Jewish Musings, Tuesday December 27th

[lee058]

What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.

Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:

Angelika
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well today. I'm fine, and temperatures here in VA are supposed to go up to 65 degrees! Of course, they're going back down to the 40's tomorrow, but I will enjoy the "heat wave" while it lasts.

I'm still thinking about the idea of "inner light" and I'd like to take it a step further to have us discuss how we personally can bring more light into the world. What are some things you do, or could do, to make the world a better place? Maybe what I or we do seems small, but I think that every little bit helps. You never know when an action or a kind word can make a difference in someone else's life.

I guess that the main thing I do is to try to be kind and helpful towards other people, especially my family. Also, I compliment people, especially when they work in a service industry. Lots of times, they get belittled or yelled at, and it's amazing to see people's faces light up when I say something pleasant to them. Just saying please and thank you --- treating others like they have feelings and are worth being treated politely --- can be a big deal.

I try to drive courteously too. I really try to be careful on the road! I will usually let people in when they are trying to get into my lane, and I do not tailgate.

This is harder for me, but I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I try to not be too quick to judge others, even if I think that they are not behaving the way I would like them to. I also do my best to have healthy boundaries, not only so that I won't get hurt but also so that others can have a good example.

I don't give much to charity but I do try to give a little every year. I also try to do some volunteering.

I'll be back later. Have a peaceful day, Lee

[louise]

I like the things you point out - we forget how important small acts of kindness are and how the opportunities, often overlooked, abound. I give service to my synagogue and also do some volunteer work - Christmas Eve day at a nearby emergency food pantry is a tradition for me and I also sing with the synagogue choir at nursing homes. The things that are particularly "me" have to do with "hiddur mitzvah" (beautifying a mitzvah or specifically a ritual object). I made a "seatbelt" for our torah while it is waiting to be put away from a silky twisted cord I had but will be looking for something "better" (more elegant?) this week while I am off. May sound silly, but I want the solution to be functional but also not look makeshift. I feel that the look of the sanctuary can impact the experience.

[peachymom1]

Holly, happy belated anniversary!

Louise, I think those things are important. I myself have no artistic talent and appreciate the abilities of others.

Lee, I'm like you in that I go out of my way to be nice to people in service jobs. They take a lot of crap and don't get nearly enough strokes, so I try to make up for that. I also try to be a courteous driver; I actually learned this from my bff, who drives more than anyone else I know. He teaches at two (and sometimes three) different locations, so he's on the road a lot. Yet he's amazingly patient and generous with other drivers. I try to be like him.

The only volunteering I do is reading Torah, and that does take a good bit of time and preparation. But it gives me such joy to bring honor to my congregation and especially to my teacher, who's the ritual director. When he pats my hand and says, "Good!" when I finish reading, I do feel good. This last Shabbat, I read four aliyot and didn't make a single mistake. He patted my hand after the fourth one and said, "Beautiful! Perfect!" Somehow there's nothing like getting praise from your teacher. :+)

[savtele]

Boker Tov All! Happy Belated Anniversary, Holly - Party on!

Louise - what a lovely gesture, and so completely natural.

I love the things you do, Lee. As I grow older I am realizing more and more that kindness is more important that just about anything else. A kind word or gesture costs me nothing but the thought, & might make someone's day. I often think of this on the freeway, in heavy traffic, when people refuse to let someone into the lane & you know the access lane is coming to an end.

I try to choose my charities carefully - I don't want to give someplace where the CEO of the company lives high & mighty, while a few cents of my $ goes to the actual need. Yes, I know, the lights & heat need to be kept on & the rent must be paid. And no doubt the CEO has credentials that would garner a large salary in the business sector. However, he/she chooses to work in the charitable sector, which in my mind at least, puts one much closer to "volunteer" status. (a bit judgmental, I know)

I also feel that spending my disposable income locally is not only fiscally & environmentally responsible, it is also a part of letting my inner light shine. I am building relationships with my neighbors, I am keeping farmers, local shopkeepers & restaurants in business & I am spreading what little I may have around my little corner of the world. My carbon footprint is minimized, and I am making friends & influencing (and being influenced by) people!

It's raining and warm (mid 40s) today & the trend is for temps to continue going up a bit this week, then drop next week. I slept with the window open last night - I love that!

Have a good day, ladies!

[hollygail]

I was on the phone a couple of months ago making motel reservations. The clerk I spoke with was both friendly and 100% business-like at the same time. When we were finished and she asked if there was anything else she could do for me, I said, yes; I asked for her name and to connect me with her supervisor so I could tell the supervisor how helpful she'd been to me. She was (pleasantly) surprised and thanked me before transferring me. The supervisor was just as surprised and also thanked me for taking the extra time to compliment the employee. People are quick enough to register complaints; I take the time to register compliments for people in service industries.

I volunteer at several synagogues. Right now, I'm in the office of my own shul; I volunteer in the office here every Tuesday. Sometimes there's more for me to do, and sometimes less, like today, so I'm taking a few minutes to check my email and check in with all of you...

I volunteer to teach adults how to chant Torah and/or haftarah, plus I volunteer to read Torah and/or haftarah at about four synagogues. I also volunteer to lead services (or to help lead, in some instances) at three of the four.

I spent many years of my life volunteering with various social justice and human rights agencies. I was on the Board of my local chapter of NOW in the 1980s. I marched with MLK in the 1960s and was arrested at the 1964 World's Fair (taking part in a peaceful sit-in for civil rights; I was bailed out by CORE and represented in court by the now-famous attorney William Kunstler). I was on the speakers' bureau of the Tucson Rape Crisis Center (before it changed its name). I was part of the volunteer committee that organized a charitable Taste of Chocolate to raise money for Arizona Right to Choose.

I let cars into my lane when the drivers enter onto the freeway, and I always wave a "thank you" to the drivers of cars that let me in. I smile at supermarket cashiers while they ring up my purchases.

I go out of my way for students who consistently show up for class and who need extra help.

And that's off the top of my head...

[peachymom1]

Holly, you're amazing, I want to be like you when I grow up...

And actually, I want to be like all of you. I like hearing about what's important enough to everyone to take extra time for. It makes me want to be better and do more. Thank you to all of you!