On my honor...

One of the things that I have always found rather amazing is that there is not more interest in Scouting (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and similar organizations) in the Jewish community, let alone the Orthodox Jewish community. I'm sure a good size of that aversion can be attributed to Bitul Torah, that one should study Torah sufficiently. Others would more glibly assert "We spent forty years camping in the desert! Wasn't that enough??"

I spent several years as a scout leader in Pack/Troop 392 in Milwaukee, WI. 392 is one of a number of Scout units in the United States that are Shomer Shabbat. These units observe Shabbat while camping, kashrut, and just about any other mitzvot you care to mention. Furthermore, the ethics and principles around Scouting are already closely aligned with our own as Jews. It is not that Scouting (in my mind) is Bitul Torah, but rather provides a practical framework for putting that learning into practice in our society, but providing children and teenagers an environment for exercising leadership and teamwork skills.

Even if it involves building a trebuchet to hurl a potato a few hundred feet, but I digress.

Recently, Michael Freed, a Cantor at Congregation Beth Shalom in Long Beach, CA, published an open map of observant scout units in the United States. [The map could just as easily list such units outside the US, but no such units have so listed themselves.] There are units listed in the New York City area, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago and Rochester (Yes, Rochester!) NY. I would encourage you, if you have kids, to check into this activity for them as an alternative to soccer, swimming, or tennis (let alone Nintendo, Pokemon, or other activities). The level of observance I'm sure will vary from unit to unit. Nominally, these are all observant groups, but at a basic level, we are all Jews, and some of these units may put our faith into practice in a manner other then which you are accustomed. Still, this is an activity that ought to get greater play (pun unintended) in our community.

Shabbat Shalom

Au revoir Avelut

Just before the secular Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, the first anniversary of my father's passing; the first yahrtzeit, occurred. I wish I would have been able to go to New York and say Kaddish at his grave that day, but for reasons beyond this blog post, that was not possible. Just before visiting my son at his yeshiva, I did stop in New York to visit not only his grave, but that of my mother's parents, and her mother's parents, as they are all buried near one another.

This has been a time of reflection for me, for this and other reasons. A gal I dated for awhile recently opined to me that Hashem is always sending us messages, we just have to figure them out and listen to them.

I've given that some thought, and here is how I view that.

I am Jewish not simply because my mother is Jewish, as was her mother, and so on. That essentially means that I have an obligation to be Jewish -- to follow mitzvot and so on. After all, I have any of a number of friends that were likewise born to a Jewish mother and I don't see them running about in kippot constantly.

Being born Jewish makes Judaism an obligation to me, but it is a joyous obligation to me, because I choose to make it so! I LIKE being Jewish!
I get a great sense of satisfaction in seeing my children take up the mantle of the legacy of their great-to-the-nth grandparents, despite the temptations of our modern society. I get a great sense of satisfaction in seeing my children make Judaism their own, and leveraging the benefits of our modern society to enable their practice! Daf Yomi on the iPod; streaming The Chevre over the Internet; the list just goes on!

Things happen in life. We can listen to the voice that pulls us towards Esau, or the one that pulls us towards Jacob, and yet, we are both Esau and Jacob. I try to choose Jacob's path, and use the facilities of Esau within me to travel that path.

This past week we concluded the celebration of Chanukah, and I can't help but draw a parallel between Chanukah and this week's parasha, Vayigash.

To recount, Joseph had his servants sequester his goblet in Benjamin's pack. After his brothers left to return to Caanan, Joseph dispatch men to overtake his brothers, and find the goblet. Of course, they did so, and brought everyone back to Mitzrayim.

When they are brought before Joseph, he demanded that Benjamin be kept as his slave, but the brothers had learned their lesson of some twenty years earlier when they sold Joseph off. Yehudah passionately takes up Benjamin's cause, compelling Joseph to relent and reveal his identity.

Everything is a lesson. When it comes to our children, we must defend them vigorously and ensure their upbringing.

The juxtaposition of Vayigash to Chanukah is incredibly relevant. The Greeks had conquered Israel and ruled the land. They allowed the Jews to practice Judaism, but were adamant about children going to Greek schools and not learning Torah. Just as with Joseph, Benyamin, and Yehudah, the Maccabees stood up to the Greeks and said "No!"

Everything is a lesson. When it comes to our children, we must defend them vigorously and ensure their Jewish upbringing.