Torah Portion:	Behar-Bechukotai
Synagogue:	Gary Smorgon House
Walking time from home:	40 minutes
Reason for going:	Invitation by the rabbi
Kiddush:	Sit down kiddush with big birthday cake

This was my second Shabbat home after my trip overseas, and though physically I am here, my mind is still not quite back. My shule experience this Shabbat made me confront the issues of my trip yet again, but in a cathartic kind of way. I was invited to attend the shule at Gary Smorgon House, one of the institutions of Jewish Care, where one of my co-participants on the March of the Living is the rabbi. He also became the quasi rabbi of our program and our group.

It was great to see him in his home environment, taking on most of the roles in the shule, from leading the service, to reading from the Torah and making the announcements, and somehow in between, he managed to say hello to every resident and help them with page numbers and seating arrangements. It was also therapeutic in a sense to be in a room with so many survivors, after having recently returned from the place where most of them were from. Not only that, but this week marked the 104^th birthday of one of the residents, and many of her family members – some of whom I know – came to celebrate with her. They also sponsored the kiddush, including the enormous cake that was bought for the occasion.

Being in a room with so many elderly people, some of whom are survivors, was both  confronting and comforting. It was confronting because after Auschwitz and Poland, I have a newfound respect for what many of them went through, but it was comforting because in a newly re-built Jewish aged care facility in Melbourne, it was good to see how well they are being treated in their old age. As the son of the birthday girl said, this is one of the best little synagogue in Melbourne because it caters so well to the needs of the elderly residents, and this is manifested by the care and respect shown by the rabbi and his family.

The portion of this week is also about revival and renewal. There is a famous allegorical story about the mountains of the world vying for the honour of being the one where the Torah would be given. Each in turn presents their case to God, asking that they be chosen. Unlike the others however, Mt Sinai doesn’t even present its case because it knows that it is shorter, smaller and less prominent than all the others, but it is because of this humility that it is the one that is ultimately chosen. But the question often asked is why was the Torah given on a mountain at all? If it is really about humility then it should have been given at sea level or in a valley. The rabbinical answer is that there is a fine line between humility and pride, and though one should be humble, one should not conceal one’s pride. In other words, it is appropriate to know your worth and your achievements and to emphasise them when necessary, but not to boast about them all the time.

Going to a shule with elderly members of our community who have achieved so much but are now beyond their prime is a great leveller. At a time when I am still processing my thoughts and experiences about my time away on March of the Living, it was great to see how well these residents are being treated, and how beautifully their milestones are being celebrated. Though they and my own grandparents sometimes feel like they are now beyond their usefulness, we as a community instinctively know that it is on their shoulders that we stand, and thus we need to continue to show them dignity and respect. It was an honour to have been invited and to have had the chance to speak to some of the residents. No doubt this experience will assist with my own transition and thought processing going forward.