The festival of Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and encourages people to be inspired by the wisdom Jewish tradition has to offer. One fun tradition is to learn with friends! We are excited to share our own Shavuot learning experience featuring interpretations of Torah written by students at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School (RZJHS).

Check out Annie Winick's D'var Torah to learn how RZJHS teaches the values of nivra b'tzelem elohim and chesed, which builds community and helps students come together to support one another during difficult times. 

When one of us hurts, we all hurt, and when one is celebrating, we celebrate together.

When I was in eighth grade, I started to experience an interconnected and caring community through my sisters, who were students at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. We learned that my sister's best friend's mom had become sick. Her cancer, which had been in remission, came back, and we all came together to help the family. Abby's mom, Andrea, planted a garden every spring, but when her illness came back, she struggled to keep the garden. Good friends took on the responsibility of planting and then tending the garden for her during this difficult time.

Knowing how important the garden was to her, our community donated plants to the garden. We, as a community, would help the family travel to and from hospitals, come together in prayer, invite them to our houses for Shabbat and high holidays, and organize meal trains, so they had home-cooked meals that Andrea was no longer able to prepare. We, as a community, prioritized doing all we could to make the rest of her life enjoyable and relaxing.

After she tragically passed away, RZ provided a bus to the funeral, and everyone came together to grieve. The garden remains in their backyard and blooms again every spring.

Before I started at RZ, I observed the tight-knit community as more of an outsider, but I didn't think much of it and had yet to experience it fully. In my eighth-grade year and my years as a 9th and 10th grader, I assumed that everyone has communities that surround and support them in times of need.

Now I realize that our supportive and nurturing community extends from our Jewish roots.

Through our discussions in my junior Talmud class, I have begun to recognize what a unique environment RZ creates for everyone, based on the foundation the Talmud provides. The capacity to grow, love, learn and help. Nivra B'Tzelem Elohim and Chesed are key foundations for a Jewish life. Nivra B'Tzelem Elohim translates to "we are all made in the image of God" and therefore have infinite value. This concept presents itself in Genesis, from the story of creation, which shows how important it is in Jewish life. Nivra B'Tzelem Elohim describes how we should treat everyone with respect since we are all connected to God. The value of this concept is shown in the Mishna as it describes when one life is destroyed, all lineage of that person will be erased. Sanhedrin 4:5 goes so far as to say that, "anyone who sustains one soul, the verse ascribes him credit as if he sustained an entire world" (Sanhedrin 4:5). Nivra B'Tzelem Elohim also explains how we are all interconnected, as we all contain a likeness of God within us. As Abby's mom became ill, she was suffering; but it impacted the whole family. When our community supported her, we supported the whole family. When we recognize the value of someone and then see them struggling, our immediate response should be to help and restore their sense of value through acts of chesed. Rabbi Shai Held articulates, "We are asked to become like God by being creatures of chesed, of love manifested as kindness. Even more profoundly, we are asked to transform our suffering into love — to love the stranger, because, after all, we 'know the feelings of the stranger.'" (Rabbi Shai Held, "Daring to Dream"). Once we understand that every human being is infinitely valuable, it compels us to treat others with chesed. We are compassionate and filled with the capacity to love and help. When we recognize each other's struggles, we feel obligated to support one another.

I have come to understand why the environment and community at our school is so special and isn't an accident, as we recognize that we are all made in the image of God and thus understand the worth of every person. Through these insights, Jewish people grow from a young age, embedded with this reason. The core of our key Jewish concepts – the idea that every person is worthy and valued — remains the structure that our community is built around.

Our beliefs drive our actions. Understanding this foundation continues to impact my perspective of our school community. At RZ, students constantly discuss our school's connection with everyone's family and how we all come together in times of need. My realization in my Talmud class is that our community's care should not be expected and is not normal but continues because of our shared values of Nivra B'Tzelem Elohim and chesed. 

Going through these tough times with a community connects us. The community's help did not stop after providing a meal for the family or attending shiva; rather, this support created lasting connections. These relationships now look like having coffee with members of the family, calling them on the phone, or having them at our high holiday meals. Our Jewish values compel us to reach out and support one another during hard times, which creates this meaningful and irreplaceable bond.

Recently, we have seen this connection on a global scale. Through the acts of violence perpetrated upon the people of Ukraine, JUF works to help and deliver aid halfway across the world. Our community cares for strangers as well, as emergency efforts are being deployed to assist the Ukrainian community. Even though we don't know the Ukrainians halfway across the world, we can see them suffering and thus feel the duty to assist them, no matter how far removed they may seem.

Realizing how our shared values affect our community shifted my perspective this year. I now see these core values everywhere at our school. Friends here do not hesitate to ask for support because we all know that we are all infinitely valuable. I help my peers understand physics concepts because I recognize that they have infinite value. My teachers devote their entire lunch period to help ensure that I thrive in class because they recognize mine, and every student's, infinite value. Although many of us may think this type of community is "normal" because it is what we are used to, it is important to remember how special our environment at RZ is and the foundation for it. I will continue to use the ideas of Nivra B'Tzelem Elohim and Chesed in my Jewish life to help guide me in treating other people and creating a strong community.

About the Author: Annie Winick is a rising senior at RZJHS in Deerfield. She belongs to North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park. Annie is active in her Jewish community. For two years, she served as a member of RZJHS’s social justice club, DEAP, which stands for Direct Service, Education, Advocacy, and Philanthropy. She will serve as president next year. Annie loves food, exemplified by her presidency of Holla for Challah, a school club that facilitates challah baking for the whole school before Shabbat on Fridays. She also loves to play tennis and is looking forward to being RZ girl’s tennis team captain next year. She likes to hang out with friends and walk her dogs, Scout, and Jem, in her free time.

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) begins the evening of April 27^th and ends the evening of April 28^th. On this day, we remember the 6 million Jews whose lives were lost in the Holocaust, celebrate the survivors, and honor the heroes who helped save Jews. While it can be difficult to reflect on this terrible moment in history, it is important that we never forget the Holocaust and that history does not repeat itself. When we have a good understanding of our history, we can recognize antisemitic behavior and speak up to make a difference in our world.

In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, our Springboard team wanted to share 6 ways you can commemorate the holiday:

1. Visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum

The Museum, located in Skokie, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of those who were lost, and by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference.

2. Learn and Share Survivors Stories

 A Springboard innovation grant supports, past 18 Under 18 Recipient Naomi Altman’s project, Messages From the Past: Never Forget. Once a month, you will receive a message featuring the stories of a Holocaust survivor who lives in the Chicagoland area. All the information in these messages comes from the book “Never Heard Never Forget” that was assembled by Holocaust Community Services at CJE SeniorLife and through interviews with Holocaust survivors themselves. To sign up, text “STORY” to (833) 711-0286.

3. Download the Yom HaShoah Candle App to Remember Those Who Died

The Yom HaShoah Candle App allows you to light a virtual candle on your smartphone. The Yom HaShoah Yellow Yahrzeit Candle Program perpetuates the memory of the 6 million Jew who perished in the Holocaust. The candle will be able to be lit by tapping the light button on April 27^th and will burn for 24 hours.

