Honor those who paid the price

This weekend we have observed Memorial Day, now dedicated to recall the sacrifices made by others to protect the liberty and values we cherish so dearly.  It is our custom to relax and enjoy all that we have - not just those material things we gather, but more importantly the ideas and ideals that will remain long after our time:

Freedom...equality...hope...opportunity... and tzedek (Hebrew for “justice”) - the moral imperative found in Jewish tradition to do what is right.  This holiday gives us precious occasion to reflect on the goodness of the world around us and our potential to make it even better.  This is the most noble purpose of liberty.  So might we heed the words of Leviticus, emblazoned on the Liberty Bell:  u’k’ratem d’ror ba-aretz - proclaim liberty throughout the land, so that every one of us might yet attain our greatest promise.

Yet, do we really understand the meaning of Memorial Day? Most of us, casually, believe it to be a day to honor those veterans who have served our nation’s military. This is only partly true. In fact, Memorial Day is *specifically* dedicated to those who died during their service. Initially, it emerged in part to heal the rift between North and South following the Civil War.

The first American Memorial Day was in Charleston, SC, on May 1, 1865, shortly after the end of hostilities. During the war, at least 257 Union soldiers who were former slaves died while being held as prisoners of war at the Hampton Park Race Course in Charleston, and were buried in unmarked graves. Black residents of Charleston cleaned up and landscaped the burial ground, building an enclosure and an arch labeled "Martyrs of the Race Course". They then organized a May Day ceremony, which was covered by the New York Tribune and other national papers. Nearly 10,000 people, led by nearly 3,000 children, marched in a parade to commemorate the dead. The event was mostly attended by former slaves, but also included mutual aid societies, Union troops, black ministers and white northern missionaries. Nearly ironically, this national holiday was founded by those who suffered (and still do, to a degree) the worst inequities in American history.

We are still subject to the historic dynamics that have divided us – race, gender, socio-economic advantage. The battles of the Civil War, and all the wars that have plagued our history, have resurfaced in our current political campaign season. We can still rise above, and fulfill our hoped-for destiny to become, as John Winthrop asserted on the ship Arbella just prior to setting foot in the New World – to become a “city on the hill” – a beacon of promise, a light unto the nations, guiding the world toward a better future.

And so today, for at least a moment, forget your own nonsense; honor those who paid the price for the liberty we cherish, and work toward their vision of a world redeemed. 

Miles Davis and our shared humanity

(Please note - I originally wrote this piece ten years ago, in celebration of Miles' 80th birthday. I post it here in honor of his ongoing legacy. Miles was a genius. And yes, he was often vulgar, crude and base with his words. Yet his raw, honest emotional expression remains a powerful influence upon so many. With today’s political environment, with those like Trump and Sanders and their followers doing everything they can to objectify, vilify and alienate the “other,” I believe it’s vital to share and celebrate stories of connection such as this. Enjoy.)

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Miles Davis - one of the most important figures in modern music and culture. Along the path of life, we find many different influences, and Miles ranks as one of my favorite artists, and a source of great interest and inspiration.

I recall fondly my time as the rabbinic intern at the Hillel Jewish Student Center at the University of Cincinnati, during my studies at HUC-JIR. We had the great fortune to engage in leadership development along with the staff of the African-American Cultural Center on campus. One exercise we conducted was called "cultural sharing" - for which each participant had been asked to bring an item of significant personal or family identity from home, and be willing to explain why the object was meaningful. Someone had a piece of art...someone had a special book....another a family photo...with me, I brought the mezuzah given to us by Debra's congregation in honor of our wedding.

One colleague from the African-American center showed up with Miles' album Kind of Blue (a classic, groundbreaking work that still enriches the musical imagination and is the best-selling jazz album of all time). With a slight grin, I quietly asked if he'd borrowed it from my collection. My quip immediately fostered a genuine bond between us, where none had been before. This experience culminated in our agencies co-sponsoring an art exhibit showing the great migration of Jews from Ethiopia to Israel during the 80's and 90's. Staring at one of the magnificent oversized photographs of a wise looking older tribesman, the same colleague said to me "you know what's great about this picture? I can't tell if it's your cousin or mine." We then realized how interconnected we were as human beings, marveling that he was both.

To me, this remains the message of art, and especially music – that the richness of life unites us as a human family, even while offering us the sacred, dignified opportunity to embrace what makes us unique, and even different. Perhaps this is what Jewish tradition teaches us with the term b'tzelem elohim - that each of us is created, modeled after the Divine.

And so, as I choose to celebrate this Miles Davis anniversary - I hope we will all continue to find enrichment, encouragement and blessing in the many various pieces of life that we enjoy - from music and art to food and fine wine, and especially in the loving embrace of family and friends who share with us along life's path.

Happy birthday Miles...

Take this pepper and stuff it!

I've been marinating and ruminating so deeply regarding the political scene lately - today I figured I'd step back and share a different one of my loves: a favorite recipe. So now, enjoy something which is relatively easy to make, always yummy, and definitely brings color to the table. 

