ensemble Devar Torah for Yom Kippur Morning
10/13/2024 10:50:51 AM
Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan:
Two friends meet after they haven’t seen each other in twenty five years.
Harry starts talking about himself and doesn’t stop for a half hour.
His friend David says "Harry, we haven’t spoken in 25 years, you go on and on about yourself...aren’t you going to ask about me?
Harry considers and says "You're right! How are you?”
David answers "Oy, Don’t ask!"
Of course, when things are difficult, we do need to ask, we do need to support each other, and we need to respond with gemilut hassadim, deeds of lovingkindess. That is the focus of today’s ensemble Devar Torah: “How to be a Mitzvah Mensch,” they type of kind, caring, decent person that was the role model in every traditional Jewish community.
After all, we can’t all be lamed vavniks, but we can be a mensch…
The following Talmudic selection is recited daily as part of the traditional morning: “These are the things whose fruits you will enjoy in your lifetime, while the principle is your in the world to come: Honoring father and mother, deeds of lovingkindness, early attendance at the house of study morning and evening, hospitality to guests, visiting the sick, providing for a bride, escorting the dead, devotion in prayer, bringing peace between one another—and the study of Torah is equal to them all, (because it leads to them all.)”
Today I’ve invited chairs or co-chairs of three commitees to talk about ways to be a lamed vavnik in training right here at Seaside. They will tell you what we already do and I hope that many of you will be inspired to find at least one way to connect with one of these teams. Phyllis Bloom, chair of the Chesed Committee, will tells how to get involved with kindness and support to our own members. Donna Hoffman, from community service, shows how we at SJC serve the local community, and Leslie Slan cochair of Social Justice, shows how we reach out to do Tikkun Olam in the broader world.
Phyllis Bloom – Chesed (Caring) Committee
The Chesed Committee supports our own members in time of need and spreads Tikkun Olam to the members of the Seaside family.
The Helping Hands Subcommittee offers temporary support to members who are ill, grieving, homebound or just needing a helping hand. Available support includes the sending of cards, calling and visiting people at home or in nursing facilities, and running errands. Our Meal Train, coordinated by Lynn Davis, prepares and delivers meals to congregants recovering from illnesses and surgery. Our Bereavement committee furnishes meals of comfort after a death and fruit and pastry trays for shiva and memorial services.
Twice a year, at Purim and Rosh Hashana, our Gift Bag subcommittee coordinates the delivery of gift bags. The Purim bags include hamantaschen, grape juice, a mandarin orange or clementine, cookies/candy/nuts, and a mask and card decorated by the Religious School students. The Rosh Hashana bags this year included a challah, two Shabbat candles, an apple, honey sticks, candy, and nuts.
Our Pastoral Support Subcommittee, chaired by Anita Smulyan, works with the Rabbi to provide pastoral counseling to members of the congregation. Members of the committee reach out to those who have experienced loss and those in need of pastoral help. Pastoral volunteers are chosen based on appropriate background and experience, such as working in counseling or healthcare.
Donna Hoffman, Seaside Community Service Committee
Shana Tova! My name is Donna Hoffman, and I chair the Community Service Committee.
After vacationing here for decades, my husband and I were lucky enough to be able to buy a house here about 10 years ago. Like many of you, we came here for a week or two with our kids and had the same routine: bike rides, beach, nap, shower, dinner, boardwalk, ice cream, sleep, repeat.
We moved here permanently during COVID. As my husband and I began to drive around and explore the area, we couldn’t believe the actual contrast in the “resort” area we loved so much and the outlying areas. I also was sitting at home feeling sorry for myself, like I’m sure many of us were during that dark period. I tried to remind myself how lucky I was to have a roof over my head and to be able to go to the grocery store and buy what I needed and wanted. I decided to get involved and sought out the local Jewish Community since I was very involved in my community back in Baltimore.
I love that Seaside, along with Epworth Church, helps support the surrounding community.
If you, like me, ever thought about getting “outside of your world and helping others, you may think you don’t have the time, or you’re worried about committing and then being overwhelmed. You would be wrong. There are many opportunities in our committees that only require a few hours or less. Some options include Shelter Meals lead by Ruth Osman. Ruth has a sign-up online, you can pick what to bring in the meal, buy or cook at home and everyone delivers at a specific time to the shelter.
If you’re an early bird, Food Rescue, led by Reba Novich is done several times a week at local restaurants and rescued food is taken to the Epworth freezer.
Beebe Food Delivery, led by Deena Newman. Food is delivered to people who have been discharged from the hospital but are food insecure. While this is done monthly, I choose to do this once or twice a year and only takes a few hours on a Wednesday morning.
