MACCABEE ME

MACCABEE ME

 by Joy Krauthammer

December 6, 2010

I write this “Maccabee Me” in response to another’s writing addressed to one of my spiritual groups about her “anger” in seeing New York’s Christmas decorations, a holiday she does not celebrate, and neither do I. I do hope the writer made it to the biggest toy store on 5th Ave; I always enjoyed their December holiday display.  I admit that I enjoy decorations, and many of the songs written by Jewish composers and that I’ve heard since I was a child. Unlike the writer, I don’t have “anger”, but instead I try to “fix the world” with Tikkun Olam. I use what I think of as justice and equality, courage, creativity and Light

In response to the writer, whom on a geographic level I can relate to because I am a 'former' New Yorker, I share my most recent (yesterday's) creative art project that I made on Chanukah's 4th day; HAPPY CHANUKAH Picasa photo mosaic. First time for me using Picasa and my very first photo collage, so I am thrilled. View in December's Joyous Chai Lights.

 © Joy Krauthammer

In comparison to the writer’s attitude, I do not 'hate' the experience of another’s holiday, but I try to create, and share the joy and Light of my own, and also shine it "below the brilliance", knowing it flows from the Divine Ohr / Light.  I love it that a friend calls me, “Shamashie, her guiding light.

To celebrate my being a 'Ms. Maccabee' at this time, Here / Po (recognizing our nissim / miracles) there is much I do, traditionally and not. I'll share a little of my conscious actions, so you, too, may be inspired and encouraged to be a Maccabee and a Shamash.

As I do 'good' in our world, proudly I visibly wear on the outside, my Magen Dovid / Star of David. I also live in America and not in a country where I would be a target for Anti-Semitism.

I brought packages of netted chocolate Chanukah gelt / coins to all the dozens of Apple trainers in the local Apple computer store because for a dozen weeks, they have been weekly teaching me how to use an iMac, which has been a great challenge for me-- as I am no longer on a PC. (My daughter warned, "Don't do it, Ma, big learning curve!" My only computer had been my husband's, z'l, little laptop that I inherited five years ago.)

I wished the trainers, "Happy Chanukah", to each of them. Trainers of different races, cultures hugged me because NO ONE had ever wished them "Happy Chanukah". A first. I shared the Shehecheyanu / prayer for ‘first times’ with them. (I'm moved while writing this.) I also brought them other goodies before Thanksgiving. They know I'm Jewish, and I show them GRATITUDE. (I have a feeling that NO other client/trainee brings goodies to the Apple store. (I purchased lessons when I bought the iMac.) My sister entered the store thinking she’d find me in a session, and the Apple person on duty exclaimed, “Ah, Jewish Joy who brings us presents.” This Christian Black employee calls me “mishpocha / family”. I am aware of my presence as a Jew in community.

My beloved dear 87 year old friend, Edith, tells me that she "never had a Jewish friend before". She won't go out at night and in the cold with me, so I brought back to her, Chanukah party latkes, sufaniyot and a purple dreidle (fried potato pancakes, jelly donuts, and a spin top) and showed her how to use the top. I told her about miracles, sham and po / there and here. Yes, I have emunah and bitachon / faith and trust in G*d’s miracles and I have witnessed them as they reveal themselves to me. For Edith’s holiday I give her poinsettia themed gifts.

(Believe me, I don't 'get it' that my non-Jewish neighbors for decades, continue to only send me Xmas cards. I'm glad they do think of me, but it's not my holiday, and I tell them that I do appreciate the twinkling lights, and I send cards and gifts appropriate to them. They know I am Jewish. 


I am always touched when my NY, southern Black, older and former medical social worker colleague, Mrs, Meyers, takes the time each year to send to me colorful Pesach and Chanukah cards. To her I am "Miss Melton" or rather "Melton". Was not being easy being a young Jewish social worker in the mostly Black environment where I had worked-- Brooklyn's 'Harlem', Bedford Stuyvesant.

In addition to caring for the female, medical In-Patients at the hospital where I worked, I was a State and City licensed Home Care social worker. I was once brought up on official 'charges' and accused of giving special attention to the one "Jewish patient" I had out of my case load of 100 Home Care patients at all times. Yes, I needed lawyers for that one! Yes, I discharged my single Jewish female patient to a Jewish nursing home further away by "the beach" because that is where there were Jews.

OY, I got in big trouble again also because I advised a White patient "to call hospital Patient Rights" committee because her rights were being ignored when she needed an accessible van to get her to her hospital clinic appointment. OOPS, looks like I have a trend here. (The Black nurses in that Out-Patient Department. threatened my life, I was advised. Whew). OK, I learned that one can not be a 'whistle blower' where one works! So why have a Patient Rights Dep't.?  

