14
SEPTEMBER 2015
kiddish
Teshuva Learning from our mistakes. BY SUE PENN, M. ED.
It’s what we learn from our mistakes that really gives us character.
to acknowledge our sins, to repent and to forgive. This powerful act allows us to move forward with our lives and is an empowering concept to teach and model to our children. Rabbi David Blumenthal, a Professor of Judaic Studies at Emory University speaks of five elements when making teshuva: the recognition of your sins; the remorse you feel for committing them; the desisting from sin; making restitution for your sins; and confessing
A
s we grow through life, we
them. Unfortunately, we often get stuck
What a liberating gift to give our
continue to learn from our
having behaved badly, encountering the
children! We can teach and model
experiences, our interactions
consequences of our actions, internalizing
moving beyond bad behavior and
with others, our teachers
the guilt and punishing ourselves. This is
mistakes, learning from the past. We can
and our families. None of us know all
a self destructive pattern that can hold
empower them to know that it is possible
we need to, we all make mistakes, do the
us back. In fact, it can lead to further
to do better in the future and to leave
wrong thing, follow the wrong path or
bad behavior or less-than-rational
the past behind them. Each year is brand
make a ‘not so good decision’ at some
decision making, resulting in even worse
new, filled with possibility and hope……….
point of our lives. The wonderful thing is
consequences and sometimes becoming
wishing you all a Shana Tovah and a very
that we are allowed to, we can face the
a downward spiral.
happy and healthy 5776. ✿
consequences, brush ourselves off and
As adults we know that in order to
commit to making better decisions the
learn from an experience, we need to
next time and move forward. That results
admit and acknowledge our less-than-
in learning, growing from experience and
perfect behavior. This is the time of year
becoming a more rounded person.
that we are required to make teshuva—
Sue Penn is the mother of three, Director of Congregational Learning at University Synagogue, president of Jewish Reconstructionist Educators of North America and a member of the Jewish Educators Assembly.