Dear Hevre,

This week we read Parshat Shemini, the third weekly reading in the
Book of Leviticus.  To many modern readers, these opening weekly
portions of Leviticus seem to offer some of the most bizarre,
inaccessible and even repulsive material in the entire Torah.  They
focus on instructions for animal sacrifice, priestly inspections of
diseased body parts, a seemingly arbitrary system of quarantine, and a
God who’s fiery presence departs abruptly and even erupts dangerously
depending on human actions.  One chapter of this week’s parasha,
Leviticus 11, describes the animals which our Israelite ancestors were
permitted and forbidden to eat.  The distinctions between categories
of animals don’t seem to correspond to any modern notions of
sanitation, health or conservation.

Can we find meaning in all this obscure material?  Does it speak to
modern society, even to those most disconnected from Torah?   Spoiler
alert: I believe the answer is ‘YES’.  I believe Leviticus, including
this week’s reading, articulates messages and concerns that speak to
the heart of the modern health crisis today, for Jews and non-Jews
alike. During our service this Friday evening, I’ll speak about these
questions and more in my drash, “A Modern Health Crisis, the Holiness
of the Body, and the Incendiary God of Leviticus.”  The Erev Shabbat
service begins at 8 PM.

The Shabbat morning service begins at 10 AM, as always.  We will call
Zoe & Zev Sheppard to the Torah in honor of their bnei mitzvah.

Please note that, on Sunday, March 27th at 3 PM, Oseh Shalom will hold
a Ladies’ Tea, featuring great camaraderie, a selection of fine teas
and delicious treats. Profits will go to the House of Ruth to help
victims of domestic abuse. This event is for girls only! Bring your
daughter, your mother, your daughter’s best friend, your best friend
or come on your own and join the Oseh “girls.”  RSVP to the synagogue
office (301-498-5151) by tomorrow, March 24th.

I hope to see you this Shabbat or some other time soon at Oseh Shalom.

Shalom,

Rabbi Doug Heifetz
Oseh Shalom
Laurel, MD
Tel. #301-498-5151
Website: www.oseh-shalom.org
Rabbi’s Blog: www.TheRavBlog.com

I hope you’ve had an enjoyable fall season.  By the time you read this article, we will be fast approaching the festival of Hanukkah, which begins on the evening of Wednesday, December 1st.

The holiday offers numerous layers of meaning.  Many Jews focus on the universal theme of light in the season of darkness, around the time of the winter solstice.  Some focus on the quest for religious freedom and the story of the Maccabean military victory.  Some focus on the message of hope symbolized by the discovery—as the Talmud tells us—of a single unspoiled vial of olive oil within the ruins of the ancient Temple.  Others may focus on the legendary miracle of the oil burning in the Temple lamp for eight days, far exceeding all expectations.

The timing of the holiday, however—beginning on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev—emphasizes the importance of olive oil, the ancient staple itself.  In his new book The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, Rabbi Gil Marks explains that “Long before the advent of Hanukkah…the 25th day of Kislev was the traditional date for the end of the harvest of olives for oil.”   The Mishna (Bikkurim 1:6) similarly mentions Hanukkah as a pivotal agricultural date, surely referring to the olive harvest which is so ubiquitous in Israel.

Indeed, our ancestors in the Middle East and the Mediterranean counted olive oil among their key staples.  Our Torah (Deuteronomy 8:8) refers to olives as one of seven species of agricultural bounty of the Land of Israel.  Together with grain and wine, olive oil formed one of the three pillars of the economy and diet of ancient Israel.

Just as the flask of olive oil discovered by the Maccabees at Hanukkah burned miraculously long and bright, so too olive oil can help fuel a life of longevity and vigor in modern times.  You’ve probably already read about some health benefits of this ancient and flavorful staple.  However, the public is just starting to learn about one crucial, underlying advantage: as a substitute for other vegetable oils, olive oil can help people to achieve and maintain a healthy balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  It can help us to avoid the endemic, dangerous excess of omega-6 acids that we find in the modern Western food supply.