Believe me, while caregiving my own husband, z'l, when I officially complained to the medical 'Ombudsmen' about lousy care my husband had experienced locally, they did NOT help me either. (With a lot of time, energy and writing, I did get one nursing facility charged with a dozen counts of wrong doing, and I paid the consequences / retribution for complaining.)


I made changes in the ways practical protocals were done at my local hospital, not just for my loved one, but for all other patients. I was surprised that the head cancer nurse greeted me when I was always complaining for good reasons, but she said I had helped them. (And you thought I was only a joyous purple percussionist.)

I am so glad that my son-in-law was just awarded a year's position with Jeremiah Fellowship, Washington, DC's Jews for Justice volunteer program.

I deviated a bit on this memory journey, so please rejoin me. Maccabee me. Oh, sounds like Apple's 'Mobile Me' which I probably could use to stay on track, but it's too costly. 

Over three decades ago, yes, that long ago, I went to the administrative director of the local VA Medical Center (VAMC) because I was disturbed each December when I drove past their out doors public display large “creche” on hilly Federal government land. The writer to whom I respond here, wrote about creches.

I wrote the VA a letter detailing that I wanted a MENORAH of "equal size" up on the land. The VAMC Chaplain, an Orthodox rabbi, Joseph Elsant, z'l, whom at that time I did not know, wrote me a letter saying that in all his years of being Chaplain at the VA hospital, he had NEVER before seen a menorah on the Federal grounds. WOW. The VAMC erected a very large menorah on the grounds that was clearly seen from the distance. Amayn. The chaplain said "Thank You" to me.

Around the same year and holiday season, 30 years ago, I went to the administrative director at the local Northridge Mall, whom I had also never known, and guess what I told her!

She said to me, "you are ONLY an individual. Get a group behind you and come back." Easy. I went to my peers on the Board of Directors at the local North Valley Jewish Community Center, and advised them that I needed their official letter to back me up in getting a LARGE MENORAH at the mall. (That was before local malls were doing their Chanukah celebrations.) Result: Jewish people enjoyed the large Chanukiah that I had arranged to be erected at the Northridge Mall. I got Chabad involved, because I was a Chabadnic since I met The Rebbe in Brooklyn, a decade earlier. (And had a Chabad wedding facilitated by my Lubavitch rabbis). Did you know I am a Chabadnic? I don't play percussion as ‘Miriyahm’ for Chabad on Shabbat but I do clap my hands and the kiddush table! (I play drums for the local Orthodox Farbrengens at Young Israel of Northridge, and I'm dressed sniut / modestly for them. I was YION’s only female Torah workshop teacher.)

Was probably around the same time when I was running a Jewish gift shop, that I brought over a menorah and decorations to my local BANK. You know what decorations they had up, and with joy, I altered that and customers enjoyed the Chanukah decorations. (Three decades later the bank is now a Chase... and they have their first Jewish banker.)

Yes, I have suggested to shop keepers that they paint seasonal snowy menorahs on their windows. I love seeing menorahs and Happy Chanukah greetings painted on the Armenian grocery that I enter.

I've never written about this pursuit of visible holiday equality, and I'm proud of myself to be a Maccabee. I had been a Caregiver Angel Warrior pursuing action. My husband Marcel, z'l, of blessed memory, had had 18 admissions to the local hospital in his last few years. (Cedars-Sinai and UCLA hospitals became too far for us when he became paralyzed, and 911 ambulances only drove to local hospitals.) 

Several years ago, during my caregiving service, I went to the local Northridge Hospital and told the female head Chaplain that I wanted a JEWISH chaplain to be 'official' and able to come and visit the patients. Forget that. She was adamant that there was no need for a Jewish Chaplain. I confirmed this with the local Chabad rabbis, that they had been turned down in their volunteer service to community. Armed as a warrior, knowing that my rights to have service from a Jewish chaplain were denied, at what had transformed into a Catholic hospital, I challenged my brand new local Chabad Rabbi Eli Rivkin to become confirmed as a hospital chaplain, and he did! Rabbi Rivkin got the hospital to add to their ER admission forms, a Mogen Dovid icon and a patient request space for a Jewish chaplain. He brought in a LARGE menorah to the lobby, and individual electric menorahs to the patients. Now Rabbi Rivkin sends in volunteers (SOS) for Bikur Cholim / to visit the sick in the hospital, and goes to local nursing facilities and board and care homes. (I have performed at Chanukah time in "Oys to Joys", musical entertainment, at local nursing facilities. Also, I played Vashti at Purim.)

In addition, with the then new Northridge male Chaplain Dep't director, John, who arrived about six years ago, I told him that I wanted CHAPLAIN interns to serve at the Catholic hospital, in addition to Rabbinic interns. Guess what?! Now, for a few years I know that LA's Academy of Jewish Religion students have a location for their internships in which to service community, and believe me, I feel good about that.