4. Teach Others

You may have heard the phrase “Never Forget” in relation to the Holocaust. It is important to continue to share what happened with others. There are many resources to share with others such as the online exhibition at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, books , and movies .

5. Lead by Example

Holocaust Remembrance Day is once a year but your actions on a day-to-day basis are what really make a difference in our world. Continue to learn about the Holocaust, ask questions, and make your voice heard when you see antisemitism or other forms of hate and injustice in our world.

6. Celebrate our Vibrant Jewish Culture

While we must Never Forget, we also are proud that the Jewish community keeps building upon our traditions and passing them on. Connect with your ancestry by cooking a meal that brings happy memories of togetherness. Learn to make Aranygaluska (Hungarian Pull-Apart Bread) or another fun dessert! Can you see what other recipes you find?

Although I have always been Jewish, I think I'm the type of person that many would consider "Jew-ish." While I observed major Jewish holidays, Shabbat never seemed feasible or valuable in my life. Everything was too hectic in high school to sit down for a spiritual meal with family. If you found me in the kitchen while I was in high school, you would see me eat something quickly before running out of the house for dance, marching band practice, or whatever other activity I needed to attend.

However, I've recently discovered a new love for Shabbat, or at least some components of it. As a college student, a day of rest sounds like a dream come true. After a long week of lectures, writing papers, and reading books, I love ending my week with the beauty and sweetness of Shabbat.

This year, I was lucky enough to avoid Friday classes. Instead of going to lectures on Fridays, I woke up to prepare fresh challah. There are so many fantastic challah recipes online, and I love experimenting with them to find new favorites or making changes to improve the ones I already love. I love the feeling of kneading the dough by hand, pressing my stress and negativity from the week out of my system and turning it into a delicious bread full of love. After kneading the dough and letting it rise, I embraced the imagination that comes with braiding. There are so many creative ways to braid challah, and I embraced the challenge of learning new ones. I tried out a circular braid for the first time during this past Rosh Hashanah, and I've experimented with YouTube tutorials for braids with greater than three strands.

After baking the challah comes the best part – eating it. While the pandemic prevented me from sharing an in-person meal with friends, I enjoyed offering some bread to my friends (Jews and non-Jews alike) and walking around my University to bring them a delicious treat. The joy of sharing my creation with friends, coupled with the enjoyment on their faces, was my favorite way to end the week. While my Shabbat dinner was generally followed by mountains of homework, the short period of rest and relief that I got while baking challah, giving some to friends, and eating a meal without distractions makes it worthwhile. Through the craziness of the pandemic and college life, I find solace and relaxation in the practice of baking challah, and I feel like I have reconnected to some of my love for Jewish practice. And, of course, the challah French toast that I make the following morning is just as delicious as the Shabbos challah.

About the Author: Ellie Prober is a junior at the University of Virginia (UVA), studying women, gender, and sexuality studies (WGS) and government, with a minor in French. Ellie is passionate about feminism, justice, and creating a better world for everyone. At UVA, Ellie is involved with the color guard, the Cavalier Daily newspaper, and Gamma Phi Beta. After completing her undergraduate career, she wants to continue her studies by attending graduate school for a master's degree in public policy. This summer, Ellie was a Lewis Summer Intern in the JUF Legacies and Endowments department. 

The Torah portion being read today, Emor, is a very important section that could also be thought of as the first Jewish calendar. It’s the first time in the Torah where all of the holidays and their dates are discussed together.  Emor starts off with god telling the Israelites that each week they should work for six days and observe Shabbat on the seventh. God then says to the Israelites that the fifteenth day of the first month they should celebrate Passover by not eating leavened bread for 7 days. Shavuot happens after Passover, and commemorates god giving the ten commandments to the Jewish people. The next holiday we hear about is Rosh Hashanah, which is observed with complete rest and seven loud blasts of the shofar. After Rosh Hashanah is Yom Kippur during which you should reflect on your choices and atone. Five days after Yom Kippur comes the week-long feast of booths, or sukkot.  Sukkot is the holiday that we’re currently celebrating. This is the only holiday where we‘re commanded to rejoice, and it’s usually celebrated in a Sukkah as a reminder of our Jewish ancestor’s journeys. God gives us the fixed and appointed times for all of these holidays, but, God leaves it up to us to make them holy by observing and celebrating them. Take note here. It’s not God that makes our holidays sacred… we do!

Let me ask you a question. One we’ve probably all heard! If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody hears it, does it even make a sound? Let me ask you this: If  God has a date for a holiday, but we don’t celebrate it or make it holy, does this holiday ever really happen? I think this is why it’s key that we work to make important moments special… Otherwise, what’s the point in experiencing them? Let’s take the current holiday, or Sukkot as an example. In my family, it’s a  tradition that we always put up a sukkah in our backyard, and at least in pre-pandemic times, we would always invite family and friends to spend time with us in it. This is what makes the holiday special for our family… It’s hard to imagine sukkot coming around without us observing the holiday like this— it's one of our fixed and most cherished traditions. And to put it back in Torah’s terms, by observing this holiday, we’re making it holy!

This idea of us being the ones responsible for making experiences special can really be applied to anything and everything in our lives. Consider our current pandemic situation...Many of us have had a hard time distinguishing the days from each other as we’re spending all of them at home, yet we’ve learned that the time doesn’t pass unless we do something to make each day different or special.  From waking up early to see the sunrise to going on long bike rides or having socially distanced visits with friends and family, I’ve prioritized making every day a little different. While we’re stuck in these uncertain times, we all have the ability to make these days count; let’s use it!!

So what about that tree. If I were to ask you this question right now, you’d probably say, logically that yes, that tree did make a sound--even if nobody heard it. But, the Torah answers this question a little bit differently. If there’s a set date for a holiday, yet nobody celebrates or makes it sacred, this holiday does not technically happen. 

What, then, can we take from this? Yes, of course to celebrate our jewish holidays, but we don’t need to only apply it to Judaism!! We can really apply it to any and every important event that we experience. So, next time you encounter a moment, think about what you’ll do to make it special.

About the Author: Talia is a currently an 8th grader who had her Bat Mitzvah this year. Her favorite food during Chanukah are latkes! Talia and her family belong to North Shore Congretion Israel in Glencoe.

Good afternoon. My Torah portion this week is Ki Teitzei from the book of Deuteronomy. This excerpt teaches how we should treat those who are less fortunate than us. It shows we should give things we do not need to those who do need them, demonstrating empathy, a trait valued in Judaism. We as Jews must help the less fortunate because when we were in the land of Egypt, we were the ones in need and should not allow others to go through similar experiences. This text also states that everyone is in charge of their actions, establishing personal accountability, another trait valued in the Torah.

The teachings of this passage relate to modern life as it is comparable to the rationing of supplies at the start of this pandemic. Many people hoarded necessities with the belief that they would be unable to leave their homes for many weeks. This mindset did not demonstrate empathy, as many were left without supplies such as toilet paper, wipes, and hand sanitizer. Hospitals didn’t even have enough supplies to protect patients and staff. This incident displays the importance of compassion. If people had thought of others during this time, many more would have had what they needed when the pandemic hit.

