pic: lundbeck.com
Lee Diamond – Swimming Against or with the Stream
A noted American informal Jewish educator once declared :
It’s impossible to swim against the stream. Accept the flow and swim with it!”
I’ve contemplated this educational principle over the years and tried to see its wisdom. Essentially the message is that sociology defines reality and our task as Jewish educators is to adjust to the to reality and recreate our vision in relation to this.
If prayer as a form of Jewish expression no longer speaks to this generation- stop praying or pray in a new language!
Thus, if Jewish ethnicity no longer draws us, give it up and join the new crowd.
If Hebrew no longer speaks to us, allow it to wither in the valley of dead languages and learn to speak the “In Language” of today.
If Jewish music no longer vibrates in our ears and captures our hearts as before, Sing a new song.
If the motherland fades from our hearts, move on and recalibrate the direction we face– turn your back and ReFace!
If the Torah is too hard to understand in this generation, disregard the difficult and replace it with the attractive wording.
And then I saw other words which refreshed my swim
“Only Dead Fish swim with the stream”
“Live Fish swim against it!”
And suddenly my muscles were re p-enervated
I felt a new/old living spirit breathing within me.
My chest swelled with renewal .
My heart beat an old/new beat.
The muse came back to me with gusto.
And I recalculated in an old /new direction
*Think in revived Hebrew in “new old words”
*Remember your Brothers and Sisters” who call out to you as before
* Don’t forget Jerusalem
Place her above your highest Joy.
*Face Her!”
Allow your heart to hear the ancient stones and their heart beat!
Allow the heavily laden words of Torah to relive for today. Don’t take the easy way out!
