Jewish heroes don’t necessarily whack baseballs or make billions of dollars in high-tech or lead troops into battle.
A Jewish hero could be the quiet lady next door who collects winter coats for the homeless. Or it could be Moses. Or a Holocaust survivor. Or a brilliant scholar like Albert Einstein.
Readily admitting that they have lots of questions about heroes and no set answers, organizers of the seventh annual “Feast of Jewish Learning” hope to ignite discussions and spark debate with this year’s topic, “Heroes: Who Needs ‘Em?”
The feast, once a weeklong affair, has expanded to nearly a month, with programs in four counties designed for kids, teens and young adults in their 20s and 30s, as well as those of all ages. The bulk of programming occurs from Sunday, Feb. 11 to Tuesday, Feb. 20.
The feast includes expert-led talks on subjects ranging from biblical heroes to Jews in Tinseltown. Events will be held in synagogues, community centers and facilities stretching from Los Altos Hills to Sonoma. Most of the programs are free and open to the public.
In addition, friends and office mates will gather in more than 20 “Lunch and Learn” study groups to examine the notion of heroism.
“We wanted to create discussion about heroes, not necessarily to choose heroes,” said Kerin Lieberman, associate director of the S.F.-based Bureau of Jewish Education, which sponsors the event. “What is a hero to one is not a hero to others.”
The topic is intentionally open-ended, said Andrea Syrtash, the BJE’s marketing and development associate. “We want to leave it open and see what people come up with.”
This year, the festival included a contest in which children were invited to write letters to their Jewish heroes. Entries were received from all over the Bay Area.
“A Jewish hero can be anyone from Moses to your bubbe,” Syrtash said. “We’re happy it’s that wide.”
But event planners and speakers say that certain characteristics have emerged as they’ve examined the basic makeup of a Jewish hero.
“Every one of our greats, with a capital G, had a flaw,” said Rachel Brodie, the feast’s program coordinator. Moses, for instance, killed an Egyptian taskmaster who was beating a slave. Abraham lied to Pharaoh about his relationship to Sarah.
Yet, added Brodie, “for all their complexity, they can still do good.” In fact, human failings can make heroes more real and approachable. “It allows us to emulate them. If they were perfect, they’d be out of our range of emulation.”
Speaker Patti Moskovitz, a Peninsula-based Jewish educator and author, says the prototype of a Jewish hero is a far cry from the figures typically glorified by modern American culture.
“In America, we’re very much about publicity, about celebrity, about physical strength,” she said, pointing to society’s adoration of billionaires such as Bill Gates and scores of professional sports figures.
“In Jewish culture, we look at things differently,” she added. “We look at what they overcame and what they give to humanity.” In Judaism, a hero can be measured by such traits as integrity, fortitude, courage and faith.
Moskovitz will speak twice during the feast on “Profiles in Chutzpah: Jewish Heroes and Heroines.” Other speakers will discuss Hollywood’s Jewish heroes, Etty Hillesum and her Holocaust diary, gay activist Magnus Hirschfeld and “Jonah: The Hero Who Argued With God.”
The idea, organizers say, is to provide an intriguing springboard for Jewish learning and to showcase ongoing educational opportunities available throughout the Bay Area.
“We want it to be novel,” said Robert Sherman, the BJE’s director. “We want it to be a little different each year.” Past themes have included Havdallah and Rosh Chodesh.
Discussing Jewish heroes, Moskovitz pointed to figures she admires. Among them: Jonas Salk, developer of the polio vaccine; Henrietta Szold, who founded Hadassah; and Rose Resnick, who started Lighthouse for the Blind. All lived by the Jewish notion of tikkun olam, the mission to heal the world. Their actions had nothing to do with reaping personal rewards, she said. “They’re just doing what they need to do to make the world a better place.”
Ordinary heroes, Moskovitz contends, can be more inspirational than larger-than-life figures.
“We all need models, people within our sphere so they become real to us,” she said. “I think ordinary heroes touch our lives in more subtle ways than distant heroes. They’re more accessible.”
Everyday heroes, she added, could be people who quietly live their ideals, without seeking attention or fanfare. A hero could be a neighbor who helps the poor or a relative who overcomes a debilitating illness to reach out to others in need.
“We need not do grand gestures to make a difference in the world,” said Brodie. “One person can make a difference.”