Hodu for Hoodoos

Dear Friends:

I’m often intrigued by false cognates.  Hoodoos, also called tent rocks, are common geological features around Los Alamos, the result of erosion of soft rock underneath a harder rock.  This results in a tall, frequently tapered spire with a hard rock sitting up on the top.  Upon first seeing these amazing structures, one wonders how that rock got up there!  “Hodu” in Hebrew means to give thanks, and though the words sound quite similar, they are unrelated etymologically.  Nonetheless, this false cognate (words that sound the same in different languages but mean something completely different) teaches us an important lesson.  We have so many things for which we can and should be thankful, including the beauties of the natural world.
 
The Jewish practice of starting every day with a series of morning blessings is particularly wise, in my opinion, because it forces us to begin our routine by acknowledging all that we have for which to be thankful.  I encourage us to consider taking two minutes out of our morning to open our eyes to the miracles around us.  Please feel free to share with me the results of this experiment; I’m confident it will help inspire me to focus more carefully on my own, sometimes rote practice.
 
This past quarter included a week-long trip to Israel to visit Beverly’s father, and we were fortunate to time things and experience both Israel Memorial Day and Israeli Independence Day.  Regardless of one’s views on the controversy in Israel, I am glad that we are including a prayer for the State of Israel in our services at the Los Alamos Jewish Center and HaMakom.
 
Sadly, I officiated at multiple unveilings (Annie Kuzava, Itai Rosen, Zev Guber) and funerals (Harvey Taylor, Harry Rosenblum) which also serve as a reminder for us to be thankful for each day of life.  It was certainly joyous to help Zev’s grandson receive his Hebrew name (Zev) – the Ashkenazic custom of memorializing one who has passed away is particularly powerful to me.  Preparing and delivering presentations on 1) the Jewish dimension to Robert Oppenheimer and Lewis Strauss, 2) Maimonides as a medieval exemplar of the unity between faith and science, 3) the Jewish perspective on medical aid in dying, and 4) a reprise of a talk I’ve given previously on the Jews at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project.
 
Listening to the beautiful song by Craig Taubman called “Kaddishel” about the person who recites the memorial prayer for one who has died prompted another false cognate for me with the word “codicil,” the modification to a will.  Perhaps we should be living our lives so that our wills – what we pass on to the next generation – are modified to ensure people will remember us for how we helped make the world a better place when we left than when we came in.
 
B’shalom,
Rabbi Jack