A mitzvah is a sacred obligation, and when preparing to become a Bat Mitzvah, I took this guideline seriously. For my project, I asked friends and family to help me collect toys that I plan to give to Lurie Children’s Hospital when it is safe to do so. Many kids in hospitals are unhappy and don't have anything enjoyable to do, but with the many toys everyone so generously donated, we will help make their stay so much more pleasant. This mitzvah followed the theme of empathy so flawlessly, as so many people used the money they could have kept for themselves, but chose to give it to children in need.

As a part of my preparation for this service, I participated in the Circle of Life program. This project is a way to remember those who died in the Holocaust before they were even able to celebrate their B’nei Mitzvot. I chose to honor Simcha Apel, a young Jewish girl who had been hidden from the Gestapo with her family for many years before they found and killed her and many of her family. Despite how terrible this story is, it still follows the theme of showing empathy to everyone around you, no matter what the risk could be. The Polish people that had hidden Simcha and her family for those many years would have been killed if the Gestapo knew what they had done. Even with the extreme risk those people faced, they still chose to help the people in need. This was a true act of kindness and though it didn’t end up working out in the end, the Apel’s were able to spend many years together that they wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

I would like to thank everyone who helped me come to this point in my Bat Mitzvah journey, especially whilst being in a global pandemic. I’m sorry that we cannot be physically together today however, I appreciate all of you being here virtually. It is astounding how well we as a community can adapt to any situation. Thank you to everyone who allowed this to happen today, as I would not be standing here without many hardworking, committed people. Thank you Rabbi for studying with me, Cantor for helping me with many prayers, Charla for teaching me my Torah and Haftarah portions, and my brother Jacob for tutoring me. I would also like to thank all of my temple teachers for everything they taught me. Finally, I would like to thank my mom and dad for supporting me along the way. I am so grateful to have all of you present today, watching as I become a Bat Mitzvah.

About the Author: Danielle is a current 7th grader who had her Bat Mitzvah this year. She loves to eat latkes at Chanukah! Danielle and her family belong to Temple Chai in Long Grove. 

In the Haftarah for the second day of Sukkot, King Solomon holds a big feast for all the men of Israel as they dedicate the Beit Hamikdash. First, the priests of Israel carried up the Ark. Next, the priests and Levites brought the tent of meeting. While they were doing this, King Solomon and the rest of the Israelites were bringing lots of sacrifices to the Ark. King Solomon announced:

“The LORD has chosen to abide in a thick cloud: I have now built for You A stately House, A place where You May dwell forever.”

With all of Israel standing, the King explained that his father David had intended to build the Temple, but God had chosen David just to lead the people. God had said that David was not the right person to build the temple; instead, God said that Solomon should build the temple and he did.

When I read this part of the Haftarah, I wondered: why couldn’t David build the Beit Hamikdash? After all, he was a great king and a strong warrior. David was a King chosen by God, whereas Solomon just happened to be his son. David even wrote the Psalms! David was the one who conquered Jerusalem, which is even called the City of David!! So, if all that is true, then why couldn’t he be the person to build the Beit Hamikdash?!

To learn more about this question, I looked to see what others have said. I found a verse in the book of Chronicles, (I Chronicles 22:6-8)

“You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars; you shall not build a house in My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.”

In this verse God tells David that he cannot build the Beit Hamikdash because he “has blood on his hands”. Why does he have blood on his hands and what does that mean?

David was not a peaceful man. He killed a lot of people. For example, David sent Uriah, the husband of a woman he wanted to marry, to war to kill him! He also killed righteous non-Jews in his wars, Jews during the war between David and King Saul, Jews in unnecessary wars of conquest, and the Kohanim (the priests) in Nov. David was not the right person because he was a warrior with “blood on his hands”. Instead, God asked King Solomon, King David’s son, who was a peaceful man, to build the Beit Hamikdash.

Today is Sukkot. How do King David and the temple relate to Sukkot? First of all, the Beit Hamikdash was dedicated on Sukkot. Secondly, in the birkat hamazon on Sukkot there is a line: Sukkat David HaNofalet. This means “the fallen Sukkah of David." David did not have a Sukkah so what is that symbolizing? I think it symbolizes the temple. But, as I have been saying King Solomon is the one who built the temple. I think that this line is giving credit to King David because he made all the plans for the temple. This teaches us that God does not forget the things that we do. Even though David did not build the Temple, God still remembers everything he did along the way. And every time we do something we need to remember that God notices all the little things we do to contribute to it.

About the Author: Talia is a current 7th grader who had her Bat Mitzvah this year. She loves chicken soup with matza balls! Talia and her family belong to Anshe Emet Synagogue, Anshe B'nai Israel Synagogue, and Chabad Lakeview. Talia loves to go to Camp Chi and Camp Gan Israel in Lakeview in the summer!

In my Torah portion, Acharei Mot, after the two sons of Aaron died, the Israelites are taught how to be sorry for their mistakes, how to be better and be forgiven by others, themselves and God. Aaron brings two goats to his Israelite community as a sacrifice offering. One goat is to be killed to honor the Eternal God and the other goat is for purifying the Israelites sins. As Aaron puts his hands on the goat marked the sins, Aaron says all the transgressions and sins that the Israelites committed. Then he sends the goat out into the wild. You might think why would Aaron send the second goat alone? I think Aaron sent out the goat because when he whispers all his sins into the goat, the sins are transferred to the goat and are no longer on Aaron or the Israelites. Have you ever heard the word scapegoat? This is the origin of that word. In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a scapegoat is defined by a goat upon whose head is symbolically placed the sins of the people after which he is sent into the wilderness in the biblical ceremony for Yorn Kippur or one that bears the blame for others. This ritual is also known as a purgation ritual. Purgation is the act of purifying something or someone. Obviously in this situation Aaron is not cleaning something but rather Aaron is wiping his slate clean from all his wrongdoings.

This practice might sound very familiar to you. Let me explain. During Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, we do purgation rituals by not eating for the day, also known as fasting. This is a time for us all to think about our sins and all our wrongdoings. On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, AND the secular New Year, we make resolutions to do better in the future. These are times we are trying to move past our sins and be better for the future. But doing an act of purgation doesn't have to be that complicated like fasting on Yom Kippur. Everyone makes mistakes and hurts people all the time. We can't all fast every time we make a mistake. An easier way to release our sins is to SAY sorry, BE sorry AND do better in the future.

There have been times when I have said unkind things to my siblings. For example, when we are in the car I can sometimes be annoying to Presley and Casey by talking about things they aren't interested in. Doesn't everyone want to hear about Magic the Gathering? The latest Super Mario Games? Or exponential functions? Well,... I guess not. I know it bothers them when I talk about things they don't like because they ask me to stop but sometimes, I don't listen. I have said sorry to them, but that isn't enough. I have to DO better. When you know better, you do better. In the future, I am going to be thinking about how I have acted in the past and show them that I really am sorry. I will do this by taking the time to acknowledge their opinions and talk about things they are interested in, so they won't be annoyed.

Part of the reason people say and be sorry is to heal themselves, others, and the world. One part of becoming a Bar mitzvah is doing Tikkun Olam. That is Hebrew for, "repairing or healing the world". For my Tikkun Olam project, I am helping to heal the world by raising money to help heal kids in the hospital by providing them their own ukuleles and music therapy. Like my Torah portion mentioned, it is important to heal yourself and others by saying and being sorry. Saying sorry can heal others as well as healing yourself. Music can do the same thing for people, too.

