Prayer is a Call to Action, Pt 1

Some go for the ‘MIDNIGHT MADNESS” Holiday Sale Nov 24.
“All told, a record 247 million shoppers visited stores and websites over the four-day weekend starting on Thanksgiving, up 9.2 percent of last year,”

My Dear Ones Out There, November 26, 2012

Some ‘shop till they…”. Others get their ‘Highs’ volunteering to help SANDY’s worst hit victims. And do so Before, during, and After the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Monday, November 5, 2012, 9 PM – Latest News

“We continue to hope that you are all safe and well in the wake and aftermath of the storm. We are humbled by the outpouring of support the members of our community have shown in the past few days during these relief efforts. In addition to our own lunch program and shelter, through the power of community we mobilized relief efforts in response to requests for assistance. In just seven days, BJ members and friends mobilized to donate and deliver, in more than thirty (30) carloads, dozens of gallons of water, 650 meals and snacks, hundreds of pounds of food, countless flashlights and batteries, and warm blankets and clothing to residents on the Lower East Side, East Village and the Rockaways.

The grateful recipients were residents of two Lower East Side apartment complexes (Weinberg Apartments and Podell House) and the Sirovich Senior Center. These programs are run by Educational Alliance, a Jewish social service agency on the Lower East Side and East Village which serves 50,000 people a year.

And, on Sunday we received word that both Temple Beth El in Rockaway Park and West End Temple in Neponsit had suffered terrible damage. Our volunteers were at the ready, mobilizing immediately to deliver supplies and begin the arduous task of assessing damage to sanctuaries, torot, siddurim and books, as well as providing support to the rabbis of these two communities. Our volunteers went door to door visiting members of these congregations to assess their needs. This effort continued through today and, one week later, we see that the immediate needs are still great, but they are quickly changing.”

Quoted from Congregation B’nai Jeshurun* SOCIAL JUSTICE Page, which became an on-going Call For Action to help Hurricane SANDY victims in the poorest, least served areas of NYC.

* * *

COEXISTENCE —
We are All One Family

First Prinicple: Readiness to Act Despite Obstacles

I hope most of you have experienced a return of services and a repair of most damages caused by SANDY.

But in the hardest hit areas, like Red Hook, Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, Queens, the Lower East Side, Manhattan, And areas on Long Island peoples are still stuck, as if in a time warp.
And the big organizations whose job it is to help these communities are continuing to show delays, ineffectiveness and mind boggling ineptitude in helping those who most need help.

Notice the date of the quotation which Leads this post.
By November 5, days after SANDY ravaged New York City, people whose job is not to provide disaster relief were busy for days on end providing emergency aid to the weakest, least Headline worthy communities in NYC. The belong to B’nai Jeshuru, an Upper West Side Congregation.
Much further from The Rockaways or Red Hook than City Hall is.
But they mobilized quickly – despite such ‘minor’ difficulties as the NON-FUNCTIONING TELEPHONES in the BJ offices.

Monday, November 5, 2012, 9 PM – Latest News
Helping the BJ Community

Although power has been restored and life returns to normal for many of us, we encourage you to continually check in on BJ members and their families, particularly the more vulnerable, to offer support.The BJ office phone system remains out of service so please call 646-262-7421 for emergencies, or send an email.”

As I blogged on November 10th, Zachary Stieber – in a front-page article headline “Staten Islanders who Lost Homes Boosted by Volunteers” – was calling attention to the crucial role of volunteers in helping residents who were left ‘high and dry’ by the big emergency relief organizations. In the village Voice, Nick Pinto raised the alarm even earlier, in an October 31 post titled “‘The Disaster District’ – Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder’s Devastation Neighborhoods.” But the members of such civic and religious groups and organizations were – and still, I am sorry to say, ARE – only people who seem to have heard; and who responded by fashioning creative solutions to the seemingly insoluble challenges.

Once more, I need to stop the writing of this Post for a bit.

i want to leave you , My Dear Ones Out There, with the question :
How come it is the simple folk of organizations like B’nai Jeshurun who heed the call of the most disadvantaged – and the hardest hit – neighborhoods, and to care for their suffering and plight?

NOVEMBER 23 2012
The South Street Seaport

November 29
My Dear ones, I have had an immense illumination in the past three days. But when I began to write it, it unfolded in long segments.
I have to once more change course:
Rather than make this Post –

Prayer is a Call to Action, Pt 1

far too long, I am chopping it right at this point.

I will take up the elaboration of the parallels between the Imaginary CHELM and New York City following Hurricane SANDY in the next post:

Prayer is a Call to Action, Pt 2

I leave you, however, on a Colorful note.

Gee’s Bend
Patchwork Quilt
Reminder Beauty is
Also
Women-Made

As my Native American Medicine Path teachers loved to conclude both prayers and ceremonies:

It Is Finished in Beauty! It Is Finished in Beauty !

RELATED lINKS

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For now, I send all of you the blessings I learned from my diverse teachers, guides and mentors as I progressed on my ‘Spiritual Trek’

As well as a greeting/blessing from the Muslim praying community:

Assalaamu Alaykum = Peace be with You (Muslim )

Walk in Beauty! (Native American Shamans)

Namaste! (Buddhist Devotees)

God Bless You ( Christian Masters)

Baruch Hashem ! (Jewish Rabbis)

May the Journey by Fruitful,
and
May the Return be Joyful (my own )

Finally, here is the Tri -Partite Biblical Blessing of the Cohens (Priests)

May the LORD (YHWH) bless you and guard you –

יְבָרֶכְךָ יהוה, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ
(“Yivorekhekhaw Adonai v’yishm’rekhaw …)

May the LORD make His face shed light upon you and be gracious unto you –

יָאֵר יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ
(“Yo’ayr Adonai pawnawv aylekhaw vikhoonekhaw …)

May the LORD lift up His face unto you and give you peace –

יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם
(“Yisaw Adonai pawnav aylekhaw v’yasaym l’khaw shalom.”)

AMEN!

C2012 Dinnah G. Pladott All Rights Preserved

FOR Educational Purposes Only