Migdalor Guy's Old Blog

My Post CAJE 33 Post

2008-08-15T15:25:00.001-04:00

(cross-posted from my blog on cajenet.ning.com)

A few thoughts on CAJE 33.

CAJE 33 was a good conference. One of the better conferences, on the whole. Good, solid programming. A great campus, and the University of Vermont staff must be the friendliest people on the planet. The dorms were nice, and the food was quite good as well (that is, for CAJE.)

The keynote speakers were inspiring. (Kudos to Joel Hoffmann for substituting on opening day when Dennis Ross couldn't make it.)

Joel Hoffmann and Melanie Birger-Bray and the entire Mazkirut can be justifiably proud.

As usual, I was so busy doing other things that I didn't get to anywhere near as many sessions as I would like to have. I particularly missed not being able to go to the "Blogging Cafe" with Ester Kustanovitch (of My Urban Kvetch.") (She, like many others, was delayed in arrival due to the many storms that interrupted air travel last Sunday.)

The new Davis Center at UVM is an incredible space-a real model of what the "Student Union" ought to look like for the 21st century.

Jeremy Poisson from Behrman House and I led a session on getting comfortable with technology. It was an eye-opening experience for both the students and the teachers. More on that in future blog posts. As a result of what I noticed at this session, and another presentation I gave as part of Carol Starin's annual "Five Things" extravaganza, I'll be hanging up a new shingle in the area of providing technology consultation and training services for Jewish Education and Educators. I've already found a great name. In Hebrew, the word consultant is yo-eitz, so I'm calling my company "YoEitzdrian." Yeah, I know. Groan. Again, more in a future post.

Joel Grishaver and Josh Fixler from Torah Aura led a fascinating discussion on Jewish Education as a Conserving Activity.

Helene and Michael Kates had the always unenviable task of organizing the evening entertainment. A host of vatikim along with some up and coming artists made for a well-rounded program. The venues at UVM weren't the best, but the staff for MJ Productions did their best to make things sound decent.

I heard a few grumbles about how popular performers were programmed against each other, but, knowing first hand how difficult this is, having been Evening Program chair or co-chair three times, I'd say it's simply unavoidable.

This year, I had the good fortune to accompany Fran Avni, storytellers Janie Grackin and Dante Gordon, and a service led by Ellen Dreskin.

I was honored to emcee performances by Peter and Ellen Allard, Jeff Klepper, Sababa, and Stacey Beyer.

The Kusitz Mafia (we will NOT be shushed!) was back in full force. Yours truly, along with many others, kept the music going all night long (on Weds. nite, they were still going when I left at 5:30am) in the lounge of University South dorm. At one poiint, I think there were fifteen guitars being played (along with percussion, violin, madolin, and, of course, chicken.)

CAJE Rising Star was back, again hosted by Sam Glaser. Though not as well attended as last year (except for the final evening) we were treated to lots of talented CAJE-niks. On the final evening, hosted by yours truly as Sam had to leave CAJE early three talented performers competed: Seth Zimmerman, a teen from Charleston, SC; Todd Herzog; and Ross M. Levy. Ross was the eventual winner, but all three gave great performances to a very large crowd. While the large crowd waited for the results to be tabulated, they were entertained by comedian Yisrael Campbell. Unbelievably, Yisrael held the crowd both captivated and in stitches for an hour! How may comedians can do that?

Before the final night of CAJE Rising Star, all of CAJE 33 traveled off campus to the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Burlington. It's a beautifully restored vintage cinema/vaudeville venue.

Doug Cotler organized the closing program, and he has set a new standard for CAJE Closing Programs. A host of CAJE artists-vatkim as well as rising stars performed, and the audience got to sing along to lots of songs as well --all accompanied by an orchestra!

I'm told that a highlight of the show was Doug singing "Manischewitzville" with EJ Cohen signing. Yours truly was backstage running the Powerpoint slides with all the lyrics and didn't get to see a thing, but from the laughs, it must have been hysterical.

At the closing, we were introduced to another rising up and comer-Doug's own son Kyle rocked the house with his absolutely AWESOME Oseh Shalom complete with air guitar solo performed by the audience.

Jeff Klepper and Mark Bloom led the CAJE Chorale through its paces in fine form.

The speeches were kept to a minimum, too.

All in all, a great experience. Looking forward to next year in San Antonio (yet again.)

Adrian

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Va'etkhanan/Shabbat Nakhamu 5768

2008-08-15T14:03:00.001-04:00

Haverim:
I've just returned from CAJE, and in just 4 more days, the moving
trucks will be here and I'll be on my way to Amherst, MA. The "good"
folks at Comcast were true to their "Move" promotion - it was easy to ASK to have my internet/digital cable/phone services transferred. It's another matter to have them get it done in time. I'm likely to be without internet and local phone service in my new home until August 28!

With all the hubbub, there's little time for me to muse (though I could argue with myself that making time to muse on Torah should be more important than getting packed, etc.) so I offer up both a redux Parashat Nakhamu musing from 5764, along with, as has become traditional, my continually updating musing for Parashat Va'etkhanan, originally started in 5759, entitled "The Promise."

Spurred by comments offered at CAJE by Rabbi Ed Feinstein, I'd like to take this opportunity to thanks each and every one of you, my readers, for allowing me to share my thoughts with you, and for sharing yours with me.

Random Musings Before Shabbat-Va'etkhanan--Shabbat Nakhamu 5764--Mah Ekra?

Our solemn day of mourning, Tisha B'Av, is over, and the rabbis
cleverly present us with this first Shabbat of Consolation, Shabbat
Nachamu, taken from the opening words of the haftarah from Isaiah
40:1-26:

Nakhamu, nakhamu ami, yomar El"hekhem
Comfort, oh comfort My people, says your G"d.

This passage from Isaiah is replete with well worn quotations. But
this year (5764) in reading the passage again, a phrase I had often
overlooked before caught my attention:

Kol omeir k'ra, v'amar mah ekra
A voice rings our: "Proclaim!"
Another asks, "What shall I proclaim?" (Isaiah 40:6a)

Isaiah goes on to provide an answer to this question. And it is not an unexpected answer. Yet it is one that bears repeating over and over, for I submit that we have, indeed, lost our perspective over time (and lost our perspective in time.)

In today's world, we're more likely to proclaim our great
achievements. Civilization, medicine, science, and more. Each nation proclaims for itself those things it holds dear. Nazi Germany
proclaimed Aryan superiority. The Soviet Union proclaimed the virtues of communism. Yet because this country has outlived those two historical developments, we proclaim our triumph over them.
Religions proclaim their superiority. Some within the Christian
community still proclaim supercessionism. Some with the Islamic
community proclaim its supercessionism. Judaism proclaims its
longevity and endurance.

Yet, whether we measure in decades, centuries, or millennia, our
perspective remains localized in what is a rather insignificant period
of time consider the age of the Universe. And even more so considering the perspective of a Divine presence that, at least according to Jewish tradition, was around before the universe came into being, and will be there after it is gone.

The lesson Isaiah teaches us is one we find repeated many centuries
later in Shelley's poem "Ozymandias". Here's what the great and
powerful Ozymandias proclaimed:

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Yet all that is left of this once mighty person are mere ruins, in a
vast wasteland.

If we have the same hubris, the same haughtiness, then Ozymandias' legacy might be our own.

Perhaps we should heed the words of Isaiah, who answers the question "What shall I proclaim?" thus:

"All flesh is grass,
All its goodness like the flowers of the field.
Grass withers, flowers fade
When the breath of the L"rd blows upon them.
Indeed, man is but grass.
Grass withers, flowers fade--
But the word of our G"d is always fulfilled!" (Is. 6b-8)

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) for us, Gd fulfills in Gd's time.
Isaiah continues to drive home the point in subsequent verses.

"The nations are but a drop in a bucket..." 40:15
"He brings potentates to naught,
Makes rulers of the earth as nothing..." 40:23

Yet, some ask "Where is G"d today? What has G"d done for us recently? Where is G"d's compassion, G"d's love, G"d's miracles? Why should I proclaim G"d? Perhaps I should proclaim the death of G"d, or the non-existence of G"d"

Sadly, more and more these days espouse that viewpoint. And even more sadly, more and more of us refute these proclamations with the weak and hackneyed fallback on Gd's ineffability. The "Job" answer. Where were we when Gd fashioned the earth?
Others argue that the "our perspective of time is limited" apology is
no better than ineffability.

If we are true believers, then we must confront these challenges
rather than side-stepping them.

In this post-Shoah, post Hiroshima, post 9-11 world, we need more than ever to proclaim G"d and heed G"d's messages to us. The world needs to heal, to get past the conditions that allowed the Shoah and other atrocities to occur--our response to the religious and ethical
failures that underlie these horrible events should not be a rejection
of faith, but an embracing of those very ethics that had to have been rejected or ignored for them to occur. (An argument I gleaned from the words of Rabbi Yitz Greenberg.)

What are you going to proclaim?

Shabbat Shalom,
Adrian
© 2008, portions ©2003 by Adrian A. Durlester

And now, as promised, "The Promise."

Random Musings Before Shabbat- Va'etkhanan - Redux 5759ff:

The Promise

What a stunning prediction. If we don't keep G"d's commandments we shall be scattered among the nations, there to serve man-mad gods of wood and stone. (Silica isn't exactly stone, but I wonder if the computer gods we are serving kind of fit that description?)D'varim 4:26-28

And here we are. We didn't keep the commandments. Now we are scattered among the nations. And we serve man made G"ds of wood and stone. Oh yes, we keep the ancient faith alive as best we can, but I sometimes wonder if even the most pious among us are meeting the ethical and moral standards set forth in G"d's commandments?

What a depressing scenario-what a depressing situation for us. But the answer is right there in the following verses (29-31.) Even if we
search for G"d in the midst of our scattered lives, we can find G"d.
For G"d will keep the promises, G"d is compassionate and will not fail us.

I don't know about you, but when I look about the world today, and
consider all the horrible mess we have created, keeping these verses
in mind is almost a pre-requisite to being able to cope. Now, some
will claim that G"d has abandoned us, that G"d no longer responds to
our searching. To them I would remind them of the second half of v.
29, which tells us that G"d can be found even in the midst of our
diaspora, but only if we seek with all our heart and soul.

I am reminded of a discussion we had one night on Erev Tisha b'Av. The question was raised, as it often is, why we modern liberal Jews would mourn the loss of the Beit haMikdash when indeed it was that very event that precipitated the formation of portable Judaism, rabbinic Judaism, that has enabled us to survive all these years in galut.

Before the Beit haMikdash was destroyed (both times) G"d sent us
prophets to warn us that if we didn't get our act together, we'd lose
out. Both times we ignored the warning and suffered the consequences.

And here we are, almost two millenia later, and we're still not
getting it. And so we rail that G"d has abandoned us, when it reality
it may be we who have abandoned G"d. Despite all the tragic events,
the persecutions, we're still around. If we're not finding G"d amidst
all this, we're just not looking hard enough.

We mourn the loss of the Beit haMikdash to remind ourselves of the
folly of our still failing to heed the message. And to remind us to
look for G"d, even among the ruins of what once was. This anamnetical connection with our history keeps the message ever fresh in our minds.

I am also reminded of mass e-mail that was forwarded to me some years back, entitled "Letter of Intent," a whimsical piece in which the Jews explain why they are not planning to renew the covenant with G"d. It goes into a whole litany of complaints. I wrote the following response to those who forwarded the piece on to me:

"You know what's wrong with this whimsical piece? It completely ignores the fact that, despite our perceptions that G"d has not kept up one end of the bargain, that we have done far worse at keeping ours, and that despite that--we're still here!!! If that's not G"d watching over us, I don't know what is, and renouncing our covenant is sheer folly, and certain to lead to the end of even the remnant that remains of the Jewish people. We didn't listen to the prophets, and we're still not listening. Yet, somehow, mir zenen doh. When, if ever, we actually try to do the things that G"d wants us to do, at least most of the time, and we're still put upon, tortured, killed, etc., then maybe we have a right to complain. But I don't think we've earned that quite yet."

Torah tells us that G"d is always there for us to find--if we search
in the right way-with all our heart and soul.

This Shabbat, seek with all your heart and soul. G"d is there waiting
to be found. Even if you have already found G"d in your life, seek
deeper.

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian

CAJE 33 is Off and Running

2008-08-11T03:48:00.001-04:00

After a rainy morning and afternoon to complement Tisha B'Av, CAJE 33 finally got in gear, beginning with an opening keynote-that was supposed to feature Dennis Ross. As Ambassador Ross was unable to come, conference chair Joel Hoffman ably filled in with an inspiring history of the Jewish people and inspiration for the coming week of CAJE.

Later in the evening, attendees gathered in 7 locations for the first part of the StorahTelling-designed opening program transitioning from Tisha B'Av into CAJE - from Mourning to Light. Later, all the groups came together for a fine presentation from StorahTelling. Some really great music was provided by Chana Rothman and friends. Sadly though, the sound system wasn't up to the task of handling either the StorahTelling presentation or a rockin' closing song from Chana, and it was hard to hear very much.

While there were other activities following the opening, many of us drifted over to the University South lounge for the first of what promises to be 4 days of great informal unofficial after the official late night kumsitz late late night kumsitz sessions. I've posted a bunch of pictures of the well attended kumsi tz on cajenet. When I left around 3:15am, only a few hardy souls were left. And we'll do it again the next three nights. After all, it's CAJE. who needs sleep?

Tags: 33, caje, caje33, kumsitz

Oh What a Beautiful Morning at CAJE 33!

2008-08-10T09:37:00.001-04:00

Here's the view out the window of the dorm room I'm staying in at CAJE 33.

What more need I say?

Here We Go Again - It's Shabbat/Tisha B'Av at CAJE 33

2008-08-10T00:31:00.001-04:00

Wow, is this place beautiful. The UVM (yes, it's UVM, and not UVT--look up the reason in your CAJE program book!) campus in Burlington is surrounded by mountains. The dorms are new and comfy. The literally brand new Davis Center, where all of the Shabbat/Tisha B'Av events are being held is gorgeous. The staff here at UVM is incredibly friendly and helpful, and their attitude is infectious even among the CAJE staff and volunteers. Food's pretty good, too.
(A personal aside-for the first time ever in all the CAJEs I have attended, I had a problem at registration. I didn't have a room assigned. Having observed the agonies others have had to go through when this happened to them, I was prepared for the worst. I was most pleasantly surprised and how the problem was taken care of quickly and efficiently. Jeff Lasday can be proud of the CAJE staff for doing a truly commendable job.)
There's a great collection of scholars on hand with a little something for everyone. Observing Tisha B'Av at CAJE is no easy task, but after the last successful attempt in Seattle, I think planners have a handle on how to make it work, and it shows.
Credit is due to Sam Glaser and Cantor Neil Schwartz who made singing Shabbat Zmirot, benstching, and some contemporary musical Tisha B'Av kinnot a truly enjoyable experience. And it's the first time I can remember being in a dining room that was actually conducive to having everyone sing and stay together!
Kudos to Shabbat co-chairs Peter Eckstein and Iris Schwarz for a pretty well oiled operation.
More tomorrow

cross-posted from my blog on cajenet.ning.com: http://cajenet.ning.com/profile/MigdalorGuy

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Masei 5768 - Accidents Matter

2008-07-31T22:57:00.001-04:00

"It was just an accident." "I didn't mean it." "I didn't intend for that to happen."

Somehow, our society has come to believe that things which were unintentional, or accidental, don't really matter as much as the results of intentional actions. We simply say "oh, it was an accident. They didn't mean it"and shrug it off.

I believe this comes from a mistaken broadening and generalization of the concept that we find in the parasha, which outlines a hierarchy of intentional vs. unintentional murder. In my understanding of what the text teaches us here, the more important lesson to learn is that even an accidental murder has consequences.

According to our parasha, those who commit intentional murder are subject to the death penalty, generally to be carried out by the nearest blood avenger of the person killed. In the case of an accidental, unintentional, or un-pre-meditated killing, the "killer" can flee to one of the established city of refuge. If the killer goes outside the city of refuge, a blood avenger may exact the death penalty, and the blood avenger will bear no guilt. The killer must remain there until the death of the current high priest, after which the killer is free to leave the city of refuge, and a blood avenger is no longer free to exact revenge.

To our modern sensibilities, it seems a little odd that an "accidental killer" must flee to a city of refuge to avoid a blood avenger, and that the blood avenger can exact the "life for life" penalty if the accidental killer is outside the city of refuge.

Now, we can simply reject the whole thing without another thought, reminding ourselves that the rabbis took great pains to make the death penalty something that was very hard to impose. Or we can chalk it up to the cultural norms of the times when the Torah was redacted into the form we know it today. If we focus on the "death penalty" issue, I think we can miss the point.

The Torah reminds us that, even though a death may have been accidental, it is no less painful for the family of the person killed. And the accidental killer, too, will have to endure some emotional pain and discomfort as well. The death of anyone has an impact like a pebble in a pond. We cannot be nonchalant about any death, and especially mot a murder, whether intentional or not.

On NPR a while back, I heard a story told by someone who had accidentally killed a classmate with his car. It was an absolutely heart-wrenching story and I found myself quite sympathetic with the story teller. Even so, the story teller went to great pains to clearly portray the suffering of his dead classmates family and friends, and not just his own difficulties in living with the reality of having been responsible, even accidentally, for the death of a classmate.

His story did help to illustrate that, even in our own time, we need a form of cities of refuge. Even though the police and everyone stated that the death was an accident, and that there was no way the story teller could have avoided it, there was still clear and obvious anger, even hatred, towards the story teller. At his school, during the memorial service for the girl killed, one teacher quietly reminded everyone present that the story teller was also in need of their comfort and support. The story teller told about several interactions he had with the girl's parents, and how difficult they were, on both sides. If I recall the story correctly, he also revealed that it turned out the girl had written a suicide note stating her intention to swerve into traffic, a fact he learned many years later.

There is always more than one side to every story. Is it fair that an "accidental killer" has to flee to a city of refuge, or endure taunts and hatred from others? I don't know if it is fair or not, and I don't think fairness has anything to do with it. Actions, deliberate or accidental, have consequences. Accidents have consequences. These consequences impact the worlds of the killer and the person killed-there's no avoiding that. When a death occurs, people will suffer. The consequences must be dealt with by those that are affected. It might not be such a bad thing that even an accidental killer has to think about the impact of the death they unintentionally caused. If it is simply a matter of convincing yourself "hey, it wasn't my fault" then perhaps we are under-valuing the significance of a person's death. Unintentional or not, someone's death is worth a little soul-searching, Yet we must balance this with consideration for those things a person who has accidentally killed has to deal with, and, of course, great understanding for the family of the one killed.

You can clearly extrapolate this concept beyond the boundaries of murder and death. "Don't cry over spilled milk" may be an adage that makes sense, yet, at least for a time, the spilled milk event has consequences, both for the one who caused the spill, intentionally or not, and for all the others present (or not present) who may be affected by this incident. Clearly, the adage is meant to teach us to weigh and value things proportionately, and consider carefully those things about which it is worth crying.

How do we know what is worth our crying? How do we know what to do, what is right? How should we act if we accidentally harm someone else? How should we react to someone who has harmed another? The rabbis came up with one way that can help us deal with the complexities of such matters, As we are taught in Pirkei Avot 1:6 :...make for yourself a teacher, acquire a friend, and judge each person favorably. We make teachers for ourselves when we seek out someone who is wise in ways that can help us, our friends help us gain perspective, and judging favorably will enable us to see and understand the world in all its great diversity.

Stephen Schwartz nailed it in this lyric from the song "Wonderful" from the musical "Wicked:

WIZARD: (spoken) Elphaba, where I'm from, we believe all sorts of
things that aren't true. We call it - "history."

A man's called a traitor - or liberator
A rich man's a thief - or philanthropist
Is one a crusader - or ruthless invader?
It's all in which label
Is able to persist
There are precious few at ease
With moral ambiguities
So we act as though they don't exist

Well, we're not in Oz, so we don't really have the liberty to act as if they don't exist. So we make for ourselves teachers, acquire friends, and try to judge all favorably. It's a start.

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Matot 5768 - Redux 5765 - Even Moshe Rabbeinu Had to Punt (or Making Lemonade)

2008-07-25T19:20:00.001-04:00

You'd think, haverim, being "between jobs" as I prepare for my move from the DC area to the beautiful upper Pioneer valley of Massachusetts, I'd actually have some time to sit down and muse anew on this parasha. Alas, no rest for the weary, as there is simply so much to do in preparation for the move. So, as the title of this recycled musing suggests, I'm going to punt. If it was good enough for Moshe, it's good enough for me!
Shabbat shalom,
-Adrian

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Matot 5765
Even Moshe Rabbeinu Had to Punt
(or Making Lemonade)

Big man, this Moses. Been leading the Israelites from slavery to freedom for almost 40 years. Starting to get a little cocky and full of himself, too. Doesn't seem like he's always running off to consult with G"d before making important pronouncements.
Yet often life's realities dictate and guide our choices. As the saying goes, when stuck with a lemon, make lemonade. What else could Moshe Rabbeinu do when confronted with the cattle and sheep barons of the Reubenites, the Gadites when they requested to settle in the good pasture land east of the Jordan?

Oh, Moses makes a show of it, insisting that the Reubenites and Gadites agree to provide the warriors necessary so that the rest of the tribes can conquer and settle the lands G"d is going to deliver to them on the west side of the Jordan. Yet Moshe never says "no, this you must not do." It's as if he had already thought through the potential outcomes of challenging this desire on the part of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and just wanted to be sure the deal he was about to make wouldn't cost him (or perhaps Joshua) the warriors that would be needed to secure their possession of the promised lands.

The risks must have been high. Yet Moshe doesn't stop to ask G"d what to do. Moshe, to put it bluntly, punts. He takes the bull by the horns (sort of an odd phrase to use, when thought of in context of the golden calf.) He assesses the situation. He assesses his own weakening strength. And maybe, just maybe, he figures, "what the heck. I'm not going to get to cross the Jordan, so why shouldn't I let these two tribes stay on this side as well?"

So he makes sure to extract the promises he needs from them, and grants the wishes of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The other day, at a Torah study session, I asked the person who was reading the text out loud, when he got to verse 33, to repeat the first words. I asked him to re-read them several time. "Vayitein lahem Moshe livnei Gad u'livnei Reuven..." "So Moses assigned them, the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuven..."

So it is through the decision of Moshe that the Reubenites and Gadites are assigned territory on the east side of the Jordan. I guess we can assume G"d's acquiescence/deference to Moshe's decision through G"d's silence on the matter. (Or, if we want to don our scholarly hats, we can just chalk the whole story up to an etiological device meant to explain, at a later time, how certain tribes came to occupy certain lands.)

Now, as I typically do, I'm being a little hard on Moshe. In reality, I respect his ability to punt. It takes the ability to really stay focused on some long-term goal to be able to make compromises for the near-term. Is it more important that all the children of Israel occupy land on the west side of the Jordan, or that there be civility and peace between the tribes of Israel. (And, also taking the long-term view, as the sages have taught, the tribes of Reuben and Gad got their comeuppance when theirs were among the first territories to fall to the invaders from the north. Was Moshe, man of faith, certain that G"d would make sure the tribes of Reuben and Gad were suitably punished for their choice?)

How many times have we failed to make lemonade of lemons, or failed to punt when we should have, from tunnel vision, an inability to see the forest for the trees? I think Judaism has a long history of this, and it is becoming an increasing problem in our own time. Stretch a rubber band from a center point and it will only stretch so far before it breaks. Yet, if you don't insist that the center point remain absolutely fixed, you can keep the rubber band from breaking. Move the center a little, and relieve the stress on the rubber band.Though we now find Judaism mired in either on a stubborn insistence that the center must never move, or a foolish "just move the center whenever it's convenient" attitude, the reality is that the early rabbis established a wise system that allowed for punting when needed. That allowed the center to be adjusted when it was clear the only alternative was to let the rubber band snap. Wise poskim in our own time still follow this venerable method.

Just to go off on a tangent for moment, let's ask ourselves this question. In the rubber band/center point metaphor, is G"d the fixed point and the people those stretching out the rubber band? Or are we, Am Yisrael, the center point, with G"d always tugging at the rubber band trying to drag us along as we stubbornly try to keep the center in one fixed place? Or are Am Yisrael tugging at the rubber band, while Torah is the center point, which G"d cleverly designed to move when necessary? There, that ought to keep us all occupied for a while.

So think about those times in your life when your intransigence prevented you from making trying a game-winning punt. And then think about what you are going to do next time you are confronted with a similar opportunity.

Shabbat Shalom,
Adrian
©2005, 2008 by Adrian A. Durlester

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Pinkhas 5768 - Still Zealous After All These Years

2008-07-18T18:48:00.001-04:00

Five years ago, my musing for this parasha was entitled "I Still Get Zealous", the title being a pun on the Jules Styne/Sammy Cahn song "I Still Get Jealous" from "High Button Shoes" (though oddly, it was Louis Armstrong's version that catapulted the song to fame.) I'm spinning this new musing off of that earlier musing, using some of its thoughts, but from a rather different vantage point.

In an odd coincidence of time, while I'm still zealous, today happens to have been my last day as Director of Education and Congregational Life for Bethesda Jewish Congregation (BJC.) It was not easy to choose to leave my congregational family of five years so that I might move with the family unit of which I have now become part to Amherst, MA. I'm sure most of you know what it's like to leave somewhere for the last time. Yet nothing tells me more about my own habitual zealousness than the way I approached my last few weeks, days, hours and minutes at BJC. Last Friday, I led my last service for BJC, and I was as inspired and uplifted as always. This past Wednesday, I led Torah study for the last time, and was as engaged and enlightened as always. also on Wednesday, I directed the BJC choir in rehearsing for the Yamim Noraim (High Holy Days) for the last time, and was passionate and driven as always. I think that I can do no less.

Yes, the years have not only aged me but taught me. I have learned to reign in my zealousness and over-dedication. Though I must admit that during these past 7 years of bachelorhood I easily slipped back into my old habits of perhaps giving more of myself, my time, and my talents as I should. Now, once again part of a family unit with a child of 8 in it, I can't give as much to other things no matter how driven or zealous I am, for my family requires and deserves more zealousness, passion, and patience than anything else. I'm sure that somewhere in there is a balance point, and I'll find my way to it in time, but my family will also come first - something that, I am ashamed to admit, I cannot claim was always true in my previous relationships-though I'd like to think I made a valiant effort, no matter how much I succeeded or failed.

