Marriage Equality and Civil Disobedience – Sermon from 7/26/13
There were many profound moments throughout my young adult life that led me to the rabbinate. One of the most powerful of these came during a Shabbat evening when I was an impressionable freshman at Brandeis University. We had just finished dinner and were sitting down to listen to a Shabbat lecture from the Reform Rabbinic Advisor, Rabbi Jonathan Klein. The young rabbi took out two pieces of white plastic that appeared to be something like a zip-tie and asked us if anyone knew what these were. After a few failed guesses that they were some sort of strange religious device that we had not yet encountered in our lives, Rabbi Klein explained that they were riot handcuffs; a quick easy way for police to arrest large groups of protesters at once. Rabbi Klein then went on to tell us about how he had recently been arrested while protesting in New York. I thought to myself, “Rabbis can get arrested?! This is awesome. I’m gonna be a rabbi!”
Of Zealots and Refuge: What perspective can our tradition offer on the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial?
Our tradition sometimes speaks to us in a still, small voice. In a passage from the prophets, God illustrates to the prophet Elijah, Eliyahu HaNavi, where to find God’s presence. God creates a furious wind, but God is not in the wind. God then creates an earthquake, but God is not in the earthquake. God then creates a fire, but God is not in the fire. After the fire, there was a Kol D’mamah Dakah, a still, small voice.
I hear and feel that Kol D’mamah Dakah, that still small voice, stirring within me when something resonates with me in a Jewish way. It’s telling me to pay attention, to consider carefully, to try to reach some new understanding based on Jewish teaching.
This week the Kol D’mamah Dakah stirred with the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial. How am I to understand this terrible tragedy and the complicated national emotional response from a Jewish perspective?
While there are so many aspects in which this is a difficult story of murder, racial profiling and racial tension and so many questions about the nature of human behavior, the Kol D’mamah Dakah, the Jewish perspective within me has been stirred by trying to determine what to think about two things: George Zimmerman and Stand your Ground Legislation.
“What’s Jewish About Everyday Life?”
During the nine Friday nights from July 5th through August 30th, we will offer a newly updated version of what has become a great tradition at Rodeph Shalom. Throughout our summer Shabbat services, we will focus on one common theme: the presence of Jewish values in otherwise secular encounters we experience throughout our typical day. During these services, we will explore how Judaism can be relevant to our every day lives. All through our daily lives, we experience events that seem quite ordinary and mundane. Yet, if we really think about these occurences, we can see that many of them are quite extraordinary. The music we hear in our daily lives (wherever you access your music: via radio, satellite, MP3, live, CD, etc.) can be filled with Jewish content, even though the words are quite secular.
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“Here I Am”
Lee Herman’s remarks upon receiving the Hineni Award in May 2013
I am pleased to accept the Hineni Award from Rodeph Shalom. Hineni means “Here I Am” and is found in Genesis when Adonoi called to Abraham and Abraham answered “Hineni” or “Here I Am.”
While this recognition acknowledges that I have answered the call, I really accept this award on behalf of the connection groups and congregational activities which have had so much meaning to me, since the award would not be possible without the people with whom I have labored. In particular, the Men of RS including Ed Rudow, Tomas Isakowitz and Carl Schneider have been true joys to work with. Matt Wander has been involved in both the Men of RS and the congregational choir. My appreciation also goes to Cantor Frankel from whom I have learned so much, and the other members of the choir, too many to name. Finally, I recognize David Mandell as the real leader of Rak N Kol, and Rabbi Maderer who has brought important issues to our congregation through the caring community. Rabbi Freedman’s energy has brought life to Mercaz Limud and Rabbi Kuhn’s overall leadership has brought a new vision to Rodeph Shalom.
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Why I Volunteer at Rodeph Shalom
Andrea Kamer’s remarks upon receiving the Hineni Award in May 2013
As some of you know, I was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri. Springfield is a city of about 150,000 people with a Jewish community of 100 families. When I lived there, every Jew in Springfield belonged to the synagogue, because otherwise we could not support a Rabbi. And every Jew belonged to the synagogue, whether they were Reform or Conservative. As you might imagine, that led to some interesting arrangements. For example, the Rabbi performed a classical reform service in the main sanctuary on Friday night. And then, on Saturday morning, he performed a more traditional service in the smaller chapel.
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“What Happens When You Say Yes?”
Michael Hauptman’s remarks upon receiving the Hineni Bezalel Award in May 2013:
There are so many talented, hard-working people in this congregation who give so much of their time and energy, that for me to be singled out for this award is as baffling as it is appreciated. Thank you so much.
Last week, I was up in Massachusetts where we are working on a feasibility study for two Reform congregations who are merging. One congregation, once 1200 members and now 300, will be selling their historic building and moving into the other congregation’s much smaller building. We were given a tour of the synagogue by the rabbi, who led us through empty corridors, unlocking empty classrooms and offices in a once beautiful building that hadn’t seen a coat of paint in decades.
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Finding Our “Different Spirit” for Gay Pride Month
Join us at RS tomorrow, Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00 pm for Love and Let Love: The State of LGBT Civil Rights in Pennsylvania.
When the Israelite scouts went to survey the land in last week’s Torah portion Shlach Lecha from the Book of Numbers, were Caleb and Joshua really the only ones who saw the land of Israel