Dear Families,
I’m getting ready for camp and this important message is a favorite song that we sing!
In Pirke Avot 3:18, Rabbi Akiva says, “Beloved is man for he is created in the image of God.” This is both a gift and a responsibility. For many, these are the most important words in the Torah. “B’tzelem Elohim — We are created in the image of God” and that tells us how we should live:
What does this tell us about how to treat yourself?
If every person is b’tzelem Elohim, then what does that say about how we look at every person?
Does this mean we are all the same? What about people who are different from us? Are they b’tzelem Elohim?
There are so many ways to “interpret” text, and music and lyrics are interpretations of thoughts and feelings and even of Jewish texts. The world of “Jewish rock music” is expanding every day and the music speaks to us and teaches us. This important message of b’tzelem Elohim comes alive with this song.
Download it today!

B’Tzelem Elohim

(e18hteen — Dan Nichols, Mason Cooper & Michael Moskowitz)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. (2)
We all got a life to live, we all got a gift to give.
Just open your heart and let it out.
We all got a peace to bring, We all got a song to sing.
Just open your heart and let it out.

CHORUS

When I reach out to you and you to me,
We become b’tzelem Elohim.
When we share our hopes and our dreams
Each one of us, b’tzelem Elohim
We all got a tale to tell. We all want to speak it well.
Just open your heart and let it out.
We all got a mountain to climb. We all got a truth to find.
Just open your heart and let it out.

CHORUS

B’reisheet bara Elohim, all our hopes, all our dream
B’reisheet bara Elohim, each one of us, b’tzelem Elohim
Shalom from the Shabbat Lady.
Laura Seymour is the director of Camping Services at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center.