Learn to balance work and life, and take satisfaction in that Shabbat day of rest

By Debra Israel
unitedhebrewth Leave a comment

Every week at Shabbat services, we read that God finished all of the work of creation in six days and took a day of rest.

We also take a day of rest, for this reason, on the seventh day.

This spring, I started thinking more about the idea that we need to “finish our work” in order to take our day of rest.

In our busy world, with many demands on our time and indeed many things we each want to accomplish — for work, family, friends, creativity or social justice — it is difficult to imagine feeling as if our “work” is ever finished.

Read More

Dr. Renate Justin surmounts tragedy to share her story In ‘What I Have To Tell: A Memoir’

By Scott Skillman
unitedhebrewth 4 Comments

From time to time, the Temple receives unsolicited books for review, consideration or for no reason at all. One such book, What I Have to Tell: A Memoir by Renate G. Justin, M.D. (Crystal Publishing, Fort Collins, CO, 2019), caught my eye, as it was credited to a former member of the Terre Haute Jewish community.

In 163 pages, we are informed of a world of pain and how one person chose to rise above it. Our narrator makes clear a person can rise above her circumstances, but that does not necessarily mean she can escape them.

Read More

Dr. Renate Justin met antisemitism with compassion, commitment to ease others’ pain

By Ken Turetzky
unitedhebrewth 2 Comments

Following an early life of hardship, on the run from Nazis and then facing antisemitism in her adopted home of the United States, Dr. Renate Gabriele Lieberg Justin determined that she would heretofore treat others only with respect and compassion.

While Justin eventually rejected religious faith as insufficient to relieve the burden of tragic experience, she embodied Hillel’s Golden Rule: That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.

Justin wrote, “It is the pain I have experienced because of antisemitism that makes me wary of prejudging other people’s belief, of being intolerant, and thereby inflicting pain.”

Throughout her long career as a family medical practitioner and essayist — including a period from 1959-87 in Terre Haute — Justin observed, considered and wrote thoughtfully about her childhood, her family, her patients and life passages that ranged from gentle to nearly unbearable.

Read More

The People of the Book can always benefit from a good group study session

By Betsy Frank
unitedhebrewth Leave a comment

Jews are known as the People of the Book.

We have a long tradition of studying our sacred texts. We engage with these texts alone and in groups.

Not only do Jews study these sacred texts as part of life-long religious education, but this tradition of studying has led many Jews to careers as academics and professionals.

Our parents have encouraged us and we have fostered learning in our children and grandchildren.

Read More