Rabbi’s Messages

February 2019

Posted on February 1, 2019

Praying for the Government

I recently saw Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish in New York City and once again heard the rabbi share with the community his prayer for the Tzar, “May God bless and keep the Tzar – far away from us.”  That joke captures the ambivalence I have always felt about reciting the Prayer for the Country at Shabbat and Holiday services.  As a child of refugee immigrants, deeply aware of how exceptionally positive the Jewish experience in America has been, I love our country and what it stands for.  But I am also aware of the history of this prayer that includes times when the Jews felt weak and needed to add a prayer that mentioned, by name, the Kings, Queens, Tzars and other rulers who were not always friends of our people. 

January 2019

Posted on January 1, 2019

NEW YEARS AND THE HOLIDAY OF EVERY DAY

Happy New Year!  While as Jews we celebrated the turning of the year back in September, January 1st is a helpful day to remember Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and our hopes for a fresh start.  As we sat in the synagogue or around the table with family and friends we made promises to ourselves to re-examine old habits and reconsider patterns of behavior and patterns of mind.  If we are sometimes short-tempered, we thought about how we might become more patient.  If we have been ignoring our bodies, we thought about small steps we might take to live more healthfully. 

December 2018

Posted on November 28, 2018

THE POWER OF MUSIC

Reflecting on my 30+ years as a rabbi, the biggest change in synagogue life I have seen is the growing power of music to transform people’s Jewish lives. In the synagogue of my youth, we were taught that synagogue music was curtailed as an act of mourning for the Temple in Jerusalem. Psalm 150, which we read every Shabbat morning, lists all of the instruments that were part of Temple worship:

Praise God with the call of the shofar … the harp and the lyre … timbral and dance … flute and strings … clashing cymbals … rousing cymbals.

September/October 2018

Posted on August 28, 2018

I am writing this message in mid-August during the first days of my year as your interim rabbi.  I am delighted and honored to join your community during this time of transition as you think about the future of Temple Beth Sholom.   Transitions are exciting and filled with potential, but they are also times of anxiety.  My hope is to help each of you navigate the year ahead secure that there is a listening ear and an open hand to greet you, get to know you, and welcome you to our programs and services.  If I need to be reminded of your name, please be patient with me!

June 2018

Posted on June 1, 2018

I was recently asked about the importance of Tisha B’Av or the 9th day of the Av in the Jewish calendar. Most people aren’t familiar with it as it falls during the summer months. On the other hand, most Jewish campers do know about Tisha B’Av as it is the day when most of the activities are curtailed and some people fast for part or the whole day. It’s supposed to be a “sad day” and something connected with the destruction of the Great Temple in Jerusalem.  Both correct but there’s so much more to the 9th Day of Av.

May 2018

Posted on May 1, 2018

Towards the end of May, we celebrate the second of our three major festivals, Shavuot. It’s just two days compared to the weeklong festivals of Passover and Sukkot. But within these two days of Shavuot, our Beth Sholom celebration will be exciting and grand as we celebrate revelation at Sinai.

We start off recreating the Sinai Experience together at our annual community-wide L’ayl Tikkun Shavout celebration at Temple Israel on Saturday night, May 19th. Our community celebration has really grown with now twelve area synagogues and institutions for a spectacular evening of tefillot, Torah study, and workshops.  Our program has attracted over 100 people of all ages.

April 2018

Posted on April 1, 2018

Israel at 70!

The Sheva Brachot are the seven blessings bestowed upon a couple at their wedding under the chuppah. Each blessing takes on a different aspect of the couple’s future life together. I want to use the idea of the sheva brachot as a metaphor for celebrating Israel’s Independence this year. On Wednesday night, April 18th, Israel will celebrate its 70th anniversary as a nation in the modern world. Below are my seven blessings for rejoicing in our beloved Israel; one for each decade of “chai.”

The first blessing is that there is a modern State of Israel at all.

March 2018

Posted on March 1, 2018

The Bible has been the cornerstone text for both the Jewish people and Western Civilization for thousands of years. It is amazing how often it is referred to today. From the entertainment world to the political arena, the Bible is forever being quoted. Many movies have retold Biblical stories, including two not so great big screen productions, Noah or Exodus: Gods and Men (I don’t recommend the latter, Noah wasn’t half bad…really). Of course, I usually state that the Exodus story in the Bible was modeled after The Ten Commandments! Moses did look like Charlton Heston. And Christianity is of course, based on the New Testament that has roots in the Hebrew Bible.

February 2018

Posted on February 1, 2018

 

Purim in February?!  It is hard to believe, but in this Jewish calendar year the festival of Purim begins on the last day of February. Usually, I think of Purim being a “March” holiday and indeed the daytime part of Purim is on March 1st, but reading Megillat Esther and munching on Hamentashin falls on February 28th. Now, I know I have spoken many times that the holidays are never early or late, but always “on time.” So you ask, what is going on with the Jewish calendar this year? Here’s a reminder  about the workings of the  Jewish calendar.

January 2018

Posted on January 1, 2018

The last few years have been challenging for Jewish communities throughout Europe. Many Jews have emigrated from their homes in France, the Scandinavian countries, or even England. But not Germany! The Jewish population is actually increasing, including a large number of Israelis.

Who could have imagined after the end of World War II that the greatest place for Jews to visit, work, or even raise a family is Berlin. Seventy-three years after the horrors of the Holocaust and twenty-nine years since the fall of the Berlin Wall there are numerous synagogues (including Conservative Movement affiliated), more kosher restaurants than Boston ever had, a world-class Jewish museum, and even a cabinet-level government official dedicated to Jewish relations.