My brother died when I was 22 years young. It was the darkest time in my life. I was single and a full time student. I felt responsible to my grieving parents and had the most flexibility in my schedule to take care of the needs of closing my brothers estate and packing his widowed wife and my baby niece off to Detroit. While each of my family were going through equal trauma and stress from Gabe's untimely death, I found myself becoming unwound emotionally and spiritually. People close to me had extended friendship, my teachers opened their offices and their hearts to me and I even sought professional help to ask the unanswerable questions. None of these things seemed to help me in anyway and I felt myself becoming so unwound that I was afraid I could never get myself back together.
Then, a dear and trusted friend shared a book with me written by Temple Emanu-El's Scholar in Residence for this upcoming weekend, Rabbi Naomi Levy. It was called To Begin Again. I picked up the book and could not put it down. In each page I found commiseration, empathy, compassion and hope. It was the first daylight I had seen in months; the first sign that I would survive this nightmare and that God and Judaism would be there with the tools to help me cope and work through each day. That book, time and much love helped me stay together.
Since that time, I have had the privilege to meet and know Rabbi Levy. I consider her a dear friend. She has written two more books since then, each as moving and inspirational as To Begin Again. Her words have embraced countless people and helped heal millions around the globe.
One of the main reasons I chose to become a rabbi was to help people during their hour of need. Judaism gives us a crutch, if you will, that keeps us standing when we feel our legs are being taken out from beneath us. Showing people those crutches and helping them stand again has always been a challenging yet meaningful part of my profession. For most people that have met with me during a trying time in their life, I often share with them a copy of Rabbi Levy's book with prayers of hope and healing. Countless members in our community have been touched by Rabbi Levy's words. She continues to shine light to people struggling in the darkness.
Sometimes, when I think about this week's portion of Vayishlach, and in particular about the tension between Jacob and Esau, I wonder if they were searching for hope, healing and ways to overcome their past challenges. Were they looking to begin again and start anew. Searching for God and working through stress are not novel by any means. But, we are fortunate that in every generation we develop new tools and techniques to help us manage through these challenges.
Temple Emanu-El is blessed to be hosting Rabbi Levy this weekend as our Scholar in Residence. We hope that you will join us for one or all of her sessions. She is an amazing writer, a gifted rabbi and a mesmerizing speaker.
Friday Night Services at 7:00 PM
Rabbi Levy will speak
Shabbat Morning Services at 9:00 AM
Rabbi Levy will speak at services and afterwards 20 minutes after Kiddush in the Meeting Room
Sunday Morning Minyan at 9:00 AM
10:00 - 11:00 am: Rabbi Levy will lead a study session nd healing program geared for survivors of cancer and open to all people in our community.
Book signing will follow.
Please join us in what promises to be a special weekend with a special rabbi and speaker and my dear friend, Rabbi Naomi Levy.
Special thanks to Phyl's Fund and the Sugarman lecture series for sponsoring this SIR program.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabi David-Seth Kirshner
