The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
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Ki Tavo 5780
The Power of Vulnerability One of the most powerful TED talks of all time was given by Brene Brown, entitled "The Power of Vulnerability". Very few things, if any, are more important than the expression of vulnerability in building human relationships. In our relationship with Hashem, as we return to Him in these days of Teshuva leading up to Rosh Hashanah, as with in our other important relationships in life
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
- vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. We cannot, says Brown, connect with other people unless we show vulnerability. If we are perfect, we don't need the other. If we don't feel we need any improvement, or that our fate hangs in the balance, we will feel that we don't need Hashem. Likewise, in our human relationships, if we are totally independent not interdependent, and feel we don't need our friends, spouse or family for anything, then we have no vulnerability which means we cannot love them and they cannot love us, as they are irrelevant in our lives. This is what the broken sound of the shofar tells us in these days. Like how a broken heart sees that it needs to be fixed, to be better. Click to view Rav Doron Perez's Dvar Torah for Parashat Ki Tavo.
Mizrachi Initiates Coalition with Minister for Diaspora Affairs World Mizrachi initiated a round-table Zoom meeting with the Minister of Diaspora Affairs Omer Yankelevitch and about fifteen of the major organizations in the Religious Zionist world who deal with Diaspora Jewish communities. The aim of this meeting was to bring together the many outstanding organizations into a cohesive coalition to find ways to work together and to strengthen the impact of Jewish and Zionist identity - the centrality of Torah and Eretz Yisrael - in the tapestry of Jewish identity and destiny. Rav Doron Perez, Chief Executive of World Mizrachi said: "Each one of these organisations that we have the merit of working with are outstanding in what they do and each one makes a significant difference in their field of expertise a significant way to interact with Jewish communities around the world. The aim of this meeting was to bring all the organizations together for broad strategic thinking and to create a unified and systematic effort where the whole is greater than the sum total of the individual parts." The meeting was a very successful one and part of a process of collaborative thinking with the new minister in creating new vistas of partnership opportunities. Ohad Tal, Deputy Director of World Mizrachi and Director of the Religious Zioinist Shlichut Center said "Mizrachi founded the Shlichut Center three years ago in order to create a round-table forum for collaborative thinking and coordination amongst all Religious Zionist organizations who deal with Shlichut. This meeting with the Minister is a further step in working together for our combined educational goals." The participating organizations and their representatives in the meeting this week were as follows:
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780 Rav Doron Perez - Chief Executive, World Mizrachi Ohad Tal - Deputy Director and Director of the Religious Zioinist Shlichut Center, World Mizrachi Orit Levran - Director, Bat Ami in the Diaspora Roi Abecassis - Mazkal, World Bnei Akiva Zeev Schwartz - CEO, Torah MiTzion Rav Eliyahu Birenboim - Head, Amiel-Strauss Institute Roni Azulay - Director, Lev Yehudi Rabbi Jonathan Shulman - Director, Yavneh (a Mizrachi/OU joint venture) Yalon Farhi - Director, Together Online (a World Mizrachi project) Rav Hillel Van-Leeuwen - Head of Leadership Development, World Mizrachi Ilan Frydman - Executive Director, Center for Religious Affairs in the Diaspora, World Zionist Organization Ilan Roth - Executive Director, Lavi Olami Rav Chaim Markovitch - Executive Director, Shadarim David ben Naeh - Chairman, World Union of Synagogues Rabbanit Adi Samson - Executive Director, Aseh Lecha Rav In addition, for a short time the following joined the call: Chanan and Carmel Magal - former Bnei Akiva shlichim to Rome, Italy Rav Yonaton Hirschhorn - former shaliach in University of Maryland
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
Despite COVID-19, Shlichim Continue to go Serve Communities and Leadership Programs Grow The Mizrachi’s Leadership programs have started a new year, with several achievements despite the Covid-19 era limitations. Despite the Corona uncertainty experienced worldwide we were able to send out 16 (!) new Shlichim – men and women – this summer, to serve communities in the UK, Canada and the United States. An overall record number of students have joined our various leadership programs for this upcoming year: - The Shalhevet program (training for Shlichim) has 45 students this year. - The Musmachim program (Mizrachi Rabbinic ordination) has doubled in size, as it enters its third year, and now has 33 participants. - The Lapidot program (female Judaic studies teachers for communities abroad) has 12 students this year. - The Mechanchim program (Chinuch training at Yeshivat HaKotel) has grown to 10 students.
