CREATIVE INSPIRATION

Welcome to our newest addition to the EJWD site. Do you have an inspiring story to tell, poem to share, artwork or photographs to display?  This is place to find and share inspiration.  If you have something you would like to share in this space, please contact Marlee Kivens.

Patrick Henry Hughes - Inspirational Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qTiYA1WiY8 

Hand In Hand- Inspirational Video

This video shows a beautiful ballet performed by two young amputees: a female missing her right arm, and a male missing his left leg. What was so striking was not so much the graceful and beautiful ballet, but that it clearly shows to the world how much a person can achieve despite his or her disability. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q6NbYywbSY

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Wandering Wrestler of Presence: a journey of faith.
Apr. 27 85, 10:30 am Sat.
(c) 1985-2008 unpublished work, Andrew S. Meit 

All worldwide rights reserved.

Welcome family, friends, and Rabbis. This morning’s torah portion is 
perhaps the most obscure yet the most pivotal passage of all the 
Genesis narratives.

Here, for our biblical ancestors, is the foreshadowed turning point 
from their being a wandering clan to their becoming a nation. Here, 
what is spoken and what is unspoken within the story wrestles before 
the reader. And here, in the shadows of ambiguous pronouns, a story of 
solitude and communion, of struggle and rest, of victory and defeat 
occurs.

This story can be insightful on several levels: On the level of the 
spiritual, the level of history, and on the personal level as well, 
where text and context reveal a self. These levels do not exist 
isolated from each other; but rather, together-to form a mighty river 
like Jacob’s Jabbok.

It will be on the spiritual, the historical, and personal levels that 
my thoughts will be focused and expressed in suggestive commentary. 
This story, above all, offers a transforming encounter between life’s 
elusive presences and oneself, an encounter one must endure from time 
to time.

Since all true beginnings must start with a story, let us start with 
verse 23 of Gen.32 and step into this engaging tale . . .

“And Jacob arose during the night, taking his wives, maids, and 
children across the Jabbok river-sending also all his belongings 
across. And he was left alone.”

To be left alone. Not to hold back oneself by feverishly saving one’s 
social status or precious possessions equips one for crossing life’s 
dark crises. Yes, there is a sacrificial movement being required. Why? 
“For G-D engages only those who are ... threatened and protected by 
solitude” (Wiesel). Solitude prepares one for transforming growth, but 
solitude requires one to learn, at times, that one must wrestle alone-
completely alone, for a time.

To contend alone is a part of a “handicapped”’s life. For the 
handicapped must contend with solitude, either inflicted upon or 
sought after. They must learn how solitude can permit growth. Growth 
in not being merely dis-abled, but in being uniquely differently-
abled. They struggle to never become lost in society’s condemned 
silence or loneliness.

Jacob’s sacrificial solitude appears often in Judaism, as well as his 
painful preparations. For example, the memories of ancient and modern 
ghettos or migrations of our people across European lands. These are 
Lonely memories of silenced contending. These memories are often 
filled with bitter ambiguity: to be condemned by silence or solitude, 
and to condone our accusers through frightened silence or passive 
solitude.

“And then a person wrestled with him until the breaking of dawn. When 
he realized that he could not overpower him, he wrenched his hip 
socket.”

Accidental or deliberate does life’s Presences contend with oneself. 
In the still of a moment, a self-image or world-view is painfully 
strained-even wrenched in encountering an elusive presence. Suddenly, 
a person’s cherished visions, the protected visions, are ruthlessly 
challenged. But with persistence and fortitude, the person can 
creatively defend or reclaim their visions for newer insights.

But whom does a Differently-abled contend with? Themselves -- yes, but 
much more. They must contend daily with the oppressive mass-media 
images of what a human is supposed to be. They must often twist and 
reshape, and at times, smash these protected, cherished models, or 
rather idols. They dare claim: I am a complete human! Truly, a 
visionary claim for All.

Judaism’s claim of completeness and Its adherent’s claim of humanity 
was often ruthlessly contended by some of Other faiths, or other 
nations. That contention came with wrenching deliberateness: 
expulsions by royal decrees or terrorization by smashing glass or 
bodies. But there were also grace-filled counter-contentions by other 
nations. These nations were Sweden, Denmark and other truly humanistic 
nations now and those to come.