This balance of fatty acids significantly helps to combat the prevalant diseases of civilization.  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 70, No. 3) reported that a proper ratio is crucial “in the prevention and management of coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, renal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”
While both types of fatty acid are essential, most Americans consume vastly excessive quantities of omega-6 and not nearly enough omega-3.  Our food supply inundates us with omega-6′s especially from vegetable oils (corn, soy, cotton seed, peanut, rapeseed, etc).

Unlike most other common vegetable oils, however, olive oil contains very few omega-6 acids.  By restoring olive oil as a central component of our diet—like in ancient Israel—and removing most modern vegetable oils, we can likely move toward greater health and longevity.  While no dietary choices or lifestyle considerations can guarantee long life or a disease-free existence, this flavorful and versatile liquid offers a step in the right direction.

Hanukkah reminds us of the importance of this ancient dietary staple, which can help to restore a healthy balance.  It’s also a delicious ingredient, full of a variety of flavors and aromas depending on the source and the season.

This last year hundreds of chefs, restauranteurs, culinary critics, nutritional experts and enthusiastic tourists converged in Jerusalem for the Terra Olivo Mediterranean International Olive Oil Competition. The judges awarded eighteen gold medals to Israeli olive oils, along with many other golds for products from other countries.  It seems that Israel is abuzz with a revival of this key staple that we celebrate at Hanukkah.  Some of these award-winning Israeli oils, like Halutza and LiveO, are available in the US by telephone or online order.

Hanukkah offers a perfect time to sample and taste a variety of olive oils, either raw or in uncooked dishes, which preserve the delicate flavors.  And, of course, you can use it to cook your latkes and other Hanukkah treats as well.

Best wishes for a wonderful Hanukkah.  May the miracle of the oil inspire us to seek lives of health, longevity and many rich flavors.

Shalom,

Rabbi Doug Heifetz

I hope that the year 5771 has begun well for you.  I very much enjoyed celebrating the Days of Awe with our wonderful community this year.

The start of the year invites us, gently and repeatedly, to turn our attention toward the Land of Israel.   At the end of the Yom Kippur neilah service, after the final tekyiah gedolah shofar blast, we shout with yearning and hope, “Next year in Jerusalem!”  Just a few weeks later we read the Torah portion of Lech-Lecha , in which God invites our ancestor Abraham, “Lift up your eyes and see” the land of Israel before you. “Arise, travel throughout the Land, its length and its breadth” (Genesis 15).  In addition to these liturgical cues, recent news headlines also draw our gaze to Israel with a sense of renewed hope.  For the first time in years Israel and the Palestinians have entered peace talks, reminding us of the possibility of eventual peaceful coexistence.

Indeed the beginning of this New Year offers us a perfect opportunity to explore and renew our connection with Israel, its history, culture and people.  Of course, the very best way to deepen this connection is through travel.  When we visit Israel, we walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and we bring to life our foundational stories from the Torah and other ancient texts.  We experience the living Hebrew language through daily life, art, culture, film and literature (assisted by translation, of course).  We meet and engage with key Jewish leaders and organizations.  We witness first-hand the opportunities and challenges of the ongoing peace efforts and Arab-Jewish coexistence.   We experience a country that is youthful, high-tech, vibrant, quickly changing and socially innovative.

I’m planning to lead an Oseh Shalom trip to Israel next summer, in 2011, with the help of local expert tour guides and educators.  I very much hope that you’ll consider joining in the adventure.
In the process of planning, I want to invite your feedback about the itinerary.  We face several wonderful possibilities.  Although it’s a geographically small country, no traveler or group tour can experience everything.  The country offers a nearly endless number of historical sites, antiquities, cultural, environmental and educational organizations, hikes, parks and more.  We’ll need to focus our trip.  For example, consider the following possibilities:

1.  The Flourishing of Contemporary Israel:  Focus on contemporary culture.  Meet with Israeli writers, artists, chefs, peace activists and more.  Learn about the recent growth of Jewish religious pluralism in a country long dominated by Orthodoxy.   Visit the Susanne Dalal Dance Center, the Jerusalem International Film Festival, and Alma Hebrew College.  Learn about and taste the sophisticated delights of Israel-centered ‘Med Rim’ cuisine.  Talk with corporate executives about the astonishing growth of the Israeli High-Tech industry.

