The Value of Helping Friends With What Matters to Them
A local Orthodox Christian Church had its annual ethnic festival this weekend past.
The Congregation's Pastor knows his Scripture and devotional literature in its original languages.
His vernacular is the language of the "old country" from which he was born, studied, was ordained; and brought here to the USA.
He does not speak English (yet).
He, his Congregational President, Board of Trustees, and others look to me for the following.
During the festival to explain to those who do not speak this language, or know this religious denomination and movement to serve as a guide in English.
To help out at tours of their Sanctuary, address questions and provide answers asked by visitors.
When people marry into this religion there are some who do not speak this language, or know the religion and culture.
They need help in understanding the doctrines, service rituals, hymns; and other matters in English and accessibly.
Like many "ethnic" Churches they have declining populations over generations as children and grand children assimilate, intermarry and move about the country where ever their studies and work take them.
This poses an existential threat to the Congregation's future.
There are others in the general community who know what this Congregation is doing.
They too can explain it clearly.
There is sometimes a trust issue.
Will people help them with what they need, as they need it, even though it is not their own?
If not, what will they do?
How will they do it?
I am one of a number of people to whom they can look to assist in a fair, constructive, positive, respectful and encouraging way so that they may pass the torch from generation to generation, so to speak.
Some call it interfaith relations.
I view it as an act of friendship.
The Book of Samuel documents how Jonathan and David set the standard for how to be friends while being loyal to your own family (Jonathan to his father Saul).
Friendship and support worked then.
It works now.
The more positive the interactions between people and groups the more constructive the relationships between them.
Do you have examples of how you and others interacted as friends in ways that helped each other, and brought closer each others families and/or groups?
Does your heritage, culture, way of life be it religious, spiritual and/or humanitarian have any thing to say on-point here?
Have you any original thoughts which advance such acts of friendship?
Please share.
We can all learn from one another.
We are all able to teach each other.
When we do both with an open mind, and in the spirit of friendship everyone wins.
Please follow the site CoC, TOS; and the Four B's.
Be Respectful.
Be On-Point.
Be Positive.
Or Be Gone!
We look forward to your words of wisdom and inspiration for the greater good.
Peace and Abundant Blessings to One and All.
Enoch.
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What does your tradition say about how to be a supportive friend?
We all will come across this in life.
Let all well represent the best in their religion, spirituality and/or humanitarian approach to best living life among all others.
Share the wisdom of what you and yours do.
Provide us please with your original thoughts on the topic.
Kindly follow the site CoC, TOS; and the Four B's.
Be On-Point.
Be Positive.
Be Respectful.
Or Be Gone!
This is a community.
Let's find ways to be closer and more helpful.
Its the best way to go for all fellow News Talkers.
Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.
Enoch.
Probably the most applicable example in our family is our support of Irina's (for short Ira - eee ra - the blonde in my avatar) mom who was daignosed with breast cancer a few years ago.
We all pitch in. We got her an a/c unit which also helps with heat in the winter, in a place where gas for heating is not turned on until December and turned off in early March. Her brother Oleksandr helps pay the added utility bill for that.
Up until recently Julia and I paid for their internet until it became obvious Ira just could not spend time on the internet between working and caring for mom. We still help if utilities become too much for Oleksandr. A little splurge here and there is always a pick me up.
This is one of the good things when Ira has to return home to satisfy the political nonsense. She can spend time with mom (Olga) and give personal health care.
We are planning for the time when Ira moves here permanently so mom can continue to be supported.
Dear Friend Dave: The closeness and support of your family for Irina is exemplary.
Good on you all.
You are our role model.
Many thanks for sharing.
P&AB.
Enoch.
Good story to start my day. I second what Enoch said.
Dear Brother Vic: Many thanks for the kind words and virtuous thoughts.
"E Pluribus Unum".
Bedrock American value.
P&AB.
Enoch.
Dear Brother Enoch: My thoughts are less virtuous when gazing at Brother Dave's avatar. He might consider a change. I shouldn't be taking cold showers at my age!
"Baruch Ata Adoni".
Vic.
Dear Brother Vic: In my youth I was in a class with our family Rabbi (of Sacred Memory).
