When we moved to Israel my kids all became involved in Bnei Akiva. Our first Shabbat the kids went to the group activities and I joke I never saw them again. This Shabbat Caila is part of Bnei Akiva's 'Shabbat Irgun' - a festive end of the organization's annual educational activities. It takes place at the end of 'Chodesh Irgun'.
It takes place when we learn in the Torah portion about Jacobs challenges. There are a weeks when we learn about his challenges everything is full of unparalleled 'complications'. Nothing runs smoothly: the birth, the birthright, the blessings and all his dealings with Eisav, with Rachel, with Leah, with Laban, with Dina, with Yosef etc!
We know the Torah is a blue print for our lives and that challenges and complexity are part of our reality.
I am so glad that my kids are part of an ideological organization which had a complete worldview, and that life comes with complexities, tensions and challenges. It has a combination of sacred and secular combined with giving and building!
Originally Published November 12, 2021: Parshat Vayetseh
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