In the aftermath of the Aurora Colorado shootings, as was the case after Columbine, Virginia Tech, and many others, we revive, for a short time, a national conversation about why, about how and about what this tragic event even means in an existential sort of way. We come up with short lived solutions and blame this, that and the other group. Last month was no different. As writer Liel Lebovitz wrote recently, “…after a maniac shot up a packed movie theater in Colorado last week, the prognoses were quick to arrive: Ban guns. Don’t ban guns, but ban assault rifles. Don’ ban assault rifles. Ban violent movies. Don’t ban violent movies. Ban midnight screenings of popular movies, don’t ban midnight screenings of popular movies…” As you can see and have probably heard and read, there hasn’t been a quality thoughtful response. Banning guns or banning anything for that matter is never really the thoughtful, long-term Jewish response.
So if gun control debate is neither a solution, nor outlawing midnight showings of movies what is? Let’s be more serious than this. Rather than be distracted, we should take concrete steps that might actually solve our problems. How about this one: providing readily accessible mental-health services. This I believe is one good first step—as underscored by an unbelievable but sadly common reaction to the shooting.
Recently, Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert, offered his opinion that the shooting was the result of “ongoing attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs.” Seriously? This is neither accurate, nor connected to the source of the issues relative to a person so seriously affected by mental illness related issues. If this terrible incident is a result of attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs as Gohmert’s reasoning suggests, then what beliefs are being attacked? I am not sure. What I do know is that the shooter was not attacking Judaism or Christianity or any other religion for that matter. Perhaps, as Liebovitz suggests, by ongoing attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs we mean our ongoing refusal to provide the sort of access to health-care professionals who might be able to do something about the fact that while 9,484 people were shot to death in homicides in 2008, 18,735 turned the gun on themselves that year. Rather than suggesting that they might not have done so had they been denied access to guns, the real Judeo-Christian thing to do would be to make sure these troubled souls always have someone they could talk to, no matter what their financial situation.”
It is not unreasonable to connect the mental health dots in this way. What if resources were readily available to those who need it? Indeed, a day after the shooting, a chart began making the rounds on Facebook, citing the statistic that while the United States lost 9,484 people to gun violence in 2008 (the last year for which comprehensive data are available), Finland—where, by the way, guns are easy enough to come by, with 32 privately owned firearms per every 100 civilians—lost only 17. In Finland, there are inpatient and outpatient programs designed to accommodate anyone feeling anxiety or distress, as well as 24-hour emergency services provided free of charge. The government also provides occupational health care, which, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s website, “supports the maintenance of mental health, prevention of problems and early identification of problems among the working-age population.” Visit the website of the Colorado Department of Human Services, and you’re told that if you happen to be uninsured, you should seek “family members or close friends who can provide financial assistance.” Which approach do you think is more Jewish if we’re trying to stop a deranged young man from reaching the point of no return?
Banning anything in the aftermath of tragedy is not a helpful long-term solution. Getting to the root of the problem and providing real quality mental health services just might be a thoughtful way to provide the necessary safe outlets for those in need. The call to help those in need and those who cannot help themselves is our historic, Prophetic and quintessentially Jewish response to the broken things around us. We must not fall short of this responsibility. Our very lives are at stake.
Our hearts and prayers go out to those who were killed in Colorado and their family and friends who are grieving. And while we are praying, let us also be mindful of those who are dying every day while we try desperately to find solutions. I pray we will move quickly and decisively to find the healing we all need.

Zip-a-dee-doo-da!
or
A Rabbi’s view of camp from the zip line!

The skies finally cleared after several nights of cloudy, rainy and otherwise dreadful weather to reveal spectacular stars. It was the perfect night for “faculty night zip-lining.” As I awkwardly stepped into my harness and tightened the straps,I have to admit I was glad it was dark so no one could see the look on my face; one of, “Seriously, I am not so sure this will work.” I climbed the stairs and got myself hooked in and secured to the line, when the very nice man at the top said, “ok…jump”. In what can only be calculated as a few seconds short of eternity, I gazed off into the blackness of the night trying to get a glimpse of the end of the cable somewhere down below. Not being able to see anything and having everyone cheering me on from below, and frankly not wanting to be shown up by my wife who went first (and fearlessly I might add), I stepped off the platform and went whizzing down the cable in a thrilling, exciting and fantastic ride. It was great!
I couldn’t help but to think that the zip line is a really wonderful and important metaphor for the experience our kids (mine included) have at camp,whether they are coming to the camp as first time campers, or whether they have been to camp many times over. It is a thrilling ride; sometimes a little scary, sometimes a little dizzying, sometimes it goes by so fast, sometimes you can’t see where you are going or what is coming next. And just when you are really enjoying the ride, it ends.
I know this has been the experience for many kids and their parents. Many first time campers are unsure of where to go, what to say, how to fit in, how to learn what to do and when to do it. Learning camp stuff, enough to make the days enjoyable, meaningful and most of all fun can be a bit overwhelming. Who will be there to catch you? Who will be there to cheer you on? Who will make sure you are safe and secure? Who will guide you in the right way? All these questions I and others asked on the platform of the zip-line; all these questions our first time campers ask. The answers? The wonderful caring counselors will be there to make sure we are ok, and point us in the right direction. The unit heads and camp specialists, the administrative staff, doctors and nurses and the guest rabbis,educators, cantors and faculty are there to support and guide and catch us if we need catching and provide a really soft landing.
For those experienced campers,the zip line is equally important. They too once stood on the platform, nervous to step away from the safety of the “home base” into the unknown. But they did it and they remember the thrill. They remember the confidence they felt challenging themselves to do something they weren’t sure they could. And having felt the thrill of the ride, they make the long walk back up to the top thinking, ” Man….that was cool, and I got to do it and Greene Family Camp. Thank God for that!” I ‘d like to believe that’s what they say. I know I did.

By now I am sure, you like me, are gearing up for what I hope will be an exciting 2012 Summer Olympics. My family and I are big fans and are avid viewers of even the most mundane of Olympic sports. (My personal favorite is the hammer throw!) There is something exciting, majestic and hopeful about the Olympics and I pray this year will be no different.

However, I am saddened to feel that my prayers will not be answered. Every Olympics since I can remember, the opening stories on TV included images and the story of the murdered Israeli athletes at the Munich games of 1972. Whether it was as a part of some pictorial montage or the movie about the incident, the drama and grandeur of the games was always tempered by the terrible history of that event. This year in London 2012 is no different. The call for the International Olympic Committee to formally and once and for all acknowledge the tragedy through a minute of silence has reached an intense tone. What started out as a discussion at the JCC in New York has reached international proportions. Thank God for that.

In a wonderful and incredibly powerful and important essay, Professor Deborah Lipstadt lambasts the IOC for what she considers blatant anti-Semitism for the refusal to include a moment of silence in the opening ceremonies. If you haven’t had a chance to read her article, you can find it here:

http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/106409/jewish-blood-is-cheap?utm_source=Tablet+Magazine+List&utm_campaign=6ba8ed2865-7_20_2012weekender&utm_medium=email

In addition, Bob Costas, the NBC anchor who will be guiding millions of viewers through the Olympics, has vowed to make his own statement and issue regarding the moment of silence if the IOC refuses to make it happen. While it is not a formal part of the Games, he will have the television pulpit of tens of millions of viewers to make the important case. I pray he and NBC have the courage and fortitude to follow through.

While London may be far away physically, emotionally and spiritually we can connect our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families of Munich, 1972 by recalling that terrible night and signing a petition, adding your name to hundreds of thousands of others who are still, in this late hour, urging the IOC to reconsider. I have signed this and I hope you will too.