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The National Jewish Post&Opinion Volume 76, Number 17 • June 16, 2010 • 4 Tamuz 5770 Two Dollars www.jewishpostopinion.com The Hand of Rachel This artwork is by Gigi Marks Felsher. She is a past president of the Jewish Fed- eration of Greater Indianapolis. She is married to Arthur Felsher, and between them they have three daughters and two grandchildren. Gigi is president of HealthSmart, LLC, and works with fami- lies wanting to make their home environ- ment healthier and safer. Gigi’s artwork is a mosaic in the shape of a “hamsa,” a Middle Eastern symbol dat- ing back to prehistoric times designed to give protection from the evil eye, bad luck that results from the attention or jealousy of others. The hamsa consists of a hand, usually pointing fingers down with an eye in the middle. The eye is generally blue, a color which is also associated with protec- tion from the evil eye. The entire symbol is often made of or covered with a material that is somewhat reflective to reflect back the evil. This particular piece is done primarily in iri- descent glass, to capture the idea of reflec- tion, and is called “The Hand of Rachel” in honor of her daughter, for whom it was made. It was made in a mosaic class taught by Suzy Friedman of Indianapolis, an artist well-known for her paintings and Judaica. NAT 2 June 16, 2010 is the People of the Book. Outsiders have always seen the Jewish people as literate Editorial Shabbat Shalom and thoughtful. Others may not agree A Bit of Wit with Jewish culture, theology, or practice, BY RABBI JON ADLAND Thank you, dear readers for all of your but it was always known that we studied, Moishe, a Jewish actor, is so down financial support, the kind words about May 21, 2010, Naso debated, and added to the layers of and out he’s ready to take any acting gig my father and the encouragement to me. (Numbers 4:21–7:89), 8 Sivan 5770 insights that came before us. that he can find. Finally, he gets a lead, a I am extremely grateful for all of these. The sad commentary though is that in classified ad that says, Eventually I will be able to thank all of Tonight five women – Lea Coleman, our day most of the Jewish education “Actor needed to play an ape.” you with a letter or phone call, but for Erin Healey, Diane Healey, Shelly Sachs, going on is for the youth and ends in “I could do that,”says Moishe. now, please accept this as my thank you and Barbie Stenacker – will fulfill a 10th grade. Jewish adults are just too To his surprise, the employer turns out until that time. dream by leading a worship service and busy managing their lives to take time to be Central Park Zoo in New York. If one or more of you have been thinking reading from the Torah. This 5770 b’not once a week to study for its own sake Owing to recent budget cuts and the about contributing but didn’t get around mitzvah class has been studying together what it means to be Jewish, the richness great recession, the Zoo cannot afford to to it or perhaps your budget didn’t allow with me since last fall. They have of Jewish wisdom in the holy texts, or import an ape to replace the recently for it then but now you would like to laughed and cried on this journey some other aspect of Judaism. Though deceased one. So, until they can, they’ll make a donation to the newspaper, toward fulfilling their dream and tonight over the last 30 years more children have put an actor in an ape suit. every dollar we receive is important. Our their dream becomes real. It has been my gone to summer camp, celebrated a bar Out of desperation, Moishe takes the new address is 1111 East 54th St., Suite honor over my years as a rabbi to help or bat mitzvah and attended religious offer. At first, his conscience keeps 119, Indianapolis, IN 46220. many adults and a few teens deepen school, there are less and less Jewish nagging him, that he is being dishonest The following story is an example of their Jewish commitment through serious adults who rise above a pediatric by fooling the zoo-goers. Moishe also one of the pleasures that result from my engagement in Jewish study and texts. understanding of Judaism. There is no feels undignified in the ape suit, stared at following in my parent’s footsteps. A few The first part of Indianapolis Hebrew better time than today and no better by the crowds who watch his every months ago I received an email from a Congregation’s mission statement is today than Shabbat to change this adult move. But, after a few days on the job, he rabbi in Texas asking my permission to Torah (study). I have urged adults at every perception. It doesn’t have to be begins to enjoy all the attention and post a couple of columns that had been stop on my Jewish journey to deepen inundating, but it has to be something. starts to put on a show for all the published in our newspaper. She wrote, their knowledge and understanding of Subscribe to the URJ’s Ten Minutes of zoo-goers. Moishe hangs upside down “Our organization teaches teens about Judaism through adult Jewish study. I Torah or any number of websites that from the branches by his legs, swinging sexuality in the context of Jewish values.” truly believe that to be a leader of the offer Jewish learning. Get a Torah about on the vines, climbing up the cage She continued that the articles appeared Jewish people one must understand commentary and read the weekly walls and roaring with all his might in the book The Jewish 1960s. what Judaism is, what it says about living parasha and a bit of commentary. while beating on his chest. Soon, he’s I emailed her back and said she must life, commitment, justice, and God, and Subscribe to a Jewish newspaper or drawing a sizable crowd. be confusing us with another newspaper how to make that knowledge a vital and magazine. Go to Torah study. One day, when Moishe is swinging on because as long as I have been publishing, integral part of one’s life. Jewish study Our five women tonight decided that the vines to show off to a group of school there haven’t been any columns on that isn’t only for leadership, but for every they wanted to deepen their knowledge kids, his hand slips and he goes flying subject. I also said I wasn’t familiar with Jew. We have a rich and exciting history and commitment to Judaism. They’ve over the fence into the neighboring cage, The Jewish 1960s. of knowledge that takes us back to the studied, debated and prepared for this the lion’s den. She replied with a thank you. She also time of our Exodus from Egypt until b’not mitzvah evening. I salute them and Terrified, Moishe backs up as far from wrote that the credits of the two articles today. No one generation of Jews has hope that others will follow in the years the approaching lion as he can, covers in The Jewish 1960s: An American ever felt possessive of their understanding to come. his eyes and prays at the top of his lungs, Sourcebook (2004, Brandeis) were: “Fun that it is built on what came before and When you light your Shabbat candles “Shma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai in the Bedroom Is the Jewish View”from will be added to what is yet to come. this evening, light one for those who’ve Echad!” April 13, 1973, and “Rabbi Bans Hot Torah could be understood in a narrow left us answers about Judaism and The lion opens his powerful jaws and Pants, See-Through Blouses” from July sense as the Five Books of Moses, but in questions about life for us to ponder and roars the response, “Baruch Shem K’vod 20, 1971. Those articles appeared before a broader sense Torah is cumulative consider. Light the other candle as a Malchuto! L’olam Va’ed.” my time publishing the newspaper so knowledge from yesterday to today. torch leading us to the path to deeper From a nearby cage, a panda yells,“Shut that is why I did not remember them. One of the names Jews are known by understanding of Judaism through the up you schmucks, you’ll get us all fired!” Our old office was downtown and I study of Torah. Submitted by Jay Perler, Indianapolis. usually parked on the street as close to j i Rabbi Adland is senior rabbi of the front door as possible. Those parking about it. Both of those sisters were active Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation. spaces have meters. Shortly after I in the civil rights movement in the 1960s received this second email from the volunteering in the south to help blacks The National Jewish rabbi, it was time to put more change in register to vote and so forth. my meter. Unfortunately I had run out of I carried the book back to my office, change. But then I remembered that opened it and went right to the table of sometimes when I am in sitting in the contents. After finding the page numbers Post &Opinion driver’s seat, I get change out for the for the articles mentioned by the rabbi, meter and I accidentally drop coins I turned right to them and got a nice www.jewishpostopinion.com between the seats and they end up on surprise.