Chills....First I Googled WBC and saw their schedule to protest at my kids' school today. With their messages of hate against "Jews" and "Gays"....Truly Revolting....But then I saw the weekly Torah Portion from school and it gave me chills to see hate transmuted into something lovely. So with thanks to the wonderful Roni, I re-print the following:
"If you were to walk into the JCHS lobby right now, the first thing you would notice is an oversized Fundraising Pledge Sheet hanging on the bulletin board with the heading "From Hate to Haiti." It is overflowing with the signatures of students, staff and parents pledging varying amounts of money - to be donated to the American Jewish World Services' Haitian Relief Services. When I think of this week's parsha, B'shalah, I smile at the image of Miriam, Aaron's prophetess sister, leading the women in song and dance. The Israelites have just survived a frantic chase by the Egyptians across the Sea of Reeds and are about to embark on a long, stressful journey. In the face of relentless persecution and an unknown future, it would be quite natural to react with anger or gloom. Instead, Miriam sings! She has the wisdom and courage to harness all of that anxious energy into a moment of goodwill. This week the JCHS community learned that a homophobic, Anti-Semitic group decided to picket outside our school to publicize their hateful messages. A group of thoughtful students chose to respond with a hugely successful fundraising campaign. On their own, these students have flipped a potentially negative experience into an occasion for generosity and joy. If Miriam were here, I have no doubt that she would break into song!"
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