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Home Presentation for Yom Kippur Symposium 5769, October 9, 2008
On Rosh Hashanah we read, “As the New Year begins, tears well up within us”
Tears did well up in me.
At this season, I always reflect on who I am, how I became me, on the Thousands of individuals that gave me my journey; gave me Judaism.
They lived the Torah every day and their lives were an example for me.
They made sure Judaism had an impact on my life.
I was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas at the Leo N. Levi Hospital. My name was “Baby Coleman”. On the 7th day Jake and Henrietta Levine arrived to adopt a child. “We'll take the fat, blond haired, blue eyed boy over there” they said. At that moment I became Morris Henry Levine, I became a Jew.
It was a cold snowy day. They had no clothes for me so their friend, Norma Baim, wrapped me in the warmth of her mink stole just as the entire Jewish Community of Pine Bluff Arkansas placed their arms around me and all the kids in our “Village”. All the parents were parents to all of us.
As I grew and learned from their examples, I could see the difference between the Jewish Village and the non-Jewish Village.
How our parents treated the blacks and poor was different. How they reached out to all those in need was different.
How they worked to better the entire community was different. Their idea of honesty and fairness was different. The standards they set for us kids were different. They lived the Torah and set the examples for us. “From Generation to Generation”, they taught us.
Examples like “Love thou Neighbor”, examples of caring, of righteousness. They taught by example.
When the cross was burned in our front yard because my Dad and Mother hired a black Baptist minister to manage the store in 1950, their defiant stand made a difference and taught me. When our Jewish Mothers and Fathers went to Mississippi in the 1960's to work for the freedom riders and Jewish rights, it made a difference and taught me. In 1958 when Sam Levine, no relation, filibustered the Arkansas Legislature for days to block a law that was racially discriminatory, it made a difference and taught me.
When I realized their examples were because they lived the Torah, I began to thank God every night in my prayers for the gift of Judaism and Jake and Henrietta Levine. I still do.
As I grew older, I found myself living the examples of all my parents. In high school I took part in sit-ins at the local Woolworths lunch counter with black students. I went with my Dad to get people out of jail. I was always taking food, clothes and even money to those in need with my Mother. In the 10th grade I was asked to head the prayer activities of the varsity football team. The team Captains said they knew I would be fair so I arranged to take the players to a different church every Wednesday night to build a feeling of “team” and to honor their religions. On game night for three years, I delivered an appropriate prayer; I was the only Jew on the team.
I was the only Jew at the University of Arkansas and the only Jew to play football there, a wonderful challenge but a constant reminder of who I am.
While in the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant, I was asked to be the mortuary Office; I protested explaining that the position called for an officer of the rank of a Major or higher, the General stated, “a Jewish 2nd Lieutenant will provide more respect to our troops and families than any Major under my command”. Judaism was impacting my life.
The next 40 years went by and there were many more stories.
For 8 years I served as Chairman of the Board for Jewish Family and Community Service in Jacksonville, FL. It was then that two key questions came to light, “Is anybody there? Does anybody care?” The examples of all my parents taught me that as a Jew I had to answer, we are here and we care.
But it was 22 years before I moved back to my home town to spend time with my aging Mother and I became the Director of a United Way agency.
Our agency was in the Martin Luther King parade. We had an old wagon pulled by an older horse. We filled the wagon with kids of all races and a Black community leader road with the driver. Mr. Henry Penneman, 80 years old, strong as a bull, 6'6” tall, a PhD educator who marched at Selma with Dr. King. When introduced he shook my hand and he pull me to him. He looked down into my eyes and in a soft, serious voice asked, “Do you see this world through your Fathers eyes?”
I replied yes and he hugged me saying, “welcome home; we need the righteousness of your Father in our community”. My Dad had been gone 33 years but he was there. At that moment it all came together!
The most Jewish thing I do every today is go to work. Every senior that Jewish Family Service serves must receive the same attention I gave my Mother. Every client served, regardless of age, religion, race or income deserves the care, respect and attention that our parents taught.
They taught me that as Jews we must be there! As Jews, we must care!
If my passion for my work or anything I have said or done has offended or wronged you, I ask for your forgiveness.
I have received so mush more from this community than I have given; wonderful friends, a beautiful and wonderful wife Natalie, the opportunity to serve. I proposed to Natalie on the steps of the Leo N. Levi hospital.
Without Judaism, I would not be here! Judaism has and continues to impact my life.
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