“And then he said: ’let me go, for dawn is breaking!’ But he said: ’I 
will not let you go unless you bless me.’”

However great or terrible, the contending Presence must leave. If 
great, the Presence leaves to prevent unintentional manipulation or 
unsavory control. If terrible, the Presence leaves to prevent an 
unnecessary martyr fixation from occurring. But for both modes, the 
Presence can only go if the person sanctions it - hence the plea. A 
person must, in a growth crisis, let go (at times) of the great and 
terrible encounters, if that person desires to continue growing. Yet, 
there is hesitation; the person wonders: Can a blessing be claimed 
from these encounters? Yes, one can!

Often, to allow creative growth, the Differently-abled must learn to 
let go of self-imposed limitations and to go beyond limitations 
imposed by others. To release and to transcend these limitations 
requires the Differently-abled to demand much of themselves or of 
others. But, after the demanding struggle, the Differently-abled can 
become Handi-capable.

There are in Judaism great and terrible releasings and great and 
terrible demanders. There is the Exodus liberation, yet the Masada 
refusal. And there is Hitler’s “Final Solution”, but Wallenberg’s 
daring planning. In these great or terrible events, Judaism had to 
learn not merely to offer or earn a blessing, but to demand of itself 
and of others to become a blessing.

“And he asked: ‘what is your name ?’ He replies: ’Jacob.’ And he said 
to him: ’Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but rather 
Yisrael, for you have striven with the divine and with the human and 
prevailed.’”

Literally one is asking, ’who are you?’ And one can literally reply 
(from the Hebrew): Over-reacher, or rather Opportunist. Here also one 
could claim being an Overpowerer, but that is an arrogant self-
appraisal. Better yet, one could seek a renaming shift to transform 
the self-appraisal. A shift offering growth: from being merely an 
Overpowerer to being a God-striver. This renaming shift for growth is 
truly a renewal; in fact It is a redeeming deed! Here the old name is 
not removed, but added to. For blessing often comes from reclaiming 
the old name and claiming the new name together.

Renaming! None for the Differently-abled. For society prefers to 
misname through nicknames. “Spas”, ”retard”, and ”crippled” echos in 
our souls for years to come; even the proper terms “legally blind” or 
“disabled” (meaning unabled) has a wounding tone. We ask - often daily 
- why use these wrenching names? Whose identity is being preserved or 
strained? Thus, the Handicapped must then (more often than not) become 
a People-striver to reclaim their Human rights as whole persons.

By remembering the Naming-deed, as when one offers the artistic or 
scientific word, a Jew transforms their own Overpowerer tendencies, 
which all humans have, to God-striver tendencies. Such Jews are the 
Bubers, Einsteins, Wiesels, Chagalls and Isaac Streins now and those 
to come.

“And Jacob asks: ’Please tell me your name?’ And the person replied: 
‘Now, why do you seek my name?’ And the person gave him a farewell 
blessing there.”

Offering a name is an ambiguous deed. For an offered name can either 
restrict or liberate a hard won insight or a person’s character. The 
earlier renaming freed one from being a dubious Overpowerer to being a 
responsible God-striver. Yet typically, one responds to this renaming 
as an Overpowerer by over reaching oneself. How? Through a restricting 
demand: to reduce the elusive Presence into meager human categories. 
Thankfully though, the Presence will gently defer such an unseemly 
request.

The requests made by the Differently-abled for equal opportunities in 
society appear often to society as being inconvenient. These requests 
for access are quite obvious and needed: deaf-signers, readers, and 
ramp designers. Straight forward solutions! But granted there are 
awkward requests: rides for dates, typing notes from books, or 
borrowing another’s eyes for shopping. However, if tempered and 
channeled, even these requests, these yearnings, can be satisfied-even 
becoming appropriate!

The persistent request for a Jew’s affirmation (or non) of 
citizenship, via the nationalistic adjective, presents a risky naming. 
One can state: “A Surmeian, a Greek, a German, first, a Jew second”. 
Here some citizens feel loyalty is assured; one’s Jewishness may be 
viewed otherwise. Of course one can state:   “A Jew first, a so and so 
second”. Here certain Jews might acknowledge one as a “universal” Jew. 
But then certain citizens might view one’s motives with suspicion. Of 
this request, the modern age warns us: there are no longer first or 
second, but instead a global village. Alas, a warning still not 
listened to by all.

