Areyvut Archives
Temple Beth-El Social Action Tikkun Olam Shabbat
Saturday, May 20, 2006
On Saturday May 20th, Areyvut's Founder and Director, Daniel Rothner, served as scholar-in-residence at Temple Beth-El in Poughkeepsie, New York, for their Social Action Tikkun Olam Shabbat.
On Shabbat morning, Daniel gave a sermon, focusing on how to use ethical speech to make a difference in the world. He illustrated his point by sharing a story with the congregation about a man who spread Lashon Hara (gossip) about a local rabbi. A little while later, the man felt badly, and asked the rabbi for forgiveness. The rabbi told the man to cut open a feather pillow, letting the feather fly into the wind. The next day, the man came to the rabbi and told him that he followed the directions that the rabbi had given him. The rabbi then told him to pick up all of the feathers from the pillow, and only afterwards would all the evil words he spread be forgiven. The man realized that it would not be possible to right the wrong that he committed.
Daniel encouraged the congregation to say hello or smile at someone walking down the street. Daniel gave various examples of how a smile has bettered his day and how a smile can impact on others' days.
Later that day Daniel taught a session about turning everyday objects into acts of chesed (kindness). To demonstrate this point Daniel displayed five ordinary objects, and explained how they could be used to make someone's day brighter.
Daniel distributed Areyvut's "A Kindness a Day" Calendar to congregants. This calendar offers suggestions of how to turn everyday activities into acts of kindness. This Shabbat program was very successful. Daniel reached an audience of 125 people and was already asked to speak again at next years Social Action Tikkun Olam Shabbat.