Shavuah Tov
There is something extraordinary about the act of creation.
It begins with a spark. An idea, an observation, a conversation, something we hear, something we see, or perhaps something we feel deep within ourselves. Sometimes that spark arrives when we least expect it. The question is, what do we do when it comes? Do we allow it to pass, or do we seize the moment, nurture it, and see what might become possible?
I have been thinking a great deal about creation as creativity, and the deeply Jewish idea that each of us has both the capacity and the responsibility to be a creator.
The Torah begins with the words “Bereshit bara Elohim” – “In the beginning, God created” (Genesis 1:1). Before there were commandments, before there was a people, before there was a covenant, there was an act of creation.
And later, in Genesis 1:27, we learn that humankind was created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of G-d. I have always found this teaching especially meaningful. If the first thing we learn about G-d is that G-d creates, and we are created in God’s image, perhaps one of the most profound ways we express that divine image is through our own capacity to create.
To imagine something that does not yet exist. To see possibilities where others see limitations. To take an idea and give it life.
Creativity is not simply something we do. It is part of who we are.
Here at the Tucson J, we are fortunate to see creativity expressed in so many beautiful and unexpected ways.
Walk through our Fine Art Gallery and experience the imagination, perspective, and talent of artists who invite us to see the world through a different lens. Wander through the Jill Rosenzweig Memorial Sculpture Garden, where art, nature, and human expression come together to create a space for reflection and inspiration.
Walk down the hallways of our Early Childhood Education program and see the artwork of our youngest creators proudly displayed. Step outside and discover colorful sidewalk chalk drawings, temporary masterpieces that remind us that creativity does not need to be permanent to be meaningful.
And creativity extends well beyond what we traditionally call art.
We see it in the programs our team imagines and brings to life, in the experiences we create for children, families, and older adults, in the ways we bring people together, and in the solutions, we develop to meet the evolving needs of our community.
Every program, every gathering, every new partnership begins with someone imagining what might be possible.
One of my favorite songs about creativity is Harry Chapin’s Flowers are Red It tells the story of a young boy whose imagination is constrained by a teacher who insists that flowers must be red and leaves must be green. The boy sees a world filled with flowers of every color but eventually learns to conform to someone else’s narrow understanding of what is possible.
It is a beautiful and heartbreaking reminder of what happens when we fail to nurture imagination.
I think about that song often, especially in a place like the J, where we have the privilege of helping children and adults discover their own voices, talents, and possibilities.
Our responsibility is not to tell people what color their flowers must be. It is to help them discover all the colors they might imagine.
There is also a beautiful Israeli song, Yesh Bi Ahava, written by Arkadi Duchin and made famous by Arik Einstein. Its title means “There Is Love Within Me.” The song reminds us of the love, hope, and capacity for goodness that reside within each of us.
To me, that is where creativity begins. With the belief that something good, something beautiful, something meaningful can emerge from what we already carry within ourselves.
Jewish tradition offers another powerful expression of this idea in Pirkei Avot 2:16:
“Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v’lo ata ben chorin l’hibatel mimena.”
“It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”
We are not expected to create a perfect world on our own. But we are expected to participate in its creation.
That teaching speaks directly to our work at the Tucson J.
We are all creators of the future we hope to see. Our board members, staff, donors, volunteers, community partners, and members each bring unique gifts, perspectives, and ideas to this sacred work.
As we continue moving forward together through Kadima B’Yachad, our strategic plan, we are doing more than developing programs or improving facilities. We are imagining and creating the future of our J and our community.
A future with greater Jewish community, a more vibrant Jewish life, deeper connections, and a place where everyone feels that they belong.
And that future will not emerge from one person’s imagination. It will be created together.
I hope we will all remain open to those sparks of inspiration. When an idea comes, capture it. When you hear something that makes you think differently, explore it. When you see an opportunity to make something better, pursue it. And when someone else shares an idea that seems unusual or unexpected, resist the temptation to tell them that flowers must be red.
Instead, ask, “What might be possible?”
An Invitation to Celebrate Creativity
Next Sunday, October 18, from 4:00–6:00 PM, I hope you will join us for SCULPT: Making Space, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate creativity, artistic expression, and the extraordinary gift of our Jill Rosenzweig Memorial Sculpture Garden.
What better way to celebrate the creative spirit than by gathering as a community in a place where imagination has been brought to life?
As we enter this new week, I hope each of us will find a moment to appreciate the beauty others have created, recognize the creativity within ourselves, and imagine what we might yet create together.
After all, creation did not end with Bereshit. In so many ways, it is just beginning.
Cochenu b’Achduteynu | כחינו באחדותינו | Our strength is in our unity.
Am Yisrael Chai | עם ישראל חי
Todd Rockoff
President + CEO, Tucson J
