Newsletter Weekly Guest Statement
Larry Lockshin
Co-President UPJ
When looking up this week’s Parsha, Tazria-M’tzora, then a few Divrei Torah about it, I came across multiple statements from rabbis about the poor B’nai Mitzvah student who ends up with this Parsha. Most of the rabbis I read used their Divrei Torah in a symbolic way to make an interpretation for the world today. I found the one by Cantor David Fair, both interesting and useful.
He said, when we are feeling physically unwell, we go to a doctor for a check-up. Where do we go for a spiritual check-up when we need one? In the days of the Temple the priests served in both capacities, but today many of us do not seek a person or place for a spiritual check-up. The rabbi and synagogue can serve that purpose but many of us either don’t use them, or don’t feel comfortable doing so. I enjoy attending services but sometimes our liturgy does not give me the spiritual uplift I am seeking.
This last Shabbat, Janet (my wife) took the service with me assisting. She decided to create a reflective service with mostly recorded music of the prayers we say at Shachrit along with projecting a slide show of our personal photos of nature. She chose mostly quiet renditions of our prayers, but also some soaring versions and some meditative chanting ones. I find this type of service provides a different kind of spirituality than our regular Shachrit service. We often say the prayers by rote without really internalising the words. Music can create meaning both with and without the words. The words can gain new and deeper meanings with the addition of music.
Many of our Jewish values when practiced are another way of gaining spirituality. At the first session of the Governance Course on Sunday, we discussed a list of Jewish values compiled by Rabbi Fred Morgan, and how they can help board members serve their communities better. To me, there is spirituality in ‘serving,’ in helping others, in building a better world. I know many of us get that deep feeling when we are doing those things for our community and to help others.
There are many ways to practice our Jewish values. The UPJ provides a way to help our people in Israel through our United Progressive Appeal, where we chose the recipient organisations because they deliver programs with our values to every day Israelis.
You can also help our people here in Australia by reporting your experience of antisemitism to the Royal Commission. Every incident, every story is important to paint the picture of what it is like being Jewish in Australia today to the Royal Commission, so they can deliberate on ways to improve our situation.
The UPJ is offering a Shaliach Tzibbur course starting in May. This course helps train lay leaders for services and life cycle events in their communities. This is another way to gain spirituality in your life as you aid others in their regular journeys.
You can find more information on these programs in this newsletter and on our the UPJ website.
