“Ma tovu ohalekha Ya’akov, mishk’notekha Yisra’el.”
“How goodly are your tents oh Jacob, your dwelling places oh Israel.” These are the words that Jewish people from all over the world say to prepare to pray.
Balaam, a pagan prophet, said these words when he was hired to curse the Israelites. However, when he looked across at their encampment, he blessed them instead.
Balaam didn’t say that the dwellings were beautiful — he said that they were goodly — which is a very different and much more important description.
Beautiful is pleasing to the sight.
Goodly is pleasing to the soul.
When Balaam saw how the Israelites treated each other, he realized that they were a good people dedicated to making the world a better place for all of us.
When we focus on what is truly important — building personal connections and helping one another — we turn our dwellings from just being shelters to being goodly places.
In goodly places people gather to schmooze, learn, grow, study and connect with others. They are places where people gather to repair the world.
Just like The J.
I’m so proud to be associated with The J. We are making the world a better place every day.
Thousands of different people walk through The J’s doors each week. They are young and old and every age in between. They are Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists and many other faiths and beliefs. Newcomers to our community, and lifelong members. Republicans and Democrats. KU fans, K-State fans and Mizzou fans. Together we make The J a goodly place.
Our community has forged a strong, vibrant and inclusive community. We are building and expanding on the incredible foundation that our predecessors passed down to us.
Kol hakavod to everyone who has helped make our J one of the best in the country.
To some of you, The J is your home away from home. To others, The J is just one part of our broader Jewish community.
I want to hear from everyone in the community. Please let me know:
• What is The J doing well?
• What is The J doing not so well?
• What should The J be doing, that we currently aren’t?
I promise to listen to each one of you. We are stronger together. Please email me at or I would be happy to talk with you.
Send me your ideas, comments and, yes, especially your complaints. Really. Despite my size I can handle it. Thanks to my yoga classes at The J, I’m stronger than I appear.
The J is in great shape. The staff is filled with dedicated and caring people focused on bringing The J values to life. They do an exemplary job of managing the budget and delivering excellent programs. There are more members and participants than we have ever had before.
But we can always do better. We can help more people. We can do more good. Help us make the world a better place. This is the best way for all of us to fight back against those who hate.
Balaam’s words were high praise — but they were also a charge to each of us to build goodly communities.
At The J, we fulfill that charge by bringing The J values to life.
L’chaim!
Bringing the J Values to Life
When we are welcoming, inclusive and nurturing, we make the world a better place.
When we work to strengthen our community, we make the world a better place.
When we enrich people’s minds, bodies and souls, we make the world a better place.
When we celebrate and pass on Jewish values and culture, we make the world a better place.
When we treat everyone with respect, dignity and loving kindness, we make the world a better place.
Shanny Morgenstern is chair of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City (The J). This column is based on remarks she made at The J’s annual meeting and installation on Oct. 20.