There are consequences of zealousness, but we cannot always be sure of what they will be - reward, punishment, et al. Nadav and Avihu were turned into crispy critters for their zealousness, yet Pinkhas rewarded for his. I wonder sometimes if this is a proof text for the idea that our Torah embraces and teaches about situational ethics.On the other hand, it could just be illustrative of an impetuous and sometimes overly zealous G"d.

I think I understand now why so many have this deep seated need for G"d to be unchanging, ever the same. That's much easier to deal with than a G"d whose reactions and attitudes seem to vary from situation to situation (witness the different reactions to the zealousness of Pinkhas vs the zealousness of Nadav and Avihu.) and to put an even more radical spin on it, consider that all Nadav and Avihu did was offer a little bit of extra, alien fire, that they hadn't been asked to offer - and for their troubles, G"d toasted them. Yet when Pinkhas murders in cold blood the fornicators Zimri and Cozbi, he gets rewarded with a "brit Shalom" a covenant with G"d for him and his descendants. (Yes, yes, we've all heard the apologetic explanations - G"d brought Pinkhas and his descendants into this special relationship so G"d could "keep an eye on these crazy zealots" - and G"d was actually rewarding Nadav and Avihu by bringing them into the ultimate special relationship with G"d. They were made holy by being sacrificed. Never mind the subtle christological subtext here.)
Yet, I reject the apologetics. What we have here is an inconsistent G"d who reacts differently in different situations. Voila-situational ethics. I don't particularly agree with G"d's choices here - that killing two human beings in order to assuage G"d's anger is ultimately more forgivable than offering up a little extra alien fire. Then again, how often do G"d and I agree?
It gets trickier, because we strive to base our systems of ethics upon what we believe about that which G"d approves and disapproves. Yet it appears that sometimes, when we do what we believe is what G"d wants, G"d approves, and at other times G"d gives a thumbs down. On what basis? Depending upon which side of the bed G"d woke up on? On the surface, that appears to be a rather troubling vision-a G"d whose mood can affect all G"d's creations. And I'm not buying into that one at all. It requires a bit too much of an anthropomorphizing of G"d. (There's a book inside of me, that I am finally going to start writing now that life is giving me some breathing room to do so, based on the premise that one ought to look at the premise of "b'tzelem Elokim" in a somewhat reverse manner--that perhaps the very traits we find in ourselves that trouble us are traits that G"d possesses as well--and that G"d, too, is seeking a way to rid G"d's self of these potentially negative energies. Or perhaps, since G"d possesses these qualities, they aren't so negative after all? But I digress.)

Need we be troubled by a tempestuous G"d, be so insistent on consistency from our deity? And is it inconsistency, or is our narrow view of G"d preventing us from seeing a bigger picture?(Still, I won't go as far as accepting that old "ineffable G"d canard.)

I do know that sometimes zealousness brings reward and other times retribution. Do we, therefore, avoid being zealous and avoid the risk? That would probably be the rabbinic approach-building a fence around it lest we inadvertently err.

As always, as I ponder these questions, and seek answers to them, I am reminded of happenings in my own world. I wrote in my 2002 version of this musing about a time I participated in a little team building exercise. It was tough going the whole time, as 3 or 4 "soloists" kept thwarting the attempts to build cohesive team action from the entire group. In an ideal world, the actions of these few "zealots" would have resulted in learning by their example the futility of failing to play with the whole team. And on occasion that did happen. Sometimes, though, through brutish and stubborn effort, the individualists succeeded. And I found that extremely frustrating. So much so that I and the other facilitators and participants actually endeavored to make it ever so much tougher for the non-team players--because it didn't seem fair for them to succeed. Yet, as I thought about that, I thought about an activity I had observed earlier in another setting. It was a student experiment in "luck"-a game of chance with an edible reward--chocolate, of course. The exercise was structured in such a fashion that those who received some chocolate and how long they had to try and eat it all was truly random.

Some people were luckier than others-and I and the other adult observers in the room began to consider ways to help even the odds--as it seemed some students seemed particularly unhappy to not be getting any chocolate. Yet, in the end interference wasn't really necessary. Things evened out. For the most part. So the zealous impulses I and other had were not acted upon and the result was fair. Almost. Because there was one kid whose luck didn't hold-so we did have to finagle things a bit at the very end. And this kid was accepting and appreciative. However, there have been other times I have, or have seen others work to help give a student or a camper an advantage, and what we got for it in return was not appreciation but resentment. So was our zeal misdirected? Or just unappreciated? Is that what happened to Nadav and Avihu? Pinkhas' zeal was obviously appreciated by G"d.

So when and where is zeal appropriate, and when is it dangerous? It doesn't appear we get a clear answer from the Torah at all. It would be easy to assume that Nadav and Avihu were acting on behalf of only themselves--but I don't believe the text clearly supports that assumption. They may have been inebriated, but their choice to offer yet one more sacrifice to G"d could have easily been motivated by their zeal for insuring the community's welfare and not just their own. We'll never know. It does seem a bit more apparent that Pinkhas acted with zeal on behalf of the community. His zeal drove him to kill two of G"ds creations - one a member of the tribe, another,the supposedly scheming daughter of a Midianite muckety-muck trying to lure the Israelite men into worship their gods. From the end results, perhaps we could conclude that Pinkhas was rewarded for that, and also conclude that, since Nadav and Avihu were not rewarded, that their zeal was selfish. That's really going out on a limb I'm not sure I want to crawl onto. It's also a very teleological approach to exegeting a lesson from the text.

It's not surprising that so many people I know are somewhat zealous (particularly about their Judaism, and also about how they think other Jews should live.) I am one of those zealots. Like Nadav and Avihu, I have been stung (though perhaps with less drastic consequences) by allowing my unmitigated zeal to get the better of me. Like Pinkhas, I have also had the occasional reward for being zealous.

One would have thought that, after all these years, the level of my zeal would have decreased somewhat. Look-it even happened to Moshe, so why not me? That Moshe would so easily go to his grave, shucking and jiving and not openly complaining (too much) about his not getting to enter the promised land. That he even struck the rock in the first place. All signs of flagging zeal (or perhaps just old age.) Yet even today, on my last day, during my last hours, even my last few minutes, I worked to complete my tasks and prepare the way for my successor with passion and zeal. I did it not for any reward, for, particularly in this case, there would be none to be had-the tributes were long over and now came the silent slow walk out of the stadium after all the fans had left. Yet there is perceptible reward - and that is how I feel about myself, my professionalism, my passion, my dedication. Tonight I don't need the strokes of others to make me feel good. I'm flying high on the reward of my own good feelings.

I'm perhaps a little bit closer now than when I started in trying to figure out when to be zealous and when to not act with zeal, but I haven't figured it all out just yet. Great-that gives me something to ponder this Shabbat. I hope I've engaged you enough to get you pondering that question this Shabbat as well.

As always, a sweet Shabbat to you and yours.

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian

Saying Shalom to My BJC Family

2008-07-17T22:22:00.001-04:00

Saying farewell is never easy. Friday, July 18, 2008 will be my final day as Director of Education and Congregational Life at Bethesda Jewish Congregation. That day will mark the end of five wonderful years with my BJC family. BJC is truly a unique place, and one that truly enabled me to utilize my wide range of talents and skills, and explore my wide range of interests.

The people of BJC have truly been a blessing to me. The teachers - dedicated, flexible, passionate. Parents - helpful, supportive, pitching in whenever needed. Most importantly - the students. They are why I do what I do. They are all my children, and I hope that I have, in at least some small way, had a positive influence on their lives.

My role at BJC extended far beyond the usual confines of a Director of Education. I played music, directed the choir, taught adult ed programs, facilitated Torah study and even led services. In these roles, too, the people of BJC are what made it all worthwhile. The dedicated singers in our High Holy Days choir, the meshuganneh participants in our Purim Shpiels, Board Meetings that had little of the usual Sturm und Drang of synagogue Board meetings, Torah study devotees with insightful interpretations, congregants dancing in the aisles at Simchah B'Shabbat services, congregants regularly showing up to attend a minyan at a house of mourning, congregants who put their money and their bodies whole heartedly into social action.

Thank you, BJC, for 5 wonderful years. I shall miss you all.

Synagogues-Flouting Employment and Tax Laws--where is the DINA D'MALKHUTA DINA?

2008-07-13T19:20:00.001-04:00

On a local supplemental Jewish religious school principals list I belong to, many questions have come up of late about educators being paid as independent contractors, and other issues of employment and tax law. There are a lot of misconceptions out there. Here is one of the replies I wrote, which I hope may also be of value to my readers. Note especially the information about Independent Contractors vs Employee; special tax treatments for clergy; the confusion between Self-Employment and Independent Contractor, etc,
-----------------------------------
Folks:
There is a lot of bad, incorrect information out there regarding tax/employment law and synagogues. In addition, many lay leaders at synagogues do NOT have a clear understanding of tax law. I've already made my case regarding "independent contractors." Most synagogues and churches are deluding themselves when trying to get away with treating employees as independent contractors. Churches and synagogues get no special treatment in this regard. Most people are just confusing the special tax treatment of ordained clergy with a generic concept they believe is applicable to all who work for them. That is an incorrect assumption.
A reminder to visit:
www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99921,00.html

It's generally clear but, and, in most cases, you'll find that most people who work in a synagogue are employees and not independent contractors.

There is also a great deal of confusion between the terms "Independent Contractor" and "Self-Employed." The fact is, most rabbis or hazzanim who work for one congregation are employees, but their salary is treated as self-employment income. Rabbis/Hazzanim are considered self-employed for Social Security and Medicare taxes, so the synagogue does not have to withhold or report these taxes even if the rabbi is an employee and the synagogue withholds income taxes. A rabbi/Hazzan does have to pay self-employment taxes, (i.e. for Social Security and Medicare.) (A rabbi/hazzan can choose voluntary tax withholding as an option.)
If you are a rabbi/hazzan, but not performing the usual duties as defined by the IRS, you don't get the special treatment. (An ordained rabbi working as a programmer for Apple is not treated as a rabbi for tax purposes in re his work for Apple, but if he does rabbinic work on the side as an Independent Contractor, that income is treated a ministerial income.)

But if you are not a rabbi/hazzan, then, chances are you do NOT qualify under IRS regulations for parsonage or to have all your income treated as self-employment, except under very special circumstances.

If you are a Director of Education or a teacher, chances are that you are a regular employee. (Remember, Rabbis/Hazzanim are considered employees for the most part-it's just their income is treated as self-employment income and withholding is NOT required-but they also have to pay the higher self-employment tax rate for FICA and MEDICARE.)

I urge everyone to read this link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=xJfWZNHo6nkC&pg=PA214&lpg=PA214&dq=minimum+number+of+employees+withholding&source=web&ots=_7saf4q4JX&sig=47LedCAn6CqwEIEzKT_Xg9OBWqU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result

There is no "minimum number of employees" before a church or synagogue has to withhold taxes and pay the matching FICA and FUTA. Few, if any, teachers or Directors of Education would qualify as bona-fide clergy to be eligible for the special treatment-payment as a "minister", and qualify for parsonage (housing allowance.)

Now, as to whether or not you might be eligible to receive parsonage, and have your income treated like regular clergy, that's a whole different ball of wax.
While it is true that the IRS is loathe to get into a tussle about who is and is not a bona fide minister qualifying for parsonage, anyone seeking parsonage must at least meet the minimum expectation that they do, on a regular or substitute basis, provide essentially all the functions of ordained clergy.

Here's another great resource on defining a "minister" for tax purposes:

http://www.churchlawtoday.com/newminlesson.php?136

In the church world, some "Ministers of Education" are given parsonage, and some are not. A lot depends on the specifics of their responsibilities.

As I've stated before, dina malkhuta dina (the law of the land is the law.) If your synagogue is not following IRS regulations, then it seems to me you are obligated for tokhekha (rebuke.)

I've already been on a 10 year campaign to get synagogues to stop breaking copyright laws (how much music gets photocopied for your choirs? How many CDs or restricted mp3 downloads have been illegally duplicated for your teachers? How many textbooks have you copied? Remember-synagogues are NOT eligible for the educational exemptions under copyright law.And Jewish songwriters need their parnassa, or they will have to stop writing music.) Seems I'm going to have to add a campaign to get synagogues to follow employment law as well. I'm sure I'll have that presentation worked up for CAJE 34 in 2009.

Kol tuv,

-Adrian
©2008 by Adrian A. Durlester

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Korakh 5768: If Korakh Had Guns

2008-06-27T14:11:00.001-04:00

I'm angry. You may not agree with me about this, but I believe our venerated Supreme Court has perpetrated a great injustice upon us. How could five learned justices conclude that the second amendment guarantees an individual right to own a gun for self-defense? Constitutional interpretation aside, how could any sane human conclude that owning weapons is a good thing? Weapons have but one purpose - to injure or kill, or, at the very least, frighten someone into believing that might be killed or injured. (Of course, saying "defense" sounds better, but let's lay our cards on the table here. Defense is really just offense with a positive spin.)

Sadly, I must conclude that a lot of biblical text, of which our parasha is an example, is responsible for the mind set that conflict is inevitable, and that, therefore, weapons and threats are necessary to "maintain the peace."

You know, if Moshe and Aharon had guns, Korakh's little rebellion might have been stopped in its tracks without needing any Divine interference. If Korakh and his band had guns, things might have turned out differently....oh, wait. No, they wouldn't. G"d plays favorites. After all, almonds are a man's best friend:

(with apologies to Jule Styne)
A tall wooden staff
May be quite continental
But almonds are a priest's best friend.

A fire in a pan
Can be quite detrimental
To your G"d you'll give
But watch or you just won't live

G"d gets mad
Don't be a cad,
Or we'll all lose our lives in the end.

But your staff or my staff,
They're just like a gold calf,
Almonds are a priest's best friend.

(Sorry, I just couldn't resist.)

I guess the five justices were right. If we exist in a Divine creation in which the Divine Creator thinks nothing of wiping out tens of thousands, yeah, even a group of 250, then we live in a universe in which its Creator doesn't value its creations very highly. It turns the very idea of b'tzelem Elokim into a travesty. If we are made in G"d's image, and G"d can so callously kill, then I guess maybe it's okay for each of us to own a gun. Let's give every baby a gun when it is born! Yeah, whoopee! Don't like something someone else did? Bam. Wipe 'em out. Enough of this and you have the deathly version of the old idea that following "an eye for an eye..." will leave a world full of the blind and toothless. Only we'd have a world full of...nothing. Just dead bodies.

This whole 2nd amendment debate bears a striking resemblance to many of the debates within Biblical scholarship - between literalists and contextualists, fundamentalists and relevantists, minimalists and maximalists. Of course, if we can't be certain, after only 232 years or so, of what the intent of the founding fathers and drafters of the Constitution was, even though we know so much about the actual context, then how much more futile must it appear to attempt to know the intent of the creators of (or Creator of) the Torah, when we can be even less certain of their context.

For most of us, today, it is all about the individual. Individual rights and responsibilities. Individual relationships with the Divine. Individual forms of worship and prayer. The cummulative wisdom of our Jewish tradition seems to teach the opposite - that it is all about community, of the people acting together. The question is, what happens when the people disagree with one another?

Would that G"d were truly manifest to us. Then G"d could make it quite clear to us which of our "choices" G'd wants us to choose (there-that nicely sums up the Jewish position of all is pre-ordained by G"d, yet each of us has free will.) The problem with the Korakh story is that the consequences of choice could be death at the hands of a capricious and jealous G"d. Couldn't G"d have just spoken upl in full hearing of Korakh and all the people, and said "No! I want Moses to be in charge. OK? Get it? Got it? Good!" Now, to some extent, and to be fair, the little sprouting staff thing is similar, though a little less direct. Still, did 14, 950 people (you do the math) really have to die just for G"d to make the point that Moses was to be in charge, and Aharon was to be the priest?

If we can't even figure out the clear meaning of

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

which contains, in the first part, a classic abaltive absolutive (a Latin grammar construct) intended, purposefully, to limit the scope of the following clause, then how will we ever figure out:

" You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk."

There's a wonderful irony. In the parasha, G"d gives the people a leader (and a high priest) without them asking it, and some of the people complain that leaders are lording over them unfairly - over this nation of priests and a holy people. In return, G'd smites the complainers. In the haftarah, G"d, through Shmuel, reluctantly gives the Israelites a King. The people, realizing they may have gone too far in daring to ask G"d for a King to rule over them implore Shmuel to intercede on their behalf with G"d for their sin. Shmuel tells the people that yes, they did indeed sin, but that G"d would still not abandon them.

Would that I could believe the closing words of Shmuel in the haftarah:

"For the sake of His (sic) great name, the L"rd will never abandon His (sic) people, seeing that the L"rd undertook to make you His (sic) people."

It may be so, but you gotta read the fine print. Trouble is, just like todays "fine print", the "fine print" of the Torah is often hard to understand.

How can I be so certain of the meaning of the second amendment, yet so uncertain as to the meaning of so much in the Torah? Do I really know the founding fathers any better than I do the ancestral founding fathers and mothers? In the end, all I can really know is what feels right to me, and what feels wrong. Making it easier for people to own guns feels wrong. G"d wiping out 14,950 people just to insure the people wouldn't challenge Moses and Aharon feels wrong. Continuing to read and study Torah, even though what I read often feels wrong to me, feels right.

Sadly, I'm not sure how many "the community" agree with me on any of those.

Shabbat shalom,

Adrian
©2008 by Adrian A. Durlester

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Sh'lakh L'kha 5768

2008-06-20T14:17:00.001-04:00

Note: Those of you who are regular readers of my musings know that I have used, on occasion, a diary format in creating modern, yet anamnetical midrash. (As Tom Lehrer once said "the rest of you can look that up when you get home.") I've mused about journals written by Avraham, Yitzkhak, Moshe, Lot and others. This year, I thought it might be interesting to fill in a gap in the Torah using this same literary device. I've written in previous musings on this parasha that it's curious that there is no account of the sights and situations encountered by the 12 spies. We have only the reports upon their return, brief as they are, and with a clear glass half-empty report from the majority and glass-half-full report from a minority consisting of Caleb, and, later supported by Joshua (but it's easy to infer from the text that Joshua may have been a little more reticent than Caleb to speak up, and the first we know of Joshua's feelings is when he tears his clothes along with Caleb after the people react with fright and geshrying after being told the embellished fabrication of the giants that occupied the promised land that would prevent the people from occupying it.

I think our view of this whole incident might be quite different if the torah had included an account of the travels of the spies through Canaan. So let's pretend.

From the Journal of Caleb

Dear Diary:

Oy vey is mir! Just my luck, being a leader instead of a follower. Moshe says the G"d commanded him to send out spies to check out this Canaan place that we are supposed to occupy as our own. And who do you think Moshe picks from my tribe of Judah? Little ol' me. When I look at who else was picked from the other tribes, I have a sneaking suspicion that, while we may have been singled out for bravery, we might also have been chosen because we're somewhat expendable.

I don't get it, anyway, diary. This G"d, who brought down mighty Egypt with plagues, parted the waters for us, gave us manna to eat, and spoke to us from atop the mountain, needs us to go check out the land that this G"d says is being given to us? Surely, this G"d knows what the situation is, and, with one wave of a hand, can empty the land of people and give it to us. What kind of G"d needs people to do the dirty work?

I know I shouldn't doubt like this, and I feel guilty. My doubts could doom all of us. Still, I don't really know if the ancient stories are true. Is this the G"d that knew our people before we were slaves to Pharaoh? Are the stories of Joseph, Jacob, Isaac, and Avraham true, or just myths? Was this land of Canaan truly promised to our ancestors, and be our inheritance? I'm still just not sure about this G"d. I want to believe, I really do. But I have my doubts.

Dear Diary:

Can't write much, as the 12 of us are about to set off on our mission. Moshe told us to check out the military strength of the inhabitants, but to check out the terrain and the land as well. Doesn't Moshe know we're going to find a land flowing with milk and honey? That's what this G"d said, isn't it? Right. We'll all believe it when we see it. After all, why send us to check it out if we already know what we'll find? Oh, and get this - Moshe wants us to bring back some fruit. Guess he wants proof. And Moshe says he has complete faith in this G"d. Right.

Anyway, I had to make a note about this one odd thing that happened. You'll never believe it. Another one of Moshe's slick publicity stunts. Just as we're getting our final instructions, Moshe calls Hoshea the Ehpraimite up, does his little hand and staff mumbo jumbo, and announces to all that from now on Hoshea will be known as Yehoshua. Must have some sort of meaning-maybe it's a sort of talisman to protect us. I don't know. If Moshe was trying to evoke the protection of this G"d, why not name him Hoshea-El or something like that? I thin it's weird, but somehow I also think it is gonna be significant. I can't shake that feeling. I think I'll try to get to know Hoshea, er, I mean Yehoshua, better.

Dear Diary:

Sorry it's been a few days, but we've been doing a lot of traveling, mostly through this pretty barren wilderness they call Zin. Finally reach this place called Lebohamath, on the border of Canaan. Fairly sizable place, lots of activity. They didn't seem too surprised to see a bunch of nomads, and didn't ask too many questions. Some of the guys spent a lot of time sneaking around checking out the town’s fortifications, and pumping people they met for information about Canaanite cities. Me, I spent more time checking out the local delicacies...and the food, too! Oh, don't worry diary, I won't let myself be led astray. I haven't seen any evidence that their gods are all that powerful or special, and I'm not that desperate or horny. Just a little company and comfort is all I ask, and the native ladies seemed quite accommodating.

Palti, Gadiel, and Ammiel have been muttering and mumbling about how well fortified this place seems. Yes, there are a lot of them, but the people here seem pretty peaceful to me. I almost feel bad that we're going to have to dispossess them. Tomorrow, we head out into this desert the locals call the Negev, on our way up to Khevron. Oh, joy. Although it'll be interesting to see if the legends are true about our ancestors tombs in Khevron. I'm not holding my breath.

Dear Diary:

This is the promised land? This wasteland of dunes, outcroppings, shifting sands? Thank the gods (whoops, I mean G"d) for the occasional oasis. Why would anyone want to live here? Where's the milk and honey?

Shammua, Sethur, and Nahbi were talking to some traders we met at an oasis yesterday, and they told them that as we headed north into the plains they were going to find a lot of pretty tall people - Anakites, they called them. At least I know that this forsaken desert comes to an end.

Dear Diary:

Well, here we are in Khevron. Took us quite a bit of time to get here. , but at least we're out of that desert. Khevron, itself, is quite a ways out of the desert - it isn’t the first place you come to after getting out of the Negev. That distinction belongs to a little hamlet we passed through called Beersheva. Hmmm - seven wells. That name rings a bell. I think there's something in one of the ancient legends about that place and those wells. I couldn't quite remember, so I asked a few of the other guys. They told me to quit wasting my time on ancient fairy tales, and focus on reconnoitering. I swear, most of them were seeing phantoms. Igal, Shaphat, Geul and Gadi said they ran into these three fellas named Ahiman, Shesai, and Talmai. Said they were the real McCoy - Anakites. Real tall ones. They bought them a few beers to get them talking. They asked them if all the people up north from where they came were as tell, and they said "of course." Some people will believe anything. Somehow, I have my doubts.

Finally, this land of milk and honey didn’t seem like such a myth. This region was pretty fecund, with lots of orchards and vineyards, and good, fertile soil.

We sat around deciding where to go next. Everyone wanted to check out this placed called the Wadi Eschol, where there were supposed to be giant grapes. I think I was the only one who wanted to be a tourist and an explorer. "Guys," I said. "Here we are in Khevron. Not a stone's throw from here is the legendary cane at Makhpelah. Aren't any of you curious to see if we're on a snipe hunt or not?" Once again, I was shouted down. "Legends, shmegends" said all the others, even Joshua. Let's go get some of those giant grapes - and have some giant glasses of wine, too!"

"Not me," I found myself saying out loud. “I’m going to look for that cave." Suit yourself," said Yehoshua and the others. "We'll stop on the way back and pick you up before we head home."

Dear Diary:

Diary, you are not going to believe this. I found it! I've actually been there. The tomb the ancient stories talk about, in Makhpelah. I asked around to see if there was anybody who knew of a cave in a field near here. No one knew a thing, but then I found this old woman who said she had heard of such a place. Tales passed down in her family for generations. She said she was descended from the original occupants of this place, the Hittites, and they used to call this place that was now Khevron by the name Mamre. The stories told of a man who came from a distant land, and lived among our people for a while. When his wife died, he asked permission to buy a field with a cave in it that he could use as a burial place. She said, "My ancestors were pretty good merchants - they managed to extract almost 400 shekels - and that was a lot of money back then - for the land. It's said that others of his family and his line are buried there as well. We may have extracted a high price for the land, but we always honored the contract. I know where the place is, and if you are truly a descendant of this man, I will show it to you."

I asked, "How can you know if I am truly a descendant of this man?" "It is simple," she said. "We have been taught to ask only one question. What is the name of the god that you worship?"

"We do not know his name," I answered. "He is what he is, and what he will be. He has done mighty and awesome deeds for us"

"That may well be, but I cannot show you the tomb," she said.

I turned to go, disappointed. It seemed that perhaps the stories, the legends were all true. Perhaps this land really was ours to possess. Yet I might never know. I thought hard to try and remember all I knew of the ancient tales.

"Wait," I turned and said to the old woman. I thought of that moment back when Moshe changed Hoshea's name. I remember wondering why he didn't just add "El" to it, as has been our custom. At one time, our ancestors had known this G"d by the name El.

"I worship the One G"d El," I said to the old woman.

"Well, I am sure there are many gods," said the woman, "but El is, indeed, the one worshipped by those buried in that place. If you are a worshipper of El, I will take you there."

She took me to a field far away from town. In the field there was a tall, old oak tree. Nearby, at the foot of a small hill, was the entrance to a small cave. Just as the stories told, there was evidence of six burials. Of all the great ancestors, only Yaakov's beloved Rakhel was buried elsewhere, said the legends. Could this truly be the resting place of Avraham, Yitzkhak, Ya'akov, Sarah, Rivka, and Leah?

"There men, and their wives are buried here, we are taught. Strangely, the man who bought this place did not bury the wife he took after his first wife died. One of the other men had two wives, but only buried one here. We do not know where the other is."

"These are truly my ancestors," I told the woman. "Everything is as it should be according to the ancient tales."

"Have you come to claim this place back?" asked the old woman.

I did not know how to answer her. For the first time in my life I truly believed that it was our destiny to come and live in this land that G"d had given to our ancestors. My entire outlook had changed.

"Not now, " I responded. "Yet, if our G"d, the G"d known to my ancestors as El, wills it, then it surely will be so."

