TELL May - July 2012 - Emanuel Synagogue

Rabbi Ninio cont.
He had to give up his career and life as he once knew it,
to care for his children. The burden was incredibly heavy.
Some days he wondered how he could continue. But,
after the first weeks without his wife, spending his time
drowning in grief and despair, he somehow decided he
needed to move forward. Although there were so many
challenges he faced, so many obstacles, he reminded
himself of the blessing of his children, the souls within
them and the beauty that they brought to his life. He
was one of the most inspirational, positive people I have
ever seen.
Oprah asked him how he was able to be that way, how he
was able to be so positive and continue day after day to
cope with his situation. He answered that at first it was
difficult, he struggled to find the light, but then he began
writing a journal. He had a book for each child and at the
end of every day he wrote down something about them
which was special, some moment during the day when
he felt blessed, something positive and good. He said
that it helped to redirect his energy and his thoughts, he
went to bed every evening with gratitude in his heart,
surrounded by his blessings rather than his troubles. He
discovered on his own what the research into gratitude
has shown, what Judaism has always taught, the power
of offering thanks, of pausing in the hectic lives we lead
to focus on the good, and to see the positive.
Whether that is the more obviously special moments;
a lifecycle celebration, an achievement, an award, or
the more everyday; the sunshine on our faces, the
beauty of nature, a roof over our heads, food to eat,
we all have something for which we can be grateful, I
encourage everyone to join the gratitude movement
we call Judaism, take a few moments every day to offer
thanks and acknowledge the blessings around us, write a
thankful journal, say a prayer, just stop, think and be and
maybe then we can all see that “dayenu” what we have
is more than enough.
Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio
6
Applications now open–Opportunity Class Year 5, 2013
The Opportunity Class (OC) provides a range of stimulating challenges
across all key learning areas to engage academically gifted students.
While students generally learn the same content as the rest of
the grade, the curriculum is compacted for OC students as they
are able to work at a faster pace. This provides gifted students with
greater opportunities to explore a wider range of issues more deeply,
encouraging higher order, analytical thinking as well as creativity.
Information night: 24 May 2012 Applications close: 4 June 2012
For further information please contact the Registrar on 8383 7333
or registrar@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au
A member of the JCA Family of Organisations
Personalised Tallitot
www.emanuel.org.au
What does a tallit made for Bat Mitzvah look like? Today
this seems like an odd question to ask, but seven years
ago when I wanted to make my own tallit for my ‘adult
Bat Mitzvah’ there were less than a handful of women
wearing them in my congregation.
As my special day came closer I began searching for my
tallit. I went to the local Judaica store. I looked online.
Nothing I saw felt right, mostly it all looked too masculine
– heavy bold
patterns and
materials. I began
to understand that I
needed something
that would help me
enter a prayerful
state - a tallit that
could reflect my
spiritual yearnings
and be feminine.
Realising that
I needed both
spiritual and
practical guidance
I asked my Rabbi
Jacqueline Ninio,
her answer was
simple, ‘You’re an
artist, make your
own!’
‘Fine,’ I said,
‘so what makes a
tallit kosher?’ What
I learnt is that we
have tallit (Yiddish,
tallis) to be able to
fulfil the biblical
commandment of
wearing fringes
which is one way
of remembering HaShem’s commandments or mitzvoth
(see Numbers 15, 38-9). The intention is to see the
fringes and be reminded of the divine in our lives. A
kosher tallit must be:
• a rectangular garment that you can wrap yourself
in;
• made from any fabric as long as you don’t mix wool
and linen - a commandment called ‘Sha’atnez’;
• made with four corners of 90 degrees, and a collar
called an Atarah (crown); and
• Tzitzit (fringes) in the corners that are tied in a
specific symbolic pattern depending on whether
you are Ashkenazi or Sephardi.
Since 2004, I have gone on to design and paint silk