…Personal service must be brought to the fore as a central value of Jewish tradition and culture. Every synagogue, school, and organization must teach this norm. Even unaffiliated Jews recognize education and family as synonymous with Jewish values: so should personal service become known as the indispensable expression of Jewishness. … This is not to say that Gentiles do not practice this value. Personal service to doers is widely recognized and valued in America. However, service must be upheld as a norm expected of Jews. We must teach and work so that personal service is a field pioneered and spearheaded by Jews….
A Jew is commanded not just to do individual acts of chessed (kindness) to others but to set aside regular time for volunteering and giving personal service. What is the minimum number of hours a week, a month, or a year that one must dedicate to nurturing the equality and uniqueness of other human beings? We must create a Jewish culture in which the final measurement of “was this life worthwhile” will be: Did one set aside regular times for nurturing other human beings?
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What is the benefit of service? How does it affect the recipient of the service? What about the volunteer?
2. Why does Rabbi Greenberg believe that service is such a critical element of Jewish life? Do you agree?
3. How can you better incorporate service in your Jewish identity?
Time Period: Contemporary (The Yom Kippur War until the present-day)