Category: Teaching Ethics (Summer 2010)

See the related article, Inculcating an Ethics-based Community by Robyn Faintich.

The following are excerpts taken from Ethical Wills each BJE senior was required to write in order to participate in the program siyyum.

I never imagined how studying my religion and its culture could help me gain my respect for myself and everyone else around me. I learned personally that before you can respect anyone else, you have to respect yourself. – Jaquelyn ‘03

Aretha Franklin couldn't have made it any easier to understand: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. If she were Jewish, the song would have topped the billboard charts as K-A-V-O-D. As a Jewish teenager in Southern California, I am surrounded by diversity. It is the respect I have for others and their beliefs that allows me to live so comfortably. Hopefully, the respect that you have for those who are different than you will seep through the pores of familiarity and saturate your relationships. – Adie ‘03

A stranger is a friend until proven otherwise, don’t judge someone before knowing them. – Bryan ‘04

Clearly the lessons that I've learned in TALIT I used outside the Jewish community as well. TALIT has always taught us that we need to treat people with Kavod. – Marissa ‘04

Through the 5 main values of TALIT I was able to find a safe haven and a community that I could count on to continue this cherished legacy. – Brad ‘05

Undoubtedly, the greatest moment in all of TALIT was Mifgash. …. I housed a complete stranger from the other side of the world for two weeks, and afterwards, we were incredible friends. – Marc ‘05

Jewish tradition teaches us instead to show kavod, honor, towards other people. Kavod comes from the Hebrew root kaved, which means to give weight to. It makes sense, considering we give weight, or value, to a person by respecting his or her ideas. Also, by acting thoughtfully toward one another, we honor God. – Josh ‘06

10 Years Later: Reflections from an Alumnus

Every BJE weekend would start with the camp gathering for introductions. We would be introduced to the staff, weekend itinerary, and the rules. These rules were not your usual school rules. They were based in five core Jewish ethics. … And while we learned about Talmud Torah, Klal Yisrael, the people of Israel, is what bonded us all together. At the time, I never thought that these simple rules that we lived by at camp would become the foundation of how I choose to live my life today.

Ten years after graduating from the BJE's TALIT (Teens Are Leaders In Training) program, I continue to live by those rules. I am currently living in the religious part of Los Angeles, because the feeling of Klal Yisrael is so strong here. I constantly intentionally strive to treat everyone around me with Hesed and Kavod. While in Los Angeles it might not always be safe to broadly practice Hakhnassat Orhim, I am never opposed to meeting new people, making new friends and appreciate being brought into new circles of friends and community. I also choose to attend weekly Jewish learning classes to continually enrich my life with the practice of Talmud Torah. – Amy Chapman