It's a basic mathematical assumption that the whole is equal to the sum of its parts. Gestalt psychologists posit that there are times in life when the whole is actually greater than the sum of its parts.  

 

The mishna in Pirkei Avot teaches: "איזהו עשיר השמח בחלקו"--"Who is the rich person? He who is satisfied with his part." The Slonimer Rebbe notes that this mishna seems to promote a sense of complacency or mediocrity.  Is the mishna actually suggesting that we should be happy with what we have and never strive for anything greater? Instead of the standard interpretation, the Slonimer Rebbe reads it differently. Who is the rich person? Not he who is satisfied with his part, rather he who recognizes his own personal strengths and his own individual role in the world. "Chelek" does not refer to his wallet but to his purpose. The mishna does not teach us how to be wealthy but how to be rich. The challenge is to discover what makes each of us unique, what is our personal "chelek," and how can we live up to our individual mission in life.

 

Color war is an opportunity to show creativity and to contribute in ways that help each student discover his or her own voice and passion. Artists, athletes, musicians, engineers, managers, leaders, scholars, and so many more contribute competitively and with good sportsmanship. It was beautiful to see so many students find their own "chelek" as they participated and created an environment of ruach and creativity. Our students demonstrated that the whole indeed can be more than the sum of its parts, especially when each individual recognizes the uniqueness of his or her role.

 

I want to thank all of the staff and students for their extraordinary enthusiasm throughout the entire color war. I especially want to thank Shira Englander, Rabbi Houben, and Mrs. Horowitz for the intricate planning and the perfect execution of a terrific color war. Claudia Cohen and Moshe Kaminetzky and  Zachary Cohen ('06) did a great job with all of the tech needs throughout color war, and their leadership in videography and photography is the key to making this Highlites so special.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Jonathan Kroll  

Head of School 

 

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