Our daily engagement with the world can be overwhelming. Jewish tradition teaches that the world is not irreparably broken, just in desperate need of compassionate repair and healing. Sometimes it seems as if we might lose sight of a basic observation: Often it is the smaller scale, local changes that lead to the greatest meaning in our lives. Bigotry, prejudice, the need to heal the many ills of human life, the fear of The Other ... all exist. But the efforts to bring healing and compassion to the world may rely on each of us, personally, making the effort to form the foundation of a strong society, by working from the midst of our own healed and healthy community of respect and understanding.
As the oldest and largest Jewish congregation in Alaska, Congregation Beth Sholom initiates and supports one of the most primary missions of Judaism in our community and the world, the practice of Tikkun Olam (repair of the world).
Our Shining Lights Award honors those that practice commitment to the Anchorage and greater Alaska communities through Tikkun Olam. This year, Beth Sholom is honoring Willie and Abbe Hensley for their combined dedication to education, creating the next generations of community leadership in Alaska, inspiring culture, social action and compassion for human growth. Individually, and together, they are shining lights for their career accomplishments. Their lives are exemplary of the pursuit of the blessings of Tikkun Olam. We will recognize Willie's and Abbe's commitment today, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Anchorage Marriott Hotel.
Willie is currently a visiting faculty member at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has served as a member of both the Alaska House and Senate, and helped found and lead the Alaska Federation of Natives. He has served as president of NANA Regional Corporation, as Alaska Commerce commissioner, and is the author of his memoir, "Fifty Miles from Tomorrow." Willie has fought hard to make real the blend of cultural identity and ownership of ancestral lands, a blending and bond that helps a community prosper, not only with regard to its natural wealth and strength, but also in connection to the human bonds that help bring to life a clear and powerful Native voice.
Abbe is the executive director of Best Beginnings, a statewide public-private partnership that mobilizes people and resources to ensure all Alaska's children begin school with the opportunities to succeed. She also worked as the director of outreach services for the PBS Ready To Learn Service, as part of a nationwide effort to increase children's early literacy skills and prepare them for success in school. Abbe has long been involved with education and early childhood learning, and the desire to help families engage and create a healthy and successful life together.
Abbe and Willie exemplify, in their lives, the approach to our existence that teaches the goals, desires and work necessary to heal the world. They demonstrate a lifelong commitment to the next generation of Alaska leaders, by advocating for quality education for children and families, for fair legislation, engaged communities and a strong economy. They bring to our communities their energy and skills, their lives a constant reminder that Tikkun Olam can only be achieved through compassion for others and the hard work involved in the task.
Funds raised from the Shining Lights banquet support the Congregation's activities that promote diversity and respect in our community. In particular:
• The Joy Greisen After-School Program, Pre-School Program, and the Camp Sholom winter, spring and summer programs. Nearly 35 percent of the students receive some sort of needs-based subsidy. Currently 20 percent of the participants are Jewish and 80 percent are non-Jewish.
• Mitzvah Mall. CBS sponsors this annual winter holiday bazaar that connects local nonprofit agencies with potential donors. Attendees donate money to their favorite nonprofits, the donations serving as holiday gifts to friends and family.
• Interfaith Council of Anchorage. CBS has been active within the Interfaith Council for many years, starting with its growth from a Christian to a multifaith organization in the 1980s.
• Our Anne Frank Remembrance Fund supports programs that promote awareness of modern-day genocide, encourage cultural diversity and memorialize those affected by the atrocities of World War II.
Rabbi Michael Oblath leads the Congregation Beth Shalom in East Anchorage.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary@alaskadispatch.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@alaskadispatch.com or click here to submit via any web browser.