From the Desk of Stories Behind the Numbers | Rabbi Malcom Cohen, Kol Ami Synagogue
Next time you’re in shul, look at the person behind or in front of you who you may or may not know. Don’t stare too intensively, that’s creepy! What’s their story? Where were they born? What was their upbringing like? Who influenced them? What is their greatest achievement? What are their goals in life? What gets them up in the morning? What keeps them up at night? In addition to seeing, really seeing, one or two individuals around you, we usually count how many people show up at services.
In this week’s portion, Pinchas, Moses and Elazar are charged with counting the Israelites, those aged twenty and upwards, mainly for the purposes of assessing their military strength. This is a relatively sober, emotionless counting. We need to know how many soldiers we have to see who effective we would be in fighting our enemies. 43,730 from the tribe of Reuben, 22,200 from the Tribe of Simeon etc. In an army, the individual details of each person counted is not so important. Indeed, in the military, individualism is problematic if it erodes your ability to follow orders. For some tasks, humans just need numbers, volume.
Our sages tell us: The one who sees crowds of Israelites should say “ברוך חכם הרזים, Blessed are You who is wise in secrets,” because, the sages say, their minds differ and their faces differ. A crowd of people, like we have in shul, don’t look alike so they also don’t think alike. I have the advantage of the high ground, I’m often up on a bimah, looking down. I see everything from up there. I don’t mean that in a sinister way, that I’m checking up on folks. I mean that, when I look out from that vantage point, I see people in their fullness. Someone who I know has had a hard week because of illness to them or a loved one, someone who is going through a major life transition and it’s eating them up inside, despite their calm exterior, someone who is relatively new to Judaism and struggling to internalize Jewish practice.
It’s at those moments that the mass of numbers of people in our congregation transform into life stories and experiences. What a beautiful thing. Shabbat Shalom!
Also in Pinchas, we encounter the powerful story of the daughters of Zelophehad—five courageous sisters who “draw near” to Moses and the leaders of Israel to advocate for their rightful inheritance. Their act of stepping forward, of coming close with clarity and purpose, brings about real change and sets a precedent for justice in our tradition. At the Tucson J, we are inspired by this model of sacred closeness—of drawing near to community, to tradition, and to one another. And we believe that everyone matters. Our mission is rooted in creating a space where people feel empowered to engage, connect, and be heard—where every individual, like the daughters of Zelophehad, has the opportunity to help shape the future for themselves, our community, and the world around us.
That commitment begins with our youngest community members: every day in our Early Childhood Education program, we create a nurturing and supportive environment where kids learn to explore their individual interests, build meaningful relationships with their peers, and learn the skills they need to thrive here at the J and far beyond. Whether celebrating Shabbat each Friday, exploring in the PlaySpace, creating in the ECE art studio, or listening to a story in the classroom, we celebrate each child’s individuality and are honored to contribute to their bright futures!
As summer continues, we also see this idea of “drawing near” come to life at Camp J— campers learn to work together, step outside their comfort zones, grow more confident in themselves, build their leadership skills, and discover that they belong to something bigger than themselves. These moments of connection and community help create a summer filled not only with fun, but with the sense of empowerment and belonging that will stay with them long after camp ends. This week, highlights included making gratitude cards and planting seeds in Discovery, “Red, White + Blue” Day (including ice cream treats for the entire Tucson J team), and our Tiyul group’s annual and highly anticipated Restaurant Wars! This year to prepare, Tiyul toured Kneller’s Delicatessen, Street Taco, Empire Pizza, Corbett’s, and Dairy Queen and then went shopping for ingredients! Please join us in thanking judges Christian Padilla (of Zio Peppe), Jeremy Kneller (of Kneller’s Delicatessen), and Adina Karp (former Camp J staff), and congratulating Team Tacos Eduardos on their win!
Just as every person has something unique to contribute to our community, every member finds their own way to engage at the J. On any given day, you’ll find members catching up between pickleball games, encouraging one another in group fitness classes, swimming laps, working toward fitness goals with a personal trainer, and so much more. While everyone’s path to wellness looks different, we are so often reminded that some of the strongest connections are built simply by showing up together.
Whether you are trying something new in ECE or camp, shooting a game of Noon Hoops, attending an art class, or living your best life in one of our Healthy Aging programs, we are grateful you are part of our community. Shabbat Shalom.
Reminders, Resources + Learning
Each week we share resources for more learning:
This week’s resources:
- Pacing Change by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
- The Daughters of Zelophehad: Power and Uniqueness by Rabbi Silvina Chemen (My Jewish Learning)
Last week’s resources:
- A Reflection on Balak (Bim Bam)
- Responding to Thirst by Rabbi Jordana Schuster (My Jewish Learning)
- The Song of the Well by Rabbi Aharon Loschak (Chabad)
Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.
