January 29, 2010
15 Shevat 5770

B'shalach tells us the details of the departure from Egypt, crossing the sea, celebrating deliverance, and the water, food, and military crises that the Israelites faced in the first few days and weeks of the Exodus. The story is familiar, and each line of the text – even each phrase of the text – deserves our thoughtful study and reflection. The Exodus begins, and in the process a new community comes into being and the spiritual and ethical history of our world is forever changed.

This Shabbat is also known as Shabbat Shirah, the Sabbath of Song. How we love to sing “Miriam's Song”, to raise our timbrels in her honor, and to celebrate with Debbie Friedman's special gift of words and music that stirs each one of us to join together in the song and the dance. We sing to celebrate redemption. Yet our songs are tempered by the reality of the suffering and loss experienced by the Egyptians: our enemies, with whom we nevertheless share a common humanity. We are a community of women.

Stan and I returned to our home in Jerusalem just a few hours ago after being in North America for almost three months. The Jerusalem Post was waiting for us at our front door.  Headline:  "On Tu Bishvat celebrate Green Zionism!"  The early Zionists appreciated the importance of "greening" long before this became the politically correct thing to do.  Religious-based values form the basis of our Jewish Community.

Listen to the words of the Kabbalah about Tu B'Shevat:   

Each person is like a Tree in the Field

In a field of trees, each tree lives among the other trees. The trees benefit from each other in many ways. They share water,nutrients, sunlight and shade. Trees work together to prevent harmful weeds from attacking each other. Trees support each other’s growth with the help of insects cross pollinating from one tree to the next, enabling the growth of more fruit. Older, sturdier and stronger trees
support the younger, weaker, less stable trees during windstorms and severe weather. Trees which grow alone and separate from the field do not have the added benefit and support from the trees in the field.

In a human community, each of us lives in the presence of others. Like trees, people benefit from the support and stability of a strong community. Communities, in which the people work together for the
benefit of the community and not for the benefit of one individual, grow and thrive in both tough times and good. Helping others grow adds to our own personal growth – whether it be spiritually, intellectually or physically. When communities grow together, everyone benefits.

On Tu B'Shevat, we raise our metaphorical branches heavenward; we send our roots deep into the nurturing earth. We care for each other, and in turn we gain shelter and strength.

The Diaspora community and the Israeli community, reach toward one another. WRJ and WRJ-Israel, stronger together,form a rich, new, combined community.

Join us!

May the lights of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.

Please share this e-mail with your sisterhoods.

Resa Davids
WRJ board member

Los Angeles, CA/Jerusalum, Israel