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Poster Commentary
"A life without a dream is no life. But a dream without limits is an illusion."Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg
Poster design:Robert Neubecker

Commentary

 
by Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg
 
Judaism dreams of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and turning this earth into a paradise. Society will be improved to fully support the life and dignity of every human being. Planet Earth will be renewed to sustain all forms of life.
 
Judaism challenges humans to engage and realize that dream. God is ready to work together with humans to achieve this end. If
we partner with God, our fellow humans, and with past and future generations, the dream can be realized. However, if we act recklessly in pursuing our dream, or ruthlessly push others aside to make way for our vision, then we may undermine our best intentions.
 
To be fully human, therefore, we must dream. Dreams uplift us in every area of life; they break routine and point to better possibilities. They inspire us to work harder and to make miracles happen. But we must be careful. If we let our dream grow without limit, it can undermine normal life. If the dream totally dominates our thinking, it can take all the joy out of life. Such a dream becomes the enemy of life and can even make it unlivable.
 
Jewish tradition starts us with the dream of repairing the whole world. Then it teaches us how to live with our dreams in all areas of our life. A dream which is balanced and connected to reality becomes a driving force for a better life. A dream without limits may well defeat us and itself. That is why it is an illusion. The art of good living lies in dreaming realistically.
 
Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg is a leading thinker, activist, and professional in the American Jewish community. He has served in the Orthodox rabbinate, academia, and continues to be a leader in Jewish communal life. Rabbi Yitz is founding president of both Clal: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and of Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation. He is a pioneer in Holocaust education and commemoration, and has written extensively on Jewish theology, the ethics of Jewish power, Jewish-Christian relations, and religious and cultural pluralism. Rabbi Greenberg is the author of several books, monographs, and articles, and continues to inspire the Jewish world with his teaching.

 

Conversation Guide

 
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
 
1. What does it mean both to experience ourselves as God’s partner and to experience God as our partner? How can we foster and maintain that experience?
 
2. What are some of the pitfalls you have observed when people pursue their dreams and visions? What cautions would you advise yourself and others to avoid these pitfalls in pursuing dreams?
 
3. What is one of your big dreams for the betterment of our world? How can you work to realize your vision?
 
 
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
 
1. What does the image of a sleeping or dreaming person add to this quote?
 
2. The word “illusion” is very significant in this quote. What items are used to represent an illusion?
 
3. Why do you think the night sky is an appropriate visual for this quote? What other visuals might have achieved this contradiction as well?

 

Credits

 

Frames of Mind@2015, Robert Neubecker, Quote: Rabbi Irving Greenberg, Harold Grinspoon Foundation, West Springfield, MA