Chef Eric's WORLD-FAMOUS stuffed peppers:

Take several good-sized peppers (variety of green, orange, red, yellow) – cut off top and remove seeds/veins. Place, with tops, into large microwavable container with a little water…nuke for 3-4 minutes, just to begin softening process….allow to sit aside

For filling: mix 1.5-2 lb. ground beef (or turkey or lamb) in large bowl with basil, oregano, garlic, 1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs (I prefer panko), 1 egg and ½ cup tomato sauce (I prefer V-8 spicy)…mix well (the best method is by hand)….

Stuff peppers with mixture….place fairly tightly in casserole dish…drizzle extra sauce into each pepper before replacing top…pour remaining sauce/meat mixture atop, into dish, etc….add a little extra liquid (sauce) if necessary…cover….

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for approx. 1 hr.

Serve over/alongside white rice (or perhaps some sauteed squash in season)...

MMMMMM…..

Our toxic electorate

I’m reading over a piece I published about a year-and-a-half ago. In my head, I’ve just added it to a “wish list for those running political campaigns, or participating in the election process.” Partisanship aside, the WORST part of the current political season is the downright ignorant nastiness abounding all around. So, do yourself, and everyone, a favor by studying this:

Peter J. Frost, Toxic Emotions at Work and What You Can Do about Them. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2003.

This is an oft-overlooked gem that should be read by every organizational leader, volunteer, and participant - especially regarding those times of challenging transition that seem to plague every type of outfit you can imagine.

Insightfully, Frost does not come up with a magic list of reasons for the toxicity that troubles our businesses, agencies, congregations (and even families). Rather, he forces the reader to confront the inherent reality of these difficulties (the nasty co-worker, the problematic situation, the tough merger....); whether or not the effect is a toxic one is dependent on the response to the given condition. He writes:

Pain is a fact of organizational life. Companies will merge, bosses will make unrealistic demands, people will lose their jobs. The pain that accompanies events like these isn't in itself toxic; rather, it's how that pain is handled throughout the organization that determines whether its long-term effects are positive or negative. What turns emotional pain into toxicity, especially in organized settings, is when others respond to that pain in a harmful, rather than healing, way (emphasis mine).

Ok - how many of us have experienced such behavior? Each and every time, it is that response - the harmful instead of healing one - that actually adds to, even multiplies, the poisoned state of affairs. And, these emotional toxins are just as insidious and dangerous as any harmful agent introduced to the body...

Frost goes on to discuss the "toxin handler" - that person in the organization who deals with the emotional and functional fallout that occurs. More often than not, this person isn't specifically designated - i.e. not necessarily part of the HR team. There's always that one person (or a few) that becomes the "go-to" resource for bitching, moaning, complaining, and ultimately brainstorming and repairing that which can be fixed. Important to note - through processing the toxins out of colleagues (and perhaps the system), the toxin handler also needs a great measure of care and cleansing - to purge the accumulated contamination. Organizations that do well in cultivating an atmosphere in which toxins are eliminated and toxin handlers are well cared for are better positioned to thrive.

And those who don't...

The struggle continues: Civil War, Brown v Board, and YOU!

Originally in a post from a few years ago:

…while in Cincinnati, I visited the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (www.freedomcenter.org); this fascinating museum chronicles the history of the Underground Railroad and teaches once again how the effort to abolish slavery in this country was among the greatest accomplishments ever undertaken by our forebears, and yet its challenges still saddle our society today. This visit was so powerful as I went with my children – who have reached the point of being able to understand and appreciate the profound meaning of our past, as well as to personalize its questions. As the Haggadah demands: “in each generation a person must consider himself as if personally freed from Egypt.”

Driving home from the Queen City, we listened to an NPR interview with author and historian Winston Groom. During the conversation, I understood something clearly for the first time (a surprise to this rabid student of American history). It has long been evident that the Civil War remains the most vital episode in our nation’s development – as this period brought an end to slavery, further coalesced the country as a United States, and also brought to light key issues (racism, sexism, economic disparity, etc.) that plague us to this day. As Groom spoke, I finally “got” why this topic resonates so dearly with so many of us: the Civil War and its origins and outcome is certainly a most imperfect time in our history. Its lessons are best told through narratives, which just like those in the book of Genesis, allows us to relate to people in a different time and situation because of our common humanity. These accounts – mythical or historical – become real and important as they echo in our hearts and minds.

Bernard Malamud said that the purpose of freedom is to create it for others. In this season of renewal, may the stories of freedom’s struggle inspire us to bring emancipation to all, no matter what their chains.

Upon the Gettysburg sesquicentennial, I suggested that,

I still believe that this is the most pivotal episode in U.S. history - preserving the nation, and confirming that the framework for a progressive democracy outlined by the founding fathers has lasting merit. It remains our obligation to live up to the aspirations that they, amplified by Lincoln’s address, left as a sacred legacy.

And just a few weeks ago on the anniversary of Fort Sumter, reflecting on the current political climate, I wrote “I think we are undergoing somewhat of a new Civil War, and I'm not sure how we wage the battle for peace.” And today that becomes even more clearly evident. This week – read again, THIS week – 62 (!) years after the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education decision, a federal judge ordered the schools in Cleveland, MS to desegregate. What?!?!