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
Chicago's Pina Chama for Soldiers Opens The Mizrachi-Religious Zionists of Chicago, led by Executive Director Rabbi Jerry Isenberg and CoPresidents Alan Gershman and Dr. Oren Lakser, held a soft open of the "Pina Chama" (literally "hot corner", a well-equipped drop-in kiosk) for IDF combat soldiers serving in the Shomron. The Pina Chama, run by Leon Blankrot's organization Yashar Lachayal ("directly to the soldier"), was dedicated in honor of the more than 65 Chayalim Bodedim (Lone Soldiers) - past and present - from the Chicago area, and sits at a strategic point adjacent to the security fence in the back of the Itamar community, along the patrol route that soldiers routinely use, located between Itamar and the nearby Arab village of Awarta. On Friday night, March 11, 2011, two terrorists from Awarta crossed into Itamar through the valley behind the community, made their way up the side of the hill, and entered the home of the Fogel family, where they murdered 5 members of the family, including an infant, in their beds.The two terrorists entered Itamar by passing over the exact place now dominated by the Chicago Mizrachi Pina Chama. Recently, another attempted infiltration was thwarted, thank G-d, a few meters from the same area. Representing World Mizrachi at the event was Head of Leadership Development, Rav Hillel Van-Leeuwen (himself a former Chicagoan), who told the audience - which included the Head of the Shomron Regional Council Yossi Dagan, Rabbis, dignitaries and many soldiers - about the proudly Zionistic Chicago Mizrachi community, and spoke about the IDF's secret weapon: knowing that HaShem gives us the power to succeed in battle.
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
Out of responsibility for the future of Jewish education, World Mizrachi runs several leadership programs for Rabbis, educators & shlichim to serve in communities around the world. In this weekly section, we will feature some of our alumni.
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
Profiling our Shlichim around the World
Scott & Peri Babendir Chicago
Scott & Peri Babendir are alumni of Shalhevet, Mizrachi's shlichim training program. "Hi, everyone! We are both Chicago natives who were privileged enough to spend the last year living and learning in Israel. During our time with Mizrachi's Shalhevet program, we both learned many ways to engage with a community and continue to drive positive change. Scott has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Hebrew Theological College (HTC) in Skokie, Illinois, as well as multiple years learning at Yeshivat Sha’alvim and working as a Madrich for Yeshivat Yishrei Lev. He has dedicated years to learning and teaching at the Fasman Yeshiva High School and other schools and camps around Chicago. Most recently, Scott has been studying for Semicha at HTC and the YU Kollel in Israel. Peri has her Master's degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and has spent time studying at Midreshet Rachel v'Chaya. She was incredibly involved with Hillel and Kiruv organizations on campus throughout her college career. Each of our previous learning experiences and connections to Judaism strongly shaped our time at Shalhevet. Scott's passion for Torah is strongly connected to Chinuch and teaching over Torah values to the next generation, all while "being normal." Since returning to Chicago, Scott has accepted a fulltime substitute teaching opportunity at a Modern Orthodox Day School, Hillel Torah. Considering the possible impact of Coronavirus in the classroom, he's very excited to jump in and lend a hand in both Judaic and Secular classrooms. Peri is now working as an HR Manager with a company close to home, and is continuing to grow her career in that field, all while hoping to host Shabbat meals and catch up with friends new and old during Kiddush soon enough! We're incredibly grateful to all of the individuals who played a part in our Mizrachi Shalhevet experience. The network of alumni and current students has been fantastic and supportive while pushing us to engage with the Chicago community in a more impactful way."
