From the Desk of Jennifer Lorch Selco | Sr. Director of Jewish Living + Engagement
This week’s parsha (Hebrew for “portion”) is Ha’Azinu (Hebrew for “Listen Up”) and is the second to last Torah portion of the annual Torah reading cycle. In the parsha, Moses sings the Song of Moses and is ordered to ascend Mt. Nebo where he will overlook the land of Israel and people before his death. In his song, we find these words:
“Remember the days of old, consider the years of ages past; ask your parents, they will inform you, your elders they will tell you: when the Most High gave nations their homes and set the divisions of peoples, in relation to Israel’s numbers. For the Eternal’s portion is God’s people, Jacon God’s own allotment.” – Devarim 32:7-9
We are a people of family and community, links in chain of tradition, connected to one another. We rely on the stories of yesterday, not to keep us in the past, but to drive us forward. The Torah shares our communal story. And it is often our familial stories that bring us toward the community. Each week, we read a section from the Torah and Prophets, helping us to understand who and what we are as a people. How often do we immerse ourselves in understanding our family story – Who are we? What core memories shaped us? What challenges strengthened us?
Dr. Marshall Duke, a professor of psychology at Emory University along with his colleagues share that “children who have a strong knowledge of their family’s history tend to be more resilient and have higher self-esteem.” They developed 20 Questions About Family Stories to initiate the telling and sharing of family stories. While the research and list of questions is geared toward children and adolescents, there is much to know and share across more than one generation.
Moses, in preparing for his death, is imparting his final wisdom to the people, reminding them to share across generations the story of the Jewish People. As we lean into the new year, I invite us to begin (or continue) to lean into storytelling among our family – getting to know more about the generations before us and sharing meaningful stories to the younger generations.
It is our communal story at the J—our memories of the past and our joy in the present—that propel our work forward and shape a strong, connected vision for the future. As a place where people of all ages and stages come to learn, play, and grow together across generations, we are proud to be part of not only your individual stories, but your family stories. Each week here, we take a moment to reflect on and rejoice in the story of the week behind us, and more recently, we share our stories on the J’s News + Media page. It is our hope that you see your own journey at the J reflected, feel inspired by someone else’s, or learn something that may open the door to a new possibility.
We began this week at the J with a sold out September Parents’ Night Out—an opportunity for parents to take a date night or simply enjoy some quiet time—and kids to flex their independence having a blast at the J with bounce houses, games, pizza, and a movie! With Fall Break School Days Out next week, another Parents’ Night Out October 25, Winter Camp J on the horizon, and tons of Sports + Recofferings, there’s no shortage of fun for kids to get into this season.
It was all paws on deck Wednesday evening for our first ever Dogs Only Swim. Around 30 pups of all kinds enjoyed the pool ahead of its annual draining and cleaning, but it may have been even more of a treat for the humans watching! While our furry friends were getting clean, participants in our new Ceramics Workshop got messy exploring their creative whims under the instruction of ceramics expert, Noa Gidon Solodar. Speaking of art, there’s just a few weeks left to check out the current show, Nature and the Cosmos by Terry Dean, in the Fine Art Gallery before our next Opening Reception for Renewal with Paperworks on November 2.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month beginning this week and the brave warriors who fought or are fighting the disease, we stocked the Fitness Center with useful resources—be sure to stop by and check it out. We are here to support your health and wellness journey every step of the way!
Lastly, J team members gathered for a few minutes today to prepare the Four Species we’ll use for Sukkot next week. The smells of the lulav (palm branch), hadasim (myrtle), aravot (willow), and etrog(citron) really got us in the holiday spirit! You’re invited to share in the joyful celebration of Sukkot, too—our J Sukkah will be in the Jill Rosenzweig Memorial Sculpture Garden beginning Monday for the whole community to enjoy.
What meaningful moments did you share in this week? What will you pass into the next? Wishing you a restful weekend and a Shabbat Shalom.
Reminders, Resources + Learning
Each week we share resources for more learning:
This week’s resources:
- Vengeance by Rabbi Johnathan Sacks
- The Purpose of Shirat Haazinu by Rabbi Menachem Leibtag (Orthodox Union)
- Moses’s Swan Song by Rebecca Good (Reform Judaism)
Last week’s resources:
- If Only It Weren’t So Violent by Rabbi Larry Milder (My Jewish Learning)
- The Courage to Hope by Rabbi Ayelet Cohen (Jewish Theological Seminary)
- Parshat Vayelech with Mayim Bialik (BimBam)
Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.
