ONE: A liturgical thought:
This past week, when we finished reading the book of Shmot [Exodus], we—each in our own homes—may have recited the traditional phrase “chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek—be strong, be strong, and let us derive strength from each other.” In the spirit of “chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek” we pray that God send strength to:
Those already suffering from the ravages of this disease
Older (and younger) people who are alone and feeling isolated
Parents of school-aged children who need to engage with their children in positive, productive ways while coping with their own anxiety and stress
Families who are separated by social distancing
Health care workers who are exposing themselves day in and day out to care for the ill and infirm
Postal workers, supermarket clerks, restaurant workers, delivery people, public transportation drivers, first responders, teachers, spiritual leaders, and others who work on the front lines (not from home), creating some semblance of normal life for the rest of us
Those who have lost their jobs already due to the ripple effects of this health crisis
Those who are experiencing a crisis of faith. It is difficult for all of us, and faith is tested in circumstances like these.
All of humanity: God, please have mercy upon us and guide us to the refuah [cure] for this makkah [plague]!
TWO: A practical thought:
It appears that we are now involved in a marathon rather than a sprint. We need to make sure our teachers do not overwork now so that they can stay the course for the long haul. Here are some possible suggestions to help with this:
Use asynchronous classes primarily. This way, the teachers can record their lessons on their own schedules and parents can set up their kids to learn on their own schedules.
Encourage teachers to meet with small groups of students to maintain relationships, review lessons, and discuss anything that is on students’ minds--even if they do not necessarily have a formal lesson plan.
Remember that the only life-and-death aspect of this situation is the coronavirus with its associated medical issues. If a class does not go so well, or if a particular unit won’t be finished, the ramifications will be minimal. The important thing is that we support our teachers, students, families, and each other in physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual ways.
THREE: A Torah thought:
An interesting juxtaposition occurs in the book of Tehillim [Psalms.] Chapter 22 is a gut wrenching expression of despair: “אֵ-לִי אֵ-לִי, לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי; רָחוֹק מִישׁוּעָתִי, דִּבְרֵי שַׁאֲגָתִי—My God, my God, why have You forsaken me, why are You far from my salvation, from the words of my anguished cry?”
The very next chapter is (we believe) purposely put there to remind us that “גַּם כִּי-אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת, לֹא-אִירָא רָע-- כִּי-אַתָּה עִמָּדִי—Even when I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear evil, for You are with me.”
Following, chapter 24 reminds us that “לַה', הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ; תֵּבֵל, וְיֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ—The earth is God’s and everything that fills it up, the world and those who dwell in it.”
When we find ourselves despairing, the Psalmist reminds us that God is with us and that the All-Merciful is, indeed, in control of the world.
May the Almighty bring mercy to the world sooner rather than later and show us the way out of this crisis.
As always, please reach out to us with questions or to share ideas that we may be able to assist with or even just to vent. We’re here to listen and we’re here to help.
Sharon Freundel: Sharon@JewishChallenge.org
Rabbi Shmuel Feld: RabbiFeld@JewishChallenge.org
Rachel Mohl Abrahams: Rachel@Mayberg.org