We of the Storm

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Hurricane Sandy passed directly over Baltimore's Jewish community where we live.

Part of me wants to write about that.

About the remarkable chesed in the community. The Chesed Fund who gave away flashlights and batteries. The Hatzala group of volunteer EMTs who carry walkie-talkies 24/7. Chaverim dispatch, who rush to anyone in need of roadside assistance, 24/6. Shomrim and NWCP — two all-volunteer citizen patrols who work in association with the police. The Jewish Caring Network providing meals to dozens of families. Bikur Cholim helping the hospitalized.

Part of me.

Part of me wants to write a sympathy blog about the sufferings, the phenomenal scale of New York's calamity. We in Baltimore know what it's like to lose power for a week - it's a true hardship - remember last summer's derecho? But that's nothing compared to losing everything in a flood.

 Part of me.

Part of me really wants to write about the awesomeness of the Frankenstorm, about the concept of making a bracha to capture that awesomeness and frame it in one's mind.

Part of me.

But then part of me wants to wonder why we allow our media to entertain us with storm stories while ignoring the 16,000 children who die every day from starvation and malnutrition (mostly in Africa). That's one kid every five seconds.

Question for your table: Do you have parts too? Which part is the real you? Which part do you want to be the real you? And what are you going to do about it?


Shabbat Shalom

Part of Me

Part of me.

Do we have parts?

Part of me really wants to write about the Costa Concordia. I want to compare it to the Titanic. I want to talk about the way everyone rushed to judge Captain Schettino for reckless driving and abandoning ship among other things, and now we are reading reports that his driving may not have been as reckless as everyone assumes and he may not have intentionally abandoned ship.

And you have to wonder if the lighthouse was in service.

Lots of great fodder there, on fate, hubris, judgement, yada yada.

But then part of me wants to wonder why we care more about this tragedy in Italy than the 100,000 avoidable deaths in Somalia last year. Deaths by starvation. Or the 16,000 children who die worldwide (mostly in Africa) every day from starvation and malnutrition. That's one kid every five seconds.

Do you have parts too?

Last week's blog about the snowstorm brought two diametrically opposed reactions.

One reader said, "Thank you for making my day! I forwarded it to everyone!"

Another reader wrote, "I think this notion of 'nothing happens by chance' is the worst kind of magical thinking."

(Incidentally, the latter reader is now digging out of the a "freak" snowstorm - the worst in a decade - in Washington State. Of course it's just a coincidence.)

Question for your table: Do you have parts too? Which part is the real you? Which part do you want to be the real you? And what do you do about it?


Shabbat Shalom

PS - thanks to Krosbie Arnold for the inspiration