Not a Fish (provincially speaking)

Janice Coulter HY�D.
By her teacher
Judith Weiss sent me this:

�By Jay Berkovits

Janis Coulter HY"D

The horrible events of this past week, especially Wednesday's bombing
at the Hebrew University, have been difficult and trying. Because I
work daily at the Hebrew University, though at a different campus,
and have had connections to the University for almost 30 years, this
attack felt frightfully close. Young people, mostly Americans,
including two who had just completed post-graduate Jewish studies at
Pardes, perished that day. But it is because of my connection to one
of the victims, Janis Coulter, that I feel compelled to share some
thoughts.

Janis was my student at UMass about thirteen years ago. She studied
in our department, and was also a History major. She was a lovely
person, applied herself diligently to her studies, and accomplished
quite a lot. Because of her intelligence and excellent record, she
assisted me in grading exams in our department's introductory survey
of Jewish civilization. But the most striking thing I remember about
Janis was the uncommon warmth with which she approached the history
of the Jews. She wasn't Jewish, but she certainly had a yiddishe
neshomoh. After finishing UMass, she went to the Univ. of Denver to
get a graduate degree in Judaic Studies, then attended the Hebrew
University. From time to time I would see her at the Association for
Jewish Studies meetings, and at some point she decided to work with
students, to encourage them to study in Israel. She met with
students at campuses throughout the U.S., and eventually became the
deputy director of the New York office of the American Friends of the
Hebrew University.

It therefore was not a complete surprise when Janis told me that she
had converted to Judaism. I could never have predicted it when we
first met, but it seemed so obvious. When I think about the Talmud's
description of what is expected of a prospective convert (Yevamot
47a), I think of Janis. The gemara says that when a person comes
before the beit din with the intention of converting to Judaism, that
person is asked why s/he would want to join the Jewish people.
"Don't you know that the Jewish people are despised and persecuted?"
the beit din asks. If the ger answers, "I know and I am not worthy",
s/he is accepted immediately, and only then is instructed in the
commandments. Rav Soloveitchik, zz"l, explained that first the ger
enters the covenant of fate (physical) -- "brit goral" -- and after
this enters the covenant of destiny (the Torah) -- "brit ye'ud."
What this teaches, continued the Rov, is that the first thing we
demand of the ger is not a leap of faith, but a leap of empathy for
the Jewish people. This is what we learn from converts about being
Jewish.

With the empathy she displayed for the Jewish people, Janis taught us
all a great deal. Her personal journey became intertwined with the
destiny of the Jewish people she loved so much, but ended tragically,
on a trip accompanying students to Israel from the U.S.

By converting to Judaism, Janis embraced the Jewish people as her
family. At this sorrowful time, the Jewish community must show its
support for this wonderful young woman, a genuine woman of valor, and
for the others who perished in the same attack. This is a time to
stand together with one of our own, and with the people of Israel. I
can't think of a better expression of Kiddush Hashem than to attend
her funeral and mourn her loss "betokh avelei Tzion vi-Yerushalayim".

I was told this morning that the funeral will be on Sunday at 10:00
am at Cong. Hillel B'nai Torah in W. Roxbury.

Please feel free to share this letter as you see fit.

B'tikvah shenishma besorot tovot, ve-Shabbat Shalom,

Jay