A Wall's Mission - Tisha B'Av at the Kotel

As I sit here on the cold stone floor,

I look up at a wall so very old.

I think back in time to when it was young,

And it had its brothers together with him.

I can see the four siblings standing tall and proud,

Protecting the house that belongs to the One Above.

Suddenly there is a great tremor,

An army of red has breached the city.

It cries out in horror, as it watches them slaughter his three brothers,

And sets the house it swore to protect ablaze.

They attack him from behind,

But he stands tall over them all.

He refuses to bend, to give in,

He will complete his mission or die trying.

He will stand proud for the test of time,

Giving hope to his nation in exile.

As the smoke clears he sees in disbelief,

The remains of his beloved brothers.

He promises the sages that he will not let them die in vain,

He will be right here, waiting for the new Temple to be built.

He swears to hasten the Redemption,

By bring all of our tears straight to G-d.

He will be our middleman,

And deliver our heart’s pleas.

I slowly come back to the present,

And I rise from the ground.

I walk over to the Wall,

And take it in a loving embrace.

I softly whisper that I know how you feel,

For I too have lost a loved one.

And we both will get ours back,

When the Redemption does come.

So stand proud for just a bit longer,

The time is almost ripe.

Together I will stand with you,

Helping you as you help me.

I slowly back away,

From this wall of faith.

I know that soon we will smile together,

As Moshiach reunites us with our loved ones.

Inspiration

“You can only inspire in others what others have previously inspired within you.” ~Dovid N. Roetter

Five Types of Leadership

Five Types of Leadership that I have personally witnessed throughout my stay in Israel. Each one is a very different level. Each one is just as important. Each one is just as difficult to accomplish. Each one is a level of courage I can only dream of achieving.

ALL of them I learned thanks to my Taglit-Birthright Israel: #Hillel #Bus1147 family - Thanks guys.

Type #1
You put aside everything just to help someone.
You care not what your job is; you do what needs to be done.
You show that other people matter more than they realize.
You disregard higher orders due to staying truthful.
Type #2
Nobody respects you, you feel so alone.
You are unsure what to do next, nor to whom to turn.
You decide to show the world that their opinions matter not.
You conquer your dreams; proving that nothing can stop determination.
Type #3
You have the chance to grab a dream anyone would want.
Yet, it means to make someone change everything they hold dear.
You take a stand and decline, this offer that seems so grand.
You will not create your own happiness by stealing another’s.
Especially when the other person does not realize what they may lose.
Type #4
Something embarrassing has occurred; you feel so ashamed.
Yet you look the person in the eye and admit your misdeed.
You choose not to avoid it; you take it like a man.
You learn from your mistakes; and acknowledge errors in your past.
Type #5
No one else is doing it, you are scared out of your mind.
Yet you know this must be done, so you stand alone.
You fight all fears and show that you will not be pressured.
You stand up for what you believe in; even against the entire world.

The Two Sirens

There are two types of sirens that can go off in Jerusalem:
1. The piercing shriek of war that screams its desire for our Jewish blood to seep through even the smallest cracks of Israel's stones.
2. The sweet sound of the city welcoming the Shabbat as one nation, one people, bringing holiness to every soul it touches, its pure music blessing us all with wishes for a peaceful Day of Rest.

Hillel of Metro Detroit: A Community; Not Just a Name

בס"ד

Published by The Detroit Jewish News - April 10, 2014

Hillel of Metro Detroit: A Community; Not Just a Name

            It was towards the end of July, and everything was going rather smoothly. I had moved back home; started classes at Oakland Community College; and was finally starting the beginning of my future. I was happy, yet something didn’t feel right – something was off. I was making friends in class, but I didn't know any Jews on campus. For a school thriving with Jews, I sure couldn't tell.

            About a month into the semester, everything changed. I was running late for class, and I mistakenly entered the wrong building. Suddenly I was staring at the word “Jewish”. I was looking at a flier for the Jewish Student Organization of OCC. ‘Now we are getting somewhere’, I thought to myself. I took one of the contact slips and quickly ran to class.

            I knew I had to look into this organization, so I emailed a message to the then current president, Sophie Lester. Yet, I hesitated, not because I was nervous, but I had a preconceived idea of what Hillel was all about. Really unsure what to do, I decided to email the president and see what would unfold from there.

            When I heard back from Sophie, she informed me that she was glad that I had contacted her and invited me to join the group. Still very biased about what kind of group it was, I asked if we can meet up first so that I can learn more the JSO. I prepared a list of questions for the upcoming meeting.

