Voices of WRJ: B'haalot'cha

by Ellen Petracco "Bring us back to You, O God, and we shall return, renew our days as of old." This week’s Torah portion, B'haalot'cha is about spiritual experience and second chances. To believe or not to believe, that is the question! According to the commentary "L'ma'an Achai V'Rei'ai," the lesson of this story is that a person always gets a second chance. We don't only see this when the impure people ultimately are given another opportunity to bring the Passover offering; even their initial request implies that they expect a solution to be found! How did they learn this attitude? Why do they assume that they will be given a second chance?  Does God always offer a second chance, and should we as well? How many times have we asked ourselves, “I wish I could have another shot at this or that?” It happens in relationships with our family, friends, our boss, our employees. This also happens in our WRJ world.  We offer our help, we volunteer to get a job done and then as so often happens, life gets in the way and we have to re-prioritize our commitments. I find that second chances can also mean giving back to our community. I learned this when I was young.  My mom would tell stories of when she was a little girl; she would come home from school and there would be strangers in her house. My grandfather was giving second chances to Jewish immigrants after the war by helping them start over in the United States. He helped them find a home, get a job, or start a business. I think that this maybe where I got my “volunteer” gene. I found WRJ to help me give back. WRJ gives us that opportunity in many ways. One is when you are asked to serve as a sisterhood or WRJ leader and you give it your all. Another way is through WRJ’s YES Fund.  The YES (Youth, Education, and Special Projects) Fund is an excellent way to give back. It helps our movement in every important aspect. It helps nurture our future by ensuring that our youth, through NFTY, are flourishing. These funds help educate our future clergy. The YES Fund also works with many special projects around the world. Please visit WRJ’s website to learn more about the YES Fund or to make a donation. Ellen Petracco is a WRJ Executive Committee member and WRJ Southeast District First Vice President. She is also immediate past president of Temple B'nai Israel Sisterhood, Clearwater, FL.