2.    The Land of Milk & Honey: an Eco-Tour.  Experience the richness of the Land of Israel in all its tremendous diversity of geography, climate, plant and animal life.  Learn about the many contemporary environmental challenges, which intertwine with the need for Arab-Israeli coexistence.  Discuss innovative solutions with top environmental leaders.  Visit ancient gardens, fields and terraces at Neot Kedumim that elucidate our key texts and stories.  Tour the desert oasis of Ein Gedi and the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.  Hike in the Negev Desert, the Galilee and the Golan Heights.  Paddle on the Jordan River.

3.  Seek Peace & Pursue It: Focus on efforts for peace and coexistence, with the many challenges and points of hope.  Meet with Jewish Israeli and Palestinian leaders and peace activists.  Visit Neve Shalom, the Israeli & Arab cooperative peace village.  Tour Ramallah, the newly flourishing Palestinian capital of the West Bank, and other Palestinian sites.  See the security wall around Jerusalem, learn about its causes, effects and controversies.  Witness the innovative development efforts of SHATIL’s Haifa as a Shared City project.

4.  Roots, Rocks & Writings: Explore the sites of Israel as text, and our ancient Jewish texts as guide-notes to the Land of Israel, an approach inspired by Melton seminars.  Immerse in the history of key places and events.  ‘Read’ the sites for their subtle insights, and mine the texts for their related meanings.  Explore Hezekiah’s 2800-year-old tunnel under Jerusalem’s walls, while reading the Bible’s accounts of ancient sieges and defenses.  Tour the ancient city of Tzippori, the original home of the Mishna and rabbinic Judaism.  Debate the case of the Bar Kochba Revolt while exploring the rebels’ hideouts.  Soak up the mystical ambience of Tzfat, the city of Lurianic Kabbalah, while glimpsing the secret garden of its esoteric texts.

Please note that several of these itineraries can allow for kid-friendly options if enough travelers plan to bring children.  If many families express interest in bringing young children, then we may plan a separate family-oriented tour.

Please let me know if you’re interested in the trip, and if so, which of these options most appeals to you.  I would like to solidify the focus of the itinerary, the dates and the pricing by early November.

I strongly encourage you to join in.  I’m confident that the trip will offer an experience of much fun, adventure, learning and growth.  For those not able to join in, we will hold additional synagogue programs related to Israel over the year ahead.  Stay tuned for more details.

Again, best wishes for a sweet New Year.

Shalom,

Rabbi Doug Heifetz

I’m not leaving the house much these days.  I’m taking a lot of time to sit with Dalya, hold her, and try to let Elaine get some sleep.  I’m also watching some fascinating online lectures while I hold the baby or sit nearby.

For example, I recently watched this presentation by National Geographic writer Dan Buettner.  He’s traveled to study population groupings around the world in which people tend to live exceptionally long lives.  He pointed to a number of interesting factors that seem to enable their longevity, including:

1. Healthy diet (big surprise here, right?)
2. Cultural esteem for the elderly
3. Participation in spiritual community
4. Rest & Sabbath (in this case he points to the 7th Day Adventists of Southern California)
5. Sense of Purpose

All of these factors are of great interest to me, but I’m especially interested in the last one, a sense of purpose.  Buettner mentions that people in Okinawa, a very long-lived demographic, seem keenly aware of this.  In fact, while there’s no traditional Japanese/Okinawan term for ‘retirement,’ there’s a very common word used to describe ‘the reason why you live.’  To my ears the word sounds like ‘eekigai’.  Buettner said that in every case when he asked an older person in Okinawa what was their eekigai, each one responded with an immediate answer.  For one 102 year old Karate master, his eekigai was to teach his martial art.  A 100 year old fisherman found his eekigai in providing fish for his family.  For one woman, it was helping to take care of her great-great-great-granddaughter.  She explained that holding the little girl, her younger counterpart by over 101 years, felt like leaping into heaven.

