I work at camp J C A Shalom in Malibu every Thursday. I water trees, plants, and herbs in their organic garden. I pick ripe lemons, oranges, and olives. I use hay to insulate the trees in the winter. It makes me happy to work.
I feel connected to G-d when I am working in nature. I see G-d’s work in the earth and want to feel it in my hands. When I am in the garden and working, I feel G-d’s call, and I answer him by doing the work he started. When G-d was creating the earth He created plants on the third day. I am continuing G-d’s work when working at J C A.
Everyone says I am a simple guy and really, I am. I wish everyone was as simple as me. The world would be a much less complicated place if we all tried to do G-d’s work and not the work we convince ourselves we ought to do.
When watering trees, I think about giving back to the earth what she gives to me and to the earth.
Earth is like a giant circle.
It’s a give and take, however, not enough people give.
This year I challenge everyone to give more to earth’s giant circle and take less. Be more aligned with G-d’s vision and see how much you grow as a result.
Neal Katz, January 2013
