I remember as a young child having a book entitled something like "Jewish Heroes." The book had profiles of great Jewish men and women in history, beginning with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and going through people like Albert Einstein, Henrietta Szold, and Hank Greenberg (remember this is a book that ended around 1960 before Sandy Koufax made his mark). Each page told the story of how this particular Jew had made a significant contribution to the world and history. The book was perfect for writing those pesky Hebrew School reports. 

This week's parashah, Tol'dot, focuses on one of those Jewish heroes, Jacob. But in this account of Jacob's life, he doesn't seem much like a hero. This is the story of Jacob taking his brother's birthright and blessing. He lies to and deceives his father and, perhaps, even takes advantage of Esau at a vulnerable moment. Commentators through the ages have made attempts to sugarcoat Jacob's behavior, it was for a bigger cause, etc., but there is no denying that Jacob engaged in behavior that we would not want our own children to emulate. 

This week's portion is not the end of Jacob's story. There is much more to come. Next week we will see Jacob getting his "reward" for the lies he has told as he himself is the victim of deception when he seeks to take a wife. We also begin to see a change in Jacob. He learns from the act and consequences of his past behavior so he can truly become the leader of his people and the person, Israel, for whom all of our nation is known. Jacob's heroism resides not only in his acts, but in his ability to improve himself, to change for the better. 

Certainly, it is just such change that we all strive for. It is the basis of the work that we do with and on behalf of those who come to our agencies.  Jacob is a hero because we know his entire story, from the mistakes he made to his personal and broader accomplishments. His is a success story worthy of a "Jewish Hero." 

Shabbat Shalom