Dignity Grows, led by Phyllis Bloom and myself compile a months’ worth of sanitary items for women once every few months and literally takes less than an hour.
Finally, Collections, led by Beth Gilbert. Many of you have donated this holiday. This is a matter of emptying your pantry or picking something extra when at the grocery store and dropping off or bringing with you to services. At other times we have collected coats, toys, or socks for different groups.
As you can see, you do not have to be intimidated by the amount of time or commitment. Just make the leap. We’re waiting to welcome you. And thank you to all who have helped Seaside spread its mission of Tikkun Olam and impacted so many people in need in our community.
Leslie Slan:
SEASIDE SOCIAL JUSTICE
Shana tova! The Torah says, “Let the time not be distant, O God, when all shall turn to You in love, when all the brokenness in our world is repaired by the work, tikkum olam, of our hands and our hearts, inspired by Your words of Torah”.
Tikkun Olam, repair of the world in Judaism is a basic tenet that improves the world by bringing it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created. Tikkun olam implies that while the world is innately good, God purposely left room for us to improve upon God’s work. According to Seaside Jewish Community values, the pursuit of social justice is a universal obligation; members of Seaside see this as a primary expression of Jewish religious life. The ethical mandate of Judaism is a community responsibility.
Jodye Russell, Lori Chaikin and I, tri-chairs of the Social Justice Committee, would love to welcome you to be part of our Committee. The mission of the committee is to “promote programs and activities that affirm and further the moral and ethical values of Judaism by creating and participating with other Seaside Committees and with other community organizations and faith communities in projects that further social justice and equality”.
I would like to take a few minutes to talk with you about a few of the programs, among many initiatives that Social Justice is fostering. First and foremost is the Multifaith effort which has been in existence for over eight years. Seven Faith Houses in Sussex County come together to share Social Justice projects going on in their Congregations and also strive to create relationships and proximity among the members. At the moment, this program is being reimagined.
Another project and now a 501(c)(3), SOAH or Speak Out Against Hate was formed by five Social Justice members and four members of SDARJ, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice to combat the rising tide of hate including antisemitism, racism, LGBTQ+ discrimination, bias and bullying in the schools - any kind of hate in Sussex County, our State and Nation. SOAH is all about action and there are five action groups: Police Officials, Youth and School Officials, Elected Officials, Business Leaders and Faith Leaders. Our Community Meetings which meet every other month at Lewes Library and via Zoom are forums to educate the community about current issues of hate and bias going on in our own backyard. The action groups meet regularly via Zoom and take on specific actions that can be taken to create a kind, respectful and peaceful community.
One such program undertaken by the Faith Leader’s Action group to be held on Oct. 27th at Epworth Church at 3 pm is a Sabbath of Peace and Unity. This event occurs at the end of Peace Week Delaware. The Sabbath of Peace will include multifaith liturgical and other readings delivered by the participating faith leaders, as well as stories of hateful incidents of various kinds directed at individuals. Additionally, individual members of various faith houses will come together to perform choral arrangements. At a time of discord in our community and country, this service has been organized in an effort to unite us.
Another project going on as part of the Social Justice Committee and spearheaded by one of our members, Jan Kliger, is the Dignity Back Packs for recently released prisoners transitioning back into society. We are hoping to involve our youth as well as members of the community The backpacks will be distributed during Second Chance Month on April 6, 2025 at the Unitarian Universalists Church in Lewes at 2 pm. For more information, to donate financially or in purchasing products, or to volunteer, contact Jan Kliger in your Seaside Directory.
Thanks to Shelley Prince, Jodye Russell and Lori Chaikin, the Reclaim Our Vote Postcard campaign has been a huge success. In addition to including Seaside members, they reached out beyond the Seaside community and sent over 11,000 postcards to cities and towns across the country with low voter turnout.
As you just heard, our committee has many ways you can be involved and we would love you to join us. As Mister Rogers said, “No matter what our particular job, especially in our world today, we all are called to be Tikkun Olam -repairers of creation. (as Rabbi Julie talked about, “Lamed Vavnik in training”) Thank you for whatever you do, wherever you are, to bring joy and light, and hope and faith, and pardon and love to your neighborhood and to yourself.
After this we had a chance to discuss our own Tikkun Olam participation, or how we want to get involved in the coming year.
To get involved with any of these committees, contact the chairpeople directly or contact the seaside main email and your message will be forwarded.
May this year set us on the path to being a Lamed-Vav community as I spoke of on Rosh Hashanah morning. May we all merit to grow in our mitzvoth and menshlichkeit, to do gemilut hassadim, deeds of lovingkindess for one another, and to flourish as a caring community, companioning one another through all the joys and sorrows of life. May our light and deeds spread outward to our local community and the greater world. Amen.