“And Jacob named the place ‘face of G-d, because ’I saw G-d face to 
face and my life was preserved!’ And the sun rose upon him as he 
crossed Pnual, limping.”

To encounter a terrible or great Presence face to face can be maiming. 
Yet, one could claim that maiming as a preserving deed. As a possible 
sacrifice somehow adverted. That this is the blessing requested: to 
survive encountering the elusive Presence. Or, that each dark, 
energetic wrestling with oneself or another does have a releasing 
dawn! But however insightful the wrestling, there will always be a 
relentless reminder from that ordeal.

Though strange to society, the Differently-abled--especially those who 
have wrestled with their maimness--tend not to deject or reject it. 
Instead of disclaiming, they strive to reclaim or rename their 
handicap as a sustaining and prompting force. Hence, for some, the 
handicap has become a blessing! Why? Because being maimed reminds the 
person that life is often short and frail, thus one must learn how to 
say L’Chiam often; because being maimed puts life into perspective: 
ruthlessly evaluating the common pettiness between people. Reminders 
current culture resists or denies.

Maiming Jews is to damage before destroying Jews. To damage: forced to 
wear dignity stripping clothes, or to follow punitive laws. These 
damages occurred not just centuries ago, but even in the recent past. 
But in that recent past, total destruction was attempted: the Death-
camps. Yet, we survived--barely! Even here, one can reclaim 
unchallengable memorials (truly dejectable reminders, but not 
rejectable!): the diaries, the photos, and yes, even the ovens! These 
wrenching signs remind all people of a Jacob-like claim: The God-
striver Lives!

The Jabbok crossing is complete: the story has been retold. No, It 
was not merely told or merely commented on. If one wanted to simply 
tell a story, then twist the story as one pleases; If one wanted to 
simply comment on the story, then, as one pleases, snap apart the 
story. But to retell a story requires much. One must allow the story 
to twist and to snap oneself: to allow the story to tell about and to 
comment on ones life! Only then can one utter a story. And only then 
can one become a story. Has then the torah story been retold? Yes, by 
offering the following suggestive insights. That the Differently-abled 
prophetically reminds society of the general human condition. And that 
a Jew is one who wrestles with or after an elusive Presence. There is 
yet another more fundamental offering. An offering the Differently-
abled and Jews need to attend to, or rather to be in touch with. That 
a person is made of dust and made in G-d’s image. Thus, a person needs 
to be fully understood and experienced as a living pun! Taken 
together, these insights teach us this: Inside all Israelites is a 
troublesome Jacob, but each troublesome Jacob can become an Israel.

My decision to have a Bar Mitzvah was not wholly deliberate nor 
wholly accidental, but rather a struggle. To learn the Hebrew, to 
retell a story, and to claim a faith. Like Jacob, I too wrestled 
alone, though not completely alone at times. There were fellow 
wrestlers aiding me: Martin Buber and Eile Wiesel. During the past six 
years, Buber’s ICH UND DU had conducted me through Judaism. But it was 
Wiesel’s THE OATH, a year ago, which had inducted me into Judaism. One 
key stance, of many, Buber showed me is that a "person is not assured 
in G-d, but rather a person is endangered before G-d; To be a person 
wrestling ever anew for G-d’s light, yet ever engulfed in G-d’s 
abysses." However astute was this offering, it did not challenge me; 
It described, not demanded, a response. But in THE OATH, a disturbing 
challenge was offered: "So, you want to be a Jew! Find or even claim 
Judaism? Well, what are you going to do about it? Just saying you’re a 
Jew or being born a Jew is not enough. what will you give?"

Listening to these pounding questions, one must pause, one must 
ponder. Then quietly and quickly, a traditional creed becomes alive.
        You shall love the lord your G-D
        with all your mind,
        with all your strength,
        and with all your being.
Truly Buber and Wiesel have lived this answer. But can I? Within a 
poem I wrote articulating my Turning to Judaism is a line providing 
the answer.

         LOOK! LISTEN!
         The blazing flames of silence speak:
         I am a Jew!