Music is healing because sometimes when I am stressed or mad, I listen to music or play on my guitar. Music has a way of distracting me from anything that is bothering me and helps me feel better. I would like to share an original song that I wrote to explain some examples of saying sorry and being sorry.

Say Sorry Be Sorry By Ryder Tiplitsky

Have you ever felt bad about the choices you've made 

Living in darkness, hiding in shade

No one is perfect, doing the best we can

But sometimes we hurt when we get mad.

With unkind words, hurting your friends

Disrespecting your parents, things you want to mend

Say Sorry- it  can open your mind

Look ahead and leave the rest behind

When you're sor ry- you can heal from with in

Learn from the past and then begin

It's not over when you say those words

Your actions will speak louder- you gotta let them be heard

When you make better choices- then you'll know

You can move forward and it will help you grow

Be Sorry- it can open your mind

Look ahead and leave the rest behind

When you're sorry- you can heal from within

Learn from the past and then begin

Don't look back, look ahead

Take what you learned in your heart and head

Learn from the past and the wrongs you've done

You can make them right one by one

Be Sorry- it can open your mind

Look ahead and leave the rest behind

When you're sorry- you can heal from within

Learn from the past and then begin***

Before I end, I want to thank all of the people that helped get me here today. Thank you to everyone at Temple Jeremiah for working with me and teaching me how to love and appreciate Judaism. Thank you to my great friends and family friends who have all supported me and are joining us today in person and on zoom. I also want to thank my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and my amazing parents for supporting me, listening to me practice, and helping me celebrate this big day. Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank the most important people in my life- my brother Casey and my sister Presley. They make me smile, they make me laugh and they always know how to heal me.

Baruch atah adonai, may you be surrounded by music, family, friends and forgiveness. May they bring peace, love and healing into your heart, into your home and into your life. Amen.

About the Author: Ryder is a current 7th grader who had his Bar Mitzvah on April 24, 2021. He loves his grandma's matzo ball soup! Ryder and his family belong to Temple Jeremiah in Northfield. Ryder loves to spend his summers at camp at OSRUI! 

Hi everyone. This is a really strange time to have a Bat mitzvah. When I imagined it, I thought it would be a lot different than how it is now. But I’m grateful to see everyone’s faces and that my family is here. It is a hard time because we are all so isolated. It is hard to know how everyone is feeling. And I was thinking about not knowing what others are thinking as I was writing my d’var Torah. 

My Torah portion is about Jacob leaving Beersheba and going to Haran.  There he finds his uncle Laban and stays with him. While he is there, he falls in love with Laban’s daughter Rachel. Laban realizes this quickly and decides to take full advantage. So, he makes a deal with Jacob: If Jacob works for him for seven years, he can marry Rachel. Jacob agrees. 

However, once those seven years pass and it is time for the wedding, Laban realizes his oldest daughter Leah has not yet wed and he doesn’t want her to disgrace their family if her younger sister marries before her. So, Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Leah.  

Jacob is furious. But, Laban explains the situation to Jacob and tells him if he works another seven years he can marry Rachel, too. Jacob does this because he loves Rachel. Fast forward seven years later, and now he is married to both daughters.  

While Jacob is married to both sisters, Leah has 4 children with him. Rachel, however, cannot have children. Instead, Jacob has children with Rachel’s maid Bilhah. Bilhah has 2 children. Leah sees this and worries she might have no more children, she then gives her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob. Jacob has 2 children with Zilpah.  

Soon after, however, Leah does have more children with Jacob--2 more sons and 1 daughter. Then, God remembers Rachel and gives her 1 son with Jacob.  

Eventually, Jacob and Laban get into a fight, and Jacob ends up taking Leah, Rachel, and all the children away until he and Laban finally reach a truce.  

Something that really stuck out to me in this portion is the mistreatment of women in the story. And not only the mistreatment, but how we don’t get to really get a grasp of the story from their perspective or hear their voices. This leaves us with so many unanswered questions.  

Did Rachel know what her father's plan for the wedding was? And if she did, was she ok with it? Did Leah truly want to marry Jacob? Or even did Rachel want to marry Jacob? Did they want to leave their father and their whole life behind? This whole thing between Rachel and Leah -- did it ruin their relationship, or did they always compete with each other? And what about Bilhah and Zilpah having no say in how they were treated--what are they thinking? Just think of how different the story would be If it were being told by the women. There really is so much gray area in this portion that could have all been avoided if we had simply given the women a voice and heard their perspective.  

For my Bat mitzvah project, I have been talking and working with the wrongfully convicted and trying to listen to their voices. Now, especially because of George Floyd's death, we have been hearing and talking a lot about police violence. So, I decided to talk with some of my dad's clients to hear about their experience with wrongful conviction and police violence. 

One story involves a man and a woman who had 3 kids together -- they all have become friends of our family. I have researched their case. In their specific story, a police officer started harassing both and eventually he framed both for drug possession and intent to sell. It happened a bunch of times. In one instance, they were just in their car when the officer pulled them over and looked in their car, pulled something out of his sleeve and accused both of drug trafficking.  

The couple told other police and many others that the officers had framed them. But no one did anything. The man was sent to prison and the women pleaded guilty to do probation to avoid prison. After all, they had a family and needed to protect them as well. Eventually, years later, my dad worked with them and was able to free them.  

The ending is happy, but the story is not. Even after the couple was free of their convictions no one apologized for not helping or not believing them. Everyone just went on with their lives. When they were first wrongfully convicted no one listened to what they had to say or even gave them a second glance. They were labeled as soon as they were convicted and, not only did this conviction affect them, but it also took a toll on their whole family. The kids were used to their dad being around all the time, being the one to take them to school, pick them up, and help them with their homework. That was all taken away. That was just one of the many consequences that came because no one would listen to their voices when they were telling people what happened.  

October 2, 2020, was something called Wrongful Conviction Day – a worldwide recognition of individuals who are convicted of crimes they did not commit. In honor that day, I encouraged many people to show their support by telling the wrongfully convicted that their voice is important, and we are listening. I worked with the Exoneration Project to have people send messages directly to people still in prison fighting their wrongful conviction. I wrote a message too and told them there is a community out here supporting and listening to you. 

Connecting this back to the Torah portion: No one listened to what Rachel and Leah had to say or their feelings on their situation. Jacob and Laban just assumed they wanted what Jacob and Laban wanted. And Laban treated both Rachel and Leah as an object, trading them for labor.  Even though it may have been common around then, it doesn’t make it any better and is not an excuse. I think all this proves how we lack an understanding for so many people.  

So, after hearing these stories I encourage you to listen to others' stories and don't make judgements if you don’t fully understand their perspective. Most importantly have and show empathy.  

About the Author: Olive is a current 7th grader and had her Bat Mitzvah this year. She loves to eat hamentashen cookies during Purim! Olive and her family belong to Oak Park Temple and  she is part of the Oak Park Temple Youth group (OPTY). Olive loves to spend her summers at Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI). 

First of all, thank you to everyone for being here with me. One of the benefits of having my Bat Mitzvah over zoom, is that friends and family members from all over the country and all over the world, are able to join us today. So, thank you.

