Day: January 24, 2025

When I read this week’s portion, Va’era, I find myself fascinated by the River Nile. It seems clear that a river can be a character in a story. The Nile is the water from which Moses is drawn from, it plays a role in the story of the Ten Plagues, and legend has it that Joseph’s casket was immersed in those waters. Rivers are a symbol of dynamism and movement, they are life-giving and they offer hope. If the place you find yourself in contains pain and struggle, the river suggests another fate can wait for you just around the next bend. 

Growing up, the River Thames had a say in my life. Traversing the river to go to South London seemed like a challenging mission. North and South Londoners saw themselves as separate tribes, delineated by that water. The Thames was the mouth of London, the gateway to a thousand ships representing a hundred countries. It offered an anchor for some of the most eye-catching of London sights, from the Houses of Parliament to Tower Bridge. 

Spending time in Israel, I kayaked more than once on the River Jordan, searched for the place where talmudic rabbis debated on its banks, and looked with wonder as Christian visitors were baptized therein. 

As I developed my love of sacred texts, I saw how the rabbis interpreted the verse in Genesis which announced that a river flowed from the Garden of Eden. They saw this river representing the flow of Divine emanation from the realms beyond human comprehension. In this context, the river was a powerful vehicle for conveying Divine energy to the human world. 

As we delve deeper into Exodus, we sense the life-giving waters of the Nile, dive into their torrent and hope to be conveyed to the place of liberation. 

Shabbat Shalom.

Here at the Tucson J, we build community carried on rivers of hope with the promise of an ever-brighter future just around the bend. A future where everyone belongs and is heard, seen, and valued. Every day we work toward that future by offering programs, services, and events that help people live their fullest lives, nourish their bodies, explore new ideas, express themselves, and connect with one another — but on Monday, we were especially proud to connect our work and values to the incredible legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by partaking in the community-wide Day of Chesed (loving kindness).

At the J, we hosted the first of the year’s Blood Drives with American Red Cross, collected sneakers and socks in the Fitness Center for those in need (you can still drop yours off through Jan 31!), and kids in School Days Out packed hygiene kits for youth experiencing houselessness in partnership with Our Family Services. As February rolls around, we will celebrate Black History Month and Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month and we encourage you to stay engaged! It has never been more important to lean in, practice empathy and compassion, find common ground, support one another, and build a community rooted in solidarity so that we all have the opportunity to thrive. 

Our Disability Program Services department is exploring cultures from around the world; this week, participants of both Arts for All and Taglit embarked on a multi-day collaborative art project — a massive paper dragon to represent the Chinese New Year which takes place on January 29. Be sure to check our Instagram next week to see the finished project! DPS (staff included!) also had the opportunity to take a group fitness class with one of the J’s expert personal trainers, Jamie High. Movement is an important part of cultivating physical wellness, and done together, it can be a whole lot of fun, too!  We cannot create a brighter future without imagining it first. Creative expression is a wonderful way to tap into our imaginations. All month long, artists in our Watercolor Exploration series have been learning the fundamentals of this painting practice! Nourish your creativity and imagination with more art workshops and classes this Spring – check out our offerings here.  Where did you find hope and strength this week? What action will you take in the week ahead to help create a better world? Thank you for being part of the impact we make here at the J. Shabbat Shalom!

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:  This week’s resources:   The Ancient Plagues of Egypt by Rabbi Katie Mizrahi (BimBam)  Moses Was Grateful (Accidental Talmudist: Wisdom for All) Parshat Va’era (My Jewish Learning)  Last week’s resources:  Accidental Talmudist: Wisdom for All — Acts of Kindness by Sal Litvak (filmmaker of Guns + Moses)  BimBam: Moses and His Heavy Tongue by Jason Lieberman Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.