We were studying a unit on table blessings.
One of which was the blessing while washing the hands prior to a meal for ritual purification.
The relevant part of it, in Hebrew is "Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha Olam, Al Netilat Yadayim".
"Blessed are You, our G-d and King of the Universe, who has ordained us to wash our hands".
One of the students who was still cutting his teeth on Hebrew mispronounced the word for hands "Yadayim". Instead he said "Shadayim" (Breasts).
In other words, the errant student said that G-d should be blessed for breasts.
Just as he said that the Rosh Yeshivah (Seminary Head Master) was walking the halls and heard it.
Softly, he chanted, "Amen, Selah". (So be it forever and ever).
It was one of the few times I saw both of the Rabbi's smile, and the students laugh.
P&AB.
Enoch.
Dear Brother Enoch: I'm with that Hebrew student!
P&AB
Vic
LOL.
#Me Too.
Enoch.
Dear Brother and Mentor Enoch,
Among most, if not all, Native American Tribes, Harmony among the members of the Tribe was essential to the survival of the Tribe as a whole. Each member of the Tribe depends on the others to maintain the stability of the Tribe, thus, Harmony among the member was a must.
The members viewed themselves to be as One, Brothers and Sisters, and the children more or less were the children of the whole Tribe who helped look after them and teach them.
If a man was ill or injured and could not hunt or fish to provide for his family, other men of the Tribe helped to provide for them until he recovered. If a woman was ill or injured and could not perform her duties as wife and member of the Tribe, other women looked after her and her family until she recovered.
The young looked after the elderly when they could no longer perform their work, and the elders taught the children the rules, laws, ethics, passed on the history, customs, culture, traditions and Spiritual beliefs of the Tribe.
Much of this is still true today among most of the Tribes. Even those who no longer live in the Reservations still adhere to their Tribe's values of Harmony.
I myself have been the caretaker of my Family, both old and young. Now, only I and my Granddaughter remain of my immediate Family. And when my time comes to walk on, I will go knowing that I have lived up to the values of my Cherokee heritage, and will leave it to my Granddaughter to carry them on in her own life.
Dear Sister and Treasured Chaplaincy Corner Room Partner Raven Wing: As ever, what is in Native American Culture is in Jewish Culture; and many others.
The concept of community, mutual support in and outside of the community is correctly perceived as necessary for the survival and thriving of each and all communities.
We are all in this life together.
Superior contribution Raven Wing.
We can only learn, be inspired by and motivated to do better than we do who ever we are and where ever we belong.
We are most deeply indebted.
Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.
Rest assured all you stand for will be carried on.
By surviving family, friends; contributors and visitors to Chaplains Corner and News Talkers.
Enoch.
Dear Brother Enoch,
The Jewish and Cherokee have been as one people in many ways throughout the many centuries. It is through the sharing of our cultures, customs, traditions and Spiritual beliefs that we can find mutual understanding and acceptance.
We are all one people in the eyes of the Creator, regardless of skin color, beliefs or where we come from. When we help another in need, we also help ourselves.
P&AB
Raven ~
Dear Sister Raven Wing: Wisdom of the ages in your seminar commentary.
The concept of people hood, community is found in terms in Hebrew like, Am Yisrael, Kehilat Yisrael, Am Nachlah, Am Segulah etc.
Organizations to care for the elderly, the infirm, the poor, widows, widowers, orphans are to name but a few (Kupat Cholim, Bikur Cholim, Kupat Gemilat Chassadim, Kupat Mikvah, Kupat Chinooch; {veh gomer}).
Education, to forge the next link in he golden chain of tradition are bedrock in the Jewish community. (Meh Choyil leh Choyil).
The closer one looks at the Cherokee and Jewish communities, the more it is clear we are all related.
In this our two peoples are not alone.
Here is to what unites and strengthens us.
Now and going forward.
P&AB.
E.
Dear Brother Enoch,
Your words speak volumes. In this world today, where 'community' seems to have less and less meaning, and so much divisiveness and mistrust abounds among the people of all walks, it is ever more important that Harmony and mutual understanding should prevail.
P&AB
Amen Sister!
E.
