Paul Wesel

A Dick Israel Story:
Several years ago I had the idea that the Minyan should begin a
Tzedakah Fund to which members would be encouraged to contribute a
small amount in order to fulfil what I felt was our community's
obligation for T'fillah, T'shuvah, and T'zedakah. I pitched this idea
on several occasions, at Town meetings, and Dick was one of the very
few who was opposed. He didn't think it was one of the Minyan's
obligations, that everyone's tzedakah activities were private and
personal and that that's not what the Minyan was about. After a good
deal of coaxing, however, the Tzedakah Fund idea was approved, and
instituted. Once the community approved the idea, however, Dick stood
behind the comunity's decision and gave the Fund his support. During
the same period of time I was feeling uncomfortable with one or two of
the community's decisions and was not, to say the least,
wholeheartedly supportive. Yet, when I saw Dick's paradigm of teaching
by example, I followed his model and embraced Minyan policies and
injunctions even though I wasn't happy with them. I told Dick that I
thought he exemplified what a Rabbi should be . . . someone who
doesn't preach but who presents a model of behavior that acts as a
beacon for the rest of us who don't contain such a rock solid center
of ethical conduct.
-paul wesel