Living InTension: A monthly column celebrating living with intention amidst the tensions of life

by Lesley Machon

(AJNews) – Greetings, Shalom my beloved Jewish community, and to all who come across these words.

The High Holidays are fast approaching, and it is a traditional time for reflection. As I write, I find myself perched at a slightly wobbly table, balancing a cup of chai over my laptop. Outside my window the seasons are shifting, a reality which resonates deeper within many of us. As the seasons change, we watch with despair the events unfolding in Israel and the rising aggression towards Jews around the world.

Since this is my first column as JFSC’s new Jewish Community Chaplain, I will take this opportunity to express how this role has filled me with a deep sense of purpose and gratitude. As our community navigates vulnerable experiences and complex emotions, it is a great privilege to be present throughout blessing, adversity, and everything else in between. Over the years, I’ve supported individuals from infancy to their final moments, and I’m honoured to journey with our community through every stage of life.

I hold a graduate degree in education and have over a decade of experience teaching both teens and adults. My ethical sensitivity and attention to persons has been shaped through experiences accompanying the dying and their loved ones. Volunteering with the Alberta Children’s hospital and being a part of NODA (No One Dies Alone) program inspired me to train as a palliative care chaplain and to pursue certification in thanatology (the study of death from physical, ethical, spiritual, medical, sociological, and psychological perspectives) so that I can better accompany those contending with end of life. I am also participating in graduate interfaith courses, as I am passionate about interreligious and intercultural dialogue, exchange, and cooperation. I can often be found exploring end-of-life rituals from the standpoint of Canada’s many distinct communities.

Though I have many titles, I am committed to moving slowly and occupying each seat with presence of mind and heart.

Amid the fast pace of today’s world, attention is often compounded by distractions and fragmentation. The simple act of being present—truly present—is profound. Presence is not just about the proximity of physical closeness; it’s about being emotionally and spiritually available. Being available to sharing space and quiet moments with others opens the possibility of deeper connections, attuned listening, and the privilege of being imperfectly human together.

I am eager to make a positive impact on our Jewish kehillah through a range of meaningful initiatives, particularly by leveraging the humanities and the arts to nurture people’s lives and wellbeing. I plan to organize volunteer sessions where youth engage with seniors in art-based activities at various care homes in Calgary. Additionally, I will facilitate a monthly book club for adults, focusing on works by Jewish authors, beginning with Leon Wieseltier’s Kaddish. I will also coordinate a hospital visitation program and represent Jewish interests on Calgary’s Spiritual Care Advisory Committee to ensure comprehensive support for Jewish patients. Furthermore, I will provide grief resources for a range of loss experiences, from the death of a family pet to the passing of loved ones.

In reflecting on how best to introduce myself, I have considered the value I place on presence and my deep belief in the sacred nature of grief and death. Communities benefit from open discussions on these often-taboo topics. Avoiding these universal truths denies us the gifts and wisdom they offer. Addressing grief, difficulties, and death directly helps prevent unresolved emotions, anxiety, and isolation. By encouraging open communication, we foster greater connection and support.

So that is a bit about me…though I’d love to know more about you!

Each month to close this column, I’ll share a resource to explore—a book, film, poem, or painting. This month, I’m highlighting Hasidic poet Yehoshua November, whose work captures the complexities and paradoxes of life and death. One of my favourites is his poem titled: Upstairs the Eulogy, Downstairs the Rummage Sale. It is brief yet impactful.

 

Upstairs the Eulogy, Downstairs the Rummage Sale

By Yehoshua November

 

The beloved Yiddish professor

passed away on the same day

as the synagogue’s rummage sale,

 

and because they could not bear

the coffin up the many steps

that led to the sanctuary,

they left it in the hallway downstairs,

 

and because I was not one of his students,

and it didn’t matter if I heard the eulogy,

they told me to stay downstairs,

to watch over the body and recite Psalms.

 

And I thought,

this is how it is in the life and death of a righteous man:

upstairs, in the sanctuary,

they speak of you in glowing terms,

while down below your body rests beside

old kitchen appliances.

 

And I recited the Psalms as intently

as I could over a man I had only met once,

and because I knew where he was headed,

and you and I were to wed in a few months,

I asked that he bring with him a prayer for a good marriage.

 

And this is how it is in the life and death of a righteous man:

strangers pray over the sum of your days,

and strangers ask you to haul their heavy requests

where you cannot even take your body.

 

Thank you for welcoming me into this sacred work. I look forward to walking with you.

Please contact me with any questions or ideas, if you would like to get involved, or if you or someone you know would like a hospital, hospice, or continuing care home visit. I’m always up for a tea, so feel free to reach out if you’d like to chat over a cuppa!

B’Shalom.

Lesley Machon is Chaplain at Jewish Family Services Calgary. She can be reached at Lesleym@jfsc.org