Humanistic Judaism, Summer/Autumn 1977, (vol. 5 no. 2, p42-44)
Opening Song
Where is my light? My light is in me.
Where is my hope? My hope is in me.
Where is my strength? My strength is in me.
And in you.
AY-FO O-REE O-REE BEE
AY-FO TIK-VA-TEE TIK-VA-TEE BEE
AY-FO KO-KHEE KO-KHEE BEE
V ’-GAM BAKH
Meditation
Where is my light? My light is in me.
Each of us is two people. Each of us is two realities. We are what we do. We are also what we could do. If we are weak now, we have the possibility of being strong. If we are lonely now, we have the power to reach out to others in friendship. If we are bored, we have the imagination to create new excitement.
The light that dispels the darkness is not only external. It is also Internal. There is an inner sun which shines, even though we often deny its radiance. There is an inner fire which burns, even though we often resist its power.
Life can be more than regret and resignation. If we can confront the light of our own potential, life can be the surprise of fulfillment.
Song
SHA-LOM SHA-LOM L’-YIS-RA-AYL
SHA-LOM SHA-LOM LA-A-DAM
SHA-LOM SHA-LOM LA-O-LAM
Meditation
Where is my hope? My hope is in me.
Many of us find the meaning of our life in the past. We search for our roots and we revel in every famous ancestor. The dead fill our memories, granting us the pleasure of approval with the terror of guilt. Wisdom from the past grows wiser with age and takes on the mystery of holiness. Old teachers become more profound than new ones. Old rituals become more important than our own inventions. If there is a golden age, it happened a long time ago. The world is getting worse and worse.
Many of us find the meaning of our life in the future. We search for our needs and we revel in every thrust to satisfaction. Visions of new worlds fill our thoughts, granting us the expectation of success with the fear of failure.
Wisdom from the present displays its youth and prefers good humor to reverence. New teachers often seem as profound as old ones. New rituals become the friends of our creativity. If there is a golden age, it is yet to come. Because we live with hope, we will make the world better and better.
Song
HA-NA-AVA BA-BA-NOT
A-NA HA-EE-REE PA-NIE-YIKH AY-LIE
Meditation
Where is my strength? My strength is in me.
Our lifestyle is determined by the way we see our strength. If we see ourselves as weak and powerless, if we feel ourselves empty of will and wisdom, we will choose the style of self-pity. Many of us do self-pity very well. We know how to appease. We are experts in humility. We cry with charm and confess our ills apologetically. We never provoke the strong and we strike back at those we sincerely believe are weaker than we are. Since we are afraid, we thank the fates for our misery and stand in awe of what we do not know.
Our lifestyle is determined by the ‘jay we see our strength. If we see ourselves as strong and powerful, if we feel ourselves full of will and knowledge, we will choose the style of self-esteem. Many of us do self-esteem very well. We enjoy integrity and do not avoid hostility when we need to defend our dignity. We do not revere authority, but we respect it when it is competent. We do not deny our limitations, but we prefer to think about our power. The greatest humiliation is the surrender to fear. Even when we are afraid, we listen to new ideas. Even when we are afraid, we try new adventures. We neither bully nor worship. We enjoy the pleasure of our boldness.
Song
SHEE-M’-OO O-HA-VAY A-HA-VA
KEE-R’-OO KEE-R’-OO MO-SHEE-AY Y’-SHOO-A
KEE AYN Y’-SHOO-A B’-LEE A-HA-VA
O A-HA-VA A-HA-VA KAYN T’-HEE
Meditation
Where is my strength? My strength is in me. And in you.
Humorless people think that they are self-sufficient.
Humorless people think that they are gods. If they feel in need of other people, if they feel lonely and cold, if they crave the presence of good friends, they view their desires as temporary. Self-discipline will yield them the pleasure of needing nobody.
Good-humored people know that they are strong but never strong enough. They know that neither nature nor introspection are substitutes for people. They understand that neither meditation nor self=insight are as delicious as a good friend.
If we are good-humored we know that we grow by growing with others. We can only truly laugh by laughing with others. We can only truly live by living with others. Intimacy is when my own inner radiance is discovered in the face of my friend.
Song
No man is an island
No man stands alone
Each man’s joy is joy to me
Each man’s grief is my own.
We need one another
And so I will defend
Each man as my brother
Each man as my friend.
Silent Meditation
Song
AY-FO O-REE O-REE BEE
AY-FO TIK-VA-TEE TIK-VA-TEE BEE
AY-FO KO-KHEE KO-KHEE BEE
V’-GAM BAKH
Where is my light? My light is in me.
Where is my hope? My hope is in me.
Where is my strength? My strength is in me.
And in you.
Memorial Meditation
The value of life does not lie in mere survival. Lasting eternally is never enough. The value of life lies in personal dignity. Self-esteem, however brief, gives human existence its meaning.
The long life of cautious boredom is inferior to the short life of bold adventure. Many of us who believe ourselves to be living are already dead. And many who have died live on in the memory of their courage.
Song
ZAY-KHER TS-DEEK-KEEM LEE-V’-RA-KHA
The memory of good people blesses us.