"When you come to claim this place in the name of your god, I ask you, and ask your god to remember that there are people already living here. Treat us with kindness and mercy, and do not chase us out of our homes."

"As G"d wills," I replied.

She turned to go. "Then I will pray that you god is merciful," she replied, and walked out back into the field and disappeared from sight.

I didn't sleep well last night.

Dear Diary:

I've spent these last few days thinking about all that has happened. I know now, in my heart, that the ancient stories are true. This land was promised to us, and G"d is ready to give it to us. Of this I am certain. There may be fortified cities, and tall men, but nothing is too great for this G"d. I can't wait to get home and tell everyone.

Dear Diary:

The guys got back in town today, carrying with them this truly huge cluster of grapes on a frame. I’ve never seen grapes so big, or so many of them in one cluster. It takes two to carry it! This is truly a land flowing with milk and honey. If only the others shared my enthusiasm. They may have found some giant grapes, but it seems they have developed severe case of the frights as well. To his credit, Yehoshua keeps trying to tell them that we can take these guys, but the rest of them act like quivering cowards, and complain of the great strength of these people, and fear for their own lives. How can they doubt?

I, of course, told them of my discovery. To them, it was more like a swindle, a con game, than anything. "The old woman sure got your goat!" they said. "Probably saw the word sucker written on your forehead." "How much did you pay her?"

They just didn't get it. Yehoshua wasn't much help, although I noticed he didn't join in their chorus of derision. Later, he took me aside and asked me to tell him my whole story again. He listened intently. Finally he said, "I'm just a good military strategist - that's why Moshe picked me for this job, I suppose. I don't have Moshe's faith, but I can see how important it is to the people that they believe, and have faith in the G"d. Without that, there's no hope we could ever occupy these lands."

"What will you tell Moshe and the people when we get back?"

"The odds are against us, though not as badly as the rest of these cowards are saying. I'm not afraid of a good fight like some of them are. Yet, if we're going to be in a fight, I know the people need something to rally around, to believe in."

"So, what will you tell them, Yehoshua?" I asked. "Will you back me up."

"I don't know kid, I just don't know."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian

Adrian A. Durlester

adrian@durlester.com

www.durlester.com

cell: 703-898-7206

Random Musings Before Shabbat - Naso 5768 G"d's Roadies

2008-06-06T13:43:00.001-04:00

With apologies to all you "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fans out there:

Aaron: Man, we need a roadie. Other religions have roadies.
Moses: Well, other religions know more than one G"d. Your professional religions can worship up to six, sometimes seven completely different G"ds.
Aaron: That's just, like, fruity, jazzy religions.

In this weeks parasha, Naso, we learn of the specific duties assigned to the Gershonite and Merarite clans, two specific sub-groups within the Levites. They are responsible only for the disassembly and re-assembly of the tabernacle. In theatrical lingo, they do the "load-in" and afterwards "strike the set." Just like real "techies" or "roadies" they just put it up and take it down - others among the Levites are responsible for the transportation of the parts of the tabernacle from place to place. Even then, they had Teamsters!

While others are transporting the tabernacle's parts, the Gershonites and Merarites simply serve to watch or guard over things. (In last week's parasha, Bamdibar, we learn that the other clan of the Levites besides the descendants of Aaron, the Kohathites, were responsible for the stuff inside the tabernacle - the altars, utensils, menorah, etc. We actually first learn of the duties of the Merarites and Gershonites in parashat Bamdibar as well, but in a more abbreviated form.)

It gets even more strictly defined than that. The Gershonites handle only the various fabric components of the tabernacle, along with the altar and its appurtenances. The Merarites are responsible for the various structural components - planks, bars, posts, sockets, pegs.

Having spent a good 25 of my life in the technical theater trade before starting to as a full-time Jewish professional, some of it even as a "roadie," I recognize and understand the division of labor. I also know how it can lead to strife, and though the Torah reports none, I can imagine there was.

The humor one finds can serve to illustrate the division that come up between carpenters, deckhands, electricians, sound engineers, et al and so between those among the Levites assigned different tasks regarding the tabernacle . I'll take some typical jokes and rephrase them, substituting for terms like electricians, stagehands, musicians, production managers, etc.

What do you call 20 Gershonites at the bottom of a lake? A good start.
How many Priests does it take to change a candle? Change?
Why do some Merarites carry 11 foot poles? Because none of the women will touch them with a 10 foot pole!
How many Merarites and Gershonites does it take to make a sacrifice to El? "Hey, we just set it up! You wanna sacrifice, get a Priest!"

There's also a joke well known among stagehands, roadies, and other backstage types:

Q: What's the difference between a rigger and God?
A: God doesn't think he's a rigger.

Rewritten, it could be:
Q: What's the difference between a Priest and G"d?
A: G"d doesn't think he's a Priest!

Another thought: if we are to be a "Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation" then who is gonna do the hard labor? Why'd the Gershonites and Merarites get stuck being the roadies? when we become and entire nation of priests, will the Gershonites, Merarites and Kohathites become the same? If so, then who do we get to be the roadies? Some goyim?

In any case, one wonders why, once again, G"d is being such a micro-manager, instructing (at least, according to how Moses tells it) Moses to tell the various Levitical clans their specific duties regarding the assembly, disassembly and transportation of the tabernacle. It certainly seems that G"d has been very specific about a lot of things related to the tabernacle, the mishkan, the clothing of Aaron and his sons (i.e. the priests.) I can understand some specificity regarding how things are made, but what's the difference who does what?

I'm not sure of the answer, but while searching for one, I came upon something else interesting in a piece of Hebrew found in the endcap of these verses, at the end of chapter four. We learn that the total of all the Levite clans were 8,580 (males between 30 and 50.) We read that they come to do the work of the work of the work, or more idiomatically, the work of the service of the service - l'avod avodat avodah. Just what is a "service of the service" ?

Following the interpretation of some of the rabbinical sages, the JPS renders the text "duties of service and porterage," dividing between the labors required to transport the tabernacle, and the labors required when the tabernacle was up and functioning. This is based on Ibn Ezra's interpretation which refers to an earlier description in the parasha of the Gershonite labors as being "carrying" and "serving."

A problem arises, however, for the medieval philosophers. The "carrying" part ceases to be necessary once the people have come into the land and the Temple is set up. (We modern liberal Jews might smirk and observe that maybe the whole point was that we were never intended to have a central place of worship anyway. It's a valid point just as well.)

Rashi, however, takes us off in a different direction. Rashi believes that the "service of a service" refers to something that later became a responsibility of the Levitical clans during the times of the Temple - the shirah, or music. The music truly does "service the service." It is the accompaniment to the sacrifices. In our own time, it is the accompaniment to the sacrifices of our lips.

How appropriate, having attended the annual Hava Nasahira Songleaders Workshop last week to this week discover that the musical work I do truly is Torah, truly, "avodat avodah."

Now, if I could only have my own roadies.

Shabbat shalom,

Adrian
©2008 by Adrian A. Durlester

The original "Buffy" quote reads:
Devon: Man, we need a roadie. Other bands have roadies.
Oz: Well, other bands know more than three chords. Your professional bands can play up to six, sometimes seven completely different chords.
Devon: That's just, like, fruity jazz bands.

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Bekhukotai 5768 - Idle Idols Idyllic

2008-05-23T14:48:00.001-04:00

In the Haftarah for parashat Bekhukotai, the prophet Jeremiah uses these well-known words:

"Can a man make gods for himself? No-gods are they!"

You would think, after all our history and experience, we would have given up on idols, idol worship, on the idea that human beings can make gods.

But, noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. We still don't get it! we keep trying, and succeeding, in making our idols, and elevating them to high status (sometimes, even Divine status.)

What's been in the news these last few days? That is, besides the aftermath of the Myanmar/Burma cyclone, the earthquake in China, or the endless "when will Hilary finally call it quits" and "Obama's Communist ties exposed" ?

The winner of this year's "American Idol." Imagine what's in store for him. He has already been shaped into an "idol" so turning him into god won't be far behind. 97 million votes were cast for the finale of this year's "Idol." That's more than the number of people who voted in some of the presidential years in the 1990s. (In 2004, only 122 million voted.) Even if you allow for the duplicate votes that get cast for "American Idol" that's still a pretty significant number of people who are buying into this whole idea.

Last summer, at the CAJE Conference, the organizers planned a "CAJE Idol" which, after enough objections, got sort of changed to "CAJE Rising Star" or something of that ilk. Now, I was asked to be one of the accompanists for this spectacle, which I did agree to do, and did. The selected judges, thank G"d, understood the program as more of a fun parody of the real thing, and went over the top in their impersonations of the "American Idol" judges whose personalities are continually foisted upon us. And, while the whole thing was all in fun, the whole process was frighteningly similar to the real thing, with coteries and cliques of sign-toting fans. And the attendees had the final word, getting to vote for and select the winner, their "CAJE Idol."

You could say that this was an anomaly, a liberal Jewish fete as a logical consequence of patrilineal descent, intermarriage, etc. No "real" Jew would ever engage in such tomfoolery. However, considering the rather diverse nature of those who attend CAJE (and even those who attended each night of the "CAJE Idol" program, including the judges) I would not be so quick to attribute this failure to "get it" about idols to just the liberal streams of Judaism. (Do I need to say more than Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson z"l to make my point? Does the name "Shabbetai Tzvi" ring a bell?)
We are going to continue to suffer the indignities and horrors clearly spelled out for us in parashat Bekhukotai, and reiterated by Jeremiah in our Haftarah so long as we persist in our stubborn refusal to give up making idols.

The earth itself, is becoming one of our idols. We have worked to reshape her, refine her, tame her, until we have molded her into the image we want. This despite the constant warnings we get - hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and more - that we aren't yet in as much control as we would like to be. I'm a great fan of science fiction, and space opera, yet I am beginning to dread the prospect of our species branching out and bringing its disturbed ethics, morals, and values into the broader universe.

We are surrounded by our idols. How many of us have big, flat screen televisions? (Guilty, as charged, though only a 37 incher) We worship at the altar of petrochemicals, even as we face the prospect of a finite resource, and ridiculously high prices. We make idols of actors, sports players, singers, pundits. Some of us make idols of our countries or their flags. We made these things idols. We "voted" for them.
When will we stop? Are we so afraid that those who say "G"d is dead" are right, and that therefore no consequences await our continued idolatry? Do we simply accept that any potential Messianic Age is decades, centuries, or millennia away, so we just shrug our shoulders and say "what the heck, lets get while the getting is good"?

The first step in removing idolatry from our midst is to withhold our votes for those things we have idolized or seek to idolize. Be entertained by "American Idol" if you must, but don't buy into the premise, and don't vote. Don't participate in cults of personality. Make choices based on values, ethics, and the facts at hand. You don't need a McMansion, or a Beamer. Our cities don't need new ballparks and stadiums - they need to care for the hungry and the needy and for all their citizens.

Let's strive for an idyllic society by allowing all our idols to become idle. They won't be so idolized then. Let's stop trying to make gods. One is enough.

As the wise rabbis who assembled the siddur did, let us take the closing words of this Haftarah and change them from the singular to the plural communal form, to make our prayer:

"Heal us, O lord, and let us be* healed;
Save us, and let us be* saved;
For You are our glory."

* that's the JPS Committee's choice of translation. I find myself preferring the more traditional "and we shall be"

Shabbat Shalom,
Adrian

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Behar 5768 - Too Difficult?

2008-05-16T16:11:00.001-04:00

I am about to commit a sacrilege. I am about to engage in an enormous act of hubris. Of course, I've always been a gadfly, so why stop now. Might as well go out even further on a limb.
Just before our haftarah for parashat Behar begins, we find Jerusalem under siege by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The prophet Jeremiah, having counseled King Zedekiah to surrender to the overwhelming forces that were laying siege to Jerusalem, has been thrown in the palace prison for his views. It's a bit of a minimum-security, white-collar situation, for Jeremiah is free to have visitors, engage in transactions, and has his trust scribe Baruch with him.

Linking with the parasha, which teaches of the sabbatical, the jubilee, and the rules of land ownership and redemption, Jeremiah hears G"d's word, telling him that his cousin will come to him, asking him to buy his land in Ananot. (In parashat Behar we are told that when our relatives are having financial difficulties, a close relative has the obligation to acquire the land and help his relative out, knowing that the land will revert to the original owner in the next jubilee year. The relative is obligated to try and purchase back his holdings, but, if he cannot, the land will return to his family at the time of the next jubilee year.)

As G"d had spoken to Jeremiah, his cousin does come to see him and asks him to buy his land, and Jeremiah fulfilled his obligation. Now, what's odd about this, is that Jeremiah took a great risk. The Babylonians would likely conquer the Israelites, and the land in Ananot would be lost to him. Yet Jeremiah instructed his scribe Baruch to seal the contract and deed in a clay jar, so they would be safe for a very long time. Now that's faith! Jeremiah was certain that Jerusalem would fall to the Babylonians, yet he was also certain that a time would come when the Israelites would again occupy the land and be able to buy and sell it as needed.

Jeremiah then prays to G"d. First, he butters G"d up quite a bit. Then he praises G"d for all the wonders and miracles G"d has done for the people, and for bringing them to and giving them this land. Jeremiah then says that the people blew it, failing to heed G"d's laws and commandments, and so G"d has brought this imminent defeat at the hands of the Babylonians-just a G"d foretold to Jeremiah. Now G"d has told Jeremiah to redeem his cousin's land-just when the city is about to fall.

And G"d answers Jeremiah:
"Here am I, Ad"nai, G"d of all flesh - is anything too difficult for Me?"

That's one omnipotent G"d. With a bit of hubris.

Yet there is so much in this world that needs fixing. If nothing is too difficult for G"d, then why are they not fixed? Of course, we have all sorts of apologetic answers. We can't understand G"d fully. G"d's time scale may be different. We can't fathom G"d's plan.

Yet I do not believe apologetics are the answer. We've known the answer, had the power all along. Just like the ruby slippers. G"d may just be waiting to see if we can do it ourselves. And end to war. And end to hatred. An end to poverty and hunger. A world of peace and harmony. Sounds impossible, maybe even for G"d?

And here is my sacrilege. We are, after all, b'tzelem El"him, in the image of G"d, a reflection of G"d. Might we not say:

"Here am I, a human being, created by G"d in G"d's image. Is anything too difficult for me."

And it works even better if we become a community. For perhaps each of us only reflects some piece of G"d. Working together, might we not reflect all the power that is G"d? (If we take the story of the tower of Bavel, then it is theoretically possible, since G"d appeared to fear it happening, and confounded our speech.) So let us all say:

"Here we are, human beings, created in G"d's image. Is anything to difficult for us?"

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian
©2008 by Adrian A. Durlester
--
Adrian A. Durlester
Director of Education & Congregational Life, Bethesda Jewish Congregation
301-469-8636
personal: adrian@durlester.com
work: director@bethesdajewish.com
www.durlester.com
www.bethesdajewish.com

Why Do Cars Have Blind Spots?

2008-05-15T19:45:00.001-04:00

Just a random thought that popped into my head while driving today. Why is it that cars still have blind spots?

Surely, with all our engineering and technology expertise, we can figure out a way to overcome this simple design flaw. I know there have been some attempts at using sensors to detect other vehicles in blind spots, but nothing much seems to have come from that.

On the Car Talk web site, Tom and Ray suggest that one can actually line up rear view and side mirrors to have minimal overlap. I tried it, but it still doesn't completely eliminate the blind spot.

Years ago, I remember having spherical add-on mirrors on my pickup truck side mirrors, but they weren't that useful.

Surely, some kind of simple proximity sensor could be designed that would alert us to the presence of vehicles in our blind spots? Or car and mirror design could be re-engineered to eliminate blind spots altogether.

Too expensive? People won't pay the additional cost? Does it really have to be expensive? I think not.

Pulitzer-Caliber Reporting from NPR All Things Considered Melissa Block

2008-05-14T19:41:00.001-04:00

As I wrote to NPR: "Melissa Block's heartfelt story following Wang Wei and Fu Guanyu as they tried to find their missing child and Wang's parents amidst the rubble was journalism at its absolute finest. This piece deserves a Pulitzer. I was completely reduced to tears, and marvel at how Melissa managed to relate the story without completely dissolving into tears herself. She is to be heartily congratulated."

Families Frantic to Find Loved Ones in Rubble : NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/s...

Rescuers worked frantically throughout southwestern China on Wednesday to reach the thousands of people still trapped in the rubble after Monday's devastating earthquake. But, as the day faded, so did the hope that many of the missing would be found alive.

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Emor 5768 Appointments With G"d

2008-05-09T15:42:00.001-04:00

On the wall in my office, I have posted a laminated clipping from a Dilbert Cartoon. In it, Pointy-Haired Boss is speaking to Catbert, the devilsh Human Resources person.

PHB: "My open door policy is ruining my business.
PHB: "People stop by all day long and complain. How can I maintain the morale inspiring illusion of an open door policy without actually having one?
Catbert: "Use your body language to create a protective bubble of unwelcomeness."
Catbert: "Try this stressed out scowl."

In the next frame Dilbert asks PHB's secretary "Can I poke my head in?"
She responds: "Sure. He has an open door policy.

In the next frame, PHB and Catbert have stressed out scowls on their face.
PHB: It's a pleasure to see you."
Catbert: "We value your input."

In the last frame, Dilbert is shown running away from PHB's office saying "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi" while PHB is peeking around the door saying "Stop by any time."
What has any of this to do with parashat Emor?

After the priestly stuff in chapters 21 and 22, in chapter 23 we receive what can best be described as "G"d's schedule of appointments with the Israelites." All the observances are outlined, beginning with Shabbat, and including Passover, Shavuot, the 7th month events which later became Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.

These are the "appointed times of G"d," the "moadei Ad"nai." Ore, as the JPS committee put it "These are My fixed times, the fixed times of the L"rd, which you shall proclaim as sacred occasions."
The word "moadei" is built upon a root that is quite interesting. At it's base is the root ayin-dalet (and sometimes hey.) Variations upon this root have a wealth of somewhat related meanings. At its base, we have ayin-dalet, ad, indicating the advance of time and often perpetuity (as in "va'ed".) "Ad" when used poetically often means "up to or until." Point (vowelize) ayin-dalet yet another way and you get "eid", the word "witness, testimony, evidence." There is a verbal root, ayin-dalet-hey, meaning "to pass on, to advance." (An interesting side note - properly pointed, ayin-dalet-hay give us the noun "menstruation." Another cyclical, time-related thing.) Stick a vav between the ayin and dalet, and you get ayin-vav-dalet, the verb root that means "to return, repeat, do again." From this we then derive "mo-eid", and the possessive plural form "moadei."

Witnessing, testifying, repeating, returning, doing again, until, forever, continually. All related. when we have our "appointments" with G"d, I suspect that we are expected to engage in all of these things, and do them repeatedly and forever.

Yet, why is it that we have only these "fixed times" for our appointments with G"d? Where is G"d's "open door" policy? Isn't every day a day to celebrate G"d's creation, to worship G"d, to have an appointment with G"d?

One way of understanding this is the old Jewish fall-back position of "individual versus communal." G"d is always accessible to us individually, but G"d has given us fixed times to interact with G"d in community - Shabbat and the khagim, the festivals. It's a valid understanding. Yet I still wonder if individual vs. communal is the whole explanation.

Had G"d, like the PHB, come to realize that having a totally open door policy can be counter-productive? Is G"ds zapping of Nadav and Avihu, who did more than they were supposed to, and at a time they were not asked to do it, a clue here? Was that zapping sort of like the "stressed out scowl" of PHB and Catbert?

If G"d is truly limitless, then should it matter how often and how many of G"d's creations are communicating with G"d? G"d can handle it all. Or maybe not. Then, we have the difficulty of coming to terms with a limited or self-limited deity. An idea not without merits, and with plenty of adherents. Even the kabbalists had this sort of concept with "tzimtzum," G"d's self-contracting of G"d'self to make space for creation.

Or perhaps this is also a practical understanding - if there are too many "fixed appointments" then the people will never get anything else done. There is such a thing as "too much fun," as "too many festivals."

It's all so confusing, I think I need to go make an appointment with G"d to try and sort it all out. Think G"d's door will be open? Will I be greeted with true welcome, or insincere platitudes? If I manage to get an appointment in which G"d actually talks to me, I'll let you know...

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian

Random Musing Before Shabbat-Kedoshim 5768 - Unfamiliar Spirits

2008-05-02T23:02:00.001-04:00

A number of times in the Torah, and in this week's parasha also more than once, we are reminded not to interact with or trust in ghosts or familiar spirits. As we know, when something appears multiple times in the Torah, we can assume attention is being called to it (like not boiling a kids in its mother's milk.)
It's sort of funny and ironic that, over the thousands of years that have passed since these injunctions were first recorded, Jewish culture has, like many others, become infected with all sorts of superstitions, use of amulets, golems, dybbuks, and more.

When we look at the Hebrew words, we discover some interesting things. The term most often used for ghosts looks suspiciously like it was derived from the root for father/ancestor.

Yet, if our ancestors could truly offer us advice and information, why would we not want it? Or is Torah warning us that such knowledge may appear to be genuine, but that, in this Universe of G"d's creation, it is not?
The word for spirits is clearly derivative of the verb root meaning "to know" and could perhaps mean "those who know things." Of course, the question is "do they know things they shouldn't know" ?

In point of fact, one might even question the very existence of Jewish metaphysics (in the form of Kabbalah) as being somewhat inconsistent as well. (The Kabbalists do dance great big circles and take great pains to avoid the trappings that might give the impression of being related to ghosts and spirits. Such beliefs are not what Kabbalah is all about. Nevertheless, are these thiongs that we are not meant to know or understand. Are we looking where we shouldn't be looking? Seeking to know what we shouldn't know?

What knowledge is truly esoteric? Is the knowledge of good and evil, that Adam and Chava acquired after eating from the fruit, really knowledge we weren't supposed to know? It seems likely. Now that we know it, it is surely no longer esoteric. Yet there was that other tree in the garden, the tree of life. Of that tree, Adam and Chava did not eat. Is that knowledge now the esoteric knowledge we aren't supposed to know?

We are a curious species. We want to know. We want to understand. When we can't understand, we often turn to religious or metaphysical explanations. Now a whole industry has grown up around trying to blend pure scientific knowledge with esoteric religious knowledge.

We also study history, attempting to gain knowledge from our ancestors. Even here, there is a struggle between empirically clear knowledge of history, and esoteric knowledge. (Think "intelligent design.") Is that consorting with familiar spirits?

If nothing else, the Torah is cautioning us to be suspicious of the information gained from ghosts, through divination, and consorting with familiar spirits. Yet in the Torah we read of the urim and thummim. They were surely oracular devices.

It's all so confusing, I just don't know what to make of it all. Oy. So this musing has no conclusion, no great insight. I am going to have to spend Shabbat struggling to understand what these prohibitions regarding ghosts and familiar spirits are all about. I hope I can get rid of enough of my own ghosts to do so successfully.

Shabbat Shalom,

-Adrian
©2008 by Adrian A. Durlester

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Pesach VII 5768 - Department of Redundant Anamnesis Department

2008-04-25T15:09:00.001-04:00

In keeping with the theme from my 5761 musing for Pesach VII, which I redundantly used again in 5765 (with a few extra thoughts), a little redundant redundancy as I re-use that same musing for even more "Redundant Anamnesis." Though, as always, I couldn't refrain from adding a few new thoughts for this year as well..

Random Musings Before Shabbat-Pesach VII 5761 (Revised 5765, 5768)

Redundant Anamnesis

A quick thought before this Shabbat. It's a word I've used before. Literally "again to remember" but more commonly seen as "making the past present." It is surely something we do at our Pesach Sedarim each year. In fact, we are commanded to act as if we ourselves had been freed from slavery in Egypt. And it is a theme that is carried through the Pesach festival. On the seventh day, we read again all of parashat Beshalach plus just the first few lines of Yitro (Exodus 13:17-15:26.) We once again recount the miracle that Gd performed at the Sea of Reeds. We "remember again." We also read the few short lines from parashat Pinchas in Bamidbar that speak of the Pesach festival (Numbers 28:19-25.) We "remember again." (Though notice, cleverly, how the sages have us not read the first 3 lines of this passage, which describe the time and first day of Pesach. Perhaps they wish to remind us that we are at that seventh day, the one that is to be a holy occasion to us, as told in the last line. And by starting at verse 19, and including the lines about the sacrifices, it reminds us that we perform these rituals throughout the Festival.)

Our sages were wise. They knew that just remembering for two nights of the seven days of the Pesach festival weren't enough. They chose readings for Hol Hamoed and the last days of Pesach that continue the process of anamnesis.

And the haftarah from II Samuel (22:1-51) is yet another bit of anamnesis, as David recalls the miracles that Gd performed for him, allowing him to be victorious over his enemies, just as Gd had performed miracles for Israel during the Exodus. [Imperfect a human as he was, we read in these words attributed to him David's wavering between moments of hubris (look at what I did) and humility (look what Gd has done.)] (2005)

[It's also interesting to examine the differences between Moses' song and David's song, particularly in the imagery of Gd. The Gd in Moses' song is much more the active warrior. And there's no hint that it was other than Gd who brought forth the miracle for which Moses is now singing Gd's praises.] (2005)

[2008- In re-reading this Haftarah, I am really stunned by the warrior G"d imagery. This text, and many others, set a precedent for self-righteous religious puffiness, something we ought to be avoiding and not endorsing during Pesach. I'm a great hero because I have followed G"d's ways, so G"d will do battle for me, and enable me to do well in battle. Where's the humility? Where's the compassion. Why can't David pray something like this:

Dear G"d
I have tried so very hard to follow Your ways
And though I may not have always been able to live up to Your expectations
You have always been my protecting shield
Perhaps you find some merit in me
That you enable me to defeat those who would oppose me (and therefore oppose You)
And give me skills and intelligence to succeed against my enemies
I am no hero, G"d.
I am but Your humble servant
May you continue to be merciful and compassionate
When we left Egypt, and Pharaoh's army was drowned in the sea
Did you not rebuke us for celebrating without noting the tragedy
That some of Your creations had to die?
O Rock and Protector,
May we know a present and a future with no need for heroes, for war, for killing, for suffering
And may we always regret the war, killing, and suffering in our past.

