Response to Hurricane Katrina: A Jewish Approach

Introduction

The purpose of this packet is to provide a framework within which teachers and parents can acknowledge and address within a Jewish context the reactions of their students and children to the devastation of hurricane Katrina. “Religion,” teaches Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, “is an answer to man’s ultimate questions,” (God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism), but there are times when the answers are not so obvious, if they can be found at all. The magnitude of the natural and national disaster unleashed by hurricane Katrina is clearly beyond the comprehension of a person of any age. As humbled as we are by the power of the hurricane and the scope and depth of national healing that we face, our tradition teaches us to seek constructive responses through study, prayer, and deeds of loving-kindness, to even the greatest of catastrophes. “Our prayers become meaningful,” writes Rabbi Sidney Greenberg, “when we do everything we can to make them come true.”¹

This Disaster Response Packet² contains the following materials to help our communities, our students and our families through this difficult time:

1. A Jewish textual approach to confronting issues raised by natural disaster, written by Rabbi Jan Katzew, Director, URJ Department of Lifelong Jewish Learning.
2. A methodology for helping children express fears and concerns and redirect their attention.
3. Suggested activities for children to assist in the healing process.
4. A listing of specific resources that are available for support and guidance in this process.
5. A relevant issue of Family Shabbat Table Talk for Parashat Noach

1. Jewish Text Perspectives

“There was a great and mighty wind, splitting mountains and shattering rocks by the power of Adonai; but Adonai was not in the wind. After the wind—an earthquake; but Adonai was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake—fire; but Adonai was not in the fire. And after the fire—a soft murmuring sound.” (1 Kings 19:11-12)

Where was God then? Where is God now? When an insurance company attributes a loss of property or life to an “act of God,” it is not making a theological statement. It is only claiming that some occurrences are out of human control. A hurricane or two or three or four are such occurrences. They are not divine actions.

The text above refers to one of the most dramatic moments in the Tanakh, a meeting between God and the prophet Elijah, who in desperation asks God to take his life. Instead, God tries to teach Elijah a lesson, and through Elijah to teach us a lesson. God is not manifest in extraordinary acts of nature, at least not any more than in the most discreet, private, intimate moments. God was in the stillness, not the noise. God is in the personal acts of kindness, in the silent smile flashed to a son, daughter, sister, brother, spouse, friend, neighbor, stranger until the storm comes and we realize we are all one family.

“Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for You are with me…” (Psalm 23:4)

This is arguably the most famous verse in the most famous Psalm and its fame is justified. It contains the essence of a sacred, compelling response to tragedy. The operative verb in this verse is “walk.” Rather than try to run through the valley or to run around the valley or to dwell in the valley, the Psalmist’s teaching asks us to walk, to make slow, steady progress, to defy the tragedy, not to deny the tragedy. Taking small steps physically and emotionally is a healthy, holy response to tragedy. There is no way to pretend that what happened did not happen. Destruction is real. Pain and loss are real. Comfort is also real, as is healing. Fix something. Help someone else find something. What took an incredibly short time to destroy will take a significant amount of time to repair. It is not fair. But, by walking through the valley, over time there will be cause for celebration, and with time comes perspective that enables a person to see blessings over the horizon. Even very young children will realize that there is no simple, fast remedy to make everything right. Normal will be a different normal. Resilience is a phenomenal antidote to tragedy. Allow yourself the freedom to walk through the valley, and perhaps discover that you are not alone, that other humane beings are walking with you, and perhaps you will feel God’s presence as well.

In the introduction to Gates of the Forest by Elie Wiesel, a Hasidic tale recounts the power of stories. You will have stories to tell, about people whose pictures may be lost, about places you used to visit, about events in which you participated. Tell the stories. Write them down. Record some of your feelings in words or in pictures or both. Memory is essential in Judaism. Memory is a powerful centripetal force. People will remember where they were exactly when the hurricanes hit, what they were doing with whom, and perhaps why. Share memories, even painful memories. Share stories and perhaps there will be an opportunity to ritualize them in the sanctuary or social hall or classroom or home or chavurah. God loves stories and being created in God’s image; so do we.

2. Process Paradigm

Use this process paradigm to help children work through this period of grief and fear:

•  Listen. Create as safe an environment as possible in which children can express their concern and their emotional pain, either verbally or through drawings. Some may experience the loss of things that are precious, important, and symbols of security in their world. Bringing the feelings out is the first step toward healing.
• Affirm. Children need to know that their thoughts and feelings are “okay”—a validation that they typically seek from their parents and other significant adults in their lives.
•  Share. It can be helpful for children to know that their parents and teachers can understand their feelings because they have felt them as well. While letting children know that grown-ups also feel sad and afraid at times, be sure to demonstrate your adult ability to provide a measure of safety and security for them.
• Refocus/Action—Shifting from the pain of loss to positive action helps us feel better and actually makes the situation better. Even very young children can participate by giving tzedakah, by drawing pictures to cheer others up, and by helping make plans for clean-up.

3. Suggested Activities for Children

Select the activities listed below that would be most helpful and appropriate for the children with whom you are working:

• Write, draw, or tell about how the hurricane has made things look different than before.
• Write a news story about a “Hurricane Hero/Heroine,” someone whose efforts helped others.
• Read books and stories (see suggestions in Section 4 below).
• Keep a diary or journal in words or pictures about life before/during/after a hurricane.
• Write a brit (contract) about what they can personally do to help (for example, for older children, this might involve volunteer work in the community; for younger children, being more helpful at home during the crisis).

Students not directly affected by the hurricane may want to:

• Make a mezzuzah for a home or a temple destroyed by the hurricane.
• Establish contact with a pen- or e-mail pal in the affected area to learn what can be done to help

4. Additional Resources

Early Childhood

• Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
  by Judith Viorst
  Everything goes wrong for Alexander, who decides that the best solution is to runaway to Austrailia to escape all the misery. At the end of the day, his mother acknowledges his feeling that there are terrible days everywhere. Helps children to express feelings that life is out of control.
• Tikvah Means Hope
  by Patricia Polacco
  The story of a community's recovery after wild fires in Southern California. Connects Sukkot, gemilut hasadim and faith that things will get better.

Elementary Through Middle School

• Terrible Things
  by Eve Bunting
• Promise of A New Spring
  by Gerda Weissman Klein
  Both of above titles are allegories of the Holocaust which can be adapted for this situation, focusing on the natural disaster and the hope for renewal.
• God's Paintbrush
  by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
  Through illustrations and questions, Rabbi Sasso enables parents and teachers to explore the children's understanding of God.
• FEMA for Kids
  A delightful, entertaining website that teaches preparation and what to do in emergencies, helping children feel more in control.