By Laura Seymour

Dear Families,
Our sages loved to argue and one thing they often discussed was about the “most important” phrase in the Torah — what tells us the lesson for life? Here is one idea in song which is a great way to learn. In Pirkei Avot 3:18, Rabbi Akiva says, “Beloved is man for he is created in the image of G-d.” This is both a gift and a responsibility. For many, these are the most important words in the Torah. “B’tzelem Elohim — created in the image of G-d” tells us how we should live:
* What does this tell us about how to treat yourself?
* If each individual 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 than us? Are they “b’tzelem Elohim”?
B’Tzelem Elohim
(e18hteen — Dan Nichols, Mason Cooper and 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
Beresheet bara Elohim, all our hopes, all our dream
Beresheet bara Elohim, each one of us, b’tzelem Elohim
Laura Seymour is director of camping services and Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Community Center of Dallas.