For me, becoming a Bat Mitzvah is a time to look at the past, present, and future. Today is a day to look back at my life, look at everything I’ve accomplished, and all the challenges I’ve faced, and acknowledge that I’m entering a new phase in my life, as I take on more responsibility. I’ve been told by many, many people that becoming a Bat Mitzvah is not just a few hours in one day. Not even just one special day. They say it is a process. I feel like I have been preparing for today for my whole life. Although I may not have had tutoring at the age of four, or been writing this speech at the age of seven, I did start developing my Jewish identity at those ages. The values and identity that I have developed throughout my childhood, at my school, Nettelhorst, my summer camp, OSRUI, my youth group, NFTY, and my Hebrew school, Moadon, will stay with me as I grow.

I'd like to tell you about some of the core values that I’ve learned are most important to me, and that have helped me really know who I am as I become a young adult. The first core value I’d like to talk about is learning and teaching. For as long as I can remember I have loved learning, and hoped to become a teacher.

Over the years, when I’ve had days off of school, I would sometimes go to Moadon to be a teacher’s assistant with the younger children, and I always enjoyed it. Now, as a NFTY ambassador, I am learning even more about how to be a leader and a teacher. I am also able to share what I’ve learned with my peers. It feels good to help others and contribute to their learning. My time with NFTY and Moadon have solidified learning and teaching as one of my values.

A key value my family has taught me is kindness. They show me that no matter what, they love me, and that has taught me compassion. I am now able to draw on that experience in my friendships, as well as with strangers. Sometimes it is hard, and sometimes I mess up. But kindness is also about being kind to myself. So even if I mess up, I have to be kind to myself and say “Hey, everyone messes up sometimes. It’s ok, and you learn from your mistakes”.

A more light hearted-but equally important-value that I’ve learned is fun. At OSRUI, everything feels like a fun adventure. A big part of this is loosening up and letting go to allow fun to happen. Applying this to everyday life, and making fun a priority, is really important to me. This value in action, means making intentional choices to foster and create fun in my life. Examples from this COVID time period, which is full of challenges, include planning outdoor get togethers with local friends and family, organizing fun zoom calls with my camp friends (which by the way, we are overdue for!), and spending extra time in nature at our house in Indiana.

A fourth core value I’ve identified in my life is equality and respect. In school, we recently read a short story called “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonneget. It is a story about equality but not in the sense that any of us strive for. In the story, people who are considered physically beautiful have to wear a mask, which by the way, is ridiculous because everybody is beautiful. People who are especially smart have their thoughts interrupted every 20 seconds, and people who are exceptionally strong have to wear a weighted necklace or backpack to offset their physical strength. Of course, this kind of equality is not what I hope for in this world. What I hope for is an equality that gives everyone safety, justice, opportunity, and respect, regardless of race, gender, size, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and countless other identities and characteristics. In many ways, I can contribute to this goal. I can treat everyone I come in contact with, equally and with respect. These values of teaching, kindness, fun, and equality and respect are so important to me, and I will take them with me moving forward.

If becoming a Bat Mitzvah is all about the process, why did we ask you to put a couple hours aside so that you could come listen to me lead this service, and read from the Torah? The whole point of today is to share everything I’ve learned leading up to my Bat Mitzvah. In addition to strengthening the core values I’ve discussed already, I’m very proud that I’ve improved my Hebrew reading so much. For me, it is so important because half of my relatives speak, read and write Hebrew, and now I feel like I can be a bigger part of that. Now that I’ve shared about my learning process leading up to today, I want to talk about the Torah portion I recently chanted.

My Torah portion comes right after the 10 commandments. It shows us more concrete examples of how the 10 commandments play a role in daily life. There are so many examples of lessons and values in my portion that were important when the Torah was written, and are still relevant today. The following are some of the examples I want to share with you. “You shall not follow a multitude to do evil”. This means if many people - even people you know and trust and love - are doing something you know is wrong, you should not follow them. Although it is difficult, being the upstander is such an important role in society, and one that I aim to fulfill.

Another example I want to share is “If you meet your enemy’s ox or the enemy’s ass going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again”. This means that your responsibility to the environment and to your community, matters more than any interpersonal conflicts you may have. What I’ve understood from this verse is that we may need to put our personal conflicts aside when they are at odds with the needs of the larger community or environment.

The part of my portion that I want to focus on today with you is this: “And a stranger shall not oppress; for you know the heart of a stranger, seeing you were strangers in the land of Egypt”. We all know what it is like to be the stranger. We’ve all been the odd one out before. So why do some treat people who are different in cruel or prejudiced ways? I am in a club at school called FOR club which stands for Friends of Rachel. Rachel Joy Scott was the first one killed at Columbine High School on April 20th, 1999 during the school shooting. About a decade after Rachel's death, her father found an essay of hers in which she had written "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.” This quote is so inspiring to me. For my Bat Mitzvah project, I have combined these ideas of offering compassion to others and contributing to the chain reaction of kindness. I am making supply kits for people without homes. These kits will help them through the winter by providing needed supplies for life without a house. When I sent out an email to everyone asking you to participate in my project, I added a page on how to host this project in your own community, because I want to make a difference bigger than my own efforts. I see this as another opportunity to be part of a chain reaction.

I have witnessed a small chain reaction like this even in my own home. For example, I invite Romy to hang out in my room and read with me. She would then feel inspired to be kind to Emmett, so she builds Lego with him. Then Emmett would want to do something kind to Sy, like read him a book. Then Sy would make the whole family laugh, with a knock-knock joke about a banana crying. And the cycle continues.

Rachel’s idea about a kindness chain reaction, and the verse from my Torah portion about treating others with respect and equality, inspire me to treat everyone-friends and strangers-with more compassion.

I want to finish by thanking everybody who helped me get to this moment. First off, I want to thank you all for being here. Thank you to my Nettelhorst friends for being so loving and supportive.

You guys make school fun. To my camp friends, the thought of going to camp with you again gives me hope through the pandemic. Nana, Papa, Lisa, Matt, Eric, Allie, Anouk and Cleo. Although I am very lucky that we were able to have our family dinners at some points through the pandemic, I look forward to being able to do it without wearing masks. Saba, Savta, Mayrav, Renee, Yaniv, Michal, Eitan, Mili, Jonah and Elan. I can’t wait for the day when we are all vaccinated and can have our Shabbat family dinners again. To all my relatives, I love you. I want to thank Savta for being such a big part of planning my Bat Mitzvah. I know that you worked very hard, and it means so much to me. Mayrav, Renee, Mama, and Romy, thank you for working on my Bat Mitzvah photo montage. I’m so excited to watch it after havdalah! Ronit, you were the best tutor I could ask for. You were so supportive and you made me believe that I could accomplish everything you were teaching me. Romy, Emmett, and Sy, you never fail to make me laugh. All of your jokes really help me with the stress of remote learning and all of the crazy things going on in my life. Mama and Aba, you have supported me from the beginning. You helped me so much in getting to this point. Thank you for having my back during this process. I love you both to the Moon and back. Shabbat Shalom everybody!

About the Author: Mischa is a current 7th grader who had her Bat Mitzvah this year. Mischa loves to eat latkes during Chanukah! She belongs to Temple Beth Israel in Skokie with her family. Mischa is an active member in NFTY Chicago Area Region (NFTY-CAR), and spends her summers at Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI). 

My Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, focuses on, amidst other things, Isaac’s servant (Eliezer) looking for a future wife for Isaac. Eliezer goes up to the well and decides that he is going to look for the kindest woman to be Isaac’s wife. He asks Rebekkah to give water to him and his camels. She says yes and keeps giving him and his camels water until they are full. This kindness is one of the themes in the portion. Rebekkah embodies this because in the portion, she gets enough water from the well for Eliezer AND his camels. Camels drink a lot of water, up to 25 gallons at a time, and she keeps refilling her jug until all the camels are hydrated. Also, she gets water for Eliezer, which is a kind thing in itself. 

Rebekkah is a very good role model for everyone. She is very kind and caring, which are amazing traits to have. She connects to everyday life because with everything going on right now, a little act of kindness (it doesn’t have to be as monumental as hers), can change someone’s day. Rebekkah is also a very selfless person, because, in Genesis 27:5-13 Rebekkah says she will bear any curse that is inflicted upon Jacob (her son) because of her decisions. This shows that she is selfless because she could have just said “if there is a curse, too bad, you will bear it,” but instead she said she would bear any curse.

My Haftarah portion, I (1st)  Kings Chapter I, is about King David picking who will succeed him on the throne. He talks to Bathsheba and she reminds him that he promised her son, Solomon, could succeed him. He remembers this and publicly announces that Solomon will succeed him on the throne. One theme in this chapter is respect for elders. Bathsheba is respectful to King David in that she politely reminds him that he promised Solomon could be the next king, instead of bursting in and yelling at him. This is important because you should always respect your elders, and Bathsheba shows that good things can come out of doing so.

My Torah and Haftarah portions are connected because, in both of them, a type of kindness is shown (respect for elders and simply kindness) and this kindness ends up benefiting the people who do it in a good way. Rebekkah gets to marry Isaac because she is kind, and Bathsheba gets to have her son be king because she is kind. I think we can learn from both of these stories and characters to apply kindness in every part of our daily lives, because we never know what unseen good can come out of it.

About the Author: Abby is a current 7th grader who had her Bat Mitzvah this year. Her favorite Jewish food is matzah ball soup. She belongs to Emanuel Congregation, is an active member in NFTY Chicago Area Region (CAR), and spends her summers at Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI). 

Yom Ha'atzmaut is a day of celebration. We celebrate Israel, its freedom, independence, and beauty. While for those of us in Chicago, Israel is 6,208 miles away, it's still close to our hearts everyday and especially today! This year to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut, we decided to reach out to some of our friends in Israel to share with our community some of their favorite places in Israel! Check out videos from Josh Glucksman, and Hannah Adams who are both currently in Israel on gap year programs! If these programs, or others are of interest to you, let us know and we can help you learn more! 

Never Again. The phrase graces hundreds of Instagram stories and posts come Yom HaShoah each year. The phrase people shake their heads and mutter after another anti semitically charged shooting. Never again we say. But how? How do we ensure that something like the atrocities of the Holocaust never occurs again? And to that loaded question, I answer, remembrance. 

Memory is not a foreign concept for us. The instance of a Jewish grandparent sitting down with their grandchildren recalling a story from long ago is quite frequent. Our religion is founded on the concept of collective memory and remembrance. The memory of a covenant between Abraham and God. The memory of our exodus from Egypt and the spiritual awakening at Mount Sinai. Our memories are the nourishment that has lasted us through centuries of persecution. They define us. They save us. 

As the number of survivors still with us dwindles and we are tasked with teaching the next generation leaders about the atrocities of the Holocaust without their first-hand accounts, we must teach them not to remember the destruction but to remember what was destroyed and to revitalize and commemorate the culture and lives lost. Teach them to say 6,000,001 lives lost as each one of those numbers was a dreamer, an artist, an athlete, a writer, a scholar, and someone’s child. To preserve our ancestor’s legacies, our religion, and above all, democracy, we must never forget. To ensure never again, we must never forget. 

Further readings: 

Ross, L., n.d. The Importance of Remembering | My Jewish Learning. [online] My Jewish Learning. [Accessed 5 April 2021].

Tomlin, C., 2021. Why It’s Still Important to Remember the Holocaust – The Arc. [online] Tyndale.com. [Accessed 5 April 2021].

Hannah Goldwin is a Junior at Walter Payton College Prep and plays tennis as well as dabbles in ultimate frisbee and basketball. She leads clubs devoted to Alzheimer’s awareness, Jewish Community, and the discussion of a top notch educational show, the Bachelor. She watches football religiously and recently graduated from the Diller Teen Fellowship.

Never forget: Holocaust Remembrance Day needs to be a bigger deal

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Today is a day to look back and make sure this world never forgets the horrors that took place in Nazi Germany. Today is a day in which the United Nations urges humanity to honor the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and educate each other so such a tragedy may never happen again. Yet, on this day, no one seems to remember.

As I have scrolled through social media, our modern-day platform for activism and awareness, it’s been scary to see the scarce amount of posts regarding Holocaust Remembrance Day. Even scarier—I haven’t seen a single post from a non-Jewish person. 

I immediately went to text my non-Jewish friends, asking if they happened to know what day today was. To my dismay, I received answers such as “Wednesday,” or “the 27th,” with an abundance of confusion. Even my Jewish friends seemed clueless about the importance of today. We wonder why so many people are becoming unaware of our horrific past, yet the answer sits right in front of us. We aren’t providing them with enough opportunity to become aware.

America has so many other relevant holidays that successfully highlight and force us to remember our pasts, both festive and reflective of past tragedies. Even Groundhog Day appears to be more recognized than Holocaust Remembrance Day. Why is it that a day acknowledging one of this world’s most poignant events is less recognized than a day where an animal mindlessly pokes its head outside to give us false hope about the weather? Why is it that just three weeks after neo-Nazi flags were flown in our nation’s Capitol, we aren’t seeing our very own nation come together and pledge to “never forget”? Why is it that just three weeks after blatant anti-semitism was explicitly on display in one of our nation’s most sacred buildings, there has yet to be an outroar from society at-large?

The answers to these questions lay in the foundations of our culture and our education system. Not once in school today has a teacher mentioned the Holocaust. Not once have I received an email from anyone today acknowledging this global holiday and shout for remembrance. Not once have I had a friend even understand the significance of today without a friendly reminder.

Even in Illinois, where Holocaust education is required in public schools, it seems to lack on the one day where it should be the most prevalent. What’s the point of requiring Holocaust education if it’s not even present on a day the United Nations urgers it to be discussed?

Holocaust Remembrance Day needs to be a pillar of our nation, a holiday that every citizen grows up knowing and discussing. If we hope to fight hate, we must first show where hate has existed in our past. There is no reason that our lives shouldn’t be flooded with discussions about the Holocaust on this monumental day. These conversations can start on social media, but must move past the simple urges from our phones. We must move past the easy repost from social media and take further steps by discussing the Holocaust with our peers. Today must be a reminder, waking people up from their ignorance of anti-semitism in the past and present. 

