LAGToy
For Circuit Court Judge
Trusted Experience
•Award Winning Family Law Expert
•25 Years of Family Law Experience
•Endorsed by Judges
•Endorsed by Democrats & Republicans
Don't Miss The Boat
On Being Jewish
Endorsed by the Following
Trusted Community Leaders
Alan and Cheryl Ackerman • Jeffrey Appel and Hon. Michelle Friedman Appel
Ron Applebaum and Dr. Jennifer Kaplan • Steven and Becki Cole • David and Susan Deutch
Andrew Echt and Kori Belzer • Robert and Adrienne Feldstein • Mark Frankel
Howard and Karen Frehsee • Manny and Sandy Glazier • Edward and Francine Gold
Lorne and Gayle Gold • Henry and Debra Gornbein • Hon. and Mrs Barry Grant
Rick Herman and Hon. Deborah Tyner • Howard and Wendy Hertz
Darren Hessenthaller and Laura Eisenberg Albert and Debra Holtz • Ethan and Dana Holtz
Hon. Barry and Cynthia Howard • Geoff Kretchmer and Jody Lipton Jeff and Bryna Leib
Drs. Harris and Phoebe Mainster Craig and Jill Menuck • Mark and Lisa Menuck
Mayer and Sheila Morganroth Victor Norris and Dr. Rhonda Barak Norris
Jules and Barbara Olsman • Edward and Laurie Pappas • Robert and Susan Paletz
Michael and Sandra Robbins • Brad and Judi Schram • David Sucher • Richard and Denise Victor
Parshat Noach: Genesis 6:9-11:32,
Numbers 28:9-15; Isaiah 66:1-66:24
M
y all-time favorite cartoon
depicts two dinosaurs
standing on a mountaintop,
watching Noah's ark sail away with
all the animals on board. One com-
ments to the other, "Oh, darn, was that
today?!"
The image perfectly
captures the sometimes
silly schism between reli-
gion and science. And
this week's Torah portion,
which describes the famous
story of the flood, offers us
a fascinating glimpse into
the way our own revered
story fits within the long
arc of history.
Torah is a unique and
sacred document, inspired
by God and passed down
through the generations in order to
inspire, guide and teach us how to
build a stronger community and bring
more holiness into the world. But
stories such as Noah and the flood
did not appear from nowhere. In fact,
there was a deluge of flood stories cir-
culating through the ancient world.
Mesopotamian, Sumerian,
Babylonian, Akkadian and Hittite
cultures told similar tales. Perhaps the
most famous is the Epic of Gilgamesh,
which described a longing for the
same eternal life that had been grant-
ed to those who survived the great
flood.
The unrivaled genius of Torah sets
forth an entirely different self-under-
standing, purpose and vision for the
world than any of these other stories.
Although it may have been adapted
from similar sources, the saga of Noah
presents us with an extraordinary
message.
Noah represents the nexus between
Creation and the advent of the Jewish
people (remember, there were 10 gen-
erations from Adam to Noah, and 10
generations from Noah to Abraham).
He and his family demonstrate the
sometimes painful transition from
old to new as they transmit their
values across time. The story teaches
that we are responsible for
our world. It admonishes
that wickedness can lead
to severe consequences. It
reminds us that even God
can feel regret and that
starting over can occasional-
ly be a useful tactic. It gives
us hope that even through
dark times, there will be a
rainbow on the horizon.
Noah is enlightening,
even as it is affirming. And
it is not just fantasy —
while none of us is going to
achieve eternal life (and perhaps that
irrational goal is among the reasons
why earlier civilizations ultimately
failed), each of us will experience the
painful moments and the uplifting
revival of Noah ... especially if we
can achieve the positive mindset that
emerges from Torah.
Did dinosaurs really go extinct
because they (literally) missed the
boat? Probably not. But Jewish life will
only continue to prosper when we do
what Jews have always done — hold
our sacred texts up to the light of
exploration, analysis and commentary.
Here at Temple Beth El, we are
dedicated to exploring the riches of
Jewish tradition and utilizing our heri-
tage to build more meaningful lives.
Please join me on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at
7 p.m. for the first part of a class on
"Who Wrote the Torah ... and Why It
Matters:' Contact llucassian@tbeon-
line.org for more information.
❑
VOTE FOR LISA LANGTON ON NOV. 4TH
Paid for by Committee to Elect Lisa Langton Circuit Court Judge - 5772 Martell Dr. - Troy, MI 48085 .0000
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