Newspaper Page Text
.?v.Ok-
Toroh thoughts
The ‘small matters’
Adapted Irom the works ol Rahhi Menathem M
Sihneerson. the 1 ubavitcher Rebbc. h\ Rahhi
Yosst New. C'hahad ot Georgia
The liberation from Egypt - the
essence of the Passover festival—is
linked with the Korban Pesach, the
Passover offering of a lamb. The
lamb was sacrificed, and later
eaten by each household, as related
in the special portion of the Torah —
Parshas HaChodesh—which we read
this Shabbat.
Yetzias Mitzraim (the Exodus
from Egypt) was not merely the
liberation of numerous individu
als, but the liberation of a people.
It began with G-d’s declaration: “1
have indeed seen the suffering of
My people,” which brought the
demand “Let My people go” and
the divine command to Moses:
“Bring out My people, the Child
ren of Israel, from Egypt.” Accord
ingly, the Korban Pesach should
emphasize the “nation" motif, the
idea of collectiveness and commu
nity—but it does not. True, all “the
congregation” were together com
manded to offer the sacrifice, but
the instructions were that each
household had to have its own
lamb; each Jew' was individually
singled out and counted for the
purpose of participating in eating
the Korban and every person had
to be confined to his particular
home or “company” for the dura
tion of the Korban Pesach meal.
The Korban Pesach teaches us
that even a community project
must begin with the individual, the
family, and one’s immediate circle.
Moreover, attention should be di
rected not toward generalities and
all-embracing resolutions, but to
ward the “small” duties of every
day life. This is the approach that
brings the deliverance of the indi
vidual and of the community.
Leaders of the groups and move
ments, and especially spiritual
leaders of congregations will find
the message of the Korban Pesach
particularly relevant. All too often
they are involved in “world prob
lems,” in “issues affecting all hu
manity.” Only rarely do we find a
leader willing to “stoop" to help
solve the small, ordinary problems
besetting his congregation in daily
life. The more prominent the leader,
the more acutely is he impelled to
address himself to all humanity. If
he is particularly imaginative, he
sees himself called upon to address
posterity as well. Should he be
Rabbi Schneerson
blessed with oratorical powers, he
considers it his duty to use his elo
quence to arouse the “world con
science.” This makes headlines,
and he comes to be regarded as a
“leader of leaders," or a "Rabbi of
Rabbis.” Other leaders envy his
“public image” and seek to emulate
him and even outdo him.
Often the community follows
suit and, together with their leader,
decides what the world should or
should not do. how humanity at
large should conduct itself to en
sure the happiness of future gener
ations. Naturally, after such lofty
and global concerns it is unseem
ing to degrade oneself to deal with
the huge percentage of the com
munity’s children that receive little
or no Jewish education. Too many
Jewish children cannot be consi
dered the “Wise Son” of the Hag-
gada. In fact, many of them cannot
be reckoned as any of the hour
Sons, but are a kind of “Fifth Son”
who is absent altogether from the
Seder! Is this not a worthy con
cern?
JFS to host national meeting on
changing needs of Jewish family
Jewish Family Services Inc. of
Atlanta will host the 14th annual
conference of the Association of
Jewish Family and Children’s A-
gencies. The theme of the confer
ence will be New Challenges, New
Opportunities, New Approaches.
Established in 1972, with a
membership of 50 agencies, the
association will hold its 14th an
nual conference on April 12-15 at
the Rit/-Carlton Buckhead. Its
membership now includes over 140
agencies in Canada and the United
States. The association’s mission
is to reinforce the member agencies
in their efforts to sustain and en
hance the quality of Jewish family
and communal life.
The association's annual confer
ence is the opportunity for lay and
professional leaders of agencies
serving Jewish families, children
and senior citizens to exchange exper
iences on the best ways to serve
the Jewish community. Through
formal sessions and informal meet
ings, they address the major issues
and concerns of leaders who want
to keep their agencies responsiv e to
the changing needs of the Jewish
family.
Speakers will include Franeine
Klagsburn. noted author and lec
turer who will discuss "Staying
Together in the Age of Divorce;"
Joseph Giordino and Irving Le
vine of the American Jewish Com
mittee on “Maintaining the Jew'ish
Identity of Jewish Family and Chil
dren’s Agencies;” and Mark Tal
isman, director, Washington Ac
tion Office of the Council of
Jewish Federations.
The annual banquet and dinner
dance, with entertainment pro
vided by the David Rifkin Band
and the Wits End Players, will be
held Monday evening at the Botan
ical Gardens.
The conference will conclude on
Tuesday with a tour of Atlanta,
places of interest and a luncheon at
the new JFS offices.
Volunteers are needed to fill
hostess positions. For further in
formation, call JFS at 873-2277.
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PAGE 11 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April 4, 1986