All of the individuals whom Buettner mentioned provide wonderful examples of the words of Psalm 92, “Od yenuvun b’seivah” (still they flourish in their old age).

I believe that Judaism, and perhaps all religious traditions, offer great potential for providing individuals and communities with the factors that Buettner mentioned.  For example, our Torah aimed to imbue our ancient Israelite ancestors with a lasting mission by means of the commandment “Kedoshim tihiyu” (‘you shall be holy,’ Leviticus 19:2).  The Torah was insisting that its followers should pursue a life of meaning, structure, deliberation and deep awareness of their community.

What’s your eekigai?  Can a person have more than one?  How many purposes can a person choose to pursue without loosing their way?

Or, better yet, come to services at Oseh Shalom for discussion of the Torah portion and more.  Our Erev Shabbat service begins at 7:30 tomorrow (Friday) evening.  As always, the first Friday evening service of the month is our Family Service.  This 45-minute service will include a story appropriate for all ages and childrens’ participation in leading the prayers.  A congregational shabbat dinner will occur before the service, beginning at 6 PM.

Our Saturday morning service begins at 10 AM.  It will include a chance for Torah study and discussion, related to this week’s Torah portion.

Our Tot Shabbat service will also occur this Saturday morning, starting at 10 AM.  This 45-minute service, geared toward children ages 2-5, will include songs, stories, movement and crafts.  The children will come into the main sanctuary to briefly join the adult service before the conclusion of Tot Shabbat.

May the weekly parasha inspire us to explore how challenges can lead us to greater growth in spite of—or perhaps because of grappling with—our limitations.  I hope to see you soon at Oseh Shalom.

Shabbat shalom!

Birkat ha-Chammah offers an arcane yet relevant, rare yet timely, odd yet fun and memorable chance to do something once, this generation. It encourages us to celebrate the wonders of nature, and particularly to focus on the twin dangers and opportunities posed by the sun at this time: the danger of global warming, and the opportunities of harnessing the sun’s rays for clean, sustainable solar energy.

You can say the blessing any time you like in the morning. You can say it with others or on your own. It offers a perfect time to spend a moment outside to feel and observe the sun’s power. The central blessing is quite simple. You simply say:

Baruekh atah Adonai, eloheinu melekh ha-olam, oseh ma’aseh bereishit

Or in English: “Blessed are You Eternal, mover of the cosmos, creator of the works of Creation.

Of course, feel free to paraphrase or to create your own blessings, in addition to or instead of the traditional brachot. If you observe the occasion in some form, I’d be very happy to hear about the experience!

Please also note the following upcoming events at Oseh Shalom this week and this Shabbat:

–We’ll hold a Passover holiday service this Thursday morning at 10 AM. Emily Blank will chant Shir Ha-shirim, the biblical earthly love poem of the Song of Songs. Vaughn Winchell will chant from the Torah, verses from the story of the Exodus. There will be time for Torah study and discussion.

–Our Friday evening Shabbat service begins at 8 PM. I’ll discuss interethnic solidarity, based on the story of the Midwives in the Book of Exodus.

–Our Shabbat morning service begins at 10 AM on Saturday. We’ll be celebrating the aufruf (pre-wedding celebration) of our own Jessie Bacharach and her fiancee Michael Goldberg. The service will also include time for Torah study and discussion.

I hope to see you soon at Oseh Shalom. In the meantime, best wishes for a sweet and wonderful start of the Pesach holiday. May your seders bring a taste of freedom and hope fora better world.

Chag sameach!