Here's a Maccabee goodie. About two decades ago, when I was an active participant of LA's Jewish Feminist Center (I miss them), we held night classes in an LA synagogue. One Chanukah season, I saw a huge hallway sized long mural on the wall, which had been painted probably by Jewish education staff. The mural was of the Maccabees. We studied Hermeneutics at the Feminist Center. I saw that the painted Maccabees were all MEN. I found crayons in the shul, and in my biblical ‘interpretation’ I PAINTED IN Mrs. Maccabee, and little female Maccabees holding siddurim in the shtetl street. Yup. Who do you think would be cooking the latkes? Someone had to be feeding these Maccabees, and I INCLUDED them.

OK, I am an inclusive person, by nature and in consciousness. At shul this last Shabbat, a male visitor to our Lev Eisha women's minyan, whom I knew would not know the people conversing together at Kiddush-- I introduced to others. I also knew this was his year of mourning, and he is currently also a caregiver. I didn't want him to be alone at Kiddush. My grateful friend said to me, "Joy, you know the people here, and could have sat with anyone, but you invited me to sit with you." Yes, this is what I do on a regular basis, and in this case, this spiritually conscious man was aware of my action.

How can we as spiritually guided individuals, Ufaratzo, spread / share the Light of the Menorah, and ours, on Chanukah and at all moments? 

Light is not diminished when we share our our blesSings, our Light-- it only increases.

Timbrel BlesSings
by Joy Krauthammer © 

 Ah, one last issue I can think of to share with you while we are still celebrating Chanukah. (This letter will take 8 days to read.) This last week, I went to the principal of the local community Adult School, where I study Computer. Last week, the computer Graphic’s teacher's assignment to us was to "create a Christmas card" on Adobe CS5 Photoshop in iMac. My project, a snowy scene, has a colorful MENORAH.  I think just to spite me-- the lone Jew in class, the teacher’s upcoming week's assignment is to create a graphic “CHRISTMAS WREATH” in Adobe CS5 Illustrator. I don't want the teacher's wrath, and I don’t have “anger”, so I went higher up to the principal, and we spoke of “Religious Freedom”. In class, I will create a blueberry BAGEL or a TIMBREL, which have the same ‘shape’ as a “wreath”! Right? Mine will not be green, but purple! 
(PS. I did create a fine purple ribboned BlesSing Timbrel as intended, and you can see it here and on my December 2010 JOYous CHAI LIGHTS website. I wish for you, all these BlesSings.)

The teacher also directed us to make a graphic Xmas Tree in the next class, and I disregarded that also, and didn’t attend his “Xmas party” in class, but instead went to an Israeli music event. I spelled out the name of the holiday for one Persian student’s Xmas project. (Teacher is truly culturally insensitive.)

Oh, yes, for the teacher’s “Halloween” project which included web image witches, I did my first Adobe CS5 photo mosaic my way: of my drummer friends, all dressed in costume as they drummed. I sent it to the participants at Remo, where we have drum circle, and management also hangs Chanukah decorations which I gratefully acknowledge. For the “Thanksgiving” project, I renamed mine, “Gratitude Day is Every Day” and created a tofu turkey.  I needed to shed some Light on that ‘holiday’.

Oh, please enjoy my attached Chanukah iMac iPhoto, first mosaic collage, now also a ‘slide show’ on U Tube (my second U Tube contribution) that celebrates my love for the holiday. Along with family and friends, my Metivta Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man is in the lower right hand corner, along with an image of yellow Starred Jews, lighting a Menorah in the Holocaust. The WW II Shoah Jews were warriors and to me illustrate our heritage. I include also my colorful hand-painted Chanukah greeting in the mosaic. As Reb Shlomo Carlebach, z'l, would say, "I bless you and myself", and probably that you express your Maccabee self, embrace and SHARE the joy and LIGHT of your  holiday with the outside world.

You can view my Snowy Chanukah scene, my Happy Chanukah mosaic, and my BlesSing Timbrel in my website as well as read Chanukah teachings because I love sharing the Light: 

www.joyous-chai-lights-dec-2010.blogspot.com    www.templemenorah.blogspot.com/

HAPPY CHANUKAH and enjoy December's Joyous Chai Lights, and my Menorah site.

Chanukah Same'ach, Chag Urim Same'ach,    

BlesSings for lots of Light, health, wholeness, shalom and joy,    

Joy Krauthammer,   

"Serve G*d With Joy"


PS
I am posting my story on the eve of my husband's, z'l, 5th yahrzeit, 17 Tevet.
It took great faith and courage for him to be a patient, and also for me to be a Caregiver Angel Warrior.
"Faith and Courage" is what I wrote on Marcel's grave stone.
~ ~ ~