WRJ Voices: Naso

At the beginning of each Sisterhood meeting, our women take a few moments to set an intention. It helps us focus on the personal commitment we each have to be present for each other. Kavannah is the Hebrew word for intention, and generally refers to being fully immersed in prayer. We like to take that a bit further and consider Kavannah as being fully committed to “lifting each other up.”

We are all busy, dealing with the various distractions, demands and stresses of life. Setting an intention at the beginning of a meeting is not about what we want to accomplish. Rather, it is about how we intend to show up for each other, how we support each other and forge the connections that allow us to thrive.

This week’s parashah is Naso, which literally means “lift up”. It tells of taking a census of the different Israelite families and determining their responsibilities as part of the community.

Anne Ebersman, a Jewish educator, wrote about this Torah portion:

God tells Moses to take a census, literally, to raise the heads of the Levites. But we consider, that aren’t the Levites already weighed down? After all, their job is to carry the Tabernacle through the wilderness. From this we learn that the things that we carry – the things that weigh us down – actually raise us up. These are our most precious gifts.

This idea prompts me to ask if I am honoring my precious gifts - - the things that weigh me down? I know we all worry about whether we are doing the best things with our time and talent. Am I insensitive, too demanding, imposing too many of my opinions? Am I striving enough to become better all the time?

Did the Israelites do everything they were commanded perfectly? Of course not. In fact, the next segment of the Torah portion provides instruction for how people should be punished when they behave badly. While the punishments of old don’t generally fit into our world today, it is important to recognize that it is human to err, to make mistakes.

Taking a moment to set intentions is a reminder, both to myself and to everyone else - - that in being human, it is our job to help each other recognize the precious gifts that are weighing us down. As long as the Israelites of old took on the tasks they were given, they were elevating themselves to a higher level; in that vein, as long as we carry our weights, chances are that we are living life fully.

So, what does it look like to set intentions? It could be making a commitment to fully listen to each other, to acknowledge each other’s contributions, to be present at any given moment. Just thinking about it makes it more likely to happen.

We often ask women what they would like to see Sisterhood do or how they’d like to get more involved; I’ve noticed that most women often don’t really know how to identify or express their needs. To take the intentionality further, we have designed a “Welcome Gatherings” program at the beginning of each year. These are small group sessions held in private homes, with no more than 8 – 10 women per session.

We nosh and schmooze for about 1/2 hour, then sit down and ask each woman to share something that she is passionate about and why; it does not have to do with Judaism or Sisterhood. This dialogue opens up new possibilities for learning about each other. The participants often talk about something they’ve given significant thought and attention to, which generates conversation with others who have common interests or who want to know more about any given project.

Sharing has included various causes that individuals are involved in, from creating a Jewish home to resources for homeless people, environmental causes, working with underprivileged children, etc. Some women share personal interests such as art journaling, crafts, reading, and music appreciation. When we ask “why”, the stories come pouring out; the reasons that resonate with each of us are always profoundly meaningful. After all, it is our stories that connect us.

In bringing this back to Kavanah, setting intentions, we find that by creating a forum for honest, meaningful sharing, we are creating the time, energy and patience - - to do the most important thing, the one thing that Sisterhood is ultimately about - - helping women make connections. Because from those connections emerge all the amazing things we can accomplish together.

Pamela Lear is Past President of the Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am in Miami, FL. She currently serves as an Area Director on the WRJ SE District Board and is on the North American Board of WRJ.