Indiana Jones and Jewish Life

So, I saw the final (?) installment of the Indiana Jones movie. I don't want to write a movie review, since that is not really what I do. Suffice to say that I enjoyed it, even if it rehashed some of the same themes and special effects of all the other Indiana Jones movies as well as E.T. But that is neither here nor there. What I found interesting is that there was a movie at all with Harrison Ford.

Last year 'Rocky Balboa' came out and was the sixth installment of the 'Rocky' franchise with Sylvester Stallone. He looked older, acted older and, of course, that was the main theme of the entire movie. The fight scenes in the last half hour were a culmination of the theme that expressed in the movie that the 'heart is the last thing to age.'

It was funny, because after 'Rocky Balboa' a few of us were listening to some younger kids who had no idea who Mickey was, or Adrian, or Paulie's story, etc. They just didn't get it. It was a movie that needed history.

The same is true for Indiana Jones. This, too, was a meditation on aging. And, in the same sense as 'Rocky Balboa' the search for the 'gold' in Crystal Skull really was the search for wisdom or treasure. The real search, the real goal, and one that can only be done in maturity and older age is to know what is really important. It is, quite often, the purusit of knowledge and of wanting to know 'why?'

The parallels in Jewish life are striking. Jewish culture has always treasured knowledge and considered the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake a great good. This is called 'Torah lishma' - learning Torah just because. Our tradition has never subscribed to the notion that Jews should only learn Jewish things. And so the pursuit of knowledge extends to the four corners of the universe. If something can be studied, it ought to be.

Maimonides knew Islamic law and culture. The rabbis of the Talmud studied the stars. Ibn Ezra wrote a treatise on chess. The mystics were fascinated by mathematics. And so on, and so on. The descriptions and fascination with the world of creation was to be found in more than Jewish books.

'Rocky Balboa' and 'The Crystal Skull' were meditations on knowledge and wisdom, of revelation and priority, of courage and determination. In other words, these two movies may have been entertaining, but they were really about what someone truly acquires in life. The answer to that question for the producers of these two movies was wisdom. It's the Jewish answer, too.

Nearing School's End

Being able to look back over the year, as one looks back over a journey just ended, is an exhilarting experience. Just as there are stories about places and people that we have met, the end of the academic year brings with it reminicences and reflections, memories and a certain soulfullness. This year has been no different.

Since August, things have been moving full speed ahead at the temple. Talmud study resumed and we have almost completed the Shottstein masechet Brachot II. The Theology class is moving ahead every Wednesday and we have tackled Maimonides, Strauss and, now, Borowitz. The question I have been waiting for finally came recently when one of the students asked, "Can we have an opportunity to articulate our own theology?" I was most pleased. And, our wonderful group of B'not Mitzvah women who have been working for two full years are learning and getting ready for the bat mitzvah in November. The Teen Academy has been a huge success, as well and I congratulate those students who studied and learned with me. It was a total joy. Of course, the Religious School had its best year, ever. Under the tutelage of Stella, our kids have thrived in a safe and embracing environment. There were so many incredible projects and so much positive energy generated that we are bracing for next year when the school, I anticipate, will be even bigger.

So where do we go from here? Well, now that the academic year is over, you can rest. We will pick up in the fall and head down the track full steam ahead. In the meantime, I will be getting ready for Camp Harlam where I will be a camp rabbi for a couple of weeks. And I am thinking of doing a mini-versity taking a small study idea for 4 or 5 weeks and studying in a havurach style. It is still in the works but it will be terrific, I am sure.

I will be posting during the summer and will keep you up to date from camp and, maybe, while I am on vacation when I am doing Jewish things. Have a great and safe summer and don't be a stranger at the temple from June to August!