We tell people to never forget, yet it appears that humanity is in fact forgetting. As the last of the Holocaust survivors are sadly dying out, remembering is becoming more important than ever. In a poll of 102 countries and territories done by the Anti-Defamation League, it was discovered that 35% of people in the polls had never heard of the Holocaust. We must urge not only ourselves to remember, but also the rest of society. Today must be a day where the entire world can come together—a day where we can honor those we lost, remember the horrors people faced, and envision a future where history is not repeated. Make sure you know what today is, and make sure others know what today is. This time, let’s truly never forget.

Hanukkah, Challah, and Volunteering

Celebrating Hannukah with my family is notably one of the most important events that have helped shaped my Jewish identity. Huddled around the Menorah, singing the blessing, and lighting the candles. Judaism has always connected me to the value of family and caring for one another. I have such fond memories of Hannuakh and watching the candles burn and shine in my kitchen. Last Spring, during quarantine, I tried making Challah for the first time. Even though it didn’t turn out great, Challah was a way for me to connect with Judaism and it brought me back to when I would eat Challah at Sunday School.

More recently though, I think JUF has truly helped shape my Jewish Identity. For the last two years, I have volunteered through Camp Tov and this year participated in Voices. Being around other teens with the same values and beliefs as me was powerful. Those camps also introduced me to how much I love volunteering. It connected me with so many amazing organizations that I have continued to work with. This past summer, I participated in a program called “jaywalking” which was started by a fellow teen and raised money for food insecurity in Chicago. I am now an active volunteer with Cradles to Crayons which is one of my favorite organizations. Those are just two examples of how JUF has shown me how important volunteering is. I am so excited to be a Peer Ambassador this year because I will be working with other Jewish teens and connecting them to educational and exciting programs. I am looking forward to planning my event and connecting it with a lot of my interests. 

Talia is a junior at Francis W. Parker School of Chicago, where she is an active leader and member of her community. Through her work with Cradles to Crayons and the Anti-Creaulty Society, her Jewish identity has become central to her passion for volunteering

This Chanukah, Springboard is thrilled to partner with JUF TOV to collect winter gear for those in need through Nourish our Neighborhoods on Sunday, December 13^th. There will be contactless drop-off locations throughout the Chicagoland, include the city and suburbs.

This has been a tough year for so many in our community and the necessity to support those in need is even greater this year. At Springboard, the Jewish middot (values) of kehillah (community), chesed (kindness), and kavod (respect) are essential to our core principle of supporting the Chicago teen community. When thinking about what opportunities to provide for our community this Chanukah, it was important to us to create on-ramps for teens and their families to donate to organizations that will help the most in need this winter. We are proud to share that those receiving our donations on December 13^th represent a diverse group of organizations serving a variety of populations including those working within the Jewish community, Black and Brown communities, adult disability community, domestic violence community, and more.

Since Thanksgiving starts tomorrow and the beginning of the “holiday” shopping season, take a moment this holiday to reflect on how we can all make a difference in the lives of others and the impact of our actions. On this black Friday, instead of buying cute socks or other gadgets for ourselves, the Springboard team plans to purchase winter gear that we will donate on December 13^th. If you would like to join us in keeping others warm and safe this winter, you can sign up today at juf.org/nourish to donate winter gear to those in need.

We also recognize that this has been such a tough year for many of you. If you decide to donate on Sunday, December 13^th to one of the ten locations for Nourish our Neigbhorhoods, Springboard will give any teen ages 13-18 a special Chanukah gift with some limited edition swag that will keep you warm as well this winter. Just make sure you email naomilooper@juf.org once you register for Nourish and she will get you a gift when you donate. 

Imagine walking home from Kol Nidre on Erev Yom Kippur and taking a seat in the middle of Michigan Avenue. Not in the middle of the sidewalk, but in the middle of the actual street. Imagine the utter chaos. However, this is not the case in Israel. The streets are completely empty with the exception of emergency vehicles. Children are biking and scootering and families are strolling their babies through the streets. I had always heard that the whole country shut down on Yom Kippur, but did not realize the magnitude of it until I got to experience it first hand. 

Although a significant percentage of the Israeli population is not Jewish (24%), and 41.4% are Secular Jews, everyone in Israel either observes or respects the observance of Yom Kippur. You could walk in the streets of Tel Aviv any day during the year without the idea of Judaism crossing your mind, but on Yom Kippur, you would be reminded of our strong, united Jewish community. On Yom Kippur, the streets are completely empty of cars, but full of respect, unity, courtesy, and overall peace. This special day gives us the opportunity to step back from our hectic day-to-day lives and take time for self-reflection. 

So on Erev Yom Kippur, in small groups, we walked from campus to one of the main streets in Hod Hasharon. And we took a seat right in the middle of a main intersection. At first, I was shocked. Sitting in the middle of the intersection with no caution or worry at all? I was flustered, but listened to my Israel Studies teacher anyway. After sitting there for a couple minutes, I really realized that no cars were going to pass. Nothing was going to interrupt that moment of tranquility. I started to tear up stunned by the fact that where I was standing, in that moment, is the land of the Jewish people. I realized how proud I am to be part of this community. To be part of a nation that can endure so much adversity but still unite as one.

Noa Maeir is a junior at Deerfield High School and is currently studying abroad at Alexander Muss High School in Israel for the fall semester. Back home at DHS, she plays field hockey, participates in the student-run talent show STUNTS, and is on the board of Key Club. Noa is active in the Jewish community with participation in BBYO, JUF: Voices Board, Moving Traditions, and traveled with JUF Springboard for Big Apple Adventure in 2019. Except for 2020 because of COVID-19, Noa has spent every summer at Camp Ramah Wisconsin since 2013 and served as an Amitei Ramah Teen Fellow. Noa also enjoys biking, spending time outdoors, and traveling. 

Simchat Torah is a holiday of rejoicing. It marks the end of one reading of the Torah and the beginning of a new cycle on the very same day. Moses bids farewell to the people he has led through the desert and then, without missing a beat, we begin again with the story of creation. This ritual teaches us about endings and beginnings.

Sometimes, one chapter of our lives needs to end to make space for the next one. Saying goodbye to one part of our life is often bittersweet, but it makes room for new ideas, new relationships, and new experiences. When we finish reading the Torah, we go back to creation; we get to re-envision the world from the very beginning.

On the other hand, no chapter of our lives ever disappears. Our experiences make us who we are, and we can always go back to visit them through our memories. We can also re-interpret them and continue to grow from them as we mature and understand their impact on our continuing story.

There is an old Israeli song that says “Hayamim chol’fim, shanah overet, aval hamangina l’olam neesheret,” which means, “The days are passing, the year is passing, but the melody remains forever.” The melody is the Jewish People, it is the Torah, it is the song inside of you. Chapters end and new ones begin, but that unique spark within you remains forever.

On Simchat Torah, we recognize the power of endings and beginnings understanding that as we grow, chapters of our lives will end and new ones will begin. Sometimes we get to decide when those transitions occur, and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we are aware of the change, and sometimes we only see it when we look back.

At the end of the Torah, Moses recounts many of the experiences of the Israelites, but when he retells these parts of the journey, he sees them differently than he was able to see them at the time they occurred. We can do the same with our own lives. However, we should not dwell for too long on remembering the past. We roll the Torah back to the beginning, to the story of creation, because there is a new world waiting to be born. 