Well, I'd like to think it's what he could have said instead. Oh, well.] (2008)

[There's also three wonderful verses that give a different idea of the balance that Gd may have been seeking with the "lex talionis" (eye for an eye.) In II Samuel 26-28 we read:

With the loyal You deal loyally
With the blameless hero, blamelessly
With the pure you act in purity
And with the perverse You are wily
To humble folk You give victory
And You look with scorn upon the haughty (JPS)

(Not to argue with the scholarship of the editors of the JPS Tanakh, but a more literal translation might be:

With a pious one, you make yourself pious
With a blameless hero, blamelessly
With a pure one, You make yourself pure
With a twisted one, you make yourself tortuous
To humble people, deliverance
And in your eyes the high are made low)
As David says in the preceding verse, Gd deals with us as our purity appears to Gd. A balance is attempted by Gd to mete out just treatment. Yet this is a rather human trait-to treat others as they treat us. And the temptation to deal with the wicked with wickedness is hard to resist. But I digress. Back to our redundant anamnesis.] (2005)

And on the 8th day of Pesach we perform yet one more act of anamnesis with a Yizkor service, bringing our deceased love ones to life through remembering them.

So, while it may seem redundant to say "redundant anamnesis" that's exactly what we have here. Repetitive remembering again. And how wonderful and meaningful it is to do so. To live each day of the present as though the miracles of the past were happening to us, right at this moment. [In a way, they truly are. We are, after all, still here. That, in itself is a miracle. Let's not be so quick to attribute this to our own stubbornness and stiff-necked-ness, lest in our hubris we are made humble by Gd.] (2005)

[2008 - I cannot emphasize this enough. Our survival cannot be entirely attributed to our stubborn nature as a people. And if that is what we count on to carry us into the future, we should be wary. Yes, our stubborn nature has helped, but I wonder if, instead, we might try another approach?] (2008)

So, have a little anamnesis this Shabbat. Remember. Remember again. And again. And again. Until you truly are one with the past and it is one with you.

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian

An Amazing Person

2008-04-24T21:09:00.001-04:00

I have been fortunate in selecting the staff I work with in my various positions over the years. Sometimes you find some real gems among them. Here's a link to the blog of one absolutely amazing teacher I have on my staff. I've sort of had the opportunity to watch this incredible young woman grow from a young child, albeit only from once a year or so encounters at CAJE Conferences. It gives me chills and thrills to actually have her on my religious school staff now. If you want to be inspired by a can do attitude, I encourage you to check out the blog of Tamar Straus-Benjamin. Her story is far from over, and she's well worth keeping an eye on. Yet you'll be amazed what this incredible young woman, facing the difficulties of CAPD (central auditory processing disorder) can teach you. She has certainly taught me.

I was cognizant of Tamar's challenges, but, speaking frankly, they never really entered into the thought process of inviting her to come teach for me. I'll also be honest enough to say that I probably haven't provided the best working environment or support for Tamar, but it is a testimony to her resilience that she has done a most amazing job. She is beloved by the students she works with. She has an incredibly keen sense of spotting the various challenges that a student might face, and an extreme sensitivity in working with those students. Would that every one of my teachers could have such sensitivity.

She is also, first and foremost, a mensch, if you'll forgive the use of the male terminology. Tamar doesn't just talk the talk of Judaism, of dealing with learning disabilities and challenges - she walks the walk - in every way. I'm inspired by her, and discovering her blog, I hope I can point the way for more of you to find inspiration from this truly amazing person.

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Acharei Mot/Shabbat HaGadol 5768- Why Wait for Elijah?

2008-04-18T16:41:00.001-04:00

It couldn't be any simpler or plainer.

From the haftarah for this Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat before Passover, from Malachi, last of the prophets.

Malachi first lambasts the people

6 For I am the Lord—I have not changed; and you are the children of Jacob—you have not ceased to be. 7 From the very days of your fathers you have turned away from My laws and have not observed them. Turn back to Me, and I will turn back to you—said the Lord of Hosts.

The choice is ours:

19 For lo! That day is at hand, burning like an oven. All the arrogant and all the doers of evil shall be straw, and the day that is coming—said the Lord of Hosts—shall burn them to ashes and leave of them neither stock nor boughs. 20 But for you who revere My name a sun of victory shall rise to bring healing.

Yet, ultimately, in the end, ki l'-olam khasdo, God's kindness is everlasting:

23 Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of the Lord. 24 He shall reconcile parents with children and children with their parents, so that, when I come, I do not strike the whole land with utter destruction.

As I wrote about recently, our Christian co-religionists have concluded that humankind is utterly irredeemable, and only an ultimate sacrifice will do. Our own Jewish tradition takes a different viewpoint. We are indeed obstinate and stubborn. The wicked will ultimately perish. However, God seems determined to not left that happen. Somehow Eliyahu will bring out the best that is in all of us and when it is time for God's judgment, we will do God proud.

I have a suggestion, however. Let's not wait for Eliyahu to come to make it happen. At our seders, when we open the door for th prophet, let's let him in. He'll be there is we want it to be so.
Ken y'hi ratson. Ken y'hi ratsoneinu.
Shabbat Shalom and a Zissen Pesach,
Adrian
©2008 by Adrian A. Durlester

We're Not Tarheels, We're Pickles - Keep NCSA NCSA!!

2008-04-14T12:11:00.001-04:00

Dont let them change NCSA's name!

Sign the petition at http://www.ipetition.com/petition/NCSAname/

or write to: proposednamechange@ncarts.edu

I am fortunate to be a member of a privileged few - those lucky enough to have been a student at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Composer Vittorio Giannini was on the faculty at Juilliard during the time I was beginning my studies at the Preparatory Division*(see below) of The Juilliard School. In 1963 he left Juilliard (and his other positions at Manhattan School of Music and elsewhere) to become the founding president of a new institution, the North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA)

NCSA was a product of the North Carolinian golden age under the leadership of Governor Terry Sanford. Brainchild of Governor Sanford and historical fiction novelist John Ehle, it was established to be "the professional training, as distinguished from the liberal arts instruction, of talented students in the fields of music, drama, the dance and allied performing arts, at both the high school and college levels of instruction, with emphasis placed upon performance of the arts, and not upon academic studies of the arts."

For three years, until his untimely death in 1966, Giannini shaped NCSA into a model performing arts training school. Composer Robert Ward replaced Giannini, and continued to shape NCSA through its first decade.

I came to NCSA in 1973, just in time to be selected to work with Duncan Noble as stage manager for the NCSA Tenth Anniversary Celebration. (I'm convinced to this day that this was like a fraternity rite - "let's give the little punk from New York City something to knock the chip off his shoulder.")

The training I received at NCSA was just what I had been looking for. I had looked into the programs at Carnegie Mellon, CalArts, and the newly opened SUNY Purchase. Surely the more cosmopolitan setting of Pittsburgh for Carnegie-Mellon, or SUNY Purchase's close proximity to the great white way would prove more attractive. Then I had somehow been reminded (perhaps by my Mother) of that school off in the boondocks that Giannini had left Juilliard to found. My interview visit to Winston Salem and NCSA was all it took to convince me that NCSA was the right place. Here was a truly "professional training school." The hands-on learning opportunities available were far in excess of those available elsewhere to freshman and sophomores.

NCSA was indeed unique. In some ways, especially socially, it was a rather bewildering experience for this shy, piano-playing, bookish science nerd from NYC. However, the education and experience were exemplary. The required cross-training (acting and dance class for techies among them) as well as a breadth of training in the technical theatre arts required by the School of Design and Production (I never did get the hang of costuming but I did try) have stood me well in my professional life. Even now, when I have left my 25 theatre career for a second career in Jewish Education, the things I learned at NCSA, the teachers who taught me, and the friends I made continue to be a part of my everyday life and work.

(My NCSA skills are always with me. Whether it's entertainment at a CAJE Conference, a Purim Shpiel, or the Jewish Folk Arts Festival where I managed the entertainment, the techie inside me still gets it chance to shine. Twice, in the last four years, the local Jewish community here in the DC Metro area has produced a mass-choral extravanganza at the beautiful new Strathmore Music Center. To whom did they turn to try and figure out the logistics of getting 500 people on and off stage, and to serve as liason with the tech staff. Yep, the NCSA alum among them, me. And unlike the many other local community groups that come to utilize Strathmore, the PM and tech staff don't go running off to hide, and roll their eyes when they know I'm their contact.)

In the 80s and 90s, when I was managing performing arts facilities, I knew that the touring shows coming through with NCSA alumni on their staff would be smoother experiences. Through my activities in the United State Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), an organization I was introduced to and first joined while at NCSA, I could always sense the awareness of NCSA's professional reputation. When the School of Filmmaking was added, almost 20 years after I was a freshman, I knew that this reputation would only grow bigger.

I am always amazed at the many graduates of NCSA, whether dancer, musician, singer, actor, techie, designer, visual artist, whose names appear in show and film credits, and who have won awards. I am also amazed at the number of my fellow alumni who are still hard at work doing what they learned to do at NCSA.

A while back, NCSA's current president sent out a note that they were considering changing the name to make NCSA's connection as a constituent part of the University of North Carolina system. The proposed new names was "The University of North School of the Arts." Initially, while I found the idea distasteful, I was somewhat resigned to the idea that, given the "way things are today" in politics and academia, I suppose this was an inevitable change.

However, given a chance to reflect upon it, I came to the conclusion that such a change would be more than cosmetic, and could potentially change the very nature of NCSA. Given NCSA's stellar record, particularly because of its uniqueness, name recognition is important.

Make no mistake - From its inception, NCSA was part of the University of North Carolina system. Hard to forget that when the daughter of the President of of UNC, William Friday, was a student. I am certain that the good citizens of North Carolina have been, and remain keenly aware of NCSA's place as a unique opportunity within the UNC system. I recall touring about parts of North Carolina, showcasing the school to students.

Below are excerpts of an email I wrote in response to the solicitation of reactions to the proposed name change:

I have come to conclude that changing the name of NCSA by adding the "U" in front has the potential for changing the character of the institution that has so lovingly and successfully empowered over 4 decades performing and visual artists, can pose potential negatives for student recruiting, and is also disrespectful to the alumni of the school...

The founders of the school choose carefully and wisely in both location and name, creating a school that was at once both unique and recognizable, yet a source of pride to the people of North Carolina. I recall with great satisfaction and fond remembrance being part of the NCSA Showcase that went on the road to different corners of the state. While we might have thought of ourselves as that "neurotic crazy students asylum" the good people of North Carolina that we encountered on the road appeared to be pleased that such a specialized education was available to their children. There was no doubt in their minds that we were part of the educational services available to them through the auspices of the UNC system-they didn't need a "U" to tell them that. It was equally clear that they were intrigued by the uniqueness of this particular component of those offerings, and saw it as an alternative for those children who were passionate and serious about the performing and visual arts...

In the three decades I have been away from North Carolina, I doubt that NCSA's reputation and renown has decreased, so why the sudden push to change the name? I don't believe the good citizens of North Carolina are any more confused about the fact that NCSA is part of the University system than they were in the 70s. I think it does the citizens a disservice to assume that they don't know this, and that they need this "special reminder."

As to those from out-of-state, I can only wonder if they can be so easily convinced to apply to the finest performing and visual arts school in the country - a place where the individual and unique passions of students can be realized - if the first perception they have is that it is just another cog in the machinery of a huge university system.

While I haven't yet made a reunion, I had the opportunity to visit the campus two summers ago. Even during that time, without the hubbub of student life all around, the passion was palpably present - the ghosts haunting older, now unused spaces which were new during my time at NCSA, and the spirits now occupying the new spaces. There may have been physical changes, but the school felt the same. I think the name change could destroy that.

I urge the Board to seriously reconsider its decision to support the name change."

While at NCSA, I was a recipient of a scholarship in Vittorio Giannini's name. I want to see the vision carried on under the same good name that it started.

If you are an NCSA alum, or just someone who believes that the name should remain the same, please Sign the petition at http://www.ipetition.com/petition/NCSAname/

or write to: proposednamechange@ncarts.edu

ONWARD, PICKLES! SLING 'EM BY THE WARTS!

Adrian A. Durlester
Design & Production, Class of 1977

*-Juilliard's initial program for students in grades K-12 was indeed the "Preparatory Division" and not the "Pre-College Division" as it is now known. Sadly, Lincoln Center insisted that Juilliard abandon the "Preparatory Division" as a condition of Juilliard becoming part of Lincoln Center because it could have the appearance of being amateurish or sub-professional. Juilliard President Peter Menin resurrected the division as the "Pre-College Division" in the new building at Lincoln Center, but, sadly, not before a large number of promising students and faculty had been left behind. (For me, this was a fortuitous happenstance. The Manhattan School of Music took over the old Juilliard Building on Claremont Avenue. MSM Preparatory Division's, in my opinion, vastly superior approach, proved to be foundational in establishing my initial career and approach to it. Fortunately, as well, my beloved piano teacher, Princess Elena Powstuck-Wolkonsky made the switch to Manhattan. In addition, MSM introduced me to three people who become mentors for me: Cynthia Auerbach (z"l), Jerry Sherk, and M.M. Streicher.

After 8 years of studying piano, solfege and participating in choirs, MSM's Preparatory Division introduced me to a whole new world, especially through its annual Preparatory Division opera production. I wasn't particularly eager to be on stage, or in the orchestra pit, so technical production was all that was left. Somehow, I found myself not just a stagehand, but an "assistant stage manager" which was, for all practical purposes, a jack of all trades. I learned an incredible array of technical crafts including building scenery, lighting, props, scenic painting, rigging, and, of course, the fine art of stage management.

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Tazria 5768 - Just Not Good Enough is Just Not Good Enough

2008-04-04T15:12:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while, things just come together. These moments are rare, however, and they can slip by us if we let them. This time, I'm determined not to let it slip by me.

As much as I enjoy the work of redeeming irredeemable texts, all week long I have been dreading the encounter with parashat Tazria. This whole concept of "tum'a," impurity or uncleanness, is difficult for us to wrap our modern sensibilities around. To be sure, there have been many attempts to do just that, through apologetics, referring to the text in its own context, and other means.

The venerable Baruch Levine, editor of the JPS Commentary on Leviticus argues that rather than seeing tum'a as a negative state, we can view it as showing veneration for the significant life events of birth, death, and illness. He asks us to look beyond the layers of superstition that have been added over the millennia.

And so we play these self-deceptive tricks, trying to understand tum'a as a sort of spiritual impurity. We wander through our orchard, our "pardes" of p'shat (plain meaning,) remez (hints of deeper meaning,) d'rash (looking for deeper meaning though comparison, and sod (secret) searching for meaning in our own time and context.

Sometimes, those wandering stray pretty far, as they did for me this week.

The congregation where I work has a sharing partnership, a covenant, with a Presbyterian church - we share the same sacred spaces in the same building. At least once every year (and in practice, far more often in informal settings) our spiritual leaders lead us in a joint interfaith dialog, trying to understand each others' perspectives. This year's topic was "covenant" and the first of two sessions was held this week. Though it was intended to lay a foundation for understanding the meaning of the term covenant in both Jewish and Christian views, the conversation often strayed into tangential pathways. One that seemed to strike a particular chord for the 50 or so folks present was the idea of "original sin."
The Jewish view, in essence (though keep in mind that the answer to "does Judaism believe...?" is always yes, no and maybe) is that t'shuva, repentance, is always possible. The Christian view, in its essence (though again, the yes, no, maybe applies) is that we are by nature so irredeemable that an ultimate sacrifice was required on G"d's part. Of course, modern protestant Christian theology seeks to distance itself from this. Yet, even to the discomfort of his own congregants, the church's pastor could not outright reject original sin as a core understanding. As the Reverend Jon Smoot put it so aptly, "we are all toast." (Now, there's fodder for a Nadav and Avihu musing for next year. Just wait. I've kept my notes.)

As our congregation's spiritual leader Hazzan Sunny Schnitzer pointed out, the Jewish view is that ultimately anyone can be a lamed vavnik, one of the 36 righteous persons thought to exist in every generation. He also reminded us that, historically, humanity, and the Jewish people in particular have continually failed to live up to the standard that G''d requires to keep up G"d's end of the covenant (though, in the end, for Jews and Christians both, G"d is ultimately compassionate and loving and forgiving.) For Christianity (and note I say "Christianity" and not "christians") G"d, finally deciding that humanity, having acquired the knowledge of good and evil through Adam and Chava in Gan Eden, simply could not live up to the covenantal standards - no amount of ritual sacrifice as prescribed in the Torah would be enough. Thus G"d made the ultimate sacrifice, by sacrificing G"d's own self through an incarnation.

I don't accept that premise, and will stubbornly maintain that the Jewish position that we are all ultimately redeemable is correct. So, being consistent with my own position, I ought to accept that the troubling parts of parashat Tazria are also ultimately redeemable. But how?
Now, in thinking about the situation on this planet around 2000 years ago, while I don't really accept the concept, I can see some sense in G"d making a choice to become incarnate so that G"d could better understand why G"d's creations were having so much trouble trying to keep the covenant, in trying to act righteously. If we play out this little mind game, we wind up asking if this attempt to learn about humanity through becoming incarnate was a success or failure. The answer, of course, depends on your point of view on whether or not humanity is capable of rising to the righteousness desired by G"d. From my point of view, arguing that we cannot is taking the easy way out, the path of least resistance. If G"d did indeed decide, after this brief period of living through proxy as one of G"d's own human creations, that we were hopeless, I'm not sure that's a G"d in which I can or want to believe. Were I to accept the idea of this incarnation, I'd say it was successful if G"d took a look around, and decided to give humanity another few millennia to work it all out.

Now, I don't believe for a second that G"d chose to become incarnate in one itinerate rabbi from Nazareth. I'm perfectly capable of believing however, the one Saul of Tarsus, renamed Paul, could come to the conclusion that humanity is ultimately irredeemable, and, perfect car salesman that he was, co-opt the death of the leader of a reform Jewish movement as an ultimate sacrifice by G"d, to relieve humanity from of the obligation to follow all those silly rules in the Torah. Thus, in this make-believe scenario, G"d's attempt to understand humanity through proxy was a dismal failure. For me, for those who accept Paul's invented religion, it would have to be viewed as a failure - that G"d so loved the world that G"d sacrificed G"d's incarnate proxy as the ultimate sin offering of all time. “My creations just aren't good enough, and never will be, so I will make a final atonement for them so that they may live." Gives me shivers just to think about that. Not a G"d of my understanding.

Having come to reject thoroughly the idea that our failures are insurmountable, I perhaps gain new insight into parashat Tazria. I haven't quite worked it all out yet, but there's a kernel of an idea there. This state of "ritual impurity" called tum'a is not permanent. I may not like or agree with how this state of tum'a has been defined in the Torah, and I know that it creates a particular problem for women, but just knowing that it is a state from which one can recover through action, deed, ritual, perhaps even thought, or just plain time (as in the case of ritual impurity from menses) makes it just that little but more palatable - especially compared to the notion that we are all stuck in a state of perpetual tum'a from which only G"d can release us. What kind of covenant is that? If a covenant is two-way, what's the point? If only one party can do anything, is it a covenant?

So I leave you with this little crack in the veneer of parashat Tazria to explore for yourself, along with others. I know I will certainly be digging deeper into it.

Now, I'd like to leave you there, but I simply can’t resist another part of the strange convergence. It's the haftarah for Tazria, which only is read in leap years and other times when the usually combined parashiot of Tazria and Metzora are not combined.

Now, this year, it is Shabbat HaHodesh, and so we read from Ezekiel, which talks about "temple dues," the high priest making expiation for all the people, the Passover sacrifice, a bunch of narishkeit on purifying the Temple and sacrificial rituals, and a nice little inheritance clause for priestly families, with a sneaky little trick using the sabbatical year to make sure that descendants of priests get back any gifts their ancestors made to any plain old common person. Yet for my convergence to work, I need to focus on the usual haftarah for Tazria, so I ask your indulgence.)

What is the haftarah about? Miracles. The miraculous multiplying of 20 loaves of bread to be able to feed hundreds and still have some left over. The miraculous healing of lepers. Stories certainly borrowed for later use by the disciples of that itinerant rabbi from Nazareth. What can I learn from their retelling and reinterpretation of these miracles? What does it mean that these same stories come from my own tradition? I know there is something there that can strengthen my own Judaism if I but open myself to it. (Just as my experience as one a few Jewish students at a nominally Christian divinity school strengthened my Judaism.) If I have learned anything in my time on this earth, it is that we need not fear the encounter with the other. Interfaith dialog that seeks to persuade, proselytize, or convert is not dialog. As Heschel wrote, "The purpose of religious communication among human beings of different communities is mutual enrichment and enhancement of respect and appreciation, rather than the hope that the person spoken to will prove to be wrong in what he regards as sacred." Rowan Williams, current Archbishop of Canterbury understands interfaith encounter as I do: "In the context of interfaith encounter, we need to bring to the surface how our actual beliefs shape what we do - not simply to agree that kindness is better than cruelty." In that spirit, I look forward to next week's part II of the inter-congregational dialog on covenant. May I find fodder for more yet musings then. Ken y'hi ratson.

Shabbat Shalom,

-Adrian

We Wonder Why Public Education is Failing?

2007-12-03T13:43:00.001-05:00

I was listening to the Kojo Nnamdi show today on WAMU. At one point, the current head of the Prince George's County (Maryland) school system used the non-existent and illogical word "irregardless." We wonder why public education is failing? When superintendents, chancellors and others can't use proper English, we must really start to question our standards.

To his credit, John Deasy, the Superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools did properly use the word "remuneration," which Kojo then repeated with the frequent misspeaking "renumeration." (Which, given Kojo's usually erudite prose, was quite surprising.)

Abuse of the English language is everywhere,and becoming far too common, even among people holding the most important of positions. (Need I say more about one George W. Bush?)

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Tol'dot 5768 - Alternate Histories, Alternate Shmistories

2007-11-09T14:58:00.001-05:00

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Tol'dot 5768

Alternate Histories, Alternate Shmistories

Alternate histories have become a popular form of fiction these days. As I've already taken the liberty of creating modern midrashim to enhance my understanding of the Torah, why not go that one step further? I was sort of on the cusp of doing this with my recent musing based on the "Diary of Terakh." Imagine, perhaps, a world in which Terakh was the one first called by G"d to go forth, and had completed the journey all the way to the promised land, becoming the progenitor of the Jewish people.

If you can imagine that, why not imagine other scenarios?

Rebekkah, already unhappy with Esav for marrying outside the clan, and clearly favoring Yaakov, overhears her feeble old husband Yitzkhak say to Esav that he wanted to give Esav his blessing, and asked him go out, hunt some game, and prepare his favorite dish, after which time he would give Esav the "blessing of his soul."

She hurries to Yaakov, and instructs him to essentially deceive his father so that he might receive the blessing instead of Esav.

Yaakov may be studious and a mama's boy, but upon hearing this suggestion refuses to do as his mother asks, and even chastises her for being so duplicitous.

Rebekkah's response:

Alternate 1) She tells Yaakov to not be such a hypocrite - after all, he had already tricked his brother out of the birthright! Yaakov is chagrined and decides to go along with his Mother's plan after all.

Alternate 2) Rebekkah recognizes the enormity of what she has asked Yaakov to do, and asks forgiveness from Yaakov and G"d. Esav returns home, prepares a meal for his father, and receives his father's blessing.

OK, now we have a weird situation. Yaakov has the birthright, but Esav has the blessing. So what happens? Maybe G"d invents lawyers?

Let's try another.

Rebekkah holds her tongue and says nothing to Yaakov. Esav returns and receives his father's blessing. OK, we're back to that same weird situation. Call in the lawyers.

And another.

Yaakov agrees to go along with Rebekkah's plan. However, Yitzkhak discovers Yaakov's deception and angrily denounces him. Yaakov says "it was all my mother's idea." Yaakov sends Yitzkhak and Rebekkah away (and they go off to live with Hagar and Yishmael - there's a whole story in itself. Does Hagar at first refuse to take them in and is later persuaded by Yishmael to do so?) Yitzkhak gives his blessing to Esav, and the Jewish people are stillborn. G"d looks for another lineage to carry on (perhaps Yishmael?)

The possibilities are endless. entire books could be written of alternate biblical histories. (Note to self - see if there's a market for this.)

In the end, however, all this is just mental self-gratification (I'll use that euphemistic substitute for decorum's sake.) Whatever happened then, whatever happened at Sinai, whatever happened at a thousands other instants in history - none of that changes the fact that we are here, now. The Jewish people survive - mir zenen do, as the Partisaner Leid says. As I've said a thousand times to students, teachers, and others - unless your a literalistic fundamentalist, it doesn't really matter if things happened exactly as related in the Torah. If the rabbis could view the Torah's stories of creation as metaphoric, the rest of the text is no less suspect. Speaking for myself, the historical accuracy of the text makes little difference. Whatever really happened, I am here now. I accept that I, as a Jew, have been charged with certain obligations and responsibilities. Our heritage provides me with ethical guidance, suggestions on how to live in this world, how to interact with others, how to build a better world. It also provides me with plenty of examples of how not to do that. Whatever choices my ancestors made, the choices are now mine to make. And if Coca-Cola can use it in a commercial, why can't I. As the knight guarding the grail said to Indiana Jones, "choose wisely."

Hmmm - didn't I read something like that somewhere in the Torah?

This Shabbat, and every Shabbat, the choice is mine, the choice is yours, and the choice is ours. Let us pray that we all choose wisely.

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian

Are Parents Really to Blame for Why Hebrew schools Fail?

2007-11-04T22:01:00.001-05:00

While, as a religious school administrator, my first reflex upon seeing the title of this article was "yay, finally somebody who will say it out loud!", upon further reflection, it's a rather simplistic, perhaps even naive and dangerous view.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/virtualtalmud/2007/11/the-parents.html

We do need the parents to be more active and enthusiastic, no doubt. and yes, I do believe that Jewish education in supplemental schools has gotten better. "We're not your parents' (or grandparents') religious school" Yet to simply lay the blame solely at the feet of parents is to abrogate responsibility. We must involve all stakeholders in solving this problem. And we all do share some of the blame.

Parents must be involved, must be insistent, and willing if supplemental Jewish education is to work. If they are not, is it entirely their fault? Of that I am not sure.

Yes, I wish more parents would place greater emphasis on spiritual nourishment for their children than on soccer. If they are not, is that their failing, or ours?

Personal Web Pages Mess. A (Formerly? Loyal) Comcast Subscriber Asks: Is It Time to Pursue a Class Action?

2007-11-02T00:30:00.001-04:00

Back in 1998, I first signed up for cable modem service with home.com, which was quickly acquired by Comcast. I've been a relatively loyal customer since, and haven't really had a lot of service problems over the years. All in all, I've been a pretty satisfied customer of Comcast Internet. So much so that I now use their bundled Internet/digital phone/digital cable package. Comcast has generally been quick to repair or correct problems, and there have been few serious service outages.

