‘The secret to our survival is Torah,’ a 2020 graduate speaks
How do we build a world of justice and compassion? Through ma’asim tovim — acts of goodness. Image by iStock
This was the graduation address delivered by graduating senior Ariela Zweiback as the commencement speaker at de Toledo High School on June 4, 2020.
Perhaps you have heard of the Greatest Generation. Well, when I heard this, I thought “Oh, what a cute name for our generation, that is so kind. I knew we were great but I didn’t know you thought we were great.”
Let me clarify; our current age of technological brilliance is not what is known as the Greatest Generation. Rather, let’s discuss the cohort of people born between 1901 and 1924. Now that was a time to be alive: they were born into the Great Depression, they were children during World War I and, to top it off, they went on to fight in World War II. So you might be thinking to yourself, as I thought to myself, who was in charge of naming this generation? Why would a group once riddled with seemingly endless hardships, pain and death now attain the title Greatest Generation?
What does it mean to be great? Is it because you are the fastest kid on the team that you are a great player? Or is it because you study very hard and make fascinating connections in class that you are a great student? Or, in the case of the Greatest Generation, is their greatness demonstrated in their ability to withstand hardship, to endure to simply survive?
Tom Brokaw, the man who coined the term “Greatest Generation,” defined what made this cohort so special as follows: They “survived the Depression, won the war and came back to build the country that we have today.” So what’s their greatness? They persevered, they triumphed and then they built. And so at this unprecedented and challenging chapter of history, I want to think for a moment about how future generations might describe our own cohort’s greatness.
We don’t remember this — we were far too young, approximately only eight days old — but the Rabbis define greatness at our baby namings: Zot hakatanah, gedola tihiye, This little one, may she grow into greatness.” What follows in the blessing is how our tradition defines greatness, and it is the deepest wish of each one of our parents as their babies are welcomed into the world. “May these parents have the merit to raise their child to become great in Torah, in human relationships and in ma’asim tovim, good deeds.”
To all of the parents here with us today, on behalf of the class of 2020 I want to thank you for making that very prayer, that wish, into a reality.
Here’s the cool thing. As I thought more and more about these two definitions of greatness I realized they are not opposed to each other at all, in fact they complement one another perfectly.
The secret to our survival is Torah, and I mean this in the classic, narrow sense as well as in the most expansive, inclusive way. Torah is the collective wisdom of the Jewish people and is central to our survival strategy. But what we do with it, how we reshape it, define it and practice it can also represent the engine of our creativity and ingenuity. It embodies our passion for learning, for asking deep questions and for acknowledging that there is never just one way to approach a challenge or an opportunity.
And what is the path to victory? It’s only possible when we work together as a team – through human relationships. The ways in which we communicate with each other, the friendships we build, the love we foster – this is what fills our lives with purpose.
Ariela Zweiback
And how do we build a world of justice and compassion? Through ma’asim tovim — acts of goodness which are the very building blocks of such a society. Simply put, we identify what needs fixing in our world and we struggle with all of our might to make those things better. No, it is not an easy task, but it is our obligation.
To my lovely fellow graduates: We are up to that challenge. We can be the next “Greatest Generation.” We can embody the blessing our parents said to us when we were born. This moment of challenge can be our moment of greatness.
I conclude with Moses’ last words to Joshua before our ancestors entered the Promised Land – their moment of greatness. “ Chazak ve’ematz, be strong and resolute. So as we stretch out into the world and pass the baton to the class of 2021, may we be strong in the face of adversity and resolute in our endeavors so that we will never forget what defines the greatness for which we are destined.
Thank you!
Ariela is a recent graduate of de Toledo High School in West Hills, California. In the fall, she will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, pursuing a degree in gender and women’s studies. Additionally, Ariela will be taking courses to fulfill a pre-med track and hopefully one day attend medical school.
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