Rabbi Reni Dickman is Senior Jewish Educator at JUF and the Executive Vice President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis. Before taking on these roles, she taught at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School and the Chicago Jewish Day School. She embraces the fall as a time of change – changing leaves, changing weather, changing clothes and changing hearts. 

These days it seems like there’s another Jewish Holiday every couple days! We started with Rosh Hashana, then came Yom Kippur. And just a few days later, we come to the seven day holiday of Sukkot. Sukkot is known as “Zman Simchaseinu - the Time of Happiness”. But, there is another holiday that comes at the end of the seven days of Sukkot called "Simchas Torah." On Simchas Torah, we celebrate the completion of the cycle of the reading of the Torah as well as start from the beginning again. On this day, Jewish people across the world sing and dance with the Torah scrolls in celebration of the Torah and its completion.

Ok, I can understand why we would be celebrating completing the cycle of reading the Torah. But why do we feel the need to start over immediately after finishing? In addition, why do we need another separate holiday attached to Sukkot at the end of the whole holiday season? And finally, what’s so happy about this time for it to be known as “the Time of our Happiness” and “The Happiness of the Torah?”

When G-d offers the Torah to the Jewish people, he calls it a gift. As such, we treat the Torah as a special gift from G-d. There is so much depth and wisdom that can be found and uncovered in it. So it’s no surprise that we have a big celebration when we complete the reading every year. But again, why start over right away? I think the message is simple. There are so many levels of understanding and so much meaning found in the Torah. Once we finish reading it through once, we are excited to get right back to it to continue to better ourselves and learn deeper insights and ideas!

When the Torah mentions the holiday of Simchas Torah, Rashi, an 11^th century, French Torah commentator explains that G-d so to speak tells us, “Kashe alay preidaschem, - your departure is difficult for Me”. Meaning to say, after spending so much time with G-d, from Rosh Hashana all the way through Sukkot, G-d wants us to stay with Him for one more day. No extra commandments like the Shofar or Lulav and Etrog, just special time with G-d. After setting our goals for the new year on Rosh Hashana, and striving to be better people on Yom Kippur, we have this special holiday where we can push ourselves to start on our journey to become our best selves possible.

In Judaism, we always want to keep improving ourselves to be the best we can be. This drive for self-improvement is embodied in how we immediately start reading the Torah again once we finish. That is why this time is known as “Zman Simchaseinu - The Time of our Happiness” and “Simchas Torah- The Happiness of the Torah”. When we start and continue our journey of actualizing our potential and becoming the best versions of ourselves, that is true happiness.

Rabbi Jeremy Schaechter is the Director of North Shore NCSY and JSU. He runs all different types of programming for Jewish teens throughout the northern Chicago suburbs including Jewish clubs in Public high schools, weekly learning and social events and more. He is also the Director of TJJ, an incredible 4-week teen summer trip to Israel. Contact Rabbi Jeremy, Rabbijeremy@ncsy.org to learn more or to get involved.

Simchat Torah is the holiday when the Jewish people finish reading the Torah and begin again. Similar to the way that we anticipate learning new insights from the Torah each year, our Lewis Summer Intern Natalie shares with us what she is anticipating this year and how ice skating is something she has done for fifteen years and continues to learn new things each day.

I was an ice skater for fifteen years. I started when I was three years old and went all the way till college. While most people think about skating as single skating, I was a synchronized skater for eight years. But my love of skating encompasses all sectors, from ice dance to pairs to singles to synchro, as well like to call it.  

Every year the international skating season starts with the Grand Prix Series which includes six competitions. The weeks leading up to the first Grand Prix holds more anticipation for me than any other weeks of the year. The entire skating world is putting in predictions based on competition assignments and who will make the Grand Prix finale, the culmination of the series. My best friend, who I skated with, and I talk day in and day out about skaters and their possible positions going into the season.  

And then the first competition begins, and everything feels right in the world. The first skating group gets on the ice and I can take a deep breath. Skating season has begun and for the next six months my weekends will be full of watching competitions and recaps. I am able to end each weekend listening to my skating podcast about what happened in the skating world this week, because there is a skating world.  

But for now, the anticipation must continue because who knows when international travel and skating competitions can begin again. Until then, I will be watching out for new program information, watching old clips, and watching my skating podcast. 

Natalie Rudman is a sophomore at Tulane University. She spent Summer 2020 as a Lewis Summer Intern at UpStart Lab. She’s passionate about the juvenile justice system, Jewish life, and of course skating. Outside of school and work, Natalie spends her time with friends exploring the city of New Orleans 

The day before Yom Kippur starts thousands of people go to the Kotel to pray during Slichot (the beginning service of repentance). My friends and I waited for a few hours to eventually stand by the Kotel for 30 seconds; I was able to touch the Kotel, and repent. It was a moment where I felt like a tourist, but also where I felt I belonged.   

The next night was beautiful; the sun was getting ready to set and the breeze was light but refreshing. My friends and I had just finished eating dinner, and we walked to The Jerusalem Great Synagogue for Kol Nidre Services which happens the night Yom Kippur starts. After some back and forth between my counselor and the security guard we finally got let in. I was sitting on the balcony with all the women and I looked down in awe. Going to Kol Nidre services was something I had been doing since I was a baby, but being in The Great Synagogue was a moment I will never forget. I was full of joy, and it was such a powerful moment with all the voices around me. I still get chills thinking about that night. We then walked to Kikar Paris, in the heart of Jerusalem. Nativ (The gap year program I went on) has a tradition of sitting in the middle of this typically busy street and singing Z’mirot (songs). Surrounding us were families, tourists, locals who expect it annually, and people from other gap year/ high school semester programs. I wasn’t even thinking about food, I was thinking about how grateful I am to be a Jew surrounded by people I had met two weeks prior, who were now my best friends. That night I went to sleep thinking of how lucky I was to be in that incredible environment on such a meaningful Jewish holiday for Jewish people all around the world.  

As we were walking back from services, I ran into some friends on Nativ, and we ended up sitting in the middle of the street having a long, deep conversation about life and gratitude. This Yom Kippur, in Jerusalem, I looked beyond dreading the fast and focused on gratitude, bonding with new people, and really opening up to the positivity of the holiday.  

As Yom Kippur was nearing the end, my peers and I walked alongside my Director to a Synagogue called Raz’s Minyan for Neilah (the closing service for Yom Kippur). I walked in and was, again, in awe. Every single person in the women’s and the men’s section, young and old, was praying with so much passion and energy. I walked outside with some friends; we listened and prayed in unison with the community that we were surrounded by. It was a moment that I will remember forever because it made me realize how proud I am to be Jewish.  

The feelings I had on Yom Kippur 2018 are indescribable, irreplaceable, and will be forever cherished.  

My name is Daphne Budin, and I’m a Lewis Summer Intern at CJE SeniorLife. Before starting my studies at Syracuse University, I took a gap year with the Nativ College Leadership Program in Israel, where I studied and volunteered in a kindergarten. Now, I'm in the Falk College at Syracuse, where I am majoring in Human Development and Family Science. I am passionate about working with children, and I've spent two summers working at Camp Ramah Wisconsin. Outside of school, I have been involved in a Sorority, Hillel, Chabad, and Relay for Life.