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Destruction in Lod. (courtesy)
“How can you sit shiva for a city?” asked Yuval, the CEO of Totzeret Haaretz, an organization dedicated to creating intentional communities of Israelis of diverse backgrounds, bringing strength, vision and their hearts and souls to communities outside the
merkaz (the center of the country). Yuval devoted the last 10 years of his life to bringing young Israeli adults to Lod (yes, Lod is considered outside the merkaz!) to create community in the different neighborhoods.
Disabilities and Divine Eyeglasses
This week, when I read the Parsha, I will put on my divine eyeglasses. I will see everyone around me differently and give them the love and respect they truly deserve.
Can a disabled person be a spiritual leader? The answer might seem simple, but it’s not. The reason why it is a challenging question is because of this week’s Torah reading.
On the weekend of Parashat Emor in 2009, my synagogue held a unique Bnai Mitzvah celebration. The celebrants were a group of six adults, most in the forties and fifties, who were residents at the Miriam Home, a Montreal institution that provides services for intellectually disabled adults. These Bnai Mitzvah turned 12 and 13 at a time when developmentally disabled children were hidden away, and because of that, they were excluded from a ceremony that every Jewish child takes for granted.
Harav Benny Lau, Shlita – A Humble Request for Guidance
My name may be unfamiliar, but Harav Benny Lau, you are a significant figure in my life: my Rav, my mentor. My teacher. My guide. A lifeline.
Thank you. For inspiration. Motivation. Direction.
Your
Yirat Shamayim. Commitment to your family, our tradition, our past. Your love of Klal Yisrael. Your ever-present smile focused on our collective future, on
Tikkun Olam, infuses me with energy. With dreams. With hope. The belief in a better tomorrow. For my self. For my family. For my children. For my sister. For her wife. For their children. For our family. For our community. For our world.