SuperJews
By Lila Rosenbloom
When someone thinks of Superman, Spiderman or Batman they think of someone with super powers that they use to repair the world. These superheroes fight against the force of evil and bring good to the world. Jews too, do acts of Tikun Olam. In fact, the entire concept of repairing the world is Jewish.
In the same way that superheroes fight against evil, Jews have fought against evil by bringing many very important concepts to society. First, Jews have brought the concept of valuing life. Sanctifying life is one of the most important concepts that Jews have brought to the world, through laws like "You shall not murder." A quote from the Talmud sums up the Jewish outlook on life, "He who saves one life...it is as if he saves an entire universe" (Talmud- Sanhedrin 4:5). The impact of this concept can not only be seen through the work of Jewish superheroes in organizations like Hatzolah and ZAKA, but through hospitals, health care, and doctors.
Another Jewish contribution to society is the idea of World Peace. Jews pray and long for peace each and every day. The United Nations, which works to bring understanding and peace between enemies, has this quote from Isaiah on one of the outside walls, "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and neither shall they experience war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4).
One of the most important concepts that Jews have brought is the concept of Social Responsibility to the world. "Love your neighbor as yourself," (Leviticus 19:18) has summed up Judaism for many. The impact of this concept can be seen in the Jewish response after horrible disasters occur. In 1999, when an earthquake devastated Turkey, the Israeli army sent rescue teams to help out. Despite making up a very small percentage of the population, Jews donate hundreds of millions of dollars each year to different causes. Most recently, the Jewish response to the tsunami has been unbelievable with the sending of Israeli aid, and through the work of organizations such as The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
The next time you pick up a comic book and read about the heroic actions of Spiderman, realize that you too, can be a superhero. A heroic action does not have to be something huge; it can be something as small as smiling at a person. Every time we do a good thing, the amount of good in the world increases. Soon enough, the good will outweight the bad. So remember, you don't need to be able to fly to be a superhero. Let's follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and become the next generation of SuperJews.
Write to Lila at write@ttt.org.il
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