Sympathy for our Enemies?

At the model seder we practiced spilling out ten drops of wine from our glass, which we do at our seders to indicate that even though the Egyptians were our enemies, they were still human beings, created by God. I even noticed that one student became upset when another student began to suck the juice off his finger, because he felt strongly that the point was for us not to gain any joy or benefit from it. What do you think is an appropriate way for us as Jews to react to the death of an enemy? If someone like Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Lebonese terrorist group Hezbollah, were to die tomorrow, how should we react?

Getting Angry at God

In class, we conducted "faith interviews," and one of the questions was, "If God is good, how can God permit evil in the world?" Lots of views were presented during our discussion. In shul, the rabbi gave a powerful sermon that was directly connected to this discussion. He encouraged us to get angry at God when bad things happen, and not to dismiss bad things as having no connection to God. He suggested that this would ultimately help us develop a closer relationship with God in our lives. When do you get angry at God? Does expressing this anger help you feel close to God, either at that time or later on?

Is Kavanah Key?

The sofer told us that in order to write a Torah scroll properly, you need to have the proper intention/concentration ("kavanah"). Judaism also says that when we pray, we are supposed to have kavanah. But we are supposed to pray three times a day, and we don't always feel in the mood. Is it more important to pray anyway, or is it better to wait to pray until you really have full kavanah? When do you find you have kavanah, and when not?

Morality at the Movie Theater

I heard something this weekend that reminded me of the "moral scenarios" from our Shabbat dinner. My film-obsessed friend went to the movies over the weekend, but after her movie ended she decided to sneak into another theater in the builiding to watch another one. But - she got caught. The people made her leave, but they were also very rude and obnoxious, and she felt like they treated her inappropriately. She decided to file a complaint with the manager about how they treated her, and the manager ended up giving her more free tickets!

What would you do - give them away, throw them out, or use them?

Looking Ahead

I have been practicing haftarah with some students (all sound great!) and I know that everyone is excited about their bat/bar mitzvahs. Some students have said they will continue with the Hebrew high school program after their b'nei mitzvah, while others will not be able to. Whether you will continue at PJC or not, what area of Jewish learning would you like to continue as 'Jewish adults', either in a formal setting or on your own, once Hebrew School is officially over?

It's a Miracle (?)

People had several ideas about why God's name is not mentioned in the entire Megillah. One opinion was that the miracle of the story was brought about by the actions of people like Mordechai and Esther, not necessarily God. Do miracles come from God, people, or both?

Purim - Hiding our Identities (or not)

When we reviewed the Purim story (in Megillat Esther) we discussed how Esther hid her Jewish identity when she first entered the palace. She only revealed it later when Mordechai asked her to intervene on behalf of the Jews who were in harm's way. (By the way, the name "Esther" comes from the same shoresh/root as the word "to hide." Note that we also "hide" behind masks and costumes on Purim).
Most of us act like Esther at some point. When do you hide your identity, and when do you display it proudly?

Jews in sports...and politics

Shahar Peer (the women's tennis star) is one of the Israeli athletes who came up in our discussion of Jewish sports organizations (e.g. Beitar, the 1987 soccer champions!) We all like to cheer for Jewish and Israeli athletes. I wondered if that same feeling of pride extended to political candidates.
Are you more likely to support a candidate for office if he/she is Jewish or supports Israel?
Should this be a major factor in how we (or our families) vote?

At home or a guest?

We have begun discussing Zionism, the movement to establish a Jewish state in the land of Israel, the Jews' historic homeland. We read how Leon Pinsker and others felt that Jews in Europe were seen as "guests" in someone else's home. As a wave of nationalism swept through European countries, many Jews began to develop a sense of Jewish nationalism. They wanted a country to call their own, where they would be at home, not guests.

Do you ever feel like a guest in this country? What about this country makes you feel at home?
Considering the vast freedoms that Jews have as citizens in this country, is having a Jewish state still necessary?

Welcome to PJC Kitah Zayin!

B'ruchim Habaim (welcome!) This web log is for students in Kitah Zayin at the PJC Learning Center to respond to questions about Torah and Jewish learning.

When responding to posts, please use language and writing that displays kavod (respect) for the subject matter and for your classmates' ideas.

Be thoughtful, creative, honest...and enjoy!