Dear TBT Family,
Last week there was a New York Times Opinion piece entitled “Train Yourself to Always Show Up.” It caught my attention not only because this is one of my life’s mottos but also because it referenced the Mishnah. The text Middot 2:2 describes a ritual from the time of the Second Temple. Thousands of Jews would climb to the Temple Mount and walk in a circle in the plaza. Most people would walk counterclockwise. Meanwhile, the people suffering would make this same ritual walk but they would walk in the opposite direction, clockwise. This way the downtrodden would get comforted by the other people passing them. Those who walked counterclockwise would offer a blessing: “May the Holy One comfort you. You are not alone,” and then would continue to walk until the next person approached.
How proud I am to be a descendent from a tradition like this. Our ancestors understood the transformative power of our presence in the lives of others. In a world that is constantly buzzing with activity, it’s easy to get caught up in our own hectic schedules and responsibilities. However, our souls are enriched when we extend ourselves beyond our personal sphere and embrace the opportunity to support and uplift one another. In times of joy, our presence magnifies the celebration; in times of sorrow, it provides a comforting embrace. The simple act of showing up for someone can make a world of difference.
Our Chesed committee is working to create a community of caring for our fellow congregants. We want to create a culture not only of helping those in need, but also the expectation that if something difficult happens, you call the temple, you reach out, you let us know that you need care. I am sure that many of us are willing to step up to help. I suspect that the more difficult challenge for our congregation will be to ask for help. In our fiercely independent society, it feels weak to admit we are suffering. I, however, would say that it takes great strength to reach out when you need a helping hand. We all must learn to both give and receive.
In this spirit, you will all be receiving an invitation to sign up on a platform called Helping Hands. This does not commit you to do anything. It will just allow us to email you when the Chesed committee identifies a need. It may be for rides, visiting a sick congregant, making food for a mourner, etc. I hope to get a great response from our devoted community.
I will end the way I began, with the ritual from our ancient text. Sometimes we will walk counter clockwise but there will be times when we walk against the current. I pray that TBT, our Jewish tribe, can support us while we walk the walk.
L’Shalom,
Karen