            Sophie quickly calmed my fears.  She explained that Hillel of Metro Detroit, known as HMD, believe that every Jew should, and must, feel welcome. They go out of their way to ensure that all food is 100% Kosher; any events held on Shabbat will adhere to observant views; and the like.

            Still a little worried, I nevertheless agreed to attend the JSO’s next event, a Bagel Talk. That event changed my whole viewpoint on HMD. We simply talked about what it means to be a Jew, while munching on delicious bagels from Jerusalem Bagel. During the board meeting that followed, I found myself becoming the new secretary of the JSO at OCC.

            For some reason that I cannot explain, I felt at home. Although I kept asking questions (to make sure I wasn’t dreaming) I was constantly reminded that I don’t have to worry about kashrus or Shabbos or anything really. I began to associate a great deal with the JSO and with Hillel of Metro Detroit in general. I now try to attend every event I can; and I do everything in my power to have other Jews at OCC join us.

HMD and the JSO are great ways to meet new people and have a feeling of belonging. Whether it’s volunteering at Yad Ezra or having a blast at Dave & Busters, Hillel of Metro Detroit definitely has enhanced my college experience.  However, a recent event showed me just how beautiful this organization is. On February 2, HMD joined with residents of the Fleischman Senior Home for a “Senior Prom”. It was an afternoon of dancing, singing and laughing, getting to know one another; it was a sight to behold.  

Through this event, I understood the goal of Hillel. HMD is here for the community. If it means spending extra money on 100% Kosher, so that one observant Jew will feel comfortable; it is done.  If it means going out of the way to calm the fears of a young guy who may or may not join their organization; it is done. HMD simply wishes to make the Jewish community of Detroit whole. Young or old, Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform; none of that matters to them. A Jew is a Jew – that’s what is important.

The smiles I saw at the “Senior Prom” made me realize just how glad and proud I am to be able to say that I associate myself with HMD.  They are more than just an organization– they are a community. A community that cares.

Dovid Nissan Roetter is a second year student at Oakland Community College and lives in Oak park, MI.

A Petal's Tale - Gam Zu Letova

Dedicated to the birth of my niece, Shoshanah Layah Chapman

Yearning to be free, it presses against the wind,

Struggling to stretch and bloom.

Finally, it pushes past,

It is now free to be who it wants.

Looking down, it notices a cut,

Given from a thorn as it went by.

What will I do now, how can I go on?

This was the petal’s soft cry.

It slowly drifts in the wind,

It’s destination unknown.

Where will it land? What is its future?

That is what remains to be seen.

Over the mountains and across oceans,

The little petal drifts on.

The tear it received is like a little wing,

Helping it fly high overhead.

It finally does land right beside a building,

It lands right on the doormat.

The  petal is scooped up and brought inside,

It is now part of a bouquet; it was a florist shop, you see.

We all have our differences; we all want to be free,

There will be bumps along the way that is for sure.

Know however, that it is simply to help us at one point or another,

To enable that we land on the doorstep home.

Thoughts Of A First Time College Student

Published on the OCC Blog: http://occblognnews.blogspot.com/2013/07/thought-of-first-time-college-student.html

It’s early in the morning and my eyes are drooping,
Got butterflies in my stomach, coffee jittering my brain.
Nerves are shot, ‘What in the world was I thinking?!
I thought college was for me, I must really be insane’.

Can’t eat, can’t sleep, what should I do?
Struggle to keep some cheerios down as the clock ticks on by.
I get in the car, everything packed; I hope this won’t fall through.
As the campus draws closer, I feel like I just might die.

Forty minutes early just in case,
Run to the restroom, I think I’m gonna be sick.
Until just now I thought this class I would ace,
But now I’m unsure, I hope the class is over quick.

Waiting for the teacher, students line the hall,
Anxiety is growing; maybe I’m just not ready.
Looks like I’m the only first-year; I feel really small,
I do everything in my power to keep my balance steady.

Finally the teacher arrives; I quickly take a seat,
He goes over the syllabus, looks pretty easy.
He surprises us with an activity; my heart skips a beat,
My stomach is churning, I feel queasy.

It actually wasn’t bad; truth is it was fun,
Turns out my fears were for nothing.
College isn’t so bad; class is already almost done,
But the amounts of homework, my friends definitely weren’t bluffing!

Being in college is a lot of work, but it’s a great feel,
As long as you like coffee you should be ok.
I’m glad to be here; to me it’s a huge deal,
Let’s give a shout-out to OCC, what do you say?

Dovid Nissan Roetter – Student at Oakland Community College