The Anne Frank Center USA is embarking on a project to plant ten saplings, begun as cuttings from a dying tree in Amsterdam which figures significantly in the famous Diary of a Young Girl. And in doing so, they invite each of us to consider where we find God.
Her diary records the following spiritual practice which inspired one of the best known heroines of the Holocaust. She writes on February 23, 1944:
“From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree, on whose branches little raindrops shine, appearing like silver, and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind. When I looked outside right into the depth of nature and God then I was happy, really happy.”
Where do you find God? Is there some physical object or act which regularly connects you as deeply as that tree did, Anne? What?
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
posted April 18, 2009 at 11:36 am
I think that agree Anne Frank had a spiritual soul. I also find proof of God in nature. I also find God in the smile of a small child…in the hug from a good friend…..in the feeling of satisfaction I get from putting somebody else first……in the non-material gifts I get from those I love.
posted April 18, 2009 at 11:43 am
Every bird that comes to the feeders outside my windows are my special gifts from G-d.
posted April 18, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Another famous Jew, Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) once asked his guru in what form to worship God. His guru responded, “in every form.” I agree.
posted April 18, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Each of us comes into this 3rd dimensional reality for a Holy Purpose. It is NOT EASY! It requires MUCH courage to come into this third dimensional world! Ah, but the Mighty Maestro, the Hallowed Conductor of the Sacred Music of Life, and also the “Music of the Sphere’s”
is with us every step of the way. And that is a Mighty Miracle. The Mighty Maestro of Love shares HER Heart with each of us!!! Thus She would have us create with HER! We can only create with God when
our heart is at Peace. God was truly very much ALIVE in Ann Frank’s. Her life was/is a Miracle.
So is ours!!
posted April 18, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Rainbows
posted April 18, 2009 at 9:02 pm
God is wherever the spirit finds freedom in repose.
posted April 18, 2009 at 10:28 pm
God is there in every smile I see, in the tears that we weep, in our hearts that we grieve…He is there in the changing of each season. He is there in triumphs, and failures. He is there at the beginings of life and at the end. For me existence is god, he is with every thought, with every sigh, he ‘is’ simply because we ‘are’.
posted April 19, 2009 at 3:28 am
Our Supreme Being is everywhere. When I walk through my day, Especially in my heart and my mind
posted April 19, 2009 at 11:53 am
I can see God in the hearts of the people.Those people who show they
care,who makes you feel soo special,those who never asks for nothing
in return but to see you smile and happy,I see God whenever i have
these kind of people with me,ever so loving,i can feel it and i am
overwhelmed and made me looong more to be with them every minute!
I feel so blessed whenever i am with my close friends who never say
no to me when i need them,they love to have me as much as i love to be with them if possible for the rest of my life.I am always missing
my friends who made my life sooo happy and light inspite of my difficult situation.Every minute of my life here in this place,i long
for these kinds of people,and who will grow old fast if someone you
love loves you more,i guess i will lack nothing if i am sure that
i will never miss a minute of my life to be with my loving friends especially to my dad who is always special to me,my last remaining
part of the puzzle to make me whole.I just pray to God and leave everything to God’s hands,it is always His will be done!
posted April 19, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Renown psychiatrist and holocaust survivor Dr. Viktor E. Frankl, tells
of a young woman in a concentration camp who knew that she would die in the next few days. “But when I talked to her she was cheerful in spite of this knowledge. ‘I am grateful that fate has hit me so hard,’ she told me. ‘In my former life I was spoiled and did not take spiritual accomplishments seriously.’ “Pointing through the window of the hut, she said, ‘This tree here is the only friend I have in my loneliness.’ “Through that window she could see just one branch of a chestnut tree, and on the branch were two blossoms. ‘I often talk to this tree’, she said to me. I was startled and didn’t quite know how to take her words. Was she delirious? Did she have
occasional hallucinations? Anxiously I asked her if the tree replied.
‘Yes.’ “What did it say to her? She ansered, ‘It said to me, I AM HERE – I AM HERE – I AM LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE.’”
posted April 19, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Nice comment ella…you have no idea how that little window making me talk all the time and i can also imagine that window is somewhat saying to me to pass through it and you’ll find your dream when in reality all i see is confusion and challenge,an act that needs my careful responses.That little window and the reality of this are in contradictions.Ella,my friend,iloveyou but i will leave you if you
make me more confused!!!
posted April 19, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I believe there is a God for many reasons. One is that I look at my Maltese/Poodle dog and her unconditional love, I think,humans cannot create a dog. Only God could do that, although, like with humans, God started the ball rolling by creating the first ones and now … Other people’s dogs also support belief in a creator God.
posted April 19, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Dogs are dogs,they follow whatever you ask of them or respond according to how you train them.Humans are different,though they
are capable of loving unconditionally,when one cannot stand anymore
confusion caused by saddistic kinds of people,who cannot talk straight
to people who really cares for them,who have no patience,i guess,
the other person who is suffering confusion will just remain confused
all her life,that way,she is more happy in that state of mind,just
remain hopeful,faithful and loving her impossible dream that can never happen after she will make a gut check of her being and what reason would someone of her dream would have the nerve to take her anyway,stop making her believe of a dream that will never come true,as early as possible,so it will be the earlier the better to get over future pain.
posted April 19, 2009 at 9:54 pm
God is only in the mind of the person thinking about him
posted April 20, 2009 at 9:40 am
That is unfortunate for you because your last name indicates that you are from a prominent Jewish priestly tribe. Israel is now calling on all of those with the last name Cohen to register in order that their priestly garments be fitted for the new temple that will one day be rebuilt on the Temple Mount. Jehovah YHWH exists in more than someone’s mind. He is Elohim the Creator and his Son Yeshua is the true Messiah. There is more here that you quite understand my friend. You see Yeshua is the only way to heaven. Trace your roots–and you will see!
posted April 20, 2009 at 6:26 pm
God lives in my heart. But often I find him as I kneel in my garden upon my hill in the vast green beauty of my home here in Kentucky.
Today as I was listening to NPR I found a voice with such heart and understanding. Someone who holds in his hand, a true message of peace. That was you Rabbi
posted April 21, 2009 at 10:46 am
one of my favorite places where i find God is the ocean,especially when there is a storm and the ocean is furious, i see God in all his glory,,,,another is the scenes he paints for us every day in the sky the Great artist paints us a new scene every minute of every day,i thank our Lord daily for these gifts
posted April 21, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I am not Jewish, I am a Christian, but that doesn’t mean that i do not respect those of the Jewish faith. I find God inside my heart, in the air and trees…in the sky and on the ground…I find him working his deeds throughout the world, but mostly I find him when I am alone and can speak to him with all that I am with no distractions. That is mostly when I am asleep. I love God. He is my Savior… my grandfather fought in WW2 and is unable to speak about what happened there or what he saw. I want to say that I will make an effort to teach my students the effects of evil and what one girl’s words could do to so many.
I have read her diary….i watched movies on it…and every time I cried. I wanted to be there with her to hold her through the pain and suffering as I imagined what that atrocity of a man did to so many. I wanted to be able to change her fate every time I read a line from her diary or heard her speak in one of those movies. I read Night by Ellie Wiesel…and I cried then…I cry because I know it was wrong and that…that whatever you want to call Hitler….deserved to have been tormented beyond anything…instead he took the cowards way…
I am a Christian, but I love all of God’s people.
posted April 22, 2009 at 11:00 am
please the Holocaust in all our memory.