planting for my children.” 9. Shimon bar Yochai taught that “if you are holding a sapling in your hand, and someone says that the Messiah has drawn near, first plant the sapling, and then go and greet the Messiah.” (Avot d’Rebbe Natan 31b) 10. For as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people. (Isaiah 65:22) 11. He will be like a tree planted near water… (Jeremiah 17:8) 12. R’ Abba taught: There is no greater revealing of redemption than that which the verse states: “And you, mountains of Israel, you shall give forth your branches and you shall bear your fruit for my people Israel, for they shall soon come.” (Ezekiel 36:8; Talmud Sanhedrin 98a) 13. It is forbidden to cut down fruit-bearing trees outside a besieged city, nor may a water channel be deflected from them so that they wither. Whoever cuts down a fruit-bearing tree is flogged. This penalty is imposed not only for cutting it down during a siege; whenever a fruit-yielding tree is cut down with destructive intent, flogging is incurred. It may be cut down, however, if it causes damage to other trees or to a field belonging to another man or if its value for other purposes is greater. The Law forbids only wanton destruction… Not only one who cuts down trees, but also one who smashes household goods, tears clothes, demolishes a building, stops up a spring, or destroys articles of food with destructive intent transgresses the command “you must not destroy.” Such a person is not flogged, but is administered a disciplinary beating imposed by the Rabbis. (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars 6:8,10) 14. Rabbi Simon said, “There is no plant without an angel in Heaven tending it and telling it, ‘Grow!’” (Genesis Rabba 10:7). 15. And I will restore my people Israel and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine, they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit. (Amos 9:14) 16. Israel is like the date palm, of which none is wasted; its dates are for eating, its lulavim are for blessing; its fronds are for thatching; its fibers are for ropes; its webbing for sieves; its thick trunks for building – so it is with Israel, which contains no waste. (Genesis Rabbah 41) 17. And G-d said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit trees yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is on the earth,” and it was so. And the earth blossomed with grass, herbs and trees, and G-d saw that it was good.

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Tag: Holidays