Friday Letter
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Friday Letter Alerts
June 6, 2008
3 Sivan 5768
Candle Lighting 8:00 pm
Havdalah 9:17 pm
Parashat Naso
Dear Schechter Parents and Guardians,
With the last month of school already here, SSDS students are busy as bees finishing up work, preparing for the end of productions, and on taking the very last of the end of the year field trips. Indeed, just enter our halls and you can hear the buzz. Our auditorium seems constantly full as the first grade students prepare for their Siddur Ceremony and as our fifth graders work on their Moving Up Celebration. On Wednesday, June 4th our third grade students went to the Queens Marathon Playhouse to see Charlotte’s Web.
On Thursday, June 5th, our third, fourth and fifth grade classes shared time with the Wolfer Family. Sadly, the Wolfer Family, lost their son Stuart, a Solomon Schechter graduate, while he served our country in Iraq. Since then, his family took this unfortunate event and created a mitzvah opportunity. Looking to improve the conditions of our heroes, they seek to send donated “goodies” to our soldiers in Iraq. This last month you may have noted a large trunk being filled with cookies, chips and other treats by our students. These items will be forwarded in the trunk supplied by the Wolfer Family to the soldiers. We thank the Wolfers for this opportunity and, of course, we thank our Schechter families for providing the treats.
On Friday, June 6th, our first graders performed beautifully at their Siddur ceremony. After a year long study in the Tal Am Hebrew/Judaic Program these learners are quite accustomed to reciting prayers – with understanding and kavannah (intention). They demonstrated their learning and with gratitude and excitement received their very own first siddur! Mazel tov to our first grade students and to their families.
Worthy of Mention
Hooray! The long awaited taping of the God Squad which was done in February will be aired on Monday, June 9th at 8:00 am on Channel 55 (Channel 10 on Long Island) and at 8:00 pm on Channel 29. The show will be repeated on Tuesday, June 10th at 1:00 pm on Channel 29. As the airings take place on Shavuot, be certain to set your VHSs/DVRs to see and hear the God Squad’s responses to our students’ thoughtful questions.
Mazel tov to Jessica Barnoy for donating her cut hair to Locks of Love.
Shabbat Shalom and have a joyous Shavout!
Dr. Meisha Leibson,
Principal
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Rabbi Moshe Schwartz
The word Naso can have multiple meanings. First, is lift or raise up. Moses is commanded to take a census by “raising up the head” of each person and count them. The second meaning is to carry, as in a package or a load. These two meanings appear to be opposites of each other. One gives the image of weighing down while the other of lifting up. There are multiple examples of Hebrew words that share the same root but have opposite meanings (just think of Nun, Sin, Alef which is also from the same root for Nasi, which means President or chieftain). Yet, these two words from the same root actually provide us similar meaning. What we carry, what we lift up, has the potential to lift us up. Or, if we flip the meanings, our burdens are really our opportunities in life. It just depends how we see them.
The person who sees a responsibility as an opportunity can become a Nasi, a president. Otherwise, that person sees leadership as an ever-present burden, may pass up on the chance to lead.
Masa, something we carry, something we lift up, does not have to be a burden.
Think of the famous story, told over & over again, about Father Flanagan who in 1917 decided to help homeless boys by establishing the community of Boys Town near Omaha, Nebraska. For many years, the symbol for Boys Town has been that of a boy carrying a younger boy. This image comes from an event that Father Flanagan witnessed.
On a summer day, some of the boys from Boys Town decided to go swimming. One little boy was upset that he couldn't go because he had a brace on his leg and couldn't walk easily. But a boy named Jim Edwards picked him up and started to carry him on his back.
Father Flanagan encouraged the other boys to help, but Jim said to the priest, "He ain't heavy, Father, he's my brother."
That saying became the motto of Boys Town, as well as a well-known hit song of the 70s. First performed by the Everly Brothers, then by the Hollys in 1970, it was re-recorded by Neil Diamond & Olivia Newton-John. Somehow, those words hit a chord in us:
The road is long, with many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where, who knows when?
But I’m strong, strong enough to carry him
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.
There are countless examples. Take children for one. Imagine the burden we give our children to carry through their lives if we yell at them, as I’ve seen & heard done: “Look how much you’re costing me!”
Yet, we cannot see our children as a burden.
Israel is another: This past Sunday a large group from our school waited a VERY long time to march in the Salute to Israel parade. Yes, it was hot and I had to re-apply my number 45 sunscreen even though I tried to stay in the shade most of the time. Like me, I bet others were plotzing from the heat.
Marching could have been seen as a burden; a drain on time and energy. But standing toward the back of the group as we marched up 5th Avenue, gave me a rush of excitement and burst of energy.
We saw a mass of people that we’ll never forget. Over 1 million according to NYPD estimates. We came away exhilarated and I hope that all of us who attended came home with the same (somewhat sunburned) smile that I had on my face.
In other words, this parade was not a burden. It was an opportunity to support Israel.
It all depends on how we look at it. Is it a challenge, a burden, or a chance to lift ourselves up?
Naso is the longest portion in the Torah. It contains the most verses of any other reading. We can view this as a pain and a burden. Or, we can see it as an opportunity to learn some extra Torah and to be inspired during what promises to be a longer service in most congregations.
Thus, on this Shabbat Parashat Naso, I encourage everyone to think about challenges in our lives that we can see as uplifting experiences. What are they? How can we seize them and best utilize them to strengthen ourselves, our families and the Jewish people. There may be more than one meaning or answer. The choice, according to the Torah, seems to be ours.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Moshe
p.s. I learned of a ton of engagements the past few weeks (friends, relatives, community members etc..). Thus, I must mention that Nisuin, one of the two parts of the wedding ceremony also comes from the root for Naso, to lift up. I can think of no lovelier image than of two individuals who both literally and figuratively lift each other up as they make a new life together.
PDF files
Israel at 60 - DVD Form
Shavuot Information from Rabbi Schwartz
Cocktail Party
God Squad TV Presentation
