The Monthly Newsletter from RachaelsCentre.org
December 2009 / Kislev-Tevet 5770 - Vol 1, Issue 3
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Podcast of the Week
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 This week, Rachael delves into Parashat Vayeishev.
Click here to listen!
Click here to go to Rachael's archived podcasts.
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Candle Lighting Times |
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Wishing you and your families a Happy Chanukah!
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Greetings!
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Happy
Chanukah to everyone! I always
look forward to Chanukah because of so many of its wonderful messages. We often focus on the latkes and the
dreidels and of course those beautiful candles. One of my favourite Chanukah songs is the Hebrew song 'Banu
Choshech Legaresh' which translates to 'We Have Come to Chase the Darkness
Away'. The song states that although
we are holding fire in our hands, we are each of us a source of light that
grows into a tremendously brilliant light.
What
a powerful message and I have to say that whenever I hear children singing this
song I always choke up. It's clear
that the little kids love the song because they get to parade around carrying
flashlights and playing with the beams of light. I know they don't yet understand the core message that every
person has an internal light. It
can stay quiet and flickering within or it can be inspired by the Chanukah
candles to grow and shine into a grand lumination.
The
days get shorter in this season and the nights get longer. It's easy to feel the darkness growing
and it's so exciting to have Chanukah show us how a tiny light can dispel even
the darkest of nights. Enjoy,
enjoy!
 Dr. Rachael Turkienicz Executive Director, RachaelsCentre.org
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Featured Moments From Our Website
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Here is a preview of some of the new videos now available to our participants in the Pathways to Learning section of www.rachaelscentre.org
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The Other Side of Chanukah - A New Delving Deeper Course
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There's far more to Chanukah than gelt and jelly donuts. In this four part series, Rachael meaningfully explores the history of Chanukah with wisdom that will surely enhance your Chanukah experience this year! Check it out.
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To Gift or Not to Gift? - A Community Life Lesson
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 Contrary to popular belief, gift giving is actually not a tenet of Chanukah. Learn more about how this custom came to be and how you can inform your decision this holiday season.
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Here is a taste of what's available on RachaelsCentre.org in the
Free Media Zone!
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On our YouTube channel - How to light the Chanukah Candles
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You've heard the old saying, two Jews - three opinions. There is often a debate around the Chanukiah with regards to proper lighting. Here, Rachael explains Chanukah candle lighting complete with the appropriate blessings.
Click here to watch!
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From the Many Voices Blog
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Here is a recent blog posted by Laya
While the term Shepping Nachas is typically reserved for the
55+ crowd, I shepped. Yesterday was my very best friends' daughter's
Chanukah concert at daycare. Her first public performance, the actions
to which she boldly practiced at home, in restaurants and in class.
The children were dressed in colourful smocks and dreidel crowns but remained lined up 'backstage'. Camcorders, iPhones and digital cameras were ready! Continue reading...
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Our EXCLUSIVE Interview with Idan Raichal
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 Idan Raichel is an international recording artist, musician and songwriter from Israel. In this two-part personal interview, Rachael delves deeper into the inspiration
behind Idan Raichel's music, the meaning of his name, his upbringing and the story
behind his project.
Click here to watch.
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| On the Breath of Children |
 Judaism teaches us that the world exists on the breath of
children. I'd like to share some
of the true moments where the words of children have inspired.
Once while teaching prayer in a kindergarten class it was
time to introduce the concept of personal prayer. We had taught the children that there are morning blessings
(they were already reciting many of them) and we had taught the children the
Shema. In preparation for teaching
the Amidah (the 18 blessings of Shemoneh Esrei), it was important to have them
understand that within this prayer there would be time for them to insert a
personal prayer.
Standing together we went around asking each child if they
wanted to share their personal prayer with us. They were very excited to share. One by one we heard the prayers they thought were the
'right' ones, the ones the teacher would want to hear.
One child thanked God for having wonderful parents. Another child thanked God for having
beautiful teachers.
One child said he didn't know that was what we meant when we
said you could make a prayer of your own.