Like others, I was thrilled to learn that Comcast was finally upgrading the personal web pages service, giving each user more space, more features, etc. All their messages said the transition would be seamless.

It has been anything but seamless. To begin with, I lost access to my personal web page service almost a week before ever receiving official notice from Comcast that my service was going to be upgraded. I had received a generic announcement from them announcing the upgrades, and letting subscribers know that they would receive a message when their transition was scheduled. So my upgrading has supposedly commenced before I was even told it was going to commence. Expecting it all to be seamless, I figured I might have back in a few hours, maybe a day, but it had already been a week, and I had already called, used web-chat and e-mail to inquire about the timetable. Each time I simply received an assurance that Comcast was aware of the problem and was working to resolve it. Each time they refused to give an estimated time of completion. It has now almost three weeks, and despite repeated queries, all I get is the same stock answer. Three times now, a service agent has promised to "escalate" my request up a tier so that my transition would be quickly completed. Basically, three times these agents lied to me, as each future inquiry the agent told me there was no such escalation request put on my account.

For almost three weeks now, my personal home page has appeared to all who visit it with "last updated on Oct. 12, 2007." Does not Comcast understand how it is making its subscribers look bad? Do they not care? Do they train their employees to lie to placate customers? Did they know before they started this "upgrade" that it would be such a major mess, and take so long? If not, why not? Who dropped the ball?

Comcast owes it subscribers a refund for all the time the service was unavailable to them. Not one peep from them about that. Anyone interested in pursuing a class action against them?

Personal Web Pages Mess. A (Formerly? Loyal) Comcast Subscriber Asks: Is It Time to Pursue a Class Action?

2007-11-02T00:28:00.001-04:00

Back in 1998, I first signed up for cable modem service with home.com, which was quickly acquired by Comcast. I;ve been a relatively loyal customer since, and haven't really had a lot of service problems over the years. All in all, I've been a pretty satisfied customer of Comcast Internet. So much so that I now use there bundled Internet/digital phone/digital cable package. Comcast has generally been quick to repair or correct problems, and there have been few serious service outages.

Comcast owes it subscribers a refund for all the time the service was unavailable to them. Not one peep from them about that. Anyone interested in pursuing a class action against them?

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Hayyei Sarah 5768 - A High Price

2007-11-02T00:14:00.001-04:00

Comcast's "upgrade" to their personal web page hosts have still left me without the ability to upload to my personal website at www.durlester.com. It has been over 2-1/2 weeks! I am posting my Random Musings on my blog so they will be available.

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Hayyei Sarah 5768

A High Price

Was it anguish? Bereavement? Lack of faith in G"d's promises? Mere practicality?

What was it that drove Avraham to practically beg his Hittite hosts for permission to acquire a small piece of property so he could bury his (first) wife there?

In time honored tradition (yes, even back then, they had such things) the Hittites offer to give Abraham any of their own burial places as a gift. Dancing the well-known dance, Avraham refuses their generosity (slyly desiring to not be beholden to the Hittites) and asks to be allowed to purchase a choice burial spot from the Hittite Ephron.

Ephron does his pre-choreographed step and offers to make a gift of the plot to Avraham. Avraham counters again, insisting he be permitted to purchase the desired plot from Ephron for the "full" price.

Now here's where we need to go back a bit. when Avraham first refuses the generosity of the Hittites, he asks them to assist him in dealing with Ephron. (The Hebrew word is fig'u, from the root fey, gimel, ayin, meaning to plead for someone, to urge.) Avraham knew, before he even started the dance, that Ephron was going to extract a high, perhaps even outrageous price for the burial plot. What Avraham was really seeking from the Hittites was to keep Ephron in line, so the negotiation dance would end in a fair exchange of cash for land.

Alas, despite the obligatory rehearsed "generosity" of the Hittite hosts, they did not intercede on Avraham's behalf with Ephron. Ephron responds to Avraham's now publicly professed insistence on paying whatever price Ephron asks (hoping that Ephron will, under duress from his fellow Hittites, actually be fair) with a ritually phrased response - asking Avraham "why should we let an insignificant and petty amount like 400 shekels of silver come between us. Pay me this, and the land is yours." Not exactly the answer Avraham was hoping for.

400 shekels of silver is an absolutely outrageous price for the time. Even allowing for variations in the definition of a "shekel" as a measure of weight that may have occurred over the centuries, 400 shekels is easily ten or twenty times the fair value for such a small parcel of land.

It seems, as well, that a precedent was set. For the people Israel, holding on to this land has always come at a high price. The question then arises, when is that price too high?

G"d is silent on what could be considered a lack of faith on Avraham's part. G"d perhaps is coming to understand that human beings often require just a little something tangible to keep them hopeful of intangible goals and futures promised.

And we, after 1900 years of exile and persecution, and fresh on the heels of the most vicious and heinous attempt in history to wipe us out, surely cannot be blamed for our desire to hold on to that same piece of land, now restored to us. Yet once again, the question must be asked, at what price?

Avraham danced the ritual dance of negotiation with the Hittites. He paid an extremely high price for acquiring the burial plot that included the cave of Machpelah. Centuries later, his descendants had to fight to acquire this land, promised to them by G"d? (Had Avraham's faith been greater, might his descendants have simply walked into the land and possessed it, by G"d's grace? We'll never know.)

Today, modern negotiators are engaged in yet another ritual dance. We presume that they, like Avraham and the Hittites, know the steps. (We must ask, first of all, if the negotiating parties are each following a common set of rules and procedures. It's hard to be sure. Only time will tell.)

In this dance, will we once again have to pay too high a price to get exactly what we want? Perhaps we can learn to recognize when the price is too high, and settle for something less than everything we want?

Perhaps we may come to realize that a price paid almost 3 millennia ago no longer gives us the title to which we think we are entitled. Avraham knew that, as a resident alien among the Hittites, he was not actually entitled to own land. He needed their permission, and he needed to pay a fair price. Perhaps we, too, must be willing to pay a fair price to those we dwell among for the right to own some of their land.

It is not my intent with any of these words to be pro-Zionist, or anti-Zionist, or anything similar. I ask only that all sides learn to negotiate in good faith. Abraham may not have wound up with the fairest deal, but he negotiated honestly, and when, in the end, he had to pay what must have seemed an outrageously high price, he kept his word. We must do no less. And by "we" I mean all sides in this dispute.

In the end, none of the land belongs to us - we are but stewards upon G"d's land. All our negotiations and dealings can seem petty when placed in that framework. I pray that someday all the world will come to know this, and we can all live together in peace.

Shabbat Shalom,

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Lekh Lekha 5768 - The Covenant That (almost) Wasn't

2007-10-22T18:01:00.001-04:00

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Lekh Lekha 5768

The Covenant That (almost) Wasn't

(Excerpts from the Diary of Terakh)

Dear Diary:

Last night, the strangest thing happened. I had gone out for my evening constitutional. I walked along the river. On the other side I could see the glow of fires and could faintly hear the sounds of people in the city. Why, you might ask, would I want to walk by the river and see all that we left behind? Did we not choose, as did the others here in our little country community, to take the risk and move away from there, across the river to this side. Or perhaps, to those we left behind, the other side. Do you know, they actually have a name for us - they call us Ivri, those who have crossed over the Tigris.

I walk there not because I miss the city, its urgent lifestyle and sinful ways. It is to remind me of my choice to forsake those things in search of a better life, a place where I, where all my tribe, can be better people. I have no regrets anymore. If anything, I'd like to move even further away.

These thoughts crowding my mind, I walked unaware, and soon found myself well away from both our new home, and the city. It was an empty place, quiet and peaceful, yet not very familiar. I sat down for a moment upon a rock to gather my wits. It was then that a voice spoke to me. "Terakh," the voice said. Cautious about revealing my location to a bandit, I remained silent. The voice called again, insistently, "Terakh." It didn't seem to be coming from any particular place, it was all around me, yet at the same time, nowhere. It called a third time, even more insistently. "Terakh." This time I threw caution to the wind and answered "I am here."

The voice said: "Go forth from your native land to the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing."

I was dumbstruck. I didn't know what to say, what to ask. I wasn't sure who was talking to me. Could it have been the god El, or perhaps El Elyon, the highest god? Perhaps it was just some friends playing a trick on me? I just couldn't be certain.

I ran home as quickly as I could. Thoughts raced through my mind. Was this a god talking to me? Was I being tested? Perhaps the gods had knowledge of some of my innermost secrets. I've mentioned them to you before, diary. How I am beginning to wonder if all these gods are really just one and the same - they are all just "the" god. El Elyon.

If the gods are testing me, perhaps I should be worried. Maybe it is a warning. On the other hand, maybe I've been chosen exactly because of what I have been thinking.

Only one way to be sure. Tonight, I'm going back to that same place. Wish me luck.

Dear Diary:

Well, I wish I could tell you that everything worked out last night, but in some ways I am more confused than ever. I went back to the place where I heard the voice last night. I sat on the same rock. I waited. And waited. And waited. As I waited, I thought. I imagined scenarios in which one lesser god or another was planning to enlist me in a campaign to increase his status. I wondered again if the various lesser gods were testing me or playing with me. I tried to calm my mind and clear my head by thinking about my idea that there is really only one god. A crystal clarity entered my mind, and just at the moment, the voice spoke again. "Terakh." I decided there was no point in waiting to reply, so I immediately responded "I am here." Again, the voice said: "Go forth from your native land to the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." Summoning up my nerve, I asked "who are you? Are you god?" Again, the voice said: "Go forth from your native land to the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." No matter what I responded, what question I asked - Are you god? Are you a god? "Where should I go? How shall I know when I am there? - I received the same answer: "Go forth from your native land to the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." I finally summoned up the true nerve to ask "and what will i receive if I do as you say?" The voice answered again, "Go forth from your native land to the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." Only this time, it added "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you." Finally, a response, of sorts. Now I just have to figure out what the answer means.

Dear Diary:

I think I figured it out! I've told my old lady, and my son Avram, and all the rest of the clan to start packing - we're moving. I'm sure now that I was right. It was the voice of "the" god that spoke to me, El Elyon. He wants me to go. He won;t tell me where, but he'll let me know when I get there. So how do I know where to go? It's obvious. I almost smacked myself in the head when I realized what the answer was. I simply had to continue the journey I had already started-away from Ur. South and east, perhaps all the way across the Euphrates, perhaps even to the mighty Eastern sea itself. I've heard tell that the land of the Canaanites is quite nice. Maybe we should go there? Well, whatever. When we get to the place where El Elyon wishes us to go, he will surely send us a sign.

Oh, the wife thinks I'm crazy, as does my son Haran, and his wife. Now as to Avram - well, his wife Sarai thinks I'm a total nutcase, but Avram, he just listened patiently to me while I explained what was going on. He said not a word the whole time - just listened and nodded, and, at the end, simply said "sounds good to me." Every son should be thus. Ah, if only Nahor, my beloved son now lost to me, had such an attitude and such respect for his elders, he might still be alive.

You'll forgive me if I don't write in you for a while, dear diary. It;'s going to be a busy time packing up and moving out. Wish me luck. Even with a god, no with "the" god, on my side, I can use all the luck I can get. It's going to be a hard journey.

Dear Diary:

It's been a while since I've had a chance to collect my thoughts and write. We finally left our little village and set out on our journey to wherever. It hasn't been easy, let me tell you. Very slow going. During the days, it is stiflingly hot, and in t he night, one could almost freeze in one's tent. Finding water for all the animals, let alone ourselves, has not been that easy. We've gone through far more of our stores of food than I expected.

Still, I know that "the" god won't abandon me, as long as I show faith. And so we will press onward.

Dear Diary:

The journey is taking it's toll, We've lost a number of sheep, some goats, and even a few of the cows. The women are complaining and nagging, the children are all whining, and even my sons are beginning to grouse a bit. I guess I don't blame them. The food is almost gone, water is scarce, and our flocks continue to die off in droves. I sure hope we come to a town soon. I can't believe "the" god would send us out here only to allow us to die. I must keep up my faith, and shepherd not only my flocks, but my clan, onward.

Dear Diary:

This "god" better deliver, and soon. We're out of food except for what little we mange to find or catch, and the last few wells we encountered were either dry or poison. This is what "the" god wants? Each night when we stop, I pray to El Elyon to show us a sign, to deliver us from hunger and thirst. I get no response, though in my head, I can still hear the echoes of those long ago words: "Go forth from your native land to the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing." I won't be much of a blessing if I'm dead, will I?

Dear Diary:

Thank "the" god. We have found food, water, shelter, and more. We have come to this marvelous city named Haran. The people are friendly and welcoming, even to strangers like us. They offer us food and water, and allow us to camp near the town. Surely, this is the place that "the" god intends for us to be. I'm just waiting for a sign. Tonight, I went out and built a little altar of stones, and sacrificed a lamb and a dove on it to El Elyon - perhaps his power extends even to this faraway place. I wonder. Here, they seem to have many gods, some with names very much like those back home in Ur. Then there are many strange, new gods. The people here like to worship these gods constantly. They all have many little stone idols to which they pray. Pretty crudely made, I must say. Not a decent stone carver in the whole city, I would wager. Maybe I can pick up a little work on the side...

Dear Diary:

Still no sign from "the" god that this is the place where he wanted us to go. Every night I offer a sacrifice and ask "the" god if this is the place of which he spoke. I get no answer. Surely he will speak to me again so that I will know.

The kinfolk seem to really like this place. They've made lots of friends, and we've managed to begin to replace all the flocks and stores that we lost along the way. Soon we'll be no worse off than when we set out. It would be too bad if we're not meant to stay here.

Dear Diary:

We've been here in Haran almost six months now. My how the time flies. The family is thriving, and things are good. Once every week or so, I still offer a sacrifice to El Elyon, and still I receive no response. I have to admit that, a few times, I've gone into the local temple and offered some sacrifices to a few of the local gods - though I must admit it felt a bit uncomfortable.

I think I mentioned before how the folks here just love to have little stone idols of their gods to which they can pray. One day, I stopped by the shop of one of the local stone carvers and we began talking. I showed him a trick or two I knew about stone carving, and he was very impressed. (To be honest, his work is schlock, and I had to work a little at not making my examples look too good, for fear he would just throw me out!) Anyway, to make a long story short, he hired me on the spot to work in his shop, making little stone idols. Goodness, these people have a lot of gods. And everyone seems to want a little stone idol of each of them. Seems kind of silly to me - they pray to these idols as if they were the gods themselves. Well, whatever floats their boat. I've got to get some sleep. I've got a full day of stone-carving ahead of me.

Dear Diary:

Do you know what I actually did last night? I went to that old altar I had built, and offered up a sacrifice to El Elyon. I don;t know what made me decide to do that - perhaps I was nostalgic. Of course, "the", and I mean that sarcastically, of course, "the" god did not respond. No surprise there. Guess it just w wasn't meant to be. well, some of what the god told me is somewhat true. Lots of people here in Haran bless me, and all know my name. They just love the idols I make for them. People come from far away to get my idols. Ever since the old man retired and sold me the business, it's been going like gangbusters. I've had to hire a number of apprentices and helpers. I even ask Avram and Nahor and my grandson Lot to help out in t he shop once in a while. They don't seem to mind helping out in the business, and it's more fun than tending to the flocks - and besides, we have plenty of servants to do that sort of stuff. None of them seem to have quite the knack (or interest) in stone carving that I do. That's a shame. I'm hoping I can pass the business on to my sons and their sons - it's a good living.

Oh, I just have to tell you this great story.The other day, I was in the shop and Avram was helping. I had to go make a delivery, and decided it was safe to leave Avram alone in the shop. When I came back, the place was a mess. There were shattered idols everywhere. When I asked Avram what had happened, he told me that one of the bigger stone idols had attacked the others and smashed them. Well, I grabbed him by his tunic and slapped him across the face. "Don't lie to me!" I shouted at him. "You know that these are nothing but stone - they are not gods." You know the smart-aleck son of mine answered? He gets this cocky look in his eye and says to me "Then why, Father, do you and all the other people pray to them?" I was about to let him have it good, just like I did when he was a child - but then I stopped. I realized he was right. I had taught him well - perhaps too well for his own good. Tonight, I think I may talk to him about my idea that all the gods are really just one god in many representations. I wonder what he'll think of that. I just may leave a legacy after all.

Dear Diary:

This isn't Terakh writing, it's Avram. I just found this diary among dad's stuff. I've some sad news to share. Dad died last week. You should have seen the funeral. Almost everyone in town came. They really liked Dad. well, I think perhaps it was his work that they liked. I wonder how they'd feel if they knew he thought their silly little idols were just that - silly little idols - meaningless hunks of rock.

I don;t know if I;m cut out to take over the family business. I'm not much good at stone-carving. But now that I've read this diary of Dad's, I think I have an idea. I'm going to out tonight for a long walk, and stop and sit on a rock and wait and see if the voice of a god comes to me. wish me luck.

End of diary excerpts.

Like Terakh, how many opportunities have we missed out on, because we weren't patient enough to wait for the guidance we had been promised? Yet, like Terakh, we still have the chance to allow the task that we had been chosen for to be completed - by our future generations. That is why we must teach them well all that we have learned - so they might carry on for us to see the promise fulfilled. G"d is waiting. We need only patience...and faith.

Shabbat shalom,

Adrian

My thanks to Hazzan Sunny Schnitzer and members of the Kemach and Torah study group at Bethesda Jewish Congregation for suggesting and getting me started on this thread of Torah.

Thank You Comcast-NOT

2007-10-22T17:57:00.001-04:00

Dear old Comcast is doing all their subscribers a favor by giving them more space for their websites. How nice of them. However, something seems to have gone wrong during the transition. A good number of sites (my personal site www.durlester.com included) are stuck in a state in which they cannot be updated - even though users can connect to the host, and update web pages as normal. They just don't appear online. Guess they took a snapshot of every site and posted it to a mirror server somewhere and are redirecting URL lookups to that site. Makes me, and thousands of others, look as if we haven't updated our sites lately.

I'm posting my Random Musing for this past Shabbat here since it isn't showing up at my personal site even though the file was posted to it! See the next post here.

Random Musing Before Yom Kippur (cross-posted from my website)

2007-09-21T15:43:00.001-04:00

Random Musing Before Shabbat

Yom Kippur 5768

Run Away!

Run away! There are times I truly feel like I want to run away. Yet in this helter-skelter world of ours, where can one run? And do we all really have the freedom to just "run away?"

Running away can be a form of cowardice. It can also be a wise and strategic retreat. It can be a bold escape, or a spineless evasion.

When we are running away, do we know to where we are running? Does the destination matter? Perhaps, sometimes, it does. At other times, it's only a matter of getting away from wherever we are, or whatever situation in which we have found ourselves.

Jonah ran away. Jonah ran away from G"d. Jonah knew perfectly well that, if he went to Nineveh, he would have no choice other than to proclaim G"d's call for Nineveh to repent or be destroyed. Like all prophets, he can only say that which G"d tells him to say. Bilaam knew that. Joseph knew that. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea, Amos and all the rest knew that as well. They can only preach and prophesy that which G"d desires them to preach or prophesy.

Who can blame Jonah. Who wants to be the bearer of such a message? It surely tends to make one unpopular, or a pariah. And so Jonah attempts to run away as far in the opposite direction as he possibly can from Nineveh. Did Jonah truly believe he could escape G"d's reach? Like many others of his time (whenever that really was) did he still accept that gods could be localized?

Jonah did not escape from G"d. That's no surprise. We have to at least give Jonah credit for being a man with some character, as he did indeed instruct the ships crew to throw him overboard when the sea was about to impose G"d's displeasure on them. (Would G"d really have destroyed the ship and its crew just to make a point? And would G"d still have forced Jonah to carry out his assignment by providing a miraculous saving?) When Jonah went overboard, did he truly believe he was plunging to his death, or that he could swim his way to safety? Was he truly surprised when he was snapped up into the belly of a large fish which later spewed him on to dry land so that he might resume his journey to Nineveh?

Today, I feel like Jonah. Those of you who work as religious professionals (or religious semi-pros) can probably understand. This is one of those crazy years. My job is complicated by the fact that I not only serve the congregation as head of the religious school, but I am the accompanist and director for the choir, the go to person for setting up the sound system in the church's Sanctuary, creating the Yizkor book, getting all the signs made and posted, keeping the website updated, leading tot HH Days services, and numerous "other responsibilities as assigned." This year, with the confluence of the Yamim Noraim and the High Holy Days, and their occurring so early in the year, things have been a little zoo-ey, and, needless to say, somewhat stressful.

(*-as a reminder, my congregation has shared space in a Presbyterian church for 44 years. Our regular worship space is not large enough for the High Holy Days crowd. We have religious school on Saturdays.)

There have been times recently when I have truly wanted to "run away." Those visions that some of you are getting in your head of me running away to frantic music, accompanied by the sound of cows being catapulted at me as I retreat, are not far from the reality. It is a very Pythonesque feeling. At least in the Broadway show, they get an intermission at this point. My intermission won't come until after Simchat Torah. Those cows will keep being thrown at me - whether or not I run away.

Yet, like Jonah, I find I can't run away. Unlike Jonah, I haven't made a serious effort to do so, physically. Yet I have certainly tried to do so mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In my case, I don't want or need to run AWAY from G"d. I need to run TO G"d. I have to find that space where I can do the internal work that will lead me to true t'shuvah.

And so I do try to run away. I tell myself that the labor necessary to insure that our congregants have a meaningful Yom Kippur experience must come first. Yet G"d is calling on me to look inward, to prepare myself for Yom Kippur. Like the workaholic I am, I bury my head in my work and try to avoid G"d's call.

It's odd. Somehow, I feel that I should want to run away from the physical efforts and tasks. Instead, I'm trying to run away from G"d. What gives?

I don't know what gives, but I do know what gives up. Me. I surrender, G"d. I can;t run away from you any longer. I can't keep burying myself in the quotidian details of congregational life and my role as a servant of the congregation, working to insure that others experience the majesty and awe of these days.

I have work to do, but it's not setting up microphones, or putting up signs, or cutting up materials I need for the Tot service tomorrow. Yes, that is all G"d's work too, but now it is time for me to do G"d's work inside myself.

So, for starters, I ask of you, my readers, to forgive me any wrong or hurt I may have caused you, whether inadvertently or deliberately.

I'm not running away any more. Now I am running home.

Shabbat Shalom, Tzom Qal and G'mar Tov,

Adrian

Prayers For A CAJE Friend

2007-08-07T05:41:00.000-04:00

Many of you may know Chava Gal-Or (pka Toni Grossman) a long time CAJE participant and friend to many. Chava's son Aryeh, is having surgey to a remove the cyst in his brain. The surgery would have already started this morning if things were on schedule.
Please keep Aryeh in your thoughts and prayers.

Aryeh Yaacov ben Chava V'Tzvi

A Thank You Shout Out (Almost)

2007-08-06T12:06:00.001-04:00

Cross-posted from cajenet.ning.com. Originally posted Aug 6 at 12:07pm)

I wanted to give a shout out (hey!) to the staff at Edison Theatre, who found the Zoom H-4 digital recorder I accidentally left there last night during the "Four Children" program (Doug, Beth, Joe, Julie. Want to know which one is which-wise, wicked, simple, and doesn't know how to ask? I know, but I'm not telling. Though, as I said to the audience last night, we each have a little bit of all four in us!)

Guess they gave my recorder to Doug, and hopefully I'll get it back from him today! Yay!

CAJE 32 Gets Underway

2007-08-06T11:56:00.001-04:00

(cross-posted from cajenet.ning.com. Originally posted Aug 6 at 11:53am)

Well, yesterday (Sunday evening) was the first official day of CAJE 32 here in St. Louis. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get to see much of it, but I am told it was great. My afternoon was taken up by rehearsals with the CAJE Chorale being directed by Charki Dunn, and then the CAJE Cantor's Choir directed by Neil Schwartz. Both promise to be lots of fun for the participants, and have great performances on Wednesday evening.

Then it was dinner time, but I'm afraid I never got any as the lines were too long and I had to be at the May Auditorium in Simon Hall for a sound check for the "CAJE Id*l" competition (now thankfully renamed "Jewish Star", as if we should have ever been having an "idol" competition at a Jewish conference!) So I missed the opening program, which I am told was good, but ran quite long. My "Make a Modern Midrash" group presented our music video, and I'm told I was suitably embarrassed by the shots of me included in the final product. I hope to get to see it soon. I'm given to understand that editor/director David Frederick and a few helpers were at it all Saturday night with no sleep, and there was even some last minute editing right before the opening program started.

My next task opening night was to Emcee a program featuring my friends and Jewish music powerhouses Doug Cotler, Beth Schafer, Joe Black and Julie Silver. Somehow, this venue never got the word that opening program was delayed, so they started performing before the opening program ended. As I result, I got to do something almost unheard of in CAJE annals. I handed Doug a note letting them know they could go on performing almost and extra half hour or more, because people would be coming soon from the opening program. Like the troupers they are, the four musketeers handled the situation with bravado (not to mention a lot of improv, including a set of "blues" style numbers and a some of Doug's infamous parodies. ) Doug did his "Jew's Blues" and Julie roused the house with a blues version of IHALD (that's I had a Little Dreidl" for you non-music types.) Forgive me, Beth, as I forget what you did for that segment, but I remember it was hot!) Joe Black got to perform "Valentines Day is not a Jewish Holiday, So That's Why I Didn't Send You Flowers" directly to his wife, who was in the audience. Each artist closed with a signature song: Doug did "Listen," Beth did "Children of Freedom" (having to Lev B'Lev earlier,) Joe did [insert name here when my brain wakes up-forgive me Joe] and Julie left us with "Shir Chadash." The audience had a great time, even if we did run a little long. And my apologies for the grainy picture taken with my Motorola Q phone!

There was another series of 45-minute programs after that which I missed, as I headed back to May Auditorium to prepare for "Jewish Star." Around 11 or so, the 12 contestants finally got to have their day on stage before a lively audience and judges (who did great imitations of the real thing.) Sam Glaser ably hosted the event, and I lent my talents to accompanying 9 of the performers. The program finally finished around 12:30am-what bunch of troupers in the audience and onstage. A special shout out to Josh Cohen's really wild fans (of which I am one.) Many of us have gotten to watch Josh "grow up" each year at CAJE. (Of course, even when he was little, I "looked up to him." If you don't get it, don't worry, it's an in-joke.)

From there, it was off to another marathon unofficial kumsitz session in the 3rd floor Ligget-Koenig lounge hosted by the "kumsitz mafia" who proudly state "We will not be shushed at CAJE!"

