A Member of the Pacific Jewish Center Family Making Us Proud in Thailand

rabbifink — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:48:30 +0000

Working as a rabbi in a shul as diverse as the Pacific Jewish Center | The Shul on the Beach (www.pjcenter.com) gives me a unique opportunity to meet and interact with so many different types of people and Jews. We are proud of our diversity and it strengthens our community to be inclusive and foster relationships with a variety of people. Within our shul there are Jews of every flavor. There are those who identify as Ashkenaz, Sefard, Lubavitch, Reform, Conservative, Modern Orthodox, Centrist Orthodox, Yeshivish as well as some converts. It really is unique.

Many of the young men and women who grew up in the community before I became the rabbi have gone on to achieve great things in their lives. Some are professionals, some are studying Torah day and night, some are academics and some have become big “baalei chessed” (pracitioners of unabated love and kindness). The baalei chessed are probably the unsung heroes of the group. They are humble and do their good works quietly, without fanfare and without seeking recognition.

One of those young women, is Jesse Risch, daugher of (Board Member) Alan and Rachel Risch. Jesse Risch is working in Thailand with the American Jewish World Service (www.awjs.org). The AWJS is similar to the Peace Corps. I asked Jesse why she was going to Thailand and what she is going to be doing there. She has been in Thailand for a few weeks now and this was her response to me before she left.

In her own words (with a little editing):

I’m participating in the volunteer service corps which places volunteers from all over the world with organizations (NGOs) in developing countries for a period of three months to a year. They have other programs as well to spur development in growing nations, namely a year-long service corps and a few alternative spring break trips for college students/young professionals.

I’m going to Southeast Asia to work with a youth organization that focuses on empowering and educating Burmese refugee youth, status-less, displaced persons in Thailand that are restricted from accessing public education and health services. Refugee populations tend to be at high risk for [sex] trafficking as well as HIV/Aids and unwanted pregnancies. I am particularly interested in this aspect of the work- helping educate and empower youth to give them hope and the ability to prosper, rather than fall victim to the aforementioned.

I will specifically be working with the organization’s staff to help them build up capacity- reviewing their programs and curriculum, conducting development/fundraising efforts, and teaching them English.

The American Jewish World Service is driven by the Jewish concept of tikkun olam- and that it is our collective responsibility to help heal the world. This is my own guiding motto as well, and I whole heartedly believe that as Jews we have this obligation to help others, even those outside of our own community, and outside of our comfort zone. I’m really excited to have the opportunity to take part in this type of work.

I can speak for myself and the entire community when I say that Jesse is doing great work and I salute her. Life is long enough that we can take the time to contribute some of our time to those less fortunate than us. Even if we don’t go all the way to Thailand, there are people in our lives that could use a little help now and then. We can all find to time to help others and follow in the footsteps of Jesse who is blazing the trail of chessed for all of us.

On a side note, I think this is a wonderful way for young men and women to spend a few months. Most orthodox Jewish high school graduates spend at least one year in Israel. Wouldn’t it be great if more of them participated in a program like this as well? I think so.

I hope to post a report from Jesse in the next few months. In the meantime, Jesse, keep up the great work!

Here is a video of the AWJS doing work in India:

When It Hurts Not To Give | A Guest Post

rabbifink — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:43:46 +0000

A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov on Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.

Chessed L’Avraham

The beginning of Parshas Vayera describes the hospitality uniquely associated with the home of Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu. The psukim are filled with practical lessons in the “how to’s” of Chessed. The entire scenario with the malachim visiting Avraham as he recovers is inspiring.

One phrase in the story, v’hu omeid aleohem tachas haeitz vayocheilu encapsulates the art of being a ba’al chessed, a master of Chessed, teaching us how to give and how to receive. We learn that despite the pain of having just undergone a bris milah, Avraham, together with his wife prepared a feast for strangers. They not only presented each of them with a meal fit for a king, but personally waited on them, trying to fulfill their every desire.

Chazal derive a valuable perspective on the middah of chessed from this posuk. Kindness is also measured by the way in which it is performed. Surely, after Avraham presented this abundant feast, he could have gone back to his study and gone about his own business. He could have sent Yishmael, Eliezer or one of his other servants, to tend to his guests. This, however, may have been construed by the visitors as a lack of interest in their welfare. Avraham Avinu wanted them to know that at this point in time their needs were his most important and pressing concern. Acts of chessed are not enough. They must be combined with an attitude of chessed and a sensitivity to the feelings of others. Avraham’s sensitivity benefited us all. The personal involvement of Avraham in providing food, water and a doting interest in the welfare of his guests was reflected back to Klal Yisrael, midah kineged midah, in the form of the mon, be’er and annanei hakavod!

There is an art too, of being a recipient of chessed. This same posuk tells us that as the angels were presented a magnificent feast, vayocheilu,, and they (the angels) ate. Rashi quotes the Gemarah, which tells us that the angels made themselves appear to be eating like humans, in following with the precept of lo yishaneh adam min haminhag – a person should not deviate from the accepted practice. It is important to learn how to accept kindness from others in a manner that does not affect the sensitivities of the giver. Imagine how disappointed and offended Avraham and Sarah could have been if their guests, after all their work, would have said: “No thanks! We’re not hungry!” Hashem’s messengers model for us the role of “recipients of kindness.” Chessed is a two-way street. The giver has to know how to give, the recipient, how to receive, with each one concerned about the sensitivities of the other.

Still despite all the wonderful expressions of kindness modeled by Avraham Avinu, we cannot help but wonder why he is considered and designated as the Av, the father of chessed. After all, he was not alone in being a giving, caring and helpful person. Even Lot displayed a magnanimous nature and risked his very life when he greeted the malachim that came his way. So many personalities in Tanach are filled with goodness. What is it about Avraham that defined him as the Av of Chessed?

My father, Harav Berel Fink z”l, used to point out, that while it is true that there are many personalities throughout the Torah who were giants of chessed – when the need was there, only Avraham Avinu was a mitztaeir when he could not do chessed. Suffering pain when he was unable to be kind, that is what set Avraham apart as the model for us to strive to emulate. It is not enough to be reactive to need, we must be proactive in our chessed pursuits. So much so that it hurts when we cannot help!

There is so much each of us can do as we know, mirubim tzarchei amcha. We, too, must be so concerned and devoted to our fellow Jew that it hurts not to help whenever and wherever we can.

Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi » chessed

A Member of the Pacific Jewish Center Family Making Us Proud in Thailand

When It Hurts Not To Give | A Guest Post

Chessed L’Avraham