Shavua Tov
One of the greatest gifts of Jewish tradition is that it rarely asks us to settle for a single perspective. Instead, Judaism teaches us to ask another question, to listen more deeply, and to recognize that wisdom often emerges when we are willing to see the world through more than one lens.
This spirit comes alive every day at the Tucson J.
In our remarkable Early Childhood Education program, our educators are guided by the JCC Association’s Sheva Framework, a philosophy that encourages children and all of us to explore the world through seven different lenses. These lenses are much more than an educational model. They are a Jewish way of understanding ourselves, one another, and our responsibility to the world. Increasingly, I find myself reflecting on how these lenses can guide all of us not only in our classrooms, but throughout every part of our agency and our community.
The seven Sheva lenses invite us to see the world in these ways:
Hit’orerut – Amazement & Gratitude: To approach life with wonder and appreciation, recognizing that awe is the beginning of learning and gratitude.
D’rash – Inquiry, Dialogue & Interpretation: To ask meaningful questions, engage in thoughtful conversation, and understand that wisdom grows through curiosity and dialogue.
Tikkun Olam – Repair of the World: To understand that each of us shares responsibility for repairing what is broken in ourselves, in our relationships, and in our community.
Tzelem Elohim – Divine Image: To recognize that every human being possesses inherent dignity and infinite potential because each person is created in the image of G-d.
Masa – Journey: To embrace life as a continual process of reflection, growth, return, and renewal rather than simply reaching a destination.
K’dushah – Holiness: To live intentionally, recognizing that ordinary moments become sacred when we bring our full presence to them.
B’rit – Covenant: To understand that our deepest sense of purpose comes through our commitments—to ourselves, our families, our community, and one another.
As I read these lenses together, I am reminded that they are not seven separate ideas. They are seven ways of looking at the very same world. One situation can be viewed through curiosity. Another through compassion. Another through responsibility. Often the wisest response comes not from choosing one lens, but from allowing ourselves to see through several.
Our tradition speaks directly to this. In Pirkei Avot (4:1), Ben Zoma teaches:
“Who is wise? One who learns from every person.”
Notice that the Mishnah does not say “one who teaches every person.” Wisdom begins with humility. It begins with listening.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks expanded on this beautiful idea when he wrote:
“The dignity of difference is that each of us has something unique to contribute to the collective conversation of humankind.”
What a powerful lesson for our time. Whether we are serving members, teaching children, making strategic decisions, volunteering, leading, or participating in programs, we become stronger when we seek first to understand before seeking to be understood. Different perspectives are not obstacles to community they are one of community’s greatest strengths.
As I walk throughout the Tucson J, I see these lenses in action every day. I see teachers nurturing children’s curiosity. I see campers discovering confidence through new experiences. I see older adults sharing decades of wisdom. I see members encouraging one another in the fitness center, swimmers cheering each other on, tennis players building lifelong friendships, volunteers giving generously of themselves, and staff collaborating across departments. Each interaction offers another opportunity to learn from someone whose experiences are different from our own.
At the Tucson J, we often describe ourselves as the town square of Jewish Tucson a place where everyone belongs and some people join. A thriving town square is built upon conversation, respect, curiosity, and the willingness to see one another through lenses of dignity, possibility, and hope.
As we continue building an even stronger and more vibrant Jewish community together, may we never stop asking thoughtful questions, remaining open to new perspectives, and discovering the wisdom that exists in every person we meet.
Because perhaps the greatest lesson of the Sheva Framework is this: when we learn to see through different lenses, we begin to see each other and ourselves with greater clarity, greater compassion, and greater possibility.
This week’s musical selections beautifully echo this message of learning, community, and responsibility.
Children Will Listen from Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods reminds us that learning is never confined to the classroom. Children, and adults, are constantly shaped by the words we speak, the examples we set, and the perspectives we model. It is a gentle reminder that every interaction is an opportunity to teach, inspire, and nurture the next generation.
Peter Yarrow’s Light One Candle reminds us that even a single act of kindness, understanding, or hope can illuminate the lives of many others. Like the Sheva lenses themselves, each candle may seem small on its own, but together they create a light capable of transforming a community.
May we each continue to light candles of curiosity, compassion, and understanding and in doing so, help build a Tucson J and a Jewish community where every person is seen, every voice is valued, and every perspective enriches us all.
Cochenu b’Achduteynu | כחינו באחדותינו | Our strength is in our unity.
Am Yisrael Chai | עם ישראל חי
Todd Rockoff
President + CEO, Tucson J