Being on the over 50 side of alte-kake-ness, I decided to sleep in after that, so I haven't yet been to a workshop or the Expo today (Monday morning) so you'll forgive me if I head off to lunch and another exciting day here at CAJE 32 in St. Louis.

AHHHH (cross-posted from cajenet.ning.com)

2007-08-06T11:25:00.001-04:00

Well, the plane was delayed two hours, but other than that, it was an uneventful trip to St. Louis. The minute I stepped out of my rental car on the campus of Wash U, the old feelings returned, as I kept bumping into friends and acquaintances. It's a little hot for schlepping luggage, and a PITA to have to shell out cash for the parking permit (guess I'll need top find an ATM soon) but all in all, a smooth check-in. Of course, what's the first thing I do when I get to my room? Set up the laptop and blog. Oy. Sigh.

Now to unpack and settle in for another fulfilling CAJE experience. If I can keep my eyes open tonight...

Originally posted Aug 2. 325pm

How Typical

2007-08-06T11:23:00.001-04:00

Cross-posted from cajenet.ning.com

(originally posted August 2nd, 2007 at 5:14am)

Here it is, the night before I head out for CAJE, and it's 5:13am and I haven't slept at all. I thought "no sleep" applied only when actually at CAJE. Sigh. And of course, to save $, I am taking a very early flight which departs at 8am and gets me to STL at 9am. Hope I won't drive my rental car off the road as I kill time perusing the town. Ah, the things we do for CAJE.

At least I once again get to enjoy the leisurely life of past conference chair. Have fun, all you suckers.

What A Difference A Vowel Makes

2007-06-22T12:04:00.001-04:00

Random Musing Before Shabbat-Chukat 5767

What A Difference A Vowel Makes

Our parasha, Chukat, is replete with interesting things on which to comment. We have (not in the order of the text) our sympathetic magic with the copper servant. We have the strange incident of the Israelites being refused passage through Edom, and simply turning away to follow another route (what makes it strange is the fact that the rest of the parasha and much that preceded and follows it show Israel not avoiding conflict, assured of victory by G"d's presence and assurance. Is it because the Edomites were descendants of Esau?) We have the bizarre ritual of the red heifer. The striking of the rock at Meribah. Miriam's death. Aharon's death. Fodder for lots of debate and discourse.

Yet what caught my attention this year was a small orthographic notation by the Masoretes. Interestingly enough, it occurs in verse 32 - the lamed-vav verse of chapter 21. That coincidence enough gives me pause to consider it's often overlooked importance. We have here one of those "written vs. said" words, vowelized one way but read another. The words is vav-yod-yod-resh-shin. It is vowelized as the verbal form "vayirash" which would mean inherited, but it is read as "vayoresh," meaning "dispossessed." Both are variations built on the same verbal root - yod-resh-shin. Like so many Hebrew roots, it has a multiplicity of related yet different meanings. From this simple root we get words meaning "take possession of," "inherit," and/or "dispossess." That simple fact in and of itself is worthy of discussion and inquiry. Is it a reflection of the biblical notion that we are but tenants on G"d's land? That which we possess or inherit is also that from which we can easily be dispossessed, because it is not truly ours, but belongs to G"d.

The entire verse reads: (Numbers 21:32) "Then Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they captured its dependencies and dispossessed the Amorites who were there."

Think of the difference, momentarily, if it were translated as "...and inherited the Amorites who were there."

It is perhaps easier, as an invading force, to simply kill off the people whose land you are taking, rather than dealing with all the logistics of providing for the native peoples of the land you just occupied. In ancient times, and often enough in the Torah, the Israelites often simply wiped out the native occupants. (Of course, is this really what happened, or simply a fanciful re-imagining? And if it is a re-imagining, why, exactly, would we want to re-imagine it in such an awful, horrible, murderous way? Oh, that's right, we can put the blame on G"d. Perhaps the reality was that the Israelites didn't do such a good job dealing with the needs of the native peoples of the lands they conquered and possessed, and it was simpler and easier for the redactors of the text to simply rewrite history so that the natives were wiped out, rather than relate the whole sorry story of the Israelite failures to deal with the native occupants of the lands they occupied.)

Is all this starting to sound a little too familiar. If we shift ahead three thousand years, might wee not find the Israelites in a similar quandary? In its almost 60 year history, medinat (the state of) Israel has been both dispossessor and inheritor. Being a dispossessor certainly hasn't won Israel and points in the popularity arena. Sadly, being an inheritor, and having to deal with Palestinians and others now living with them in they land they have conquered, they don't exactly have a stellar track record either. Oh, no doubt, Arabs, Palestinians and others living in Israel and under Israeli rule probably have rights, services, and possibilities that might not be available to them elsewhere. Still, there's little denying that it's no picnic for Israel's Arabs, Muslims, and other minorities. Israel's neighboring Arab and Muslim states haven't exactly stepped up to help their Palestinians brothers and sisters either. There's plenty of blame to go around.

I'm not here to be political, to Israel bash, or Arab bash, or anything of the sort. I'm simply suggesting that, as "Israelites," we ought to consider what we might learn from this particular orthographical oddity in the Torah, this fine line dividing taking possession, inheriting, and dispossessing. There's something here, and it niggles at me. It could be as simple as understanding that we are all but tenants on G"d's land, yet somehow I think there is more to it. When we go out and conquer a land (and perhaps even when land is given to us by an agreement of other nations) we ought to be mindful of whether or not we want to dispossess all those who live there, and mindful that, if allowed to remain, that we become inheritors of the responsibility of caring for the people whose land we have conquered. And I would remind our Muslim brothers and sisters of the same. When we seek to remake in our own image lands and people we have conquered or subjugated, we only sow the seeds of failure and perhaps our own overthrow or destruction.

This orthographic oddity appears in verse 32 of chapter 21. The lamed-vav verse. The verse of the lamed-vav-the leiv, the heart. If we but look in our hearts, then perhaps we can know what to do - what is right, what is wrong. Then perhaps we can learn how to truly love our neighbors as ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom

Adrian

For other musings on this parasha, visit: www.durlester.com/musings.htm

Irony and Joan Baez

2007-05-02T09:17:00.001-04:00

Joan Baez Unwelcome At Concert For Troops

Before I saw the article linked below, I was reading through the Letters to the Editor in the Washington Post this morning when I came across

this letter.

I thought to myself "a letter from Joan Baez? Can't be." But it was. In the letter, Baez, while clearly stating her lifelong anti-war stance, poignantly regrets her failure to show her support and compassion for the soldiers who returned from 'Nam, underlying her desire to perform for wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan at Walter Reed at the invitation of John Cougar Mellencamp.

She had the grace and forthrightness to admit her failure-and how did the Army reward her for this? By refusing to allow her to perform, even though the arrangements had already been made.

As in Vietnam, our leaders have once again recklessly put American citizens, soldiers and non-military personnel alike, in harm's way. One can certainly express utter contempt for this callous disregard for human life and at the same time be concerned and supportive for those individuals who have served and are serving our country. why are we so incapable of seeing this difference?

Congress has finally developed the guts to tell Dubya it is time to end this fiasco in Iraq and bring our soldiers home. And in return, the administration accuses them of being unpatriotic. Are we really back to the days of "love it or leave it?"

As Charlie Brown would say "I can't stand it! I just can't stand it!"

Link to Joan Baez Unwelcome At Concert For Troops - washingtonpost.com

Gun bill gets shot down by panel (VA Tech - On Drudge)

2007-04-16T19:41:00.001-04:00

Warning-don't read this link (below) unless you are prepared to be sickened and revolted at the self-righteous proclamation of gun-loving nuts claiming that if students at VTU had been allowed to carry guns, that today's incident would have been limited in scope. What part of "how did the shooter get his guns?" don't they get? Are these idiots serious? They really think more guns are the answer? Sickening. With any luck, the tragedy at VTU will finally spur the VA legislature to enact some serious gun control laws. Presently, VA has some of the most lenient laws on the books. VA owes it to the memory of all those slaughtered today in Blacksburg to finally enact some gun control laws.

Quote

Gun bill gets shot down by panel (VA Tech - On Drudge)

Link to Gun bill gets shot down by panel (VA Tech - On Drudge)

French Jews Petition U.S. for Asylum

2007-03-22T15:50:00.001-04:00

I don't know what to make of this story from the JTA. It seems 7,000 French Jews are petitioning the U.S. for political asylum, stating they cannot continue to bear the increasing anti-Semitism in France . Of course, French Jewish authorities are poo-pooing the petition. All I can think about is: "boy who cried wolf" or "captain of the Titanic" and wonder which one it really is.

Migdalor Guy.

American Jews, Israel, AIPAC, Iran and Iraq

2007-03-22T15:42:00.001-04:00

In this week's C.Ha, an email newsletter for Jewish tweens and teens published by Torah Aura Productions, which I edit, I've included several articles related to the increasing differences arising in the American Jewish community on the relationship and role of American Jews with Israel, the limits (if any) of responsible criticism, and how all this plays out in relation to the war in Iraq, what might happen with Iran, and all the brou-ha-ha surrounding AIPAC.

George Soros' piece in the NY Review of Books "On Israel, America, and AIPAC" has stirred as much controversy as the paper "Progressive Jewish Thought and the New Anti-Semitism" published last December by the AJC.

I also included a Ron Kampeas article from JTA regarding the timidity of organizational American Jewry to speak out against the war in Iraq.

Then for just the hint of perfect irony, a reference to Shimon Peres' recent pronouncement to the settlers in Hebron that peace may ultimately be more important than holding on to Hebron. (He said he'd rather see them living in Kiryat Arba anyway.)

About the Peres piece, I asked readers: "What would our ancestors, our prophets, our rulers do? What do Torah and Judaism teach us about this situation? Should we give up a Jewish presence in Hebron for the cause of peace?"

About the Soros piece, I asked readers: "Criticism of AIPAC is part of the wider debate in the American Jewish community regarding the relationship between Israel and America’s Jews. Is criticism of AIPAC by Jews appropriate? Does AIPAC’s influence with the Bush administration play into the hands of anti-Semites who see Jewish conspiracies everywhere? What are an American Jew’s obligations when it comes to support and criticism of Israel? Is there a tipping point where American Jewish criticism of AIPAC simply plays into the hands of Israel’s enemies and anti-Semites?"

About the Kampeas piece, I asked readers: "It’s another complicated piece of the American Jewry and Israel discussion. Should support for Israel and tough stances against Iran and other threats to Israel by the Bush administration overweigh Isaiah’s prophetic call to beat swords in plowshares?"

I ask you, dear readers, the same questions. I ask myself, as well. Not sure I have all the answers.

Migdalor Guy

Back the Bunny!!

2007-03-22T15:12:00.001-04:00

Rabbi Rami Shapiro has written a delightful response to a campaign by a California woman to get people to start using the more PC "Spring Bunny" instead of "Easter Bunny."

It's a great read. Back the Bunny!!

Link to Toto: Back the Bunny

Hat tip to shamir*power over at Jewschool.

Is the Death of the TV Commercial Really a Good Thing?

2007-03-15T21:25:00.001-04:00

Source: The days are numbered for the 30-second TV spot - Mar. 14, 2007

While this isn't the source where I originally heard this story, it reports essentially the same news--that Apple's new TV Device, due to be released this week, which will allow people to send downloaded shows from iTunes to their TVs, is perhaps the true beginning of the end for the TV commercial.

This may or may not be true. And while I am certainly not bothered by the prospect of (and looking forward to) TV free of commercials (without having to fast-forward the DVR), as I was musing about this news, I wondered if the death of TV commercials is really a good thing. And I'm troubled by my own thoughts on this.

Modern media advertising is no friend of the people. It is a tool of business used to manipulate and coerce consumers into purchasing things - even if they don't really need or want them.

Yet despite my own aversion to the excesses of capitalism run amuck, I found myself thinking that I might actually miss the commercials. Consider the positive aspects of TV commercials, and the things we might lose:

1. There are any number of truly creative geniuses out there, and some commercials are truly entertaining.

2. On occasion, a commercial will truly alert me to a new product I might not otherwise discover that may be of interest (or simply a curiosity.)

3. Network spots during commercial breaks often alert me to information like when a certain show may go off hiatus and begin airing new episodes.

4. When I know I'm under the deadline of a commercial break and I get up off my lazy tuchis to do some chore, the knowledge that I have a limited time before the show resumes helps keep me focused, on task, and efficient. (Truth be told. sometimes, even when using the DVR, I will let the recorded program run during the commercials breaks precisely for this reason.)

5. I might learn of a special sale, or a limited time offer.

6. I love playing the "spot the actor" game with commercials. To think how miserable I might have been not to know that the guy in the Verizon commercial down at the docks also plays the jilted boyfriend on Ugly Betty. and of course, the other show to commercial connection in all those lovely Apple vs PC advertisements.

7. I'd miss the razor wars. Just think, 6 and 7-bladed shavers!! Imagine the dodeca-bladed razor!

8. I wouldn't see all those commercials for shows and movies that absolutely reinforce my desire to never actually watch them.

9. All those factoids I might never learn for lack of all those wonderful public service announcements.

10. Could this also be the end of Public TV pledge drive breaks?

Anyway, I am sure you can think of more pros and cons. Let's hear 'em. Meanwhile, I'm gonna go soak in some more commercials before they're gone.

Migdalor Guy

Random Musings Before Shabbat - Yitro 5767 - Kinat Ad"nai

2007-02-09T16:36:00.000-05:00

Cross-posted from my "Random Musings before Shabbat"

Random Musings Before Shabbat - Yitro 5767

Kinat Ad"nai

Though it first appeared in December with little fanfare, a recent article in the NY Times and many related blog postings have stirred up quite a controversy surrounding Prof. Alvin H. Rosenfeld's paper for the American Jewish Committee, entitled "Progressive Jewish Thought and the New Anti-Semitism."

This article has been on my mind for some time now, and I seem to keep intersecting with it or with the controversy surrounding it. I even included a story about the controversy in this week's C.Ha, a weekly Jewish teen e-magazine that I edit for Torah Aura Productions.

I won't go into great detail-you can find out all you want about the paper, and the paper itself, on the web. Basically, the paper accuses several prominent leftist Jews who have been critical of Israel of effectively aiding and abetting anti-Semitism. Though Rosenfeld responds to his critics that his intent is not to stifle debate, and is careful in his paper to include the words: “Criticizing [Israeli] policies and actions is, in itself, not anti-Semitic” he appears to believe that some criticism is over the top, and is illegitimate.

Well, this was the last thing I expected to be writing about in my Random Musing this week. And then I was reading through the haftarah for Yitro. It's from Isaiah chapters 6 and 7, with a little endcap from chapter 9.

The haftarah tells of Isaiah's encounter with the Divine and the message he [Isaiah] is to deliver to the people. [Scholars both medieval and modern believe that chapter 6 really belongs at the beginning of the Book of Isaiah, as it is truly part of the Divine "call" to prophecy which begins so many other prophetic books (whereas Isaiah starts with the prophet's visions.) The haftarah contains the "kadosh, kadosh, kadosh" uttered by the angels in Isaiah's vision and incorporated into Jewish worship. After the appearance and utterance of these angels, and subsequent earthquake-like activity, the prophet Isaiah is awestruck. He says

Woe is me, Said I.
I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips,
and I live among a people of unclean lips,
yet these eyes of mine have seen the Sovereign,
the G"d of heaven's hosts. (Isaiah 6:5, JPS)

An angel then proceeds to touch the prophets lip's with a coal, thus burning away his iniquities. Then G"d calls out wondering who shall be sent to the people. And Isaiah answers, in an echo of his ancestors: "Here I am; send me."

It's a powerful piece of text.

Then, as I began to explore various commentaries about these words, I came upon a story from the midrash that the angel brought a coal to Isaiah's lips not to cleanse him, but rather to punish him for defaming the people of Israel. The midrash contends that while G"d permits Isaiah to defame himself, it is not appropriate for Isaiah to also defame all of Israel at the same time. The midrash goes on to say that Isaiah then strongly repented of his error and sought to make redress by being a strong supporter of Israel, and for this G"d rewarded him by allowing no physical harm to have come to him from the coal to his lips.

Commentary after commentary I encountered referred to this midrash. It simply cannot be coincidence that this ties in so directly with the furor over the Rosenfeld paper.

We have to ask why G"d would have been upset with Isaiah's condemnation of the people Israel. Was it once again vanity rearing it's ugly head? Yet surely G"d knew the stubbornness and obstinacy of this covenanted people. G"d must have known that the people of Israel were fraught with unclean lips.

Is G"d saying "don't say anything bad about Israel" ? I don't believe so. I believe G"d is saying to Isaiah (and thus to all of us) "don't presume to know the minds of others, and most certainly not that of a whole people." And I also believe G"d is saying to Isaiah "you do not lead a people to righteousness only through harsh criticism. You must remind them of their strengths, their goodness, and their capability to do what is right in the eyes of their G"d."

G"d knows that the free will G"d has given us can be used for good or for evil. G"d knows that we are not perfect, and that we often sin, sometimes unintentionally, and sometimes intentionally. Nevertheless, G"d has made a covenant with the Jewish people, and perhaps it is wise on our parts to show respect for G"d's choice and recognize that within us is the ability to serve G"d with gladness, and help G"d to with the work of ongoing creation that is our universe.

Well, all this being said, I still don't find myself fully in agreement with what Professor Rosenfeld has stated. Nor do I find myself fully in agreement with his critics. There is a point where constructive criticism becomes destructive criticism. How to determine where the line falls is the difficulty. And, since I assume the good intentions of even Israel's harshest critics among the Jewish people, I can only conclude that if some utterance of theirs did cross this elusive line, that it was an inadvertent sin at best, an act committed in the midst of deep passion regarding an issue of great import.

Surely we learn from this haftarah and the related midrash that while we are free to be derogatory toward ourselves, we are not equally free to speak derogatorily of an entire class. Both Professor Rosenfeld and his critics ought to keep that in mind. If we turn this into a "leftist Jews vs.. rightist Jews debate" we will surely live to regret it.

At the end of the haftarah, the rabbis tacked on a piece of text from chapter 9. Messianic in nature, it has be co-opted by the Christian Community. Reading the text will clearly illustrate why:

For a child has been born to us, a son has been given us. (Isaiah 9:5, JPS)

Jewish sages have interpreted this prophecy as referring to Hezekiah. Clearly Christians have a different "son" and "father" in mind. The verse go on to state that G"d will call this child the ruler of peace, and that he shall preside over an eternal peace for the descendants of King David.

It is to the final words of the haftarah that I now call attention.

Lovers and critics of Israel alike are driven by their passions. That is the nature of human beings. Yet we often fail to make room for the passion of the One whose passion will triumph over all:

The passionate determination of the G"d of heaven's hosts
will bring this about. (Isaiah 9:6, JPS)

I'm in no position to lecture or warn G"d, but I will warn all of us - the root quf-nun-alef - which is the base of the word "kinat" that the JPS committee translates as "passionate determination" - can mean passion, yet can also mean zealousness, or even jealousy. Both the future of the people Israel and the nation Israel are at stake. We would do well to pay heed to how our passions play out.

(In Memory of Florence Melton z"l)

Shabbat Shalom
Adrian ©2007 by Adrian A. Durlester

We're Sorry-the Composer You Were Calling Is No Longer In Service

2007-02-02T22:20:00.001-05:00

When I got my new cell phone this summer (A Motorola Q, if you must know,) I finally had a phone that could play real sound files as ringtones. I thought it would be fin to have ringtones made from songs that were about, or mentioned, telephones, or telephone rings, etc. There's no shortage of those, and I found a few that I thought could make real nice ringtones. I'll get around to using some of them eventually. I haven't yet, because I got sidetracked in my search with a memory. It was a memory of one of the first operas I was ever involved with in my career. It was called, appropriately, "The Telephone." It tells the story of Ben and Lucy. Ben wants to propose to Lucy, but he's leaving town. However, Ben's attempts are constantly being thwarted by Lucy's addiction to -- her telephone. It's always ringing and interrupting, and she always answers it. Finally, in frustration, Ben leaves, hatching a plan. He stops at a phone booth on his way to the station, and calls Lucy. She answers, he proposes, she accepts. Now Ben must catch his train. "Don't forget," Lucy reminds him. Ben wonders what he shouldn't forget. Her eyes, her face....no. Lucy then tells him what Ben shouldn't forget.....

"My number!"

And there it was...my ringtone. I took the first 30 seconds or so of this rousing finale to the opera, and now whenever my phone rings, I am greeted by the delightful strains of this composition.

All of which brings me to why I am writing this. The opera, "The Telephone" was written by Gian Carlo Menotti, who died yesterday in Monaco. The 91-year old Menotti was one of the finest composers of the 20th century.

You may know him as the composer of the perennial Xmas favorite "Amahl and the Night Visitors." He was so much more, and he will be missed. His music, at least, will live on. Go and listen.

There's little need for me to list all his accomplishments-you can read all about them simply by Googling his name.

From the Wikipedia entry on Gian Carlo Menotti, you can discover his rich legacy.

Addio, Gian Carlo.

Technorati tags: Menotti

ATHF-What the Frak Were They Thinking?

2007-02-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

There probably aren't many fans of Cartoon Network's "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" in my age group (but ya never know...)

It's a truly bizarre cartoon, yet I happen to have become a fan. Now, I may have to hang my head in shame as the show was at the center of the guerrilla marketing campaign that brought the city of Boston to a halt today, as electronic light gizmos depicting the series' "Moonites" character "giving the finger" were suspected as IEDs, and part of a terrorist plot. (Hmmm, LEDs that people thought were IEDs. There must be a Tom Lehrer-esque song in there somewhere.)

ATHF is part of Cartoon Network's late night lineup called "Adult Swim." As of this moment, if you go to their site, you get an apology before getting onto the site's main page.

While the actions of the marketing company involved, and eventually Cartoon Network's owner, Turner Broadcasting are unconscionable, and should be fully investigated and those responsible brought to account, I am going to stick my neck out and ask the question - how could anyone have mistaken these obviously innocuous devices for explosive devices? Have we become so paranoid in our post 9-11 world that we suspect everything? I don't fault the police and authorities-they must investigate any potential danger. And whatever conscientious citizen first reported the "devices" was only acting in a way he/she felt was appropriate. But an entire city ground to a halt because no one could figure out that these devices were a marketing ploy? These devices were not designed nor made to look like explosive devices. There was no intent to make them look like bombs. Any idiot could have seen that.

Millions of dollars for new devices that can check our shoes so we won't have to remove them at the airport security check-in anymore, but no one had the tools to determine quickly just what these things were? And if, as Cartoon Network says, similar devices were planted in major cities all over the country in the past few weeks, how come none of them were ever suspected of being terrorist bombs?

Someone is playing up this incident to serve their own agenda. Perhaps DHS. Or perhaps that bozo at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue sees this as another way to justify his rape of the Bill of Rights by peeking into our phone calls, our mail, etc.

According to CNN, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and others said the statement offering an apology was not enough, and did not rule out criminal charges or a civil suit to recover the estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars it cost the city to respond to the bomb scares. Menino told reporters he received a call from a Turner spokesperson about 9 p.m. but had not yet returned it. "I think the city deserves a call, not from a press person, but from somebody in the corporate structure of Turner," he said.

I think some folks on the Boston Police force and other government agencies (and perhaps local media) owe an explanation for turning an innocuous, if misguided, viral ad campaign into a panic situation. How come no one is asking those questions of the authorities, and all the blame is falling on Adult Swim and Turner?

Mark my words-there's more to this story than meets the eye. Someone is pulling the strings from outside. And all us poor ATHF fans will suffer as a result. It's frakin' cartoon, people. Get a life. Protect us from nukes and terrorists. Not Moonites flipping us off!!

Give DC Full Representation in Congress Now

2007-01-27T00:11:00.000-05:00

Over on his blog, my friend David in DC opines about the disenfranchisement of the residents of the District of Columbia, in his post Taxation Without Representation . There's no point in my repeating his remarks, made so eloquently. It's a shanda, and an embarrassment to our nation. Simply put, partisan politics and racial bigotry are at the heart of this shameful situation. Write your congressional representatives and senators now, and tell them that the time to give full DC representation in congress is long overdue. For more information, check out www.dcvote.org.

MG

Remembering Art Buchwald

2007-01-19T15:36:00.000-05:00

What can one say about the death of Art Buchwald? Thankfully, he has left us a legacy of writings.

Starting early in my childhood, there was several writers whose articles I always made it a point to read: Drew Pearson, Jack Anderson, and Art Buchwald. Art was a satirist and not as much the muck-raker as Pearson and Anderson - Art had a way of sticking-it-to-them that was gentler and far more humorous.

In fact, making sure that a local newspaper carried Art's column was always a factor whenever I moved somewhere!

Others can express so much more eloquently than I what Art Buchwald meant to this world he has now left, so I leave it to them:

The Washington Post's obit

Here's the International Herald Tribune's tribute

And be sure to catch "Art's Last Laugh" from the NY Times.

So long, Art, and thanks for all the laughs, and the insights.

Migdalor Guy

Americans Are Not Evolving

2007-01-16T22:45:00.000-05:00

In today's Washington Post, the Trend Lines column on page two is entitled "Acceptance of Evolution." (This item isn't featured on the Post's website so I can't provide a link to it.)

The data comes from an article published a few months ago in Science Magazine by Jon D. Miller of Michigan State University. U.S. Adults were asked if the following statement was true or false:

"Human beings, as we know them, developed from earlier species of animals."

In the U.S., 40% said it was true, 21% were not sure, and 39% said it was false.

Then the data was compared to similar surveys in 33 other countries. Guess what? The U.S. ranked 33 out of the 34 for the percentage who accepted the statement as true. Only Turkey had a lower percentage (27%.) Iceland is at the top was 85%, followed by Denmark (83%), Sweden (82%), and France (80%.) Ahead of us at the 32nd rank is Cyprus. In the 60-70% range you'll find Ireland, Italy, Hungary and Estonia, to name a few.

Human beings evolved from earlier species, but it seems the brains of many Americans are not as evolved as the rest of our species.

Migdalor Guy (Adrian)

You've Got To Be Carefully Taught

2007-01-12T13:22:00.000-05:00

Growing up in my predominantly secular post-Holocaust era Jewish family in the 60s, the Jewish values always shone through. My parents truly shaped my values, and only now, as an adult and engaged Jew do I realize how centered in Judaism those values were.

