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THE OTHER MORNING, I CAME BACK FROM THE GYM and headed straight
for the shower. Out of my dining room window, I caught a glimpse of a
beautiful sunrise, and continued on my way. Halfway down the hall, though,
I stopped myself. It occurred to me that the sun has been rising at about the
same time for the last few weeks, and that I've been coming back from the
gym at about the same time. Yet, I hadn't noticed the sunrise until that
morning.
I walked over to the window and admired the view for what seemed
like a long time. I stood tranquil, silenced by the harmony of a colorful
sunrise. And yet, I am not an overly sentimental person by nature. Were I
Ashkenazi, I'd be a Litvak rather than a Chasid. But this particular morning,
the beauty of nature evoked not an intellectual but an emotional response
within me.
My life is analogous to a
series of overlapping circles, where each of my jobs -- here at JUF News, as
education director at Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation, and as a
faculty member at the Ida Crown Jewish Academy -- is distinct from yet
clearly overlaps with the other. As a full-time Jew (to borrow a term from
fellow columnist Stuart Schoffman), I immensely enjoy both my teaching
and my journalism roles.
Yet, the goal has become to do more and in less
time, and in the process of pursuing that efficiency, I run the risk of losing a
healthy measure of reflection.
What that morning sunrise reminded me was that efficiency for
efficiency's sake is a formula for a robot, and pauses from the routine of
everyday life are necessary to invest meaning back into that life.
What is it
exactly that I seek to impart to my students at Ida Crown? Is it just a matter
of mastering the texts in question and building skills -- both worthwhile
endeavors -- or is there an overarching theme that the texts will help them
discover?
Is my goal at the synagogue to provide the most classes and attract
the most students? What about the ways in which one class can touch the
life of a single Jew? I had such a moment for pause several months ago when
someone I study with every week told me she perceived the act of learning
as bikkur cholim, a virtual lifeline. The phrase became embedded in my
mind; it gave sanctity to what has the capacity to become a humdrum
fixture in my week.
Here at JUF News, it's all too easy to plough through all the
details -- time-consuming and difficult as they may be -- that comprise the
publication of a magazine. Sometimes, I find myself as if in a trance,
tackling one task after another in methodical format until the paper is, as
we say, put to bed. Every once in a while, I need a good jolt to remind me
why I love Jewish journalism. Several years ago, we ran a supplement on
Jewish genetic diseases and the emotional toll they take on the family. To
spend even just one hour with such a family prompts a journalist to check
her objectivity at the door, and here is where the Jew takes over for the
Journalist.
The examples, though, need not be dramatic. We have, in our most recent issue
alone, articles on meaningful ways to celebrate Purim and volunteer
opportunities with Maot Chitim, a local organization that makes
Passover a possibility for thousands of less fortunate Jews. When I came
across the box next to that story, detailing how to volunteer, it was a
powerful reminder that we provide a service that can enrich the lives of our
readers.
Such moments, though not plentiful, are sufficient to invigorate my
work with a sense of purpose. More importantly, though, they underscore
the idea (proverbial as it is) that the journey is perhaps even more
important than the
Jewish World Review March 10, 1999 / 22 Adar, 5759
A sunrise and some healthy reflection
By Brigitte Dayan
When I walked away, I reprimanded myself that my initial instinct
had been to ignore the sight and rush through my morning routine. It set me
thinking that I have become so focused on the finish line, on fulfilling all of
my various responsibilities, that I have begun to waive those moments that
give meaning precisely to those responsibilities.
JWR contributor Brigitte Dayan is managing editor of JUF News,
a monthly published by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Contact the author or the magazine by either clicking here, or calling (312) 444-2853.
