The Shalom Center - B'RESHIT/ GENESIS

New Book: "The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope & Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims"

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 12:38:14 -0400

Dear Friends,

In 2004, as religious animosities worsened around the globe, I joined with Sister Joan Chittister, a world-renowned Benedictine nun, and Murshid Saadi Shakur Chisti (Neil Douglas-Klotz), a Muslim Sufi who has written a remarkable series of books on Aramaic, Gnostic, and Sufi spirituality --

-- to write a book called THE TENT OF ABRAHAM: STORIES OF HOPE AND PEACE FOR JEWS, CHRISTIANS, & MUSLIMS.

We sent the manuscript to Karen Armstrong. She was so excited by the book that she wrote a Preface for it.

It was (June 2006) published by Beacon Press and won an enthusiastic "Starred Review" from the Library Journal. That review and others are below.

GOD SAID TO NOAH: An Old/ New Song to Avert a New Flood

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:15:27 -0500

GOD SAID TO NOAH*

Melody and some words, traditional; remainder by Rabbi Arthur Waskow *

God said to Noah, The earth's getting hotter, hotter,
God said to Noah, The earth's getting hotter, hotter,
Yet she is My (clap) beloved daughter, daughter -
Children of the Lord.

CHORUS: Rise and shine and give God the glory glory
Rise and shine and give God the glory glory
Rise and shine and (clap!) give God the glory glory
Children of the Lord!

People are making My air too smoky, smoky
People are making My air too smoky, smoky

When Abraham Sees God in Oak Trees

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 07:30:40 -0400

When Abraham Sees God in Oak Trees

Dear Friends,

The Torah portion Vayeira (Gen. 18:1 through 22: 24) itakes its name" from its first word. This word is usually translated "appeared," but it comes from the root for "see," and the same root appears in a different form right afterwards.

The second word is "YHWH." That is usually translated "the Lord," but since this sacred unpronounceable Name with no vowels can only be "pronounced" by breathing --- "Yyyyhhhhwwwwhhhh" - I translate it as "the Breath of Life" or "the Wind/ Breath/ Spirit of the world."

The first sentence says "YHWH brought-about-being-SEEN to [Abraham] in [b'] the oaks of Mamre."

The Eclipse of Wonder: Abraham Joshua Heschel and Our Ecological Crisis

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:45:03 -0400

A sermon for Kol Nidre 5768
By Rabbi Burt Jacobson

My fiancé Diane and I set aside the last Sunday in July as a day to spend together. Our plan was to drive to Marin County, and to hike on Mt. Tamalpais. It was a lovely sun-drenched morning. After I woke up, meditated and prayed, and had eaten my breakfast, I turned my cell phone on. There was a message from my brother Stuart who, with his wife Jean, were vacationing in Colorado, staying in a cabin in the mountains.

"Hi! Just calling to say I love you. This morning I was sitting on the porch looking out over the valley a few hundred feet below, and a butterfly came up and landed on my hand. I watched as the butterfly scoped out my hand with his tongue -- for about two to three minutes. Then, it flew away. Within seconds a bee flew up to me, about two feet away and, hanging in the air, wings flapping in a blur, directly facing me, looked at me for a minute or longer, turned maybe 150 degrees and looked into the window of our cabin for another minute or so, turned back to me for another minute or two and then flew off. Well, I love you. Take care . . ."

RAINBOW SIGN: Learning from the Story of the Flood

Fri, 04 May 2007 07:36:48 -0400

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow

[This essay is Chapter XVII of the book GODWRESTLING -- ROUND 2 (Jewish Lights). For copies of the whole book at a discounted price, write Office@shalomctr.org ]

‘ What is the relationship between the Jewish family and the two broader families within which it is nestled: the human race and our web of living earth? How should the Jewish people address questions that do not uniquely affect Jews, but arise within the broader planetary life?

One such issue arose late in the 1970s. It was, you might say, the most universal question imaginable: the possible death of the entire human race. Yet for many Jews it seemed to echo their own most terrible, unique experience.

Before there was a Before

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 15:09:53 -0500

BEFORE THERE WAS A BEFORE
By Arthur Waskow, David Waskow, & Shoshana Waskow

[Copyright © 1984 by the authors. All rights reserved. These stories of the Creation were originally written in 1974, when David Waskow was ten and Shoshana Waskow was seven. They were published in 1984.

[To get a copy of this book, see the note at the bottom of this excerpt. The note at the end also includes comments on the book by Madeleine L'Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time, and Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People.

[What follows is the introduction to this midrashic story of the Creation. It is followed by each of the Seven Days of Creation. – AW]

Review of "The Tent of Abraham" book (Claire Gorfinkel)

Sat, 03 Jun 2006 15:57:06 -0400

The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians and Muslims (Beacon Press, 2006). By Joan Chittister, OSB; Murshid Saadi Shakur Chisti; & Rabbi Arthur Waskow. Foreword by Karen Armstrong. *

Reviewed by Claire Gorfinkel *

For some time now, I have longed for a study group that would consider common themes in Jewish, Muslim and Christian texts. But as is so often the case, in my longing I have created a set of expectations that are virtually impossible to fulfill.

