בס''ד
Parshat Shoftim
2 Elul, 5771
September 1st,
2011
A wonderful congregant told me the other day that she folk-dances
regularly. We have a number of dancers at the shul – Israeli, square, and
otherwise. She mentioned that her particular blend preserves and teaches folk
dances from all over the world. One can even attend the annual folk-dance camp
in Stockton , CA , where specialists teach various global
dance traditions.
What strikes me is that there is an annual conference where dances are
learned, and, perhaps more importantly, dance traditions preserved. Of course,
when these dances were created, they were simply what everyone did. Dancing
grew within communities as the heart of a social experience. There was no
conference.
Today, people gather and work hard just to keep those dances alive.
The struggle to preserve local tradition is not limited to dance. I’d argue
that it’s a facet of our age. It takes a great deal of time and patience, as
well as stability, for local traditions to poke a sprout out of the ground,
develop, and accrete the well worn shine that speaks of countless generations.
You and I do not know from stasis. We are rolling stones, more mobile than
ever, changing more quickly than ever. Our age moves too fast to permit natural
accretion over time.
I believe this is why the best innovation of our age is directed at
recovering lost tradition. Farmer’s markets, sustainability movements,
community-building – all are about regaining the richness lost in the speed of
change.
These efforts are worth the work we put into them. They come neither easily
nor effortlessly, but yet retain their gifts to each of us. “Return us, God,
and we will return; make our days new like they were in the beginning.” Eicha
5:21 In our time, looking forward
means looking back.
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