The Bar Mitzvah of Arrington Adler is this Saturday!
Also Passover!
I am so happy and excited for Arrington as well as his parents, Ira and Jodi Addler! Arrington is a smart, confident soon-to-be-a-man who will make us all proud this Shabbat. From the first day of his studies with me, he has displayed a frank openness and devotion to learning about Judaism and Jewish community. We can all be proud.
I am also deeply impressed by his Bar Mitzvah project and the example he and his family make for our congregation. Just a few months ago, Arrington was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He is unfathomably lucky to be the son of not one but two physicians who are focused on keeping his glucose stable hour by hour, minute by minute. However, instead of only dealing with their own family crisis, Arrington and his parents have taken on the broader issue of type 1 diabetes for all families.
Arrington’s Bar Mitzvah project is a unique approach to fundraising for type 1 diabetes research. An avid fisherman, he has started a process by which people can donate to his fund with every fish he catches! So far, they have raised over $5000! You will find the announcement with a link to the website below. Please contribute! And join us for the Service.
Just as Passover reminds us, one way or another, that each of us is challenged with moving through and out of hard situations in our lives. I have come to understand here in the South folks often keep their hard times and crises to themselves. It’s a source of pride and strength, I think, and that is worthy of respect. Unfortunately, it also means that they sometimes don’t feel and get the support that other people can give.
Arrington’s Bar Mitzvah is a learning opportunity for all of us. We all have room to learn to be more caring and more open to being cared for.
Sorry to end with a dangling participle.
