Living Our Values

Introduction to Living Our Values

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Inspiring Jewish Lives...Building Sacred Community.
LIVING OUR VALUES
Congregation Beth Ahabah, meaning House of Love,
strives to be an inclusive and welcoming place
by following these ethical principles:

We hope by living these values we will enrich our lives and relationships at synagogue and home.

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For more information on each of the above values, click on them!

For further resources on Jewish Values in general, click here.

To view or download Living Our Values as a PDF, click here.

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Sh’ma      Listen      

We strive...to hear what other people say without making assumptions.

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Click here to read a clergy introduction to this value.

Reference: "Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God, Adonai is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Questions for Personal Reflection:

1. The word Sh'ma in Biblical Hebrew can mean both "Hear" and "Listen" -- what is the distinction in English?
2. When am I good at listening to others? When am I not so good at listening to others?
3. Has there been a time when I heard someone else, but was not really listening? What could I have done differently?
4. What are some topics that I find challenging to discuss with others?

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Hachalah      Inclusivity      

We strive...to create an inclusive community where people feel comfortable being themselves.

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Click here to read a clergy introduction to this value.

References: 

"For my house shall be a house of prayer for all people." (Isaiah 56:7)

“Do not separate yourself from the community.” (Rabbi Hillel, Pirkei Avot 2:4)

Questions for Personal Reflection: 

1. The Hebrew word hachalah includes the root word kol meaning all, or everyone. In what ways does creating inclusive community mean being open to all people?
2. Are there times when being inclusive means setting boundaries that are uncomfortable for some people but not others?
3. To what degree should we as a community prioritize individual freedom of expression over the comfort or discomfort of others?
4. In order to facilitate a synagogue space that is truly welcoming of all, how can we as individuals take responsibility for our emotional responses to difficult topics to ensure a high standard of respect in interpersonal interactions?

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Hachnasat Orchim      Welcoming Guests      

We strive...to follow the example of Abraham and Sarah, welcoming
whoever enters our Sanctuary for prayer, solitude, or fellowship.

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Click here to read a clergy introduction to this value.

References:
This passage is a quintessential example of Abraham and Sarah's emphasis on the value of hospitality:
"The Eternal appeared to [Abraham] by the oaks of Mamre as he was sitting at the entrance of the tent at about the hottest time of the day. Looking up, he saw: lo—three men standing opposite him! Seeing [them], he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and, bowing down to the ground, he said, “My lords, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought; then wash your feet and recline under a tree, and let me bring a bit of bread and you can restore yourselves. Then you can go on—now that you have come across your servant.” And they responded: “Very well, do as you propose.” Abraham then hurried toward the tent, to Sarah, and said, “Hurry, knead three measures of wheat flour and bake some [bread-]cakes!” Abraham then ran to the herd and took a young calf, tender and sound, and gave it to the servant lad, who quickly prepared it. He took sour milk and [sweet] milk and the calf he had prepared and set [it all] before them; and as he stood over them under the tree, they ate. (Genesis 18:1-8)

"Rabbi Mathia ben Harash said: Upon meeting people, be the first to extend greetings; and be a tail unto lions, and not a head unto foxes." (Pirkei Avot 4:15)
Cantor Beck-Berman's note: The second half of this remark is in contrast to a common proverb of the time which was 'Be a head to foxes and not a tail to lions,' famously echoed by Julius Caesar, "I would rather be first here [in this barbarian village] than second at Rome" (Plutarch's Life of Caesar, 11:4 on linked page), meaning that for Caesar, striving to master everyone was a greater virtue than accepting anyone else's mastery. For the Rabbis, however, it is a better virtue to follow someone greater than you are than to seek leadership and power over others. This connects to the first half of the statement about hospitality in that we are encouraged to approach meeting other people with the same sense of humility, and greet all people politely regardless of their status or our personal opinions about them. 

Questions for Personal Reflection:

1. What does being welcoming mean to me?
2. What are some ways that I believe I have been welcoming to new people?
3. What assumptions do I make about others based on how they look, what they do for a living, where they live?
4. What can I do in my own mind to diminish any tendency toward preconceptions about others?

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Tipul Atzmi      Love Thyself      

We strive...to care for our health, be it mental, physical, or spiritual.

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Click here to read a clergy introduction to this value.

References: 

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” (Rabbi Hillel, Pirkei Avot 1:14) 

"Ben Zoma said: Who is rich? Those who are happy with their portion." (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 32a also found in Pirkei Avot 4:1)

"Who seeks more than he needs, hinders himself from enjoying what he has. Seek what you need and give up what you need not. For in giving up what you don't need, you'll learn what you really do need." (Solomon Ibn Gabirol, an eleventh-century Spanish poet-philosopher, Mivhar Hapeninim 155,161 as found in The Jewish Moral Virtues, Borowitz and Schwartz, p.164)

"Self-Care Is Not Selfish: 7 Jewish Reminders for Caring for Yourself" by Cantor Susan Caro

Questions for Personal Reflection:

1. How does my involvement with Beth Ahabah help me take better care of myself?
2. Do I think about and set boundaries with my friends and family? My own behaviors?
3. What are some simple actions I can take to support my mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health?
4. Do I have a support system which can help me when I need help?