The Beauty of Our Elders

This week we are going to celebrate the 97th birthday of Leo Hill at shul. It is significant that he is choosing to share this special day with us because so much of his life has been spent helping Tifereth Israel live up to its name, "the glory of Israel."

Rabbi Akiva once wrote, "Just as a bird can only fly with its wings, so Israel can only survive with the help of its elders." He recognized the ability of our elders to imbue us with the love they feel for Jewish living. Think back to your own family. Think about your parents and grandparents. What images remain with you of their connectedness to Judaism? What kind of influence did their lives have upon your development?

Personally, when I think about my own experiences, my mother's father greatly influenced my love of Judaism. My grandfather Katz was a humble, non-assuming, gentle man. Raised in Lithuania and ordained as a Rabbi in Scotland, he came to the United States as a young man. He spent most of his life teaching Torah to young boys and girls in the tri-state area of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. I remember sitting on his knee at a young age, learning to read Hebrew. I remember watching his mouth move quietly as he davened three times a day and uttered numerous brachot to show his gratitude to G-d for the beauties of this world. He had a love of Torah that showed in all of his actions and he was devoted to G-d. His words were always kind and friendly. I recognized early on, that Judaism was a priority in his life.

Our secular society does not honor the elderly in the same way that Judaism does. Judaism recognizes that although a physical body may slow down and energy may wane, spirits can continue to soar. The elderly can still transmit the values that they have learned through experience. Tifereth Israel has the advantage of being the spiritual home of many fine elderly men and women. They have worked hard over the years to insure our survival. They have stories that can be shared, knowledge that can be imparted, and experience that can aid us in our pursuit of maintaining a Jewish presence in Lincoln. I hope we will realize as did Akiva, that our elders can indeed help us survive by teaching us the essence of living Jewishly.

May we continue to enjoy the beauty of the elders of Tifereth Israel and learn their lessons well so that one day we will be able to transmit their teachings to the generations that will follow us.

Shabbat Shalom.
Nancy