Student Rabbi Jonathan Falco served United Hebrew Congregation throughout the 2018-19 academic year.
We presently find ourselves in a period where we are literally counting the days until our next holiday.
Jews are always looking ahead, planning for the next occasion where the pulse of our calendar year brings us together in joyous or somber moments.
During these intervening days between Passover and Shavuot, we are commanded to count the omer of 49 days.
I’ve counted my year in monthly visits, trips to the “Enterprise” in Cincinnati and drives across the beautiful Indiana countryside.
Our Jewish tradition presents us with a framework from which to approach and to accept some of life’s most trying times, acting as a source of comfort.
Drawing upon the wisdom of our ancestors, Jewish tradition emphasizes the importance of both community and reflection for the process of healing.
Each of these two aspects is present in the Kaddish Yatom, also known as the Mourner’s Kaddish.
You may be wondering, “what’s the big deal about Presidents Day?” Aside from local school closings on account of the regional holiday, the average American pays little attention to Presidents Day.
I would argue, however, that Presidents Day is in fact a very Jewish kind of holiday and one that is indeed worthy of reflection.
What is the connection between Judaism and this commemorative day in February honoring our country’s past leaders? The link lies in a rabbinic value concept known as Zechut Avot.
Growth, in general terms, is often challenging to measure. How are people to know whether they or their communities are in a “different place” compared to an earlier point in time?
The minutiae of everyday life often prevent us from taking a step back for moments of introspection and evaluation. Growth is also a gradual process that, in a way, contributes to this lack of awareness.
Meanwhile, these very “micro steps” of the growth process are what propel us forward.