We ARE continuing the Civil War and the struggle to unify the states. And of course, this is not solely on racial grounds. The fight has come to encompass standing for the cause of all who are downtrodden, disenfranchised, and alienated and exploited: via race & gender, religion & ethnicity, orientation & ability. Rather than embrace our differences for the common good, it is far too convenient to magnify our discrepancies for self-promotion and –protection at others’ expense.

Lincoln’s long-ago words need to be repeated each day, that we recall our intent, our possibility to yet become “a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” (emphasis mine). It remains our duty to ensure the preservation of this nation, this great experiment (which Robert Middlekauff deemed our Glorious Cause): that we would yet reach even greater heights, that we shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Set course for..., or, how are you navigating your life?

I'm wondering how you maintain "balance" (whatever THAT means) in your life...

Simplying thinking of the variety of activities, opportunities, and responsibilities of my previous few days, I recognize that perhaps "balance" (i.e. that all aspects of life are weighed out uniformly, as with a chemist's balance or a gyroscope in order to maintain a completely even keel) is a misapplied term, especially in our crazy/busy/hectic world today.

The word "manage" isn't much better - as it doesn't sound too good to me to say "I'm managing to get by." How about we consider "navigate" - like the explorers of old, pilots, captains - taking charge of our destiny as well as the conduct of day-to-day affairs, with purpose and vision.

Better question: how are you navigating your life? What are the markers and rituals that guide your path (like setting time for family and friends, regular exercise, the art class you look forward too each week)? And what serves as a key to your map as you continue - in what ways are you reflective about where you've been, your current condition, where you are plotting to go (dental checkups...professional development opportunities...chances to catch up with dear friends...)?

Rather than worrying about *maintaining balance* (which seems unattainable), let's spend energy on charting our course. Thinking back, looking around, and especially moving ahead.

The company you keep. Or, "they Say Hey it's your birthday."

Once again, as I mark the passing of another year, I am enjoying birthday messages from people near and far, from my oldest (ok, “longest-time”) friends to those newest in my life. Some notes quick and humorous, others more profound and thought-provoking. All joining together for meaningful expression.

Earlier one friend included “enjoy entering your jubilee year.” WOW! Long-reigning queens and societies of note celebrate jubilees. Because they’re OLD. But not me, not yet. Time marches on, and as my dear dad always says, “it’s better than the alternatives.”

Sigmund Freud, Orson Welles, & Willie Mays, among many other figures were born this day. I guess that would put me in very interesting birthday company. For what it’s worth, I’m enjoying yours much more.

Thanks for all the kind wishes. Hope this is a great day, and year, for everyone.

Butterfly moments of teacher appreciation

Somehow this butterfly got into our screened-in porch one day. When Vered came home from school, she pointed it out to me. Wow - first I wondered how it got in. Then we just gazed at how cool it looks. A momentary, beautiful distraction from the "busy-ness" of the day. How often we let these moments get away from us - and how often we fail to appreciate the good stuff of life when we have it...

It seems that every few months, if not more frequently, we hear of the death of one of the luminaries of the previous generation - one of our beloved teachers, or elected officials, or cultural icons. And particularly in the case of our teachers and mentors, it's at these times that we reflect on how much they brought to our lives, or influenced the path we've taken. Why then is it so easy for us to take these special people for granted while we still have the chance to express our gratitude to them (that is, to share our appreciation to our teachers while they're still around!)?

Today is Teachers’ Day, and I ask you: who's among your favorite, greatest, most influential teachers? Let me know, as I'm interested; but more - let THEM know. I bet it will be a butterfly moment.

It's a question of questions

The other day, culminating #jazzappreciationmonth, I asked what I called "THE question of jazz." Namely, while holding that jazz represents the best in nurturing innovation and improvisation, "what's the best *new* stuff you've ever experienced?" And I realize this question itself divulges what is, for me, a larger question of questions. And here's some thought on that to review, from something called Meaningful Living is all about Asking the Right Questions, which I published a few years back: 

In what ways is Abraham Lincoln's impact still vital to American society?

Is it okay to eat legumes during Passover?

How can we learn from the model of Jackie Robinson, 65 years after he broke baseball's color barrier?

Should houses of worship conduct themselves like the Apple store?

Who's your favorite guitarist?

Why DO fools fall in love?

These and a whole host of other questions have been brought up, and seriously addressed, in conversations I've had just over the last week or so. As interesting as these discussions have been - I am reminded of one vital idea: the response to these questions (and whether or not anyone offers a "right" or "wrong" answer) is no where near as important as the fact that they are asked, considered, and debated with respect, integrity, and compassion. A friend has previously reminded me that asking the right questions, engendering thoughtful discussion, is the key not only to figuring out life's mysteries...more so how we might yet create meaningful and uplifting experiences along life's path...

It's not the "answer" we seek that remains with us; rather, it's the process of engaging with one another that really counts....keep asking great questions, and don't worry so much about the reply...