Who Rabbis Turn To

In times of crises, rabbis find consolation from various sources.

DEBRA NUSSBAUM COHEN
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

New York City
tanding in the rubble of
Ground Zero, Rabbi Avi
Weiss found spiritual suste-
nance, and a new cadre of
religious mentors, in a place haunted
by death.
Listening to the stories told by res-
cue workers and clergy who had come
from distant points to help in the
World Trade Center relief effort, "they
became my rebbes," said Rabbi Weiss
of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale,
N.Y.
In the past month, rabbis all over
the country, besieged by the faithful,
thirsted for "spiritual energy" and for
wisdom following the terror attacks in
New York and Washington. And while
experienced rabbis such as Avi Weiss
received calls from junior rabbis on
how to deal with the enormity of the
tragedy, they, in turn, found consola-
tion and solace where they could —
from congregants, from family, and
from God.
"I've gotten much from my temple
families," said Secular Humanistic
Rabbi Tamara Kolton of Birmingham
Temple in Farmington Hills. "It's an
exchange. At times when we [rabbis]

S

have hope, we give it to our temple.
And then when we need it, it's there
to borrow back."
"I've turned to the Machzor, the
High Holiday prayer book," said
Conservative Rabbi Leonardo Bitran of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek B'nai
Israel in West Bloomfield. He was
amazed, he added, to find so many
ideas and concepts about life and death
so appropriate for this difficult time.
Conservative Rabbi Simkha
_ Weintraub of New York City is per-
haps uniquely qualified to respond to
the many calls and e-mails he received
since the destruction of the World
Trade Center. A certified social worker
with a small private psychotherapy
practice, he also works as the rabbinic
director of the National Center for
Jewish Healing and its parent body,
the New York Jewish Board of Family
and Children's Services.
When asked who takes care of his
spiritual and emotional needs, he fell
silent. After a pause, he said, "It's one
of the first times that I can say with-
out embarrassment that God does."

Standing Alone

When asked to whom he turned when
tragedy struck, Reform Rabbi Paul
Yedwab of Temple Israel in West

Bloomfield answered, "My
From le
and less because it's a
wife."
Rabbi Irving Greenberg, maturing relationship,
"But 'turn to,"' he
Rabbi Elimelech
and people have more free
added, "is not the right
Silberberg and Rabbi
will," he said.
word. I'm safe and com-
Paul Yedwab
So Rabbi Greenberg's
forted and optimistic in
response to the eternal
her presence. But in a way,
question in the face of
I have to turn to myself."
tragedy, "Where was
Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg, a
God?" is to ask: "Where were we?"
leading modern Orthodox thinker
Though he turns to family members
who doesn't have a pulpit, but stu-
and Jewish texts in difficult moments,
dents and others look to him for guid-
he said that neither living nor dead
ance, agrees with Rabbi Yedwab.
teachers give you definitive answers.
"Not having a mentor is part of the
"At a time like this," he added, "one
responsibility one has to take in life,"
can be envious of Chasidim, who have
he said. "A person has to come to his
rebbes with all the answers."
own understanding. It can be hard at a
Which they believe they have.
time like this."
Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg of the
Rabbi Greenberg, president of the
Sara Tugman Bais Chabad Torah
Jewish Life Network, an educational
Center in West Bloomfield said, "I
foundation, and chairman of the U.S.
turn to my teacher for life, the (late)
Holocaust Memorial Commission, has
Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem
developed a theology responding to
Schneerson."
the challenge of coping spiritually with
Rabbi Silberberg finds answers in his
nearly inconceivable horrors.
teacher's writings, letters and speeches.
His theology of an "evolving
"He addressed every conceivable
covenant," developed in response to
issue in life," said Rabbi Silberberg.
the Holocaust, also applies now to the
"But a basic belief in Judaism is that
random and tragic events over the past
our life is just a passing stage, a step-
month.
ping stone toward the eternity of the
According to Rabbi Greenberg,
soul ... And when God feels we fin-
God's relationship with humankind is
ished serving him, he calls us in ..." ❑
an evolving one, playing out in stages.
— Staff writer Sharon Luckerman
"As time goes on, God intervenes less
contributed to this report

10R9
2001

17