by Tzachi Flat, Oshman Family JCC – Palo Alto, CA In This week’s Torah portion, Yitro, Moses tells his stepfather Jethro the story of the Israelites escape from Egypt. Jethro is very pleased with the story and recites a prayer of gratitude, even though he was not with them in Egypt. Jethro notices Moses dealing with a great deal of the challenges in the group, and advises him to create a council that will help balance the work between the community. After the council is in place and the society is self-governing, Moses is able to go off to his own land. As a JOFEE fellow I can relate to this Torah portion as there are a great many challenges and roadblocks on the path to humans maintaining a healthier, more sustainable planet. Taking on a task of this proportion would be extremely challenging for one person, or even a small group of people to tackle on their own. It is as if we as JOFEE fellows are the council, and our task is to create positive change while educating the community and inspiring them to take similar steps. I am reminded of the Pirkei Avot quote “Do not separate […]