Many parents sing pretty lullabies to their children. My mother, a self-proclaimed "listener's listener," whose tone-deaf and always out of tune singing (and nevertheless yielded to musically talented children) didn't matter to me - she was my mother, and she was singing songs to me - would sing us songs like "We Shall Overcome" and "Dona, Dona." But there's one song whose message she always stressed. It's from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific." Lieutenant Cable has fallen in love with Liat, a half-breed Tonkinese beauty. His response to the concern of others about "what will the neighbors think" is this song, with some of Oscar Hammerstein's best lyrics:

You've got to be taught to hate and fear
You've got to be taught from year to year
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught before it's too late
Before you are six or seven or eight
To hate all the people your relatives hate
You've got to be carefully taught!
You've got to be carefully taught!

Well, these words came strongly to mind when I read this article come across the JTA Feed:

Jewish, Arab students share negative views
An Israeli survey found that large numbers of Jewish high school students
view Arabs as uneducated,uncivilized or unclean and vice versa. The Haifa University poll from October 2004, which was presented at a conference at the university this week, interviewed 1,600 students across the country, with 75 percent of the Jewish students harboring negative impressions of Arabs. It also found that one-third of them were afraid of Arabs. "We have found a serious expression of stereotypical thinking on the Jewish students' part regarding the Arab youth,"said Haggai Kupermintz, one of the researchers who conducted the survey. "These students come in with firm stereotypical baggage regarding the other, and in this case, this is the Arabs." Arab high school students also had negative impressions of their Jewish peers: The survey found 27 percent believed Jews were uneducated, 40 percent said they were uncivilized and 47 percent found them unintelligent. But while 75 percent of Arab students showed willingness to meet with Jewish students, less than 50 percent of Jewish students were willing to reciprocate.

That's really sad. What are we teaching our children?

A few years ago, I overheard one my my religious school teachers (I'm a religious school principal) suggest to a class of teens that perhaps the incessantly negative portrayal of Egyptians in the Passover Hagaddah might influence the views of young Israeli and Jewish children. At the time, I thought it was a somewhat inaccurate and gross exaggeration of reality - surely today's children could distinguish between the Egyptians of old and today's Arabs and Muslims. Yet, over the years, I have heard young children, teens, and even adults, make ignorant comments that clearly betray making such distant connections. We connect Amalek, Haman and Hitler. It's not inconceivable that a child could connect the Persian people (and thus modern Iraqis and Iranians) with Haman and the German people with Hitler, and make gross assumptions and generalizations about all of them.

I'm not suggesting we change the Hagaddah. Nor am I suggesting that we Jews don't have both the right and the obligation to bring to mind all the wrongs done to us over the millenia. We do and should. "Never again" is more than a slogan. It is our inheritance. (Thank G"d we're standing up against the genocide in Darfur, although it even took a while the for Jewish community to mobilize on that.) It is not wrong to teach our children that terrorists and oppressors are people who have transgressed permitted moral boundaries of human behavior. It is wrong of us to allow them to generalize about an entire group of people on the basis of the actions of some. And we must not forget how easy it is for anyone to get caught up in mob mentality. It does give one pause when even Arab Israeli MKs speak out in support of the terrorist struggle, and we read of the thousands of Palestinians at rallies insisting that they will not stop until Israel no longer exists. Yet if G"d would spare S'dom and Gomorrah for just 10 righteous persons, should not we? Can we be certain there are no righteous, peace-loving Palestinians or Muslims or IRA members or Iraqis or Republicans or Democrats or Christians or Jews, or Janjaweed, etc.? Our children must be carefully taught to hate and fear. Let us resolve to teach all of them otherwise.

Migdalor Guy (aka Adrian)

Why I Am A Confused Dove on Israel

2007-01-08T23:28:00.000-05:00

In their editorial reviewing the secular year 2006, the Jewish Daily Forward included this disappointing fact:

"It was a year when Israelis rallied themselves to elect, for the first time, a
coalition of parties committed to ending the occupation of the West Bank and
seeking good neighborly relations with an independent Palestine — and when
Palestinians elected a government committed to rejecting coexistence and
destroying the State of Israel."

These are the kinds of facts that prevent me from being the kind of dove with relation to the Israeli/Palestinian situation as I was regarding, for example, 'Nam. When it comes to Israel, I am a hawkish dove, at best. Things so often seem so unilateral, and so rarely reciprocated. From both sides.

I cannot side fully with either the right-wing or left-wing of American Jewish Israel advocacy. Surely I am not alone in this dilemma?

Migdalor Guy (aka Adrian)

More Dinosaur Slaying-Jew It Yourself

2007-01-08T23:18:00.000-05:00

This post was also posted as a comment to this article on JewSchool by Mobius. It describes the "Next Big Jewish Idea: Jew It Yourself" (JIY.) It sounds like a concept I could really get behind.

Here's what I wrote:

It's taken me a while to post a response so I hope these thoughts remain timely.
Though raised in NYC, and now living in the DC area, I spent ten years in Fargo, North Dakota, 8 years in Elkhart, Indiana, and a few years in other places like New Orleans, Clearwater, Florida, and Nashville, Tennessee.

Though I am now enjoying and utilizing the more expansive Jewish resources of the DC area, my experience has taught me that Judaism can and does flourish in places like Fargo. In many ways, it takes more committment to be part of a small-town Jewish community. It takes a little more effort to live Jewishly in places like Fargo as opposed to places like NYC.
It is, however, also true, that in a small community, you either afffiliate with whatever Jewish community there is, or you simply have no Jewish life. So the myth of Judaism requiring large communuties to thrive is largely myth--yet at the same time, there does need to be some kind of community - not necessarily synagogue-based, although this is the model used is most small communities.

While living in the Dakotas, I worked with others to use the then finally being discovered Internet (which I had been using since the time it was ARPANet, but that's a story for another time) as a tool to connect even smaller and more far-flung Jewish communities like Missoula, Montana, and Rapid City, South Dakota. We had ourselves a little Jewish network of the Plains and were able to share information and resources this way.

Having come so much further than it was in the 80s and 90s, I imagine that were I still in Fargo, the Internet would be providing rich content and support to help keep the Jewish community thrive. I am sure it is doing so for those I left behind in the Northern Plains.

As a Jewish educator, though now in the over 50 crowd, and employed in the synagogue world, I nevertheless remain convinced that this model is a dinosaur, and I am continually exploring alternative settings for supplemental Jewish education that can serve the type of Jewish community that I have observed developing over the past decades.

I've been an active CAJE member, and have even chaired a CAJE conference. I do think that the organization was doing the best it could to be true to its origin as grassroots and outside the establishment. However, it has become the establishment, and, as a result, I believe it is veering in directions that, while they may satisfy the vision of an aging membership that is seeking more in depth learning and higher standards, is not at all the direction that it needs to go to serve the next few generations of Jews. It is too invested in the status-quo. There are a few others in the CAJE community who are willing to say such things openly (and by that I include both what is happening to CAJE, and my belief that we are entering a post-synagogue age) and I believe a goodly number who believe so but are scared of telling the Emperor he is naked.

Not just the leadership, but the rank and file in the Jewish world is a bit out of touch. They don't realize how married they are to the status-quo of synagogue-centered Judaism, and the current institutional system.

And for those that are in touch, they often make the mistakes cited in your post, of trying to make Judaism like pop culture. Now, I am a firm believer in the co-option of popular culture in service to Judaism. I used SpongeBob as a prop and a hook for years-but I used it as a way in to young minds - not as the end product - and sought to use it to teach my understanding of Jewish "core values." Sure, there's a little shtick involved, but the product wasn't entertainment-it was Jewish learning. Crabby Patties weren't just a funny kosher joke-they were a path to serious learning about kashrut. And it worked. (I'm moving on to a new mascot, but have yet to find a cultural icon that crossed as many age barriers as SpongeBob. I am open to suggestions!)

I remember the session at CAJE last August when the "Throw the Jews Down the Well" clip from Da Ali G show was shown and all but two small segments of the audience of Jewish educators were in total shock. (The small segment not shocked were the groups of college-age kids that were there, plus the two or three in the over 50 crowd like myself who, as students of popular culture, keep up with such things. Sadly, even after it was revealed to them that it was an outrageous piece of cultural satire by a cutting edge comedian and social critic, most still considered it unusable in their school-ever. Now I, too, have a few mixed feelings about the Borat phenomenon, but I remain generally approving--I'll have to save this for a future post.)

Yes, we need some bricks and mortar - places to assemble, to socialize, etc. but there are other ways of making this happen. The "anarchistic" web can and will likely prove to be a component of this, despite reservations that even I have about it. Yes, being at a real Pesah Seder with real people is different (and better) than participating in a virtual one, even when the technology has advanced far beyond where it is now. But I participated in a virtual online Seder in the years when the entire process was text-based and run in a DOS window. And it wasn't entirely empty and meaningless. You could feel the others as if some aspect of their souls was being transmitted through the ether along with the text. (As I once said to a critic of email communication "if e-mail is so impersonal, how come it is so capable of upsetting another person based just on words that I type?")

JIY is indeed part of the future-and I, too, hope to see it make a big splash, and thrive. It will take lots of nurturing, and have to fight lots of entrenched interests - and it will still requires some form of "common core Judaism" for the post-synagogue age to truly happen. G"d-willing, it will come to pass. Keep up the good fight.

Migdalor Guy

Virginia Needs a New State Song-And This Is It

2007-01-07T20:25:00.000-05:00

For a number of years now, the Commonwealth of Virginia has been seeking an official state song. A competition was held, but none of the entries seemed to really stand out. Frustrated, state legislators were about to make "Shenandoah" the official. Now, it's a wonderful song, but here's the problem- it's not necessarily about the Shenandoah river valley in Virgina. This entry on Wikipedia tells the story of the song and the abortive attempt to make it the official song of the Commonwealth.

My friend and professional colleague, Carol Boyd Leon, a log-time Virgina resident, and talented songwriter (primarily in Jewish music) who happened to compose the song that George Mason University selected as its new Alma mater, Patriot's Dreams, decided to take a crack at a state song for Virgina. The result was " Virgina, Ever Enshrined." With the sponsorship of two local state delegates, the song will be submitted for consideration by a committee and the legislature in this term. Carol was fortunate to have a talented daughter, Sarah Boyd, now embarked on a career as a professional theatrical music director, arranged the song for choir, and recruited a few friends from the College of William & Mary from which she graduated last year to record it. That recording was distributed to all state legislators near the end of last year's term. You can listen to that recording here.

Wanting to demonstrate the versatility of the song for use in different settings and different styles, Carol wanted to record another version. Carol and I have been professional musical partners for some years now, and we sought the right voice and style for the song.

Last fall, we discovered the right voice. We were attending an interfaith concert for the local Habitat for Humanity chapter in northern Virginia at Vienna Baptist Church in Vienna, VA. Carol was there with her adult choir from Olam Tikvah, a Conservative congregation in Fairfax, VA, and I was there to accompany them. (As an aside, it was a wonderful evening with Jewish, Christian and Muslim music. Hearing and seeing Native Deen, an incredible Muslim hip-hop trio based in D.C., with international reputation, perform, was an absolute pelasure. ) There was a singer in the Christian praise band, Works in Progress, from nearby Vienna Presbyterian Church which performed that had the right voice. His name was Doug Traxler.

Recently, the three of us were able to get together at our favorite local studio, Cue Recording in Falls Church, VA, and record a demo of a more pop style version of the song which you can listen to here. (You can also hear recordings of a number of Carol's songs there. )

Delegates Marsden and Englin plan to introduce a bill in the 2007 Virginia legislative session to make "Virginia, Ever Enshrined" the official state song of Virginia. If you are a Virginia resident and would like this song approved as the official state song, please contact your legislators! Go to http://legis.state.va.us/Under QUICK LINKS, click on "Who's My Legislator" and type in your address.

By the way, the District of Columbia has no official song either, and Carol is attempting to fill that gap as well with this song, "By George, It's Washington!" Thought it's only recorded in a very rough demo form, I'm trying to persuade Carol to post it so you can give that a listen as well. I'll keep you posted.

By the way, one doesn't usually earn royalties or other payments for writing these kinds of official songs for states, cities, or universities, so even though I've worked with Carol on these, my reasons for blogging this are not commercially motivated!!

If you happen to be Jewish, and have kids or know someone who has kids, you ought to buy a copy of Carol's 2-CD set, "Gan Shirim" with 70 new Jewish songs for children, published by KTAV, the only Jewish album to win a 2004 Parent's Choice Award, and 4th place finalist in the 2006 Just Plain Folks Music Awards best Jewish album category. If you're a teacher in a Jewish school, you should have a copy of the CD and the songbook as well--it's chock full of ideas for using the songs. And you will find songs to fill needs that just aren't found anywhere else. (That's why she wrote many of them-to fill needs for songs when she was teaching.) By the way, this isn't one of those Disney-ized children's CDs, with a perfect choir of kids singing. That's Carol's voice of most of the songs, and real kids, and their un-studio-magicked voices. Your kids will know that they can sing these songs, and won't be intimidated by them. Oh, and I'm the nut that came up with and played the accompaniment for all 70 tunes. In essentially one week. There's a nutsy week of my life I might blog about someday...

Happy listening,

Midgalor Guy (aka Adrian)

All Hail the Dinosaur Slayers

2007-01-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

Over at Jewschool, Kung Fu Jew highlights the turn of many Jews, and not just younger ones, away from the traditional agencies and institutions, the "dinosaurs," who are

"focused myopically on the numbers of Jews rather than the quality of their existence, their impact, on this here earth."

to new grassroots organizations like the Jewish Funds for Justice, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, and the National Council of Jewish Women.

The thrust of Kung Fu Jew's post is to also point out the rapid growth of the progressive Israel advocacy group, Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. While I may not entirely agree with some of the positions of Brit Tzedek, and so cannot endorse them whole-heartedly, they are a good example of the potential of Israel advocacy that is not right-wing and hawkish.

And despite reservations I may have with a few of Brit Tzedek's positions (just as I do with some positions of Rabbis for Human Rights) I hope that not just the 20-somethings out there, but also us 50-somethings, and other generations, will continue to support this new trend in Jewish organizations that put tikkun olam ahead of "the continuity question." We will continue-but what's the point in growing our numbers if we don't stand for making a better world?

Migdalor Guy

Thanks, Gene Weingarten and Christine Lavin Shout Out!

2006-12-31T11:59:00.000-05:00

I've always enjoyed Gene Weingarten's "Below the Beltway" column in the Washington Post.

In today's (Dec. 31, 2006) column Gene gives some female friends the opportunity to take on Christopher Hitchens for his essay in Vanity Fair claiming that women aren't funny. I was thrilled to see a quote from one of my favorite contemporary female folk artists, Christine Lavin, who refers to her song "What Was I Thinking?" even adding a new verse for Christopher Hitchens. I was first introduced to Christine and her music during my decade spent in Fargo, North Dakota, where, fortunately, Minnesota Public Radio could be heard on the air on KCCD/KCCM. Her music was often featured on my favorite radio show, period - MPR's ever popular Morning Show. The D.C. Metro area is a great place to live, but whereas in Minnesota/North Dakota the Public Radio networks decided to keep BOTH classical and news programming on the air (by creating dual stations) here we've been betrayed by WETA who dropped all classical programming in February 2005 in favor of all news (although it now may be coming back.) I dropped my WETA membership in protest. Might have to rethink that...

Migdalor Guy

The Lost Mispocha

2006-12-29T16:11:00.000-05:00

As I was reading and preparing to write my weekly Random Musing Before Shabbat I found myself drawn into a fascinating world. I decided this week to write about the haftarah for this weekly parasha (portion) of Vayigash. [A haftarah is a reading from the prophets that is read along with the weekly Torah reading in the Jewish tradition. It is said that their origin is from an early time when Jews were not permitted to read Torah publicly, thus readings from the Prophets which had some connection to a theme of the weekly reading were chosen to be read to remind us of that which we couldn't hear being read. The Torah, that is, the Five Books of Moses, is divided into 54 weekly portions which are read in a yearly cycle following the calendar of the Jewish year. Why 54? Well, that's a whole other story because a Jewish leap year has 54 weeks....]

Anyway, the haftarah is from chapter 37 of the book of Ezekiel. It contains the famous prophesy that foretells the eventual reunification of all the Israelites, meaning that the so-called lost ten tribes would be part of the reunification.

From these few short verses (Ezekiel 37:15-28) has been born legions of legends, myths, hopes, prayers, and yes, of course, some anti-Semitism. First, there are many peoples that claim to be descendants of the lost tribes from places in Africa, and Asia. There are theories about the British, the Japanese and the Kurds being remnants of the ten lost tribes. Even the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) have a big stake in this.

Just Google for yourself "ten lost tribes" or "lost tribes of Israel" and you'll see just how extensive the lore is and the theories are. I know that I am going to spend some time exploring all this mythology (and fact?) over the next few years at least.

I guess we shouldn't be too surprised that so much has been made of one short passage. After all, think of all the other things that have come about on the basis of only a few words.

If nothing else, it should certainly teach us to be cautious about what we say, and more so our leaders. (Of course, if we follow the "Motel of the Mysteries" theory, who knows what mundane and quotidian piece of text future archaeologists and anthropologists might stumble upon and choose to try and use to understand our times and culture. So we should all be wary of what we write)

A Happy, Healthy, and relatively Dubya-free secular New Year to one and all.

Migdalor Guy (aka Adrian)

Guess Maui Has More Sense Than Seattle's Airport

2006-12-27T23:46:00.000-05:00

From the JTA:

"A Hawaii county erected a Christmas tree to protect a Chanukah menorah from achurch-state separation challenge. The American Civil Liberties Union complained to Maui County this week afterseeing the menorah, accompanied by a dreidel, in front of the county building. A local rabbi had asked authoritiesfor permission to set up the menorah. The ACLU cited laws that say that displaying a religious symbol by itselfcould constitute endorsement of that religion. County workers scrambled Wednesday to find a Christmas tree, inshort supply in Hawaii this late in the season. One was found at a local botanical garden. "

If you may recall, the good folks running SeaTac airport, when challeneged by a local rabbi about all the Christmas trees and asked to put up a menorah, decided instead to remove all the Xmas tress.

Maybe the nicer weather in Maui makes for nicer governmental officials?

Sorry Tony, Monk Was Better in Color

2006-12-27T14:26:00.000-05:00

I have an affinity for the TV show Monk. One reason, of course, is that the character's first name is Adrian, as is my own. I also find the show cleverly written and well acted.

So I was intrigued when, this past holiday weekend, the series offered the same show in two version - black and white, and color. Ostensibly, star Tony Shaloub preferred the black and white style.

I appreciate a good film noire shot in black and white. This episode, however, was not the right venue for this experiment. Had it been set in an older time period, or been a stylistically noire script, it might have worked better in black and white.

I was all psyched-up for an episode that would likely be noire in style, and I was disappointed that it wasn't. True, however, to form, the show did tackle an unpopular subject - leprosy (Hansen's disease) with one character pretending to be a leper (and the resultant reaction of Monk's OCD character) and an advising physician (and new love intesrest for Natalie Teager?)turns out to be a recovered leper.

So, an enjoyable episoide, but simply better in color. Nice try, Tony, but no sale. I do hope you'll try again.

Migdalor Guy.

Person of the Year?

2006-12-22T18:07:00.000-05:00

Hey, you! Person of the year! Yes, I mean you. Didn't you hear? The venerable editors at Time magazine have chosen" you" as person of the year.

Columnist John Dvorak over at PC Magazine calls it a "cop out" and an insult.

And here's my dilemma-I read both articles. And I agreed with both articles. Yes, I know, how Jewish of me. They're both right. Well, they are.

Time's editors are correct. It is a brave new world out there, and average, ordinary, everyday people are having an effect, an impact. The internet has become a very empowering tool.

Dvorak's correct in that the pictures seem an odd variety of choices. And it is somewhat of a cop-out, especially given that so much of what's on the net is sophomoric crap.

Yet I think there's an even darker side. I remember the peace movement of the 60s, and how the military-industrial complex eventually bought it out. When you could buy a peace sign necklace at department store, the end was in sight. The movement was subsumed by the capitalists and the militarists.

Yes, its an oversimplification. And I'm no conspiracy nut. However, I can still see the same thing happening to the internet. Academics rail against Wikipedia and get public schools to prohibit students from using it for research. Big companies are buying out all the vanity sites (which, in and of themselves, are hardly innocent of being part of the corporate cadre that rules the world.)

So the question becomes-will we live up to Time's choice? Can we beat Apple and Microsoft and HP and IBM and Boeing and Haliburton etc. ? Only "time" will tell.

Migdalor Guy

Why is Everybody Picking on the Conservative Movement?

2006-12-13T14:03:00.000-05:00

I am not sure what kind of Jew I am. By default, at one time, I would have said that I am, nominally, a Reform Jew - that is, most of the congregations that I have served or been a member of have been Reform. Nevertheless, I'm definitely on the towards tradition side. And I have have taught and worked (and still do) in Conservative congregations, and even for a traditional day school. I sort of consider myself trans- (or perhaps post-) denominational when it comes to Judaism. I have no particular affinity for the principles of any one movement within Judaism.

Nevertheless, I am bothered by all those who criticize the recent votes by the Conservative Movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Halakha regarding the status GLBT individuals. Three t'shuvot were passed, with conflicting opinions. The most significant one is the one that opens the door for full participation by GLBT individuals in synagogue life, and will likely leads to admitting openly gay students to UJ and JTSA. It pushes the halakha about as far as it could in terms of having any chance of passing a committee vote, yet still retains the position that anal sex between males remains prohibited (nudge, nudge, wink, wink.)

A second t'shuva reiterates the existing position that allowed limited participation by GLBT individuals and couples in synagogue and ritual life. The third perpetuates the opinion that homosexuality et al is a disease that can be cured.

Some ask how these contradictory t'shuvot could all be approved. Some call the more liberal opinion of the three a cop-out.

Now, personally, I support the elimination of any and all obstacles to full participation by GLBT individuals in synagogue and ritual Jewish life. And yes, there are paths through the halakha that could lead the Conservative movement to such a position. G"d willing, someday they'll get there. For now, a t'shuva had to be crafted that could win the support of a majority int he committee, and there's no shame in that compromise for the sake of the progress it will bring. It took more than Lincoln's emancipation Proclamation to truly free slaves.

And what is unusual about conflicting opinions in Judaism co-existing? The Torah, Talmud and all the accompanying literature are replete with contradictory opinions and statements. Whether you agree with their sentiment or not, some respect is due to those whose opinions differ. The t'shuva that will finally open the way for openly GLBT individuals to be ordained in the Conservative movement uses the concept of human dignity as the underpinning.

In the same way, allowing the committee to pass t'shuvot representing three differing opinions also serves to preserve and protect the dignity of those who strongly hold on to convictions other than those expressed by the most liberal of the t'shuvot. They remain unconvinced by the arguments presented that, for the sake of human dignity, BLBT individuals must be allowed to participate fully in Jewish life. That is truly a shame, and I pray that someday their eyes will be opened. Yet, if we deny them their dignity, then we undermine the very underpinnings of this new t'shuva which will finally allow GLBT individuals the chance for open participation in synagogue and seminary life (in those places where the more liberal t'shuva is taken to heart.)

Yes, it's less of a victory, less of an outcome than desired. But it is not a Pyrrhic victory at all. While one side has managed to keep their foot in the door, the other side has managed to fling a door as wide open as possible.

As has been our tradition for thousands of years, each community and its leadership will be able to seek guidance from the pos'kim. May the wisdom of those pos'kim who see GLBT individuals as full members of the community prevail. And may we never fail to preserve our tradition of agreeing to disagree.

Ken y'hi ratzon

Migdalor Guy (Adrian)

BBCs Hops on Jews at Tehran Holocaust-Denial Conference Story

2006-12-13T13:59:00.000-05:00

Leave it to the BBC-an agency, which doesn't exactly have a stellar record when it comes to a negative bias regarding Israel-to post a story about Israel-hating Jews. It should come as no surprise that they quickly picked up on this story which highlights Jews (mostly members of Naturei Ketura) who are opposed to the existence of medinat Yisrael!)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6171503.stm

What must the rest of the world think about the Jews when they see stories like this?

Migdalor Guy

Kudos to "My Name Is Earl" (or Even Guilty Pleasure TV Can Have Meaning)

2006-10-23T11:35:00.000-04:00

I don't watch a lot of TV live because of the hours I work. But I do a lot of time-shifting using my DVR. Once I get through all the saved "must watch" shows, If there's time available, I might look at some of my "second tier" shows. One of those is "My Name is Earl." The show has an interesting premise, and the over-the-top stereotypes are amusing (and sometimes troubling.) Yet is has a certain something that connects with me enough that I enjoy watching it when the opportunity presents itself. My attitude was rewarded the other day when I happened to watch an episode of "My Name is Earl" that aired a few weeks back. In this episode, Earl starts out to make amends with a woman he had teased in school for having facial hair. Fast forward today and it turns out she's a bearded-lady with a circus, and lives in a community with other carnival "freaks." The episode was entitled "Sticks and Stones" and also featured another plot line with Marlee Maitlin play a lawyer whose deafness is made fun of by Joy.

Despite the somewhat obvious nature of the plot and how things might end up, I found the entire episode quite touching and with a valuable lesson for all. Now, I'm sensitive to the issues raised by this episode because I'm only 4'-10". However, I'm what the doctors refer to as "normal short." That means I'm extremely short-statured, but otherwise physically and medically normal. Unlike those who have one of the various forms of dwarfism or other conditions that can cause short stature, there's no clear underlying medical cause for my stature, and it is not accompanied by other conditions.

So, on the tone hand, when I encounter, whether in real-life or television, a character who is different from the "norm" I am empathetic. On the other hand, I'm sometimes a little jealous that they have a condition which might qualify them for special treatment and protection from discrimination, whereas I don't. And every time I think or say that, I get this huge twinge of regret for even thinking it. I should be counting my blessings that the worst I have to handle are things like a rude child in a supermarket, or having to climb up grocery shelves to reach a product, or up on my kitchen counters to retrieve items up high.

In the episode, it turns out that earl has a similarly insignificant defect-an unusually hair chest which made him the target of ridicule when he was young. Like Earl's "pool incident" I have my childhood memories of cruel and insensitive teachers like the one in second grade who passed me over when it was my turn to put up the flag at the front of the class. Or the phys ed teachers who not only didn't stop, but sometimes encouraged, my being chosen last for a team, or who refused to recognize that yes, it really was unfair that when rope climbing, I did actually have to climb more distance than others to reach the top!

So I found the entire episode a fair treatment from all sides-though I can't truly speak for those who are bearded ladies or elephant men, etc. And I offer my kudos to the writers and actors of the series for this touching episode.

