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Dear Central Great Lakes,
As August winds down, we find ourselves in an Elul state of mind, with its whispers for us to prepare for the new year ahead and begin working on creating our goals – our personal new song for our life - no easy task, as August challenges us with a frenzied tempo of its own.
In contrast, given Elul’s more meditative pace, we don’t consciously add “be introspective and reflect" to the top of our to-do list. Yet, somehow, we do hear Elul’s gentle reminders. Whether it’s driving to a meeting, or running relentless errands, or savoring a cup of coffee mid-day, somehow moments for soul-searching are there as we think about the year now quickly closing and unknown possibilities waiting for us in the months ahead.
Each day, in these moments when we magically find a bit of solitude, we slowly find those first notes of the melody of our song - the who, what and how we want to be in the new year. This time of introspection can be creative and unbelievably empowering - a fresh start, a new song! Realistically, if we can’t complete the entire song, or even its chorus, we can write the first line and go from there. It’s all good.
So, how is your melody coming along?
This year, composing our personal song may take a little more creativity and skill. This year, the month of Elul comes with a challenging counterpoint. Commonly defined as the relationship between two or more melodies played at the same time, the counterpoint we hear today is the very world around us, its melody often playing louder than we would wish.
Today’s counterpoint is a world whose voice stirs our souls with a collective anxiety. It’s a world whose melody is piercing and strident. Its relentless discord plays throughout our days and, often, our nights. Amidst this, it’s challenging to think of where we’re going.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, z”l, might refer to this not as a melody but as a thunder on our soul. For this counterpoint melody is one of pain and loss, of relentless war, of a beautiful planet on fire and of skies darkened with the ashes of its fires, of floods and mud slides and destruction.
It’s a counterpoint of events that touches our loved ones, our sisters within Women's League and their loved ones who live amidst these challenges. The events are so unusual that new words are being coined to describe that for which we have no words. Today, I heard the word hurriquake to describe the weather calamity that California suffered this week. It is a thunder on our souls and an indescribable heaviness in our hearts.
How do we find a new song? What do we sing? How can our song make a difference?
We need a lifeline, time to pull out that treasured box of our Jewish tradition, whose ancient texts always connect us. Here, we quickly find our answer: Hope. Throughout the thousands of years of our history, through unspeakable challenges, we survived and grew as a people.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z’l, poignantly spoke of Judaism as “the voice of hope in the conversation of humankind.” From Selichot thru Simchat Torah, we recite the entire Psalm 27 twice a day. Its last line (27:14) reinforces a call to hope: Kaveh El Adonai – “Look unto G-d;” Chazak V’ya’ametz Libeca – “Be strong and of good courage;” V’Kaveh El Adonai – “O look unto G-d.” Hope protects, it guides, it strengthens us, and gives us courage. And it’s at the ready. It’s our collective song!
As Conservative Jewish women, we have a unique role to play in this collective and a unique song to sing. We need to recognize and embrace the value of our song and the message of hope we each sing.
As part of CGLR and WL, what we do in sustaining hope as we serve our Jewish community is valued and makes a difference. Whether in support of our Conservative Jewish seminaries worldwide, our advocacy for the Jewish community in Uganda, our outreach to Women of the Wall in Israel, our voices raised in outrage at antisemitism and so much more – our collective song is important. This is the unique song we sing -- through the life we choose to lead – through our unwavering commitment to sustaining the continuum that is our Jewish heritage -- to make a positive difference. And your voice is invaluable to all for which we advocate!
Our region’s first program, September 10 (6:30 p.m. CT; 7:30 p.m. ET), Barbie & the Empowerment of Women in CGLR Leaderhip, will address our unique song and help us plan for the year ahead. It’s all about value: how we value ourselves, how we value others, and how others value us. It promises to be a dynamic and interesting Sunday evening.
This is the new song each of our lives will sing in 5784, individually and collectively strong, dynamic and spirited in our determination to live a life of purpose, and to make our lives a blessing!
CGLR Sisters, now in this Elul state of mind, sing loud -- sing strong. Your song is beautiful!
Shabbat Shalom,
Pam
Pam Schlosberg
CGLR President
[email protected]
847.433.7546 (h); 847.691.8991 (c)
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