He said he didn't even think of his mother or father or teachers or brothers
or sisters. I asked if he felt
comfortable sharing his prayer anyway and he said that he thanked God for
chocolate.
A true and heartfelt prayer. I'd venture to say we don't spend
enough time thanking God for chocolate.
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A Green Chanukah? - 'Olameinu': Our World, Our Environment
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There's an interesting message
going around the global Jewish community about creating a Green Chanukah. I have also heard this labeled the
Green Menorah Project. It is
confusing as to whether this initiative is based in the United States or in
Jerusalem but the message is the same.
A
Green Chanukah asks that every Jewish household light one less candle this
year. Apparently research has
shown that one less candle will result in less carbon dioxide produced in the
world and that this would be a wonderful Jewish environmental message.
I
am not in support of this initiative for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I believe that
Judaism is filled with environmental concerns and strict prohibitions on
abusing nature without our needing to 'reinvent the wheel'. There is no environmental gap in
Judaism that needs to be filled with a new take on Chanukah. Secondly, if we are truly concerned
about the chemical output of a candle, perhaps every household should light one
Chanukiyah and bring all the other Chanukiyot in the house to be beautifully
displayed but not lit. In that
way, the commandment is preserved, the 8 candles shine bright and the empty
Chanukiyot standing next to the lit one will clearly speak of the celebration
of Chanukah with the sensitivity of our global environmental concerns.
It
is difficult to live as a Jewishly engaged person and not be aware of the
tremendous respect Judaism demands be paid toward issues of nature and the
environment. The challenge is not
to compromise on our Jewish expressions in order to show the world how
politically correct we can be. In
fact, that very sentiment was part of the original struggle that brought about
the holiday of Chanukah. How could
we celebrate the festival but ignore its message?
I
wholeheartedly suggest to everyone that you light 8 candles this Chanukah and
still have a peaceful environmental heart.
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Mussar Moment Recap |
Last month we presented a 'Mussar Dilemma', a day to day situation we all have experienced with a Mussar question attached.
You started a conversation with friends intending to
compliment a mutual friend who was absent. Your compliment triggered comments about the absent friend,
which then turned into gossip.
I offer food for thought from a Mussar perspective:
It is natural to conclude that your friends misunderstood
your intention and it was they who gossiped while you meant to be paying
compliments. They are to blame for
stepping out of line. Although it
is quite natural to feel this way, Mussar would insist that the focus be moved
away from your friends and back onto you.
You should be asking questions
about why you felt the need to share information about someone everyone knew
but was absent at that moment.
Hard as it is to refrain from gossip, we must also remember that our
comments trigger reactions in others and that speaking of people who are not
present is always creating a moment of vulnerability.
If you compliment or recommend
another person in their skill or profession, that is a purposeful compliment
which can lead to increased livelihood and benefit. But if you compliment another person with no underlying
purpose, perhaps it's time to ask honest questions about whether you are
seeking the focus of the moment and to show everyone how well informed you
are. If that is the case, and
'cheshbon nefesh' (soulful calculation) would help reveal that, it is important
to remeasure internally and change the pattern.
The goal is not to be trapped by
feeling guilty about an inappropriate choice you might have made but to know
how to make a different choice next time.
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This Month's Mussar Dilemma: A Real-Life Moment We've All Faced |
You are standing in the check-out line at a
supermarket. The person in front
of you is having his groceries scanned but every few minutes he remembers
something else he forgot to get and runs back into the aisles to get the
missing item. He has done this 3
times and each time the cashier must wait for him to return which delays
you. You have no deadline or
pressing matter that means you must hurry but you find yourself becoming very
annoyed with this person and you realize he's about to do it again.
You could:
- tell him you'd appreciate if he would shop for everything
before going to the cashier
- tell him you're in a hurry even though you're not
- complain to the cashier when he's getting another item
that you should not be inconvenienced because of his forgetfulness.
- change lanes and go to another check-out.
Suggested solutions
will appear in next month's issue of Koleinu
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