Adrian (aka Migdalor Guy)

Random Musing Before Sukkot-Precious Congealed Light

2006-10-07T00:02:00.000-04:00

Random Musing Before Shabbat - Sukkot 5767

Precious Congealed Light - Or Y'karot V'kipa'on

Ah, the poetic Hebrew of the prophets. even the best of linguistic scholars can be baffled by it. Take chapter 14 of Zechariah, which is the haftarah for the first day of Sukkot. It's a stunning and somewhat disturbing piece of prophetic vision about a day of judgment that is coming for the world and Israel. Though even Israel gets her share of doom and gloom, In the end, it predicts a time when those of all the nations who have survived G"d's judgment will come up to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot, and acknowledge the One G"d. And woe to those who don't, for they shall not have rain (except for Egypt, where the rain doesn't seem to matter so much.)

The connections to the the prayers for rain and the water libation ceremony stand out, and remind us that Sukkot was not always just a holiday of cute little decorated huts. In the aftermath of the Yamim Noraim, the holiday of Sukkot, for most liberal Jews, has become an afterthought. Yet Sukkot is THE holiday-the biggest and most impressive of the three pilgrimage holidays - Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot. In the absence of a Holy Temple at which to make the required sacrifices (this is the holiday where the 70 bulls, representing the 70 nations of the world, are sacrificed. It's another reminder that despite its seeming particularity, Judaism was intended to be universalistic.) And the all important purification of the altar, the water libation ceremony, took place during Sukkot.

I could talk more about all the water/rain connections for Sukkot, but that's not where I wanted to go this year. I was struck more by a reference to another elemental, light.

This day that is coming, according to Zechariah, when G"d will rain down judgment first upon Israel, by calling all the nations to Jerusalem to attack, capture and plunder her. Then G"d will literally plant G"d's feet on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and wreak vengeance on Israel's enemies. Fresh water will flow from Jerusalem to the Mediterranean and the Dead seas! All the rest of Israel except for Jerusalem shall be lowered like the lands of the Arava, so that Jerusalem stands alone towering over the land. Flesh will rot away from Israel's enemies, panic shall fall upon them. Eventually, all the wealth of the world will be brought to Jerusalem, and, as I mentioned, those who survive will all make pilgrimage to Jerusalem to acknowledge the One G"d and observe the holiday of Sukkot.

Can you imagine this as a movie script? And those special effects....wow! But I digress.

This day that is coming is described in Zechariah 14:6-7 in a most interesting way:

6. In that day, there shall be neither sunlight nor cold moonlight;
7. but there shall be a continuous day-only the L"rd knows when-of neither day nor night, and there shall be light at eventide.

Perhaps one can see this (pun intended?) as the "light" equivalent of how at Sinai G"d's voice was seen and felt. This is a different kind of light. what kind?

Well, the committee of scholars that assembled the current JPS translation did their best to translate the Hebrew, and who am I to argue with them. But the Hebrew here is truly difficult to translate. What they translate as "sunlight nor cold moonlight" is, in Hebrew: or y'karot v'kipa'on.

"Or" is straightforward enough. It means light. Y'karot and k'pa'on, however, are horses of a different color. The root of Y'karot generally means splendid, precious, rare - it's the root used when we speak of "more precious than rubies." Only in this usage and on other in proverbs do we find y'karot translated as "cold." And the words for sun and moon just aren't there, and simply inferred by the scholars.

K'pa'on is another interesting word. Its root means to thicken or congeal, and k'pa'on is defined as meaning "congelation" or more plainly, congealment.

Some in the p'shat, the plain meaning, the words "or y'karot v'kipa'on" appear to say "precious and congealed light." Makes sense, sort of, in contest of what follows-that there will be a continuous day. So perhaps what we have is the congealment of sunlight and moonlight into one light that is continuous.

If so, do we have here something like the light that existed on the first day of creation - the light that existed before there was sun and moon and stars?

At the end of Sukkot we celebrate Simchat Torah. It's not really a separate holiday at all, just part of the overall holiday of Sukkot, indeed, part of the overall continuous holiday that starts in Elul, and runs through Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Hmm. Continuous holiday. Continuous light. There's food for thought-and yet another connection to the haftarah.

So maybe it's all a clue, pointing us to what we recognize at Simchat Torah, and the time of reading anew from the beginning- that Torah is this light that is nether sunlight nor moonlight - is this light that was created on the first day of creation.

This is metaphor, of course. Torah was given to us at Sinai. And, if we put on our scholar hats, the idea of a physical Torah existing on day one of creation (some sages have even suggested it existed before creation) feels false. Yet wearing our spiritual and theological hats - perhaps Torah was created as G"d congealed the light that G"d had created on that first day from the chaos that was the tohu vavohu. And now, on this day that is to come, G"d once again congeals the light into a continuous light, a continuous day - a day when "from out of Zion shall go forth the Torah." Puts a nice envelope, a bowtie, around creation and this ultimate day of judgment.

See what ya miss when you just read and accept a translation of the Tanakh done by someone else? Not to "dis" the great scholars who assemble the JPS translations, but as funky as the text reads, you might still have glossed over it (Zechariah 14:6-7) without much a second thought after some initial puzzlement.

So my challenge to you this Shabbat and Sukkot is to figure out for yourself what "or yikarot v'kipa'on" could mean - what kind of light is this, and why will it appear on this day to come, this day of judgment. And my continual challenge is to do the same with every little bit of text you encounter in Torah and Tanakh. That ought to keep you busy, perhaps too busy to have done a lot of things for which you'll be atoning next year around this time. A little less khol, and a little more holy.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sukkot Sameakh,

Adrian aka Migdalor Guy

©2006 by Adrian A. Durlester

Random Musings Before Shabbat-Ha'azinu-Redux and Updated from 5762-Trifles

2006-10-01T10:35:00.001-04:00

Random Musings Before Shabbat-Ha'azinu-Redux and Updated from 5762

Trifles

There's a lot to consider. All the words spoken to the people by Moshe, not just in the song the comprises Ha'azinu, but in the entire discourse of D'varim. Indeed, in all of Torah, and that's "big T" and "little t" Torah.

Things we should do. Things we shouldn't do. Things we must always do, and things we must never do. (It's interesting how the Hebrew language has grammatical forms- "lo" and "al-" that allow one to express a "do not" and an emphatic "absolutely do not." I wonder what we are to make of that? Are some negative mitzvot more important? Also, oddly enough, while one might think that black and white things, absolute yes and no, would be easier to deal with, that's not always the case, is it?)

So, do the less emphatic yes and no become less important? Are we free to pick and choose from among the less emphatic commandments which ones to observe, but not free to do the same with the absolute ones (like the Aseret Hadibrot?) Liberal Judaism embraces the "informed choice" concept. It often becomes in practice, unfortunately, the "we don't have to" concept.

And that's just not good enough-at least, not for me. (I don't want to debate the relative merits of liberal informed choice versus traditional adherence-that wasn't my point in 2002 and it's not my point today.)

We are told something very important in D'varim 32:47, after Moshe reminds the people to heed the words he has spoken:

"This is no trifling matter for you, it is your very life."

The Hebrew word translated by the JPS committee as "trifling" is "reik" and it comes from a root (resh-yod-qof) that actually means empty, or sometimes vain. The verbal form can mean to empty, or even to pour out. The analogy is thought-provoking. If we simply empty ourselves of the mitzvot, or pour them out of ourselves, then we may be truly empty. Mitzvot can give our lives meaning, so we must be careful how we deal with them.

Using this Hebrew word "reik" also allows us to caution a Jew who blindly observes the commandments - for that can be just as empty or trifling an approach.

So, for the liberal Jew, it's not simply a matter of saying "that's too inconvenient and not relevant, I hereby discard it utterly." And for the traditional Jew, it's not simply a matter of saying "that's exactly what it says, so that's what I must exactly do." Either of those choices trivializes the words and their meanings. We are meant to engage the mitzvot. Grapple with them. Struggle. Search for meaning and understanding. We ignore them or blindly obey them at our own peril.

The words of Torah are no trifles, they are pearls. Let us value them.

We may each find a different meaning in them, but when we dig no deeper than a superficial reading, we haven't really found anything at all. When we allow others to determine the meaning for us, with no input of our own, we haven't really found anything at all.

It is time to start digging deeper. This Shabbat, grab those literary and intellectual shovels and start. Just don't dig yourself into a hole. (However, if you somehow mange to dig yourself into a "whole," that's another thing entirely.) Well (pun intended,) before I dig in any deeper, I'd better extricate myself.

I wish you a Shabbat Shalom, a Tzom Qal, and a G'mar Khatimah Tovah.

Adrian

©2001 & 2006 by Adrian A. Durlester

In the spirit of the Yamim Noraim, if I have done anything in the past year which caused you any hurt, embarrassment, pain, or difficulty, or was offensive to you in any way, I humbly offer my apologies and ask for your forgiveness.

Hassagat G'vul - Moving Boundaries

2006-08-25T18:07:00.000-04:00

As I was perusing through this week's Torah portion, I found a verse that gave me a wonderful platform for a diatribe on the ramapnt abuse of intellectual property in the Jewish world today. Read on....

Random Musing Before ShabbatShof'tim 5766
Hassagat G'vul

19:14 You shall not move away the boundary (marker) of your neighbor which the first ones boundaried, in your taking possession of it, in the land which Ad"nai Your G"d gave to you to inherit.

It's a simple enough commandment. You can't encroach on your neighbors property by moving the boundary markers around. There's plenty enough material in other parts of this parasha (and in particular the verses that follow soon after, regarding the requirements for witnesses in a legal proceeding.)

From this fairly straightforward verse in Torah, the rabbis constructed an entire class of laws referring to hassagat g'vul, encroaching upon the boundaries of others. As an agrarian society, the land one possessed had a direct impact on their ability to live, to, as we say, "make a living." As we moved from being a largely agrarian society into becoming merchants and engaging in other trades, it became necessary to define what "borders" needed to be protected in order to insure a person's livelihood.

The Talmud has a great example of how this concept was extrapolated into halacha when it speaks of the rights of a fisherman to not have his fishing-grounds encroached upon by other fishermen with their nets, the Talmud requiring that the other keep away at least the distance of a fish's swim (which they defined as one parasang, equivalent to about 2.5 miles!)

The concept of hassagat g'vul, moving boundaries, was eventually extended to the concept of unfair competition. And from there, it was a short hop to become one of the underlying concepts behind what Jewish law has to say about the protection of intellectual property, and more specifically, what we now call copyright.

The Chatam Sofer, Rabbi Moshe Schreiber (1762-1839, chief Rabbi of Bratislava) used the concept of hassagat g'vul to underlie his opinion on a matter concerning the editor of a series of siddurim (prayerbooks) and machzorim (holiday prayerbooks) who was seeking to prevent others from republishing his editions. For the Chatam Sofer, it was ultimately a matter of comparing the work that the editor had put into his siddurim and machzorim - the layout, typestyles, etc. (though obviously not the basic text itself) to that of the fisherman who labors to lay his traps, set up his nets, and catch fish. The editor's work entitled him to derive income from his efforts, and it would be unfair of others to reprint his editions without compensation.

Much of what the rabbis wrote regarding intellectual property rights found its way into copyright laws in the U.S. and around the world. Unfair profiteering and racketeering by record companies, and other egregious abuses notwithstanding, the system has worked fairly well to insure the creator of an intellectual property the means to earn a living from those creations, and to be protected for unfair competition or use of those creations by others without permission or compensation.

And now, here we are, in the 21st century, with digital music, iPods, Napster, et al. Decades of copyright laws, and centuries of tradition seem to have outlived their usefulness.

Well, I certainly hope not. Judaism has managed its way around a host of major changes in society, and we'll find a way to manage this change as well. Yet the stage is already set for the almost complete tearing down of boundaries, by the alarming state of copyright abuse that goes on daily in our many Jewish institutions - synagogues, JCCs, schools, etc. I can't tell you how many times I have seen photocopies of complete textbooks being used, DVDs and Videos intended for personal home use being shown to large audiences. Photocopied music being used by choirs. Not to mention the times when I've overheard someone standing at the sales table of some musical artists at a concert or conference say "I'll buy these two CDs, and you buy those two, and we'll make copies for all the rest of the faculty.)

Modern technology and the digital age have become a double-edged sword (which, by the way, is another original Jewish reference!) While the technology has seen a flourishing of new works of Jewish music of all kinds, it is also enabling people to easily make and distribute copies without any recompense to the artists who created the work. The present flourishing may be reduced to a trickle if the artists can't make a living.

Yes, I'm an educator who runs a religious school, so yes, I know what a limited budget we all have to work within. I also direct choirs and know what choir music costs. And I understand with a deep passion how important the work we all do is to the future of Judaism. I'm also musician and arranger, and my work appears on a few recordings. So I am sensitive to both "sides" of this issue.

The rabbis knew this tension as well. As usual, not being of one mind, they differed on whether "copyright protection" would be a stimulus or deterrent. Some argued that without the incentive of some income from their efforts, scholars would be reluctant to write more commentaries. Others argued "the more Torah, the better." It's hard to argue with that. Just as it is hard to argue with the constant cry of "Lashem Shamayim" (for the sake of Heaven) that is used to justify the scandalous amount of copyright infringement that occurs each and every day in our Jewish institutions.

Yet, if what we are doing is truly "LaShem Shamayim" is it not all the more incumbent upon us to not infringe upon the boundaries of others in such a way as to possibly impact their parnassa, their livelihood?

We need not engage in a "glatt kosher" process here. Common sense must prevail. For example, these days many of the publishers of choral music will grant permission to use photocopies with the purchase of some reasonable number of print copies of the music. Using technology, many artists and publishers will sell you licenses to print out your, on your own paper and equipment, your own copies of music, books, etc. from PDF files. Digital rights management systems can be configured many different ways to allow the original purchaser to make a reasonable number of copies of the file, or burn the file to a CD more than once, but not unlimited quantities. And what artist, what merchant, for that matter, would not be at least somewhat receptive to offering a reduced price for quantity purchases? Film distributors do charge synagogues and other non-profit or religious institutions a lower license fee to show a film than they would charge for a commercial setting.

I don't know about you, but I feel better having paid the $250 fee to show "Paperclips" to my congregation than simply renting it from the local Blockbuster and showing it. By doing so, I just might help insure that the creative minds behind "Paperclips" continue to create films like that.

Maybe it's not fair, but under existing U.S. Copyright law, supplementary religious schools do not qualify for inclusion in the class of educational institutions that benefit from the "Educational Fair Use" provisions covering books, music, films and other media. (Most days schools would qualify, however.) Maybe that's something we ought to lobby Congress to change. I believe it should be "fair use" to show a portion of a film in a religious school class, or create a "class pack" of assembled chapters from a few different books, or audio clips from a few songs in a class. On the other hand, I do agree that we probably shouldn't be showing full-length commercial DVDs intended for private home use to an entire class, or a group of congregants without some kind of license fee. And we shouldn't be using photocopies of entire textbooks, or illegally copied CDs, mp3s, DVDs, etc.

Yes, common sense is required. Noted Jewish educator, author and lecturer Joel Grishaver, in his "meseket photocopy" (maseket is the word for a tractate of Talmud) recognizes that there are emergencies, last-minute needs, texts from extremely expensive original sources, etc. in which exceptions ought to be permissible and acceptable. Yet he states the other case quite succinctly: " The use of photocopied textbooks, workbooks, instant lessons, etc. to "save money" no matter how poor the school, is an act of theft and undermines the Torah that is being taught."
Elul is here. Time to do some inner soul searching. Maybe some organizational inner soul searching. Between now and the end of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe, the High Holy Days) might be a good time to go through your shelves, files, Hard drives, CDs, DVDs, videos and weed out the obviously illegal (both under U.S. law and Jewish law) items we have and are using, for ourselves, and our institutions. Time to go to our boards and officers and executives and clergy and insist that we practice the Torah that we teach. Insist that we are not engaging in hassagat g'vul, moving boundaries.
I hoped I've stretched your boundaries a little with these thoughts. If you'd like to know more about copyright and Judaism, please visit http://www.havanashira.org/copyright.htm

Shabbat Shalom,

Adrian
©2006 by Adrian A. Durlester

Other musings on this parasha:
Shoftim 5765/5759-Whose Justice?
Shoftim 5763--Pursuit
Shof'tim 5761-Sacrifice: From Defective to Greatest

Just who is it that is really targeting civilians?

2006-07-31T00:31:00.000-04:00

The loss of life in Qana is awful. Perhaps it was poor judgment on the part of the Israeli commanders, or perhaps Hezbollah deliberately placed these innocents in harms way. We may never know the truth. And we all pray that the fighting will end and that no more innocent lives will be lost.

However, I feel compelled to remind us all something that seems to be getting overlooked in all this - Israel's targeting is based on strategic military objectives and data. Hezbollah is indiscriminately targeting anyplace their missiles will hit in northern Israel - that is to say-they are purposefully and knowingly targeting civilians, and not military or strategic targets. So before everyone goes off foaming at the mouth at the unfortunate loss of civilian lives at Qana, let's just all remember who started this shooting war, and which side has a consistent pattern of indiscriminate targeting of civilians.

I have always considered myself an advocate of peace. Israel has certainly made its share of mistakes over the decades. I will not defend those mistakes. Neither will I defend those who chose violent resistance as opposed to non-violent protest. Hezbollah is engaged in violent resistance(as is Hamas.) I wish there were some way Israel could respond to this violence without resorting to its own violence, that it could turn its swords in plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. And I wish Hezbollah and Hamas could and would do the same.

Migdalor Guy.

But there IS Jewish life in North Dakota, Rachel Silverman!

2006-07-28T20:12:00.000-04:00

Chaverim:

This article which appeared on the JTA feed tells of one man's effort to preserve and restore a Jewish cemetery in North Dakota. It leaves readers with a rather erroneous impression.

To begin with, the story never tells where in North Dakota this cemetery is. And it certainly makes it sound as if North Dakota is currently devoid of Jewish life.

Having myself lived for ten years in Fargo, North Dakota, I can tell you that the Jewish community there is very much alive and active.

Here's what I wrote to the folks at JTA:

As a Jew who spent ten wonderful years of his adult life living in Fargo, North Dakota, I am very offended at the portrait this article paints of current Jewish life in North Dakota. There are synagogues with active Jewish communities in Fargo and Grand Forks, and other communities also have Jewish communities that come together regularly. And the Jewish cemeteries in Fargo and Grand Forks are maintained, and not overgrown and ignored. One would never know that Judaism continues to thrive in North Dakota from reading this poorly researched article.

The article itself is so lacking in factual information. It never once mentions in which town the deserted cemetery is located. It makes no reference to current Jewish communities in North Dakota. You have done these good people a disservice, and I think you ought to write the wrong, but following up with a report on North Dakota's wonderful Jewish communities.

For some info on Jewish life in North Dakota, visit:

http://www.kobrinsky.com/tbe.htm
http://nd002.urj.net/

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Jewish history in North Dakota doesn't need to just be kept alive--it IS alive. Shame on the JTA and reporter Rachel Silverman for this gross injustice and shoddy journalism.

I may have grown up in New York City, and may now live in the metro Washington, D.C. area, but I can say without hesitation that much of what and who I am now, Jewishly, was shaped and formed in the warm and wonderful Jewish community of North Dakota. It appears easy to be a Jew when surrounded by thousands of others. Out in the great plains, it takes effort. Truth be told, I think those of us living in our American shtetls and ghettos ought to consider how much effort we make. And maybe consider making aliyah to the rest of America. I didn't encounter anti-Semitism that much in North Dakota. I encountered ignorance born of people never having actually meeting someone who is Jewish! Given the chance to actually meet a Jew, they're far less likely to fall prey to the lies and mistruths of those who seek our destruction.

Think about that for Shabbat.

Migdalor Guy.

Animalistic Behaviors in Reactions to Animal School

2006-07-21T17:34:00.000-04:00

I was directed some time ago to a Ellen C. Braun, entitled Animal School. It's based on a story that has been around for a while, and was used in an Artscroll book by "Preparing Our Children for Success" by R. Greenwald.

The video (and the original story, in its many variations) should be seen/read by anyone who parents, teaches, or otherwise affects the lives of children.

What's even more fascinating, though also in many ways sad, are the comments that hundreds have left on the raisingsmallsouls.com website about the video. A whole-hearted attempt to share an important message has been turned, by some, in a battles - between schools and home-schooling, between teachers and parents, between those with differeing views on how children with special needs should be educated, etc. Where is the love, people?

Migdalor Guy

My Random Musing for Matot-Masei

2006-07-21T17:31:00.000-04:00

My Random Musing Before Shabbat this week for parashat Matot-Masei is entitled "First Fruit" and, unlike most of my musings, is a simple restatement of the text of Jeremiah 2:2-3. It is, simply, a prayer for Israel and her defenders, a prayer for those caught in the conflict, a caution against those who attack her, first fruit of G''d's own harvest, and a prayer for peace.

www.durlester.com/random.htm

Shabbat Shalom,

Migdalor Guy

And So It Began...

2006-07-20T14:21:00.000-04:00

(OK, so I started to MSN Spaces blog first, and now my Blogger blog. This is a copy of the first post from my MSN Spaces blog at migdalor.sapces.msn.com)
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OK. Now I've got a "MySpace" site (and a Blogger Site,) a Windows Live personalized page, a Hotmail account linked to a Windows Live mail beta account, a personalized Google home page, a Gmail account, and a Google Calendar. Not to mention already existing customizations on a Yahoo personlaized homepage, email accounts with domaindirect (part of my personal domain, and my personal website www.durlester.com), email accounts through another domain through domaindirect,ehavanashira.org, a personal Yahoo login linked with a Yahoo personal email address and a Small Business WebHosting and Yahoo BizMail account for the synagogue I work for, Bethesda Jewish Congregation, an email account through my ISP (Comcast). I just closed my 15-year-old AOl account, but still have the email and AIM access (adriand@aol.com). And who knows, I probably have some other email addresses floating around that came free with various services like AmericanGreetings.Com or BlueMountain.com. I have two e-vite accounts, personal and business. I maintain a SmugMug photo gallery related to the ehavanashira.org website, also have a Nikonnet account, a Yahoo Pictures account, A Snapfish acoount, etc. So far, the only "social" netwrok I have ever joined was Metails, which is now Yub.

I've been online a long time, getting my first PC and information service accounts back in 1980 (I've had accounts with CompuServe, GEnie, Prodigy and a few other services.) You;d think with all this experience, I would have consolidated things by now, but instead, I just keep getting more accounts, more emails, more personalized webportal pages, etc. Perhaps it's because I've never quite found that "perfect" thing that works just the way I want it to work. There's always something that one place has that another doesn't.

Now, however, the battle seems to be shaping up. Google vs. Microsoft. Google Calendar is looking more and more attractive as a centralized place for all my calendars, and Gmail sure looks like a good place to consolidate all my email accounts - the threaded message interface is really nice. Yet windows Live also is shaping up with some nice features, and I'm reluctant to put all my eggs in one basket. So here I am.

Now, there's the additional complication that I've become rather MS Outlook-centric (though I use a number of add-ons like NEO Pro, a few Sperry Software add-ins, etc.) Right now, true sync between Google Calendar and MS Outlook is a bit of a kludge. I haven't yet tried using he Intellisyc for MSN to try and sync with the MSN calendar as I've had some pretty bad experiences with Intellisyc (both as standalone software, and for Yahoo. Plus so far, the MSN calendar doesn't appear to have the ability to have multiple calendars, and I'm sort of waiting to see how the MSN Calendar evolves whern it all shifts to Windows Live.

To add insult to injury, I just bought a new Motorola Q. Nice little SmartPhoine, but the Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone editions has a few crippled features, and not every bit of software has caught up with it yet, so I still need to keep my trusty HP iPAQ 4355 PDA around so I can use my Pocket Quicken and PocketShop. (I am trying out HanDBase on the Smartphone, to see if any of it's user-created shopping dbs will work as well as PocketShop. And I had to get PhatNotes for Smartphone so I could access the multiple Notes folders. (Also, in WM 5.0 Smartphone, categories are not available in Tasks or Calendar, only Contacts. Now I am desparately serachiong for software that will allow me to sync two different Outlook calendar folders to the MSartphone with merging them. (PocketMirrorPro Smartphone merges two Outlook calendars into the one Calendar on the Q, thoughm oddly, it doesn't then combine them when syncing back to the desktop. Oh, and did I mention that I use the HP4355 to keep my Outlook personal calendar, plus tasks and notes and contacts in sync between the home and work computer. (Don't even mention Plaxo. What a disaster when I tried using it to keep my contacts synched. I dutifully gave it a fair trails for a few mnonths, and then again when thei did a major software update, but ti still screwed things up.) Eventually, I'll use the Q to do that. To keep the separate "work" calendar in sync, I use OSA-Sync Pro from Vaita Software. It allows our little three person synagogue staff to keep our copies of Outlook in sync without and Exchange server, and, through FTP, also keeps the copy of the work calendar at home in syc as well. I use assorted flash drives to keep things like my Favorites, my AIRoboform entries,a nd improtant dopcuments in sync. I also have had a GoToMyPC account since they first started, so I can easily access my work or home computer from each other or any other location.

How did I get in this mess? Where's the true convergenece everyone said would come? It ain't here.

So tune in to follow what happens as a to try thread my way through allof this, and perhaps stay a bit aheadof the curve. Even though I've been using comptuers since High School (I went to Bronx Science and we actually had a computer there back in my days ('69-'73) and have been online since 1980, I'm still at a disadvantage top those who grew up with there always having been PCs and the internet around.

(and watch for my other thread of thoughts on being a musician who was trained on acoustic instruments trying to master the world of MIDI and digital recording.)

And yes, I'm always this verbose when I write...

Show the World That People Have Common Sense

2006-07-20T14:19:00.000-04:00

CNN is collecting public opinion as to whether or not Israel's military response inside Lebanon is justified. As this survey will be viewed across the world and will have a strong impact on public opinion, please take a moment and VOTE to support Israel's actions in response to territorial violations and terrorism. To do so, click on the following link and scroll down to QUICK VOTE and vote YES for supporting the Israel's actions. No personal info is collected, only your vote.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/14/mideast/index.html

Words like "restraint" and "disproportionate" just miss the point. These terrorists are out to derail the peace process. Don't let them win.

Migdalor Guy

Illumination is Coming

2006-07-17T22:56:00.000-04:00

Migdalor Guy is preparing to shine a light on all those things that need to be in the light - whether to expose them, or to highlight them.

We'll start with this highlight: Prime Minister Olmert's Address to the Knesset July 17 2006. (Links to the IMRA - Independent Media Review Analysis web site.)

'nuff said.

Migdalor Guy