Before heading with the family to San Marcos, Texas to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of our nephew Matti Weingarten, I had the honor of leading twelve Chevra, soulful members of our Bozeman community, on a three-day trip to New York where we prayed, learned, experienced, celebrated and ate mouthwatering food while taking in the vibes of New York’s beautiful Jewish community. We were also honored to get a better understanding of the organizations that make Jewish life flourish through thick and thin.

In this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, we read about Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, heading north of Israel to find a wife for Isaac, his master’s son. Isaac’s mom Sarah had passed away three years earlier and it was high time for him to find his loving life partner. When Eliezer arrived to the town where Rebecca lived, he stood at the well and waited to see which young woman would be most generous and kind. When he asked Rebecca for water, she offers to quench the thirst for both him and his camels. He wasn’t just seeking a religious woman devoted to the values of Abraham but wanted a woman who had compassion and humanity etched in her heart, because ultimately it’s kindness that epitomized the Abraham/Sarah value system. Theoretical kindness is not enough, it’s about showing up when it’s most necessary.

During a week of turbulent politics, when, as usual, one part of the country is super happy and the other half not so much, when Montana voted for Kurt Alme and Troy Downing on one side of the aisle and Sam Forstag on the other side, it’s a good time to be gentler and kinder. While in New York we heard from Eli Rowe of Hatzalah Air, Abe Eisner and Avi Sacks of HASC and Rabbi Shlomo Bochner of Bonei Olam, which are organizations that do kindness 24/7. While there are those who seek to trash, to belittle, to gloat and to divide, I pray, and always work towards, an America where we can disagree and still see the humanity in each other. It’s the key to our survival and the key to a healthier community.

Don’t sulk; add acts of goodness and kindness!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Mashiach speedily. May G-d protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be!

On Thursday, while on a Zoom meeting with our CFO, I missed a call from LGHS, the high school that Chaya attends in Chicago. I paused the meeting and immediately called back to see if everything was ok. Thank G-d all was well; it was Chaya calling both me and Chavie, during school, which is highly unusual, to let us know that she did well on her “Gemer”, which is intensive testing on a broad range of Jewish knowledge. My heart was filled; happy for her success, joyous for her growth and delighted to hear a tone of satisfaction in her voice. It’s her third year away from home and she’s excelling as a shining example of a “Daughter of Israel”.

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayera, we read about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the wickedness of the people who brought it upon themselves. Lot, who lived in Sodom, was not exactly an angel, far from it, but being the nephew of Abraham and Sarah, having grown up in their home, he had a deeply embedded spark of kindness in his soul. So, despite the risk of being punished by his fellow citizens, he opened his home to the angels disguised as guests, being super hospitable to strangers, despite the danger associated with his actions. His record on “holiness” was abysmal, but he couldn’t shake off his childhood training to care for others and exude unbridled compassion.

I once read that “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them”. While I do not think that this is an absolute science, as many good parents have children who don’t necessarily follow in their footsteps, Chavie and I always strive to role model kindness for our children and to show them, by example, what we see as valuable in this chaotic world. Chaya works really hard in school; she is a deep thinker, inquisitive student, and always showing kindness especially to those struggling. Today I am celebrating the phone call of joy and the success of a young Jewish woman, I’m honored to call my daughter, who is excited about her heritage and working hard to grow evermore.

We impart values; we can only hope that they’re paying attention!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Mashiach speedily. May G-d protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be!