As for me, I seem to be "in-between" helps and associations right about now. I can best describe myself as in a transitional guarded state of mind. Helping and supporting aging family members (another passed away after a long illness - this one was close to me too.) Just processing and in suspension.
I definitely can understand folks aging out and passing away now . . . . Because my people are so long lived, and my faith so strong, I can hold up well. Then again, >it's about me,< and I feel weird to be so accepting of death.
Dear Brother CB: It is by no means weird to be accepting of death.
It is the natural culmination of this level of life.
Your being there for those close to you in their time of need with your pastoral skills is most praiseworthy.
The good work you do for them means more than you can imagine.
Well done brother.
I am most proud of you.
Most proud.
Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.
Enoch.
"Pastoral skills." I am humbled by that one. It is something that Jesus said in the New Testament which positively lights up my consciousness when I think about such matters as death:
I can not simply un-know this 'colored' statement. All to whom God shall say, "Be," can do nothing other!
Peace, Enoch.
Shalom U'vracha CB.
E.
We have a very unique old congregation here. It's the Brookville Church, which goes back to the original Dutch settlers here. What makes this congregation unique, is that they have opened up their church to serve:
The New Synagogue of Long Island
They serve smaller congregations that are not that large, but also want to help each other with support. Truly the meaning of helping one another.
The true meaning of community Harmony and Unity.
We are all one people.
Dear Friend Perrie: Good move.
Good people.
Good Congregation.
Good all around.
P&AB.
Enoch.
Within the Ojibwe culture the people are interdependent upon each other for the community to survive.
The caring of children is an area that the white society does not understand and has lead to severe confrontations between cultures.
It is not unusual for an Ojibwe family to have extended family (all Ojibwe are considered related) to care for their children when needed. This is nothing unusual or in conflict with our culture. It has been and still is a area of great misunderstanding between cultures.
I have many Aunties and Uncles that have cared for me over my life time. It helps the parents and helps socialize the kids to become part of the larger tribe.
Gakina Awiiya (we are all related)
And that is the best outlook to have, if only we all thought as such.
Dear Friend Luther: So true.
We are all members of the same family.
We are all in this life together.
The sooner we act as such, and no sibling competition either, the better for us all.
P&AB.
Enoch.
Dear Brother Kavika: The Ojibwe culture makes a good point in its practice.
Not all White Society is the same.
In our heritage we function in much the same way as yours.
That said, the sun never sets on the Jewish People.
Go to Israel and observe that every racial and ethnic group on the planet is represented in the Jewish community.
In that sense, we are by no means exclusively or even by majority a white society.
Here in the USA there is great diversity among Jewish People.
Mrs. E. some years back when I was overseas in service to country took in the children of a family who survived a major automotive accident.
Both parents lost their lives some brothers and sisters also died.
Until the children's extended family could be identified, found and arrangements made to raise the children as their own they stayed with Mrs. E. and our young ones.
While that is very characteristic of how Mrs. E. works, it is also very mainstream in our heritage.
"Alles fur der Kinder" Yiddish for, "Everything for the children".
Great post brother.
P&AB.
Enoch.
That is true. Perhaps I should have explained the situation in greater depth. This is probably not the article to do so.
Thanks niijii.
Dear Brother Kavika: Maybe a joint article on the topic?
Been a while since we co-authored anything.
Maybe an article co-authored by you, Raven Wing and me?
That would be a first.
I don't recall a three author joint monograph.
I do remember us setting precedents together for years.
One more for the road?
P&AB.
E.
Yes, absolutely.
Will be in touch by site or private email after July 4th.
As always, will be in VA hospitals on July 4th with those who put it all on the line, and will never be out of the VA hospital facilities or system.
They put us first.
As a distinguished veteran this you know from direct personal experience.
I will not do less than return the favor.
Enoch.
I'm in!
Dear Brother Enoch,
They more than deserve the recognition and special attention. Thank you for caring and being there for them.
Dear Sister Raven Wing: DEAL!
You are most welcome.
Particularly you.
P&AB.
Enoch.
Dear Sister Raven Wing:
"Tikun Olam".
Hebrew for "Repair the World".
Talmudic Concept.
The world improves (is made whole) one good act at a time.
P&AB.
Enoch.