I wanted a group with both men and women, Jews, Christians and Muslims who were well grounded in their faith traditions, who would meet for disciplined study over a substantial amount of time, and who would engage issues of both faith and politics, God and the Middle East conflict.

Shalom Ctr Honors Cindy Sheehan & 3 Others as 'Prophetic Voices'

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 13:11:01 -0400

SHALOM CENTER HONORS CINDY SHEEHAN
& 3 PHILADELPHIANS AS "PROPHETIC VOICES"

More than 250 people joined with The Shalom Center Sunday, February 5, at a Philadelphia synagogue to honor the prophetic voices of Cindy Sheehan and three Philadelphia activists.

The event was covered with long news stories and photos by both Philadelphia daily newspapers and by three TV stations.

Eight rabbis, two cantors, and three choirs from various congregations took part in the event, which was held at the Reconstructionist synagogue Mishkan Shalom.

"We are members of the human race first and we are Americans second," Sheehan said during the ceremony. "We are members of the human race first and Jews second, Muslims second, Christians second, Iraqis second, Israelis second, Palestinians second. Our love of our fellow human beings does not stop at the border."

THE TOMB & THE WELL: Owning & Sitting

Mon, 21 Nov 2005 23:20:38 -0500

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow 11/21/2005

The story of Abraham's death ascribes power to two places, a tomb and a well:

Now these are the days and the years of Avraham, which he lived:
A hundred years and seventy years and five years, then he expired.
Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Makhpelah (Doubling) in the field that Abraham had acquired.
There were buried Abraham and Sarah his wife.
Now it was after Abraham's death, that God blessed Isaac his son.
And Isaac sat by the Well of the Living-One Who-Sees-Me.
(Gen. 25: 7-8a, 9-11.)

The tomb is "acquired"; at the well, one "sits" and "is seen." Let us explore the meanings of these two places, these two life-paths.

In the Dark: Joseph & His Brothers

Fri, 10 Dec 2004 01:00:00 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, in GODWRESTLING -- ROUND 2, 12/10/2004

[This essay was originally written for the book GODWRESTLING, published in 1978, and then incorporated in GODWRESTLING — ROUND 2 (Jewish Lights, 1996; available by clicking on the "Bo

Lot's daughter, Tamar, and Ruth: Mothers of Messiah

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 01:00:00 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 12/1/2004

The Garden of Eden and the garden of the Song of Songs represent the beginnning and the goal of human history: the given paradise of childhood and the worked for paradise of full adulthood. In both of them the woman of

Jealous sister, jealous God

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 11:58:48 -0500

Rabbi Phyllis Berman & Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 11/21/2004

[This story about jealousy and compassion, exile and redemption appears in our book TALES OF TIKKUN: NEW JEWISH STORIES TO HEAL THE WOUNDED WORLD (1995). It draws on Midrash Rabbah for the Book of Lamentations, known as Eicha Rabbah (XXIV, pp. 44-49 in the Soncino edition).

[It ends with a midrash on the biblical story of the sisters Rachel and Leah and their marriage to Jacob (Gen. 29: 15-30).

Rachel, Leah, & the First Godwrestle

Mon, 17 Oct 2005 23:15:22 -0400

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 11/18/2004

Listen to the grim humor of Jacob's weddings to Leah and Rachel. (Gen 29: 15-30) We can all but hear their father Laban muttering to himself:

"You — yes, you, Jacob!! — lied to your father about who was the first born son? Then I'll lie to you about who is the first born daughter. You won what you wanted because of your father's weak eyes? Then you'll win what you don't want — Leah, who has weak eyes.

From Raging Wrestle to Godwrestle: Jacob & Esau

Thu, 11 Nov 2004 01:00:00 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow: From Ch. 1, *Godwrestling -- Round 2*, 11/11/2004

Godwrestling: Jacob and Esau

I wrestled again with my brother last week,
First time since I was twelve and Grandma stopped us:
"She won't even let us fight!" we yelled, embraci

Lessons on War from Father Abraham

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 19:30:07 -0500

Rabbi Susan Grossman, 10/22/2004

Sermon for Lech Lecha 5765 (2004)

How to Go To War: Lessons from Father Abraham

By Rabbi Susan Grossman
Beth Shalom Congregation
Columbia, Maryland

The Book of Genesis is filled with firsts: the first couple, Adam and Eve, the first murder, Cain slaying Abel, the first Jews, Abraham and Sarah.

Our parsha this morning, Lecha Lecha, introduces us to another first, the first war ever waged in the world: the war of the four Kings of Shinar, Elasar, Elam and Goum who attacked the five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar.