Unit2TwoTruthstoLivebyaJewishrabbi’steachingsofthewisdomoflivingWhattolearn?Wisdomoflivingtoliveourlifewithabandon.RabbiAlexanderM.Schindlerandhisinterpretationoftheparableofopenandclosedhand.Religiousandmythologicalassociations.Ourownperceptionoftheessenceoflife.AlexanderM.Schindler（1925-2000）AlexanderMosheSchindlerwasborninMunich.HisfamilyleftGermanyin1932toescapefromtheNazisand,afterbriefstaysinItalyandFrance,settledintheUnitedStates.SchindlerattendedtheCityCollegeofNewYorkbutleftschooltofightinWorldWarII.WhileintheserviceSchindlerreceivedtheBronzeStarandaPurpleHeart.AfterthewarSchindlerreturnedtoschoolandstudiedfortherabbinateatHebrewUnionCollege-JewishInstituteofReligion,wherehewasordainedin1953.AspresidentoftheUAHCSchindlerquicklybecamealeadingvoiceinAmericanJewishlife.Heworkedtirelesslyadvocatingsocialjustice,humanrights,andliberalcausesinboththeJewishandsecularcommunities.AlifelongZionist,SchindlerworkedcloselywithreligiousandpoliticalleadersaswellaswithmembersoftheIsraeligovernmentonissuesofpeacesecurityandJewishSchindlerservedonnumerousboardsandcommitteesthroughouthiscareer.From1976-1978SchindlerservedaschairmanoftheConferenceofPresidentsofMajorAmericanJewishOrganizations,thefirsttimethataleaderoftheUnionofAmericanHebrewCongregationsheldthisposition.In1950SchindlerauthoredFromDiscriminationtoExtermination,whichexaminedanti-JewishpoliciesoftheNaziregimefrom1933-1945.HewasliteraryeditoroftheC.C.A.R.JournalandwasalsofoundingeditorofDimensions,aquarterlyjournalofJewishthought.ParableoftheopenandclosedhandParableoftheopenandclosedhandLifeisaparadox.HoldfastAmancomestothisworldwithhisfistclenched,tobeastartocommandtheworldinourhandstoembracethenaturetocreatetoloveWebeginbygrasping,tomakebigmoneyLetgobutwhenhedies,hishandisopen.ultimatelywemustrenounce.nothingleftonlyashesourfleshperisheslikefallenleaveson’tbesad,becauselifeisaprocess.Wealth&fameisgonewiththewind.What’sthesignificanceoflife?Yesterday’sroseperishes,whatweholdisitsemptyname.Ourfleshperishe...
