Election Reflection

by Joel Lurie Grishaver

It may surprise a few people that “Democracy” is not a Jewish value (but “freedom” is). That doesn’t make democracy anything less than a significant addition to the Jewish tradition—one of the gifts of America to the Jewish tradition. In this year of the 350th anniversary of Jewish in America, we get a chance to understand two things: (1) what Jews brought to America and (2) what America brought to Judaism.

Judaism gave America (1) the sense of the holiness of every individual, (2) the need of people to take care of each other, (3) the wrongness of prejudice and the like. We were the ones we contributed “proclaim liberty throughout the land.” America added the commentary, “one person, one vote.” Civil rights in many ways are an idea rooted in Judaism, elections aren’t. Traditional Jewish communities actually used “money” as a governing principle—calling the board of the synagogue or a community, the funders (those who made the biggest contributions). But Jewish values on taking care of the poor and those in need were very strong—selfishness less accepted.

So we are facing an election, and an election is a chance to teach Jewish values. Truth is a Jewish value and there is a sadness that after every debate the news media has to unpack the lies and distortions that were told. Each of the big issues here, defense, war, medical care, education, Israel, and the like have Jewish components and Jewish insights. Free of endorsing any candidate, elections give us a chance as citizens to clarify our values and to explore our priorities.

Here is a great opportunity for some Jewish learning. But, most of all, here in year 350, there is a chance to show something that Jews got because they came to America—democracy—something that forever shifted the face of the Jewish community. Voting is now the way that virtually all Jewish organizations and Jewish institutions run. Roberts Rules of Order have become almost a volume of the Mishnah and the Jewish people are richer because of it. As Jews, as Jewish teachers, we all have an obligation to vote —and to share with our students the way voting is an extension of our values, and all of that can be free from partisan choice.

New Year, New Names, Remembering Students’ Names

by Laurie Bellet

Student names can be such a challenge to learn. Here it is, Heshvan; you may have already conducted several class sessions. Likely, these sessions were scattered amongst the holidays. It may be that you have only met once weekly so far. Tonight is my first session of Teen School for the year. I will have somewhere near 30 new faces to match with names, a good percentage of which are going to be called by some male or female variation of Alex. This will bring my weekly student count to approximately 600. No kidding! Several days a week I am the art specialist at a large multi-cultural elementary school where there are only a few named Alex but many named Tomer and this year, Rishabh seems popular. There are even a few names I cannot yet pronounced. Needless to say, I do not know many names, instantaneously. But, the kids don’t know that!

Names are so very important to giving us our sense of integrity. Students know they are esteemed when the teacher learns their names quickly. At the beginning of this school year, I gave each student a “name tent” (more about this in a minute) to write their name and classroom number. A charming fifth grader smiled at me saying with assurance, “I don’t have to do this Mrs. Bellet; you know my name!” He was marginally correct. His name was either Kyohei, Yoshifumi or Kevin (too many to count this year). I convinced him that I wanted the new students to feel comfortable so, everyone needed a name tent. (He is Kohei, no “y”)