WRJ Voices: Eikev

by Edith Caplan The children of Israel have come to the end of their journey, and are about to face a new challenge – they stand on the brink of the land promised to them by God. However, the land is occupied by other peoples. How are they to prevail against the inhabitants, and once they have occupied the land, how can they ensure their survival, both materially and spiritually? In the previous Torah portion, the laws God has given them have been reiterated. The laws have been stated in great detail, concerning the people’s relationships with God and with each other. In Parashat Eikev, the Israelites are promised that, if they adhere to God’s laws, they will be victorious against their enemies. The land will yield milk and honey, and all good things shall be theirs. There is an implication that, once secure in a good land, the people might begin to think that their good fortune was due to their own efforts, and they do not need to be observant of God’s laws. However, by denying God’s role in their lives and the necessity of continuing to abide by his laws, they risk the danger of disappearing as a people. How can they ensure that God’s laws are remembered? First, it starts with the individual - “Therefore impress these My words upon your very heart…” (Eikev 11:18) However, that is not enough – “and speak of them to your children…” (Eikev 11:18) It is the next generation and the next that will keep God’s words sacred and make them a part of their, and their children’s lives. I am a mother of two and a grandmother of 6 (aged 11 months to 11 years). I see in my children aspects of both my and my husband’s personalities. I also see that the values we hoped to pass on to them have taken hold, and that those values are being passed on to their children as well. It is the same within our sisterhood and WRJ communities. If WRJ is to continue to fulfill its mission, those who are aware of the multi-faceted world of WRJ and the many ways we seek to enhance the lives of our members must be sure to “speak of them to your children” – to pass on our experience and knowledge to the new member, the new board member, the new leader. Our WRJ districts are holding conventions this fall. As a longtime member of WRJ, I always look forward to these gatherings to greet old friends, make new ones, and learn new things. I still remember how exciting and inspirational my first district convention was. We need to encourage our new members to attend these gatherings so they can reap the benefits our conventions offer. Our strength lies, not only in our current leadership, but in the leaders to come; not only in our long time members, but in those just becoming members. Remember, we are “stronger together”. Edith Caplan currently serves as Audit chair on the WRJ board. She is a past WRJ Vice President, Past District President, and Past Sisterhood President of Temple Beth Torah in Fremont, CA.