6 minute read
Reflection
The "Three R's" are forever associated with Reading, (W)riting, and (A)rithmetic, but this Spring 2021 pandemic moment in time—and Temple Israel's ongoing role as a communal, physical, and spiritual anchor in our lives—introduces three new words to live by: Rebirth, Recalibrating, and Rethinking. Though its effects are far from over, it is already clear that COVID has awakened each of us in different ways to life’s fragility. It has forced a recalibration of how we spend our days and live our lives: whether working more at home, spending precious time with family, or simply finding the inner strength to persevere. However, the Jewish season of rebirth, renewal, and freedom coincides with spring no matter the year and its implications.
As an extended Temple family, our past year has been miraculous—even during a pandemic. While several Jewish and other institutions are surviving, very few have actually been thriving with daily direct impact throughout this pandemic. We are among those rare few, and we are still doing it in every area: from unprecedented worship and lifelong learning attendance to dozens of outdoor lifecycle ceremonies, whether on the Temple campus grounds and cemetery or in members' backyards.
Yes, it is true that, as of this writing, 51 members of our Temple family have died since the pandemic began. It is also true that your clergy have never stopped officiating simchas either. The vibrancy and dynamism of Temple throughout the nightmarish winter we just endured is rather remarkable.
This remarkable endurance is all the more reason to celebrate the renewal of our Jewish lives, both individually, as families, and collectively, as one big congregational family. To honor the 167th Anniversary of Temple Israel and the 21st anniversary of our East Massey campus' building renewal, we will broadcast a special Shabbat evening service on April 23, 2021, live from our outdoor Rose Garden. We will reunite the builders of the 2000 "Gift for Generations" campaign vision with Temple's current and future Board of Trustees. With spring in full bloom just after Passover, we will sing with joy for better days ahead. We will follow that beautiful image outdoors with the first in-person Shabbat gatherings of our high school Confirmation and Graduation classes in over a year on May 7, 2021, and May 14, 2021. Our Temple Israel sophomores, juniors, and seniors embody Jewish commitment in young adulthood far beyond bar/bat mitzvah age. The mere sight of these rising college students who care deeply about their Jewish identities and have stayed connected to their home synagogue through high school graduation is a reminder that, in spite of the past year, the best is still yet to come.
You are invited to tune in and experience all celebrations virtually and enjoy our high-definition Livestream platforms our production team has so artfully elevated on every Shabbat, holiday, and milestone occasion.
May this spring inspire you and those you love to rethink your role in tikkun olam as you recalibrate your life and seek to rejuvenate your soul.
With hope and optimism for our Temple future,
RABBI MICAH D. GREENSTEIN
PANDEMIC LIFE LESSONS
with Laura & Andrew Woods
MARRIED INTO A PANDEMIC
Laura and Andrew Woods were married in their dream Jewish ceremony on November 30, 2019, after dating for three years. They were able to travel for their honeymoon and returned to Memphis eager to settle into what they thought would be typical married life—then COVID happened.
“...That anticipation of ‘when are we gonna have a normal day as a married couple’ was weird. We had this idea in our heads that, like everyone else's, kind of got flipped upside down a little bit,” said Laura. Figuring out a daily routine was more difficult than the couple had imagined when their temporary work-from-home situations eventually became the norm. They decided to try to turn their challenges into opportunities for growth.
FAIR PLAY
Since they were both home most of the time, Laura and Andrew quickly realized they needed to find a way to divide housekeeping labor. To achieve their goal of a balanced home, they used a book titled Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live).. For any household where the labor is divided, the couple recommended following the advice in the book and having frank conversations about expectations. And once they did, breaking down household chores became uncharged and manageable. “That was a tangible thing that was super helpful�finding a good rhythm in the home. Not just physical things like the dishes, but emotionally, like these are things we needed in order to work better together,” Laura said. cial media when friends and family are vocal about uninformed and even harmful opinions about things like vaccines or mask-wearing. “I turned my Facebook off. It was just too much,” he said. “People do not care [about considering other viewpoints] if they believe they are right. Whatever their opinion, if they think it, they’re gonna say it.”
COMMITTED TO TIKKUN OLAM
Sharing their voices with the community, Laura and Andrew have become more active in the past year. They both said it has helped them maintain a sense of momentum during a time when we have all felt a loss of control over our lives. They are grateful to the social justice cooperative MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope) for helping bring important issues to light.
Through his work with MICAH, Andrew has been invited to attend a social justice leadership training conference this spring. The couple is also building a team of delegates to represent Temple Israel more officially at MICAH meetings and events.
During the recent winter storm, they found another way to give back to the community. Comfort Keepers of the Mid-South employs trained caregivers for in-home care. With the snow and ice, many of their workers could not safely get to clients’ homes. With their four-wheel-drive vehicles, Laura and Andrew leapt into action. “Laura's call was a prayer answered,” said Wendy Rotter, Comfort Keepers’ Chief Financial Officer. “I cannot tell you how many miles they drove—likely over 1,000 miles and too many hours to count—early mornings and late at night on icy roads from Frayser, to Germantown, to Whitehaven, to Arlington and all over. Without their love of community, so many of our elderly clients would’ve gone without, or had gaps in their care.” Laura and Andrew did not want to be congratulated or compensated for their mitzvot; they wanted to inspire others to take action and practice tikkun olam in their respective communities. “The pandemic hasn't stopped us. If anything, it’s encouraged us,” said Laura. “What can I do while I'm sitting here? Let me find other ways to make the world better.”
PERSONAL LESSONS
Laura said her biggest pandemic lesson has been being more intentional with her time. “I think we make better use of our time together and try to make it intentional quality time,” she said. “I've probably been more in contact with my family via Zoom and Facebook since the pandemic. If anything, we’ve grown these relationships, especially with the family that is not in Memphis.”
The main thing Andrew said he learned is boundaries with social media. He logs out of so-
