Shehechiyanu - To the One who gives us life

The first time I learned CPR, I was preparing to be a Front Desk Clerk at Rieber Hall at UCLA. Part of our training for the job involved knowing what to do if a young coed passed out in the lobby while we were on duty. That class was about 25 years ago. I have had a couple of "refresher" courses over the years. For the first time, I used the skill on a real person yesterday at the Dead Sea. (The Hebrew term, Yam HaMelakh, 'Sea of Salt' seems better here.)

I went to the Dead Sea with my family for a quick dip/float in some of the most dangerous water – at the lowest spot on earth, mind you – in the world. The water is so full of minerals that you cannot splash or float on your belly lest you accidently ingest any of the water. You literally could die from taking in some of those minerals, beneficial though they are for your skin. We were about to get in the water when the lifeguard called out in bad English, "Give help." Two Japanese tourists (mid-70s, man and woman) wound up on their bellies and faces in the water. I "ran" (as much as you can on that shoreline, which is very rocky, salty, and hot) to help. The woman got face up but the man couldn't turn over. We got him rolled over, almost out of the water and he was unconscious. A young (about 16 year old) lifeguard came to help and was not terribly effective. It was me, a Japanese man, a German man and an American/Israeli man, and a German woman trying to figure out what to do with the Israeli lifeguards. Long story short - I wound up helping supporting his body, assisting with CPR at one point, and helped carry the man up the hill on the stretcher. Talk about an unexpected experience. We were able to get a pulse and some breathing back and thankfully got him up the hill to the EMTs that showed up and they called in a helicopter. I have no idea what the outcome of this man was and unfortunately no way to find out. The lifeguard thanked us for helping and I can honestly say that it was one of the most selfless things I may have ever done. It was an unbelievable feeling to hold someone who was clearly not doing well…dare I say: dying. All I could think of was the times I have held a dead body which I have helped prepare for burial during the Jewish ritual of 'tahara' (ritual purification). Those too have been selfless duties – but those were done in concert with people I know for someone I have known (and watched die typically). But here I was at the Dead Sea, with total strangers, holding a total stranger, doing whatever I could to preserve life.

We – as humans – are connected by the breath of life and the touch of generosity which supports us even when we walk sightless among miracles or with the help of strangers.

I walked away from the event amazed at the work of EMTs, whom I have always held in very high esteem and will only do so all the more so now. But I am even more aware of the (limited) power we have to give and save life. If this gentleman survived, I hope that he is alright and comes to a healthy recovery. And if he did not, I hope that his family is surrounded by love and support.    

And for the only in Israel moment: at one point an English-speaking (American) woman showed up and was asking some questions and she looked completely familiar. After the whole episode, when we were back in the changing area, we ran into an American/Israeli guy from the group of impromptu volunteers. He was with the woman who showed up and her husband who looked super familiar...yes, of course, the woman and her husband are Jewish story tellers whom I had met in my days in Tampa. They had come for a scholar in residence weekend at Schaarai Zedek around 2000. I had met them and been in touch years ago and now they were visiting their son, who lives in Jerusalem. Only in Israel do you volunteer to help in an emergency with the son of someone you know from another lifetime. And that is just a 'funny' aside.

To say I struggle with ideas about God would be a gross understatement. After all, I am part of the people, Yisrael (God-strugglers). But yesterday, at the Dead Sea, with those invisible lines of connection that were sustaining life, I am quite certain God was present. Not in a controlling or manipulative way and not in a determining, decisive way but in an energy that breathes and flows through each of us. After all, if we did not see a connection between us - as humans and Divine creatures - why would we care about a man floating face down in the Dead Sea or a lifeguard who calls out “Give help!”?

And then today...walking around the ruins of Caesarea, I saw a sarcophagus from roughly 2,000 years ago. A man had purchased the sarcophagus for himself and had it inscribed with his name, a few details about himself, and the quote, "That's life" on the outside. “That’s life.” What’s life? What did he mean by that? I think he meant: Life is what you make of it. Life is what you want it to be based on how you react to what happens.

According to one of oldest aphorisms on record, "Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience deceptive, judgment difficult." (Hippocrates, 4^th century BCE - thank you Wikipedia).

Life is short - so live well. Opportunities are fleeting - so take advantage of what you can. Experience is deceptive - don’t think you know everything just because you have “been there and done that”. Judgment is difficult - once you make a decision you may regret it later...or you may not...the choice is in your hands, so choose wisely.

Though I am not so good about doing it religiously, I thank God for my life, for the opportunities before me, the love I have received and the chance to love, the boundless generosity of strangers, friends, and certainly family members. May I be sustained by the eternal spirit of the universe that breathes life into us and through us. And may I have the chance to sustain and give life to the universe around me in a healthy and meaningful way.