Catching up with our Returning Shlichim
Avichai & Tiferet Berkovits
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
Avichai & Tiferet Berkovits are alumni of Shalhevet, Mizrachi's shlichim training program. "A month ago, we returned from our two-year shlichut in Sydney, Australia. Avichai served as the head of the Torah Mitzion Beit Midrash at the JLC Synagogue and as a Jewish-studies teacher at the Moriah School. During those two years, we became a family when we were blessed with our son, Tuv, and we felt how our home was expanding. However, this expansion included not only our nuclear family: every Shabbat we hosted young people, families and friends. We concentrated mainly on creating meaningful learning experiences for anyone who wanted it. Tiferet established a seminary for women that emphasizes learning in chavrutot and small groups, while Avichai taught in various settings – all the while emphasizing personal growth and encouraging the learners to take responsibility over what they were studying. The connection to the Land of Israel was natural for us and underpinned everything we did without any effort. A significant thing we feel we brought with us to Sydney is our authenticity and our live, deep connection to the Torah and to the Land of Israel. Because we returned home to Israel during the Corona period, it turned out that instead of one big farewell party we had several smaller farewell parties. It was really special to see how we connected with so many different types of people – from the early minyan community members to students of different ages, friends, and of course students from Moriah school, as well as our chavrutot. This week we received a message from our students that have already become Madrichim (counselors) for younger youth, and we were happy and pleased to hear that they are teaching what they have learned from us… Now we get to enjoy being in Israel, where we meet people who have made Aliya from Australia, and we know that we were a significant part of their journey."
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
Restricted Celebrations? Rabbi Yehoshua Fass
Social Distancing will likely be the 2020 word of the year – a concept that was foreign to us at Rosh Hashanah 5780. The effects of this global pandemic have led to a serious recalibration of our interactions, schedules, engagements and priorities. Our holidays, celebrations, and community involvement have all been radically stunted through our inability to come in proximity with others. However, for many of us, this great disruption has also led to a reappreciation of the many gifts we have in our lives, actually bringing us closer to the elements that we hold so dear. This notion of appreciation is the essential part of the mitzvah of bringing the Bikurim, the first fruits: “And it shall be, when you come into the Land which Hashem your G-d gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it, and dwell therein; that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring in from your Land that Hashem your G-d gives you; and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place which the L-rd your G-d shall choose to cause His name to dwell there.” (Devarim 26:1-2) Rashi quoting the Gemara in Kiddushin, states, “Israel was not obligated to bring Bikurim until
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
they conquered the Land and divided it up [amongst the tribes].” The Sifri seems to suggest a diametrically opposed opinion of Rashi and posits that the obligation of bringing Bikurim occurred immediately upon entering the Land. Commentators question the novelty of Rashi’s interpretation; isn’t it obvious that one cannot bring the gift of Bikurim until you actually own the Land from which the produce grew? Additionally, they question the Sifri’s logic; from which land is one bringing produce if the obligation of Bikurim applies immediately after entering the Land? Both Rashi and the Sifri derive their positions from the wording: “And it shall be, when you come into the Land which Hashem your G-d gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it, and dwell therein.” The Sifri interprets the word “Vahaya – and it shall be” as alluding to immediacy. Whereas Rashi focuses on the latter part of the verse – that inheritance and possession are both required to kick start the obligation of Bikurim. Some suggest that the gap between the Sifri and Rashi actually does not exist. In Parashat Re’eh, Rashi interprets the word “dwelling” as not an actual inhabitance: “until the tribes were divided and each one recognized his own portion.” To make sense of this peculiar phrase, we need to take a step back, and remind ourselves that the concept behind Bikurim is that of Hakarat Hatov, i.e., an appreciation for the bounty that we have received. (Sefer Hachinuch #91) Both as individuals and as a nation, we should never feel that “my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.” (Devarim 8:17) Rather, we are obligated to have a constant awareness that everything we own is really “that which Hashem your G-d gives you.” (Devarim 26:1) The obligation of Hakarat Hatov starts even before we actually have a complete fulfillment of the cause célèbre. Our appreciation ought not to wait until we actually finish dividing the Land, but rather the conquering of each individual’s land itself should be a source of inspiration and emotional upswell to thank our Creator. The mere knowledge that we are on the cusp of receiving a promise or seeing the fulfillment of a dream, should create the need to express appreciation. The COVID pandemic has forced us to alter our expectations, change the way we define and execute events, and how we experience life’s special moments. A year ago, if one would describe
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The Power of Vulnerability | Weekly Newsletter | Ki Tavo 5780
how we would be celebrating Pesach, Shavuot, weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs we would have likely been thrown into a depression. But having experienced these modified events, we have learned that not only are we resilient, adaptable, ingenious, and resourceful but that these modified events can be equally enjoyable, fully mesmerizing, and emotionally charged and fulfilling. We have learned that we can experience pure happiness and joy because we have GRATITUDE and recognize our portion – and our portion is beautiful.
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