The Awesome Power of Choosing Life and Doing TOV

This morning, I am inspired! I usually have my coffee and check out FB and news. There was a video posted about a young man that blew me away! He was bullied and made to feel like an outcast in his HS. His mom saw that he was beaten down and heartbroken by his treatment. She decided to move him to a larger city school, not knowing what would happen. 

At his new school, he started holding the door open and greeting everyone as they arrived and at other times. Many people thought he was "just weird, " some started calling him "the doorman." After a while people really liked being greeted, and being shown kindness and consideration. The result was amazing. The students really looked forward to the experience -- some stopped and hugged him, touched him on the arm and greeted him. He was chosen Prom King by his peers and now speaks to other kids about his experience. Even he is amazed!

This touched my soul. These are the things that I'm learning myself and teaching to others. He displayed real courage. The only thing that we control in this life is our response to what life brings. In all too many cases today, the usual response to being bullied and made into an outcast is violent rage. This plays out in mass shootings and the "blaze of glory suicide ending" of the "hurt" party.

This teen however, decided to Choose Life, which can be very painful and scary. His approach is the best teaching experience there is, because of how much we grow by being in the process. He was able to channel his pain, loneliness and anger into doing acts of TOV, actions of courage, kindness and real love -- all of which affirm Life by transforming his life and the lives of others!

His Hesed (Hebrew for Lovingkindness) to others also gave an insight into his soul and who he really is as a person. People felt "valued" and responded in kind.

Let this be a lesson for all of us about making empowered decisions. Pain, fear and doubt are hard to face, but in doing so, therein lies our soul's progress. Choosing Life and Doing TOV brings back blessings for all.

Discover the Power of Light 1^st TOV Values!

Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor

PS – We would appreciate your help:

(1) If you like this blog, please visit our TOV Center Facebook Page by clicking here and “Like It.” And then “Share It” with others.

(2) If you would like to help fund our work, for information about how to make a donation – CLICK HERE.

A Snapshot of Our Nation

I was reading the Sunday paper and turned to the Nation section of the Dallas Morning News. I was amazed! It was a perfect "snapshot" not only of this country, but also telling picture of a society whose core values have disappeared. On one page, there were three "briefs."

● The first was about two teen sweethearts from Kentucky, an 18 year old man and a thirteen year old girl, who are armed and are leaving a trail of crime across the state.

● The second was about a woman in San Diego arrested on suspicion of murder. Two bodies were found, a man who had been shot and a child found in a freezer hidden under some items of frozen food.

● The third story was about a 24 year old man in Pittsburgh who set a fire that killed six people, including four children, for revenge on someone in the house.

The main articles, the mall shooting in Florida left two dead including the shooter. This was a case of Domestic Violence. Luckily, this happened before the main shops were open. The man's wife, the intended victim, survived. At the bottom of the page, a 22 year old New Jersey woman was charged with murder for putting her newborn baby girl in the middle of a road and set the child on fire. The baby died 2 hours later in the emergency room. 

The article in the middle of the page talked about the new after-school dinner program for those in elementary schools from low-income families in Los Angeles. It is a growing trend and this is happening in a number of other cities around the country. Many of these students come from homes where there is not enough money for the children to eat regularly. In 2009, 19 million suppers were served, in 2014, 104 million suppers were needed. 

The introduction of dinner to school routines could take the place of what many consider a near sacred ritual: the family dinner, which has suffered much in our society. Proponents say many students stay on campus until the early evening anyway, but for the most needy, they might not get anything to eat when they get home. One 10 year old said she usually eats crackers and then goes to bed.

As the saying goes, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention" (or you don't care!). We have to ask ourselves if this is the kind of country we want? Is this what we want for our children and all those who will come after us?

The work of the TOV Center fosters common values, common goals and communities of action for the common good. It is a grave sin to waste human potential. Our children, our young people may have answers for us and new ways of doing things, new creativity and new approaches, but we may never know because a hungry mind can't function. The Jewish Sages taught, Ain Kemach, ain Torah, “If there is no bread, there is no study and no learning.” 

We believe America is suffering a values crisis – a crisis of core shared values. The core values bonds that held earlier generations together are glaringly absent today. We are committed to raising the awareness of the importance of individuals consciously adopting core values and creating value-based relations. We are also committed to educating, training, and assist in community building.

Please help Jim Myers and I raise the seed money we need to fund the initial work of the TOV Center. We have been working very hard on our first series of classes and seminars, and hope to have them ready very soon. I hope that you will join in with me and be part of the TOV Center’s very important work. For information about how to make a donation – CLICK HERE.  

Do TOV, Choose Life

Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor