Congregation B'nai Israel Vallejo
  • Welcome
  • The CBI Community
    • President's Message
    • Publicity
    • Birthdays
    • Youth Education Program >
      • Our Teachers
    • Membership
    • Donate on-line >
      • Donate with Check >
        • Gift Planning
        • Fund a Need New Refrigerator 2017
        • New Prayer Books - Book Plates
        • Sponsor a Seat
        • In Honor and Fond Memory of Beryl Cohen Flooring Campaign 2017
    • Bulletin
  • Rabbi's Blog
    • How to be of help and strength in the aftermath of the wildfires
  • Calendar
    • Laptops wanted
    • Finding Myself in Torah ongoing
    • Stop the Bleed training, December 10th
  • History
    • Tree of Life Leaf
    • Yahrzeit
    • Memorial Page
  • Photos
  • Advertise
  • Links
  • Contact Us
    • Building and Grounds

Judaism's Wisdom for Engaging the Holiday Season.

12/1/2007

 

With Chanukah coming so early this year, the so-called holiday season seems to fill the month of December for Jews as well as the rest of American society and culture.  It is supposed to be a time of happiness and good cheer, yet, when you go deeper than the advertising, for many, if not most, it is a time of stress and mixed feelings. 

What makes Jewish wisdom so useful is that it is a blend of commitment to idealism and practical application.  Stories of ancestors in the Torah, as in the story of Joseph and his brothers at Chanukah time, demonstrate that dysfunctional families and relationships are not confined to isolated cases.  Over the years, I have learned that the opposite seems to be the case: few families can claim that there is peace, love and harmony prevailing in all branches of the family tree.  And, who among us has not suffered loss that is not particularly felt during holiday time? 

Just as we break a glass to conclude every Jewish wedding, so we are reminded that life's richness is not just measured in the times of unbridled joy, but also in how we help each other in coping with and responding to difficult and sad times. 

You have to come to grips with the truth that there isn't something wrong with you, if you aren't fully involved in feelings of joy and cheer at this time of year.  Ironically, the reverse may be true: those who would see themselves as poster children for the joy associated with the holiday season may be avoiding deeper awareness and feeling of what is going on inside themselves. 

The continuation of this message is a piece I sent out to the WineSpirit Email list.  I share it with you as a reflection of Jewish values applied in secular contexts, and with it, I wish you a healthy holiday season, and that you find your contentment and joy in the people with whom you share values of kindness and caring.

A Holiday Sip of WineSpirit (www.winespirit.org)

How Do You Handle the Ups and Downs of Holiday Cheer?

Everyone knows holiday time can be one of mixed emotions.  For anyone who has suffered a loss, the joy of this time of year can be mitigated by sadness that someone is missing from the festivities. The emotional range is different for each person.  

Some feel the pressure to do the holiday "right/rite" with parties and gifts, and to be of good cheer, regardless of how they are feeling, amidst the crush of crowds everywhere. The challenge is to make sure the happiness and joy of the season prevail over the stress and tension that are part of it, as well.  Adding to the stress is an assumption that it is wrong to feel down during a time of designated joy.

A Lesson from the Vineyard suggests otherwise. While the California Dairy Industry advertises that California produces great cheese from "happy cows", many grape growers will tell you that great wine does not tend to come from "happy grapes".  Grapes that are "stressed", having less irrigation, or growing in rocky soil, on a hillside, yield more complex fruit resulting in better wine. 

And, is that not often the case for people?  As much as they yearn for quieter and more relaxing moments in their lives, they are not usually times of greatest growth, (although such moments are ripe for "AH HAs").  You learn more about yourself, and your capacities, when you see what you can do, or how you function, under pressure.

Of course, just as "stressed" grapes are handled with great care, as they are rendered into fine wine, so do people benefit in supporting one another, in times of stress.  

Whatever pressures or anxieties you are under, at a designated time of giving, and sharing, and joy, you can lighten the load, by remembering you are not alone in your feelings and emotions.  Whatever pushing and shoving you are caught up with in the cause of trying to do the holiday right, we are in "this" together.   

You just have to remember to hold onto the best of intentions, in helping to make it a season of goodness and blessing.

What comes to mind of personal growth and success generated during a period of stress?

What factors are involved in your experiencing "ups" and "downs" at holiday time?

How could remembering growth's "partnership" with stress be of help when you are feeling stressed?  
 

    Reflections
    by Rabbi
    David White

    Ideas, suggestions, and other feedback is most welcome.

    Archives

    September 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    December 2007
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    July 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007
    April 2007
    March 2007
    February 2007
    January 2007

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.