Jewish Ethics
A number of questions have been asked about how Jewish communities
and organizations should react to disaster and, in particular, the Tsunami
emergency and long-term relief requirements.
For example:
It is clearly evident from the response across the board by Jewish
organizations that immediate and long-term relief operations are accepted
as a priority in a disaster: to save lives, to provide medical assistance,
food, supplies, counseling and other services for the living, identify
the dead, rebuild infrastructure and community life. Both denominational
or sectorial and non-denominational Jewish organizations have contributed
and continue to campaign and offer assistance.
They show the face of compassionate and pragmatic Judaism in a world
where life can be highly unpredictable and where the responsibility
for survival assistance falls upon human beings. However, the understanding
and emphases do vary.
By using the links provided [#13] Jewish educators can offer a range
of approaches, or highlight those that are most appropriate to the setting
and need.
Links
Virtual Bet Midrash
http://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/sichot65/14-65RAL-tsunami.htm
Blech - Man-made disasters and G-d, response to Kushner, Orthodox:
http://www.sdjewishjournal.com/stories/nov03_4.html
Blech excerpt - Moses, Talmud, Orthodox: http://www.aish.com/spirituality/philosophy/When_Bad_Things_Happen.asp
On Karlinsky, Blech, Hartmann - and Job, Orthodox: http://www.torah.org/learning/issues/badgood.html
General principles, 8 ground rules, Orthodox: http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_murder.htm
http://www.aish.com/tishabav/tishabavdefault/Why_Do_Bad_Things_Happen_to_Good_People$.asp
Tsunami and the difference between Judaism and Buddhist Karma interpretation:
http://www.aish.com/societyWork/society/Reacting_to_the_Tsunami.asp
http://www.torah.org/features/secondlook/tsunami.html
Kushner's famous book, Why Bad Things Happen to Good People:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0380603926/104-4446344-5477525?v=glance
Reform sermon based on Kushner's book; the 23rd Psalm has the answers:
http://www.templeemanuelstl.com/Articles/RJ%20-%20Kol%20Nidrei%20Sermon%202001.htm
"Teach a man how to fish", "Help victims", Psalm
23...
http://www.jewishreview.org/tsunami_aid.htm
Confronting the tragedy and the challenge to faith while remembering
to take compassionate action:
http://www.chicagojewishnews.com/aaron.jsp
Despite our understanding of Unetane Tokef and the unpredictability
of life, we should be like Moses, taking action with empathy and responsibility:
http://www.chicagojewishnews.com/cover.jsp#191126
Jewish and Buddhist response to disaster, Moses and G-d, G-d is not
in the disaster but in the response, Baal Shem Tov:
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/158/story_15866_1.html
3 speakers on this issue, Reform, Conservative, Orthodox http://bnaibrith.org/lbureau/priority_speaker.cfm?priority=5
Noah and Disaster Planning: The Cultural Significance of the Flood:
Bible, Christianity, political history, disaster planning in the US
and elsewhere (3 models):
http://www.udel.edu/DRC/preliminary/265.pdf
Jewish Education Resources
Areyvut
Goals, Process for Tikkun Olam, Chesed and Tzedakah. http://www.areyvut.org/Resource/mitzvah4b.asp
BJE Toronto
Tsunami Teaching Resources http://bje.nisgroup.com/link.tsunami.html
Jewish sources - parallel Hebrew and English pages
http://bje.nisgroup.com/PDF%20Files/tsunami.englishsources.pdf
http://bje.nisgroup.com/PDF%20Files/tsunami.hebrewsources.pdf
JWIT (University of Chicago, Web Institute for Teachers - Rabbi Naphtali
Hoff)
Webquest-Simulation game and resources http://jwit.webinstituteforteachers.org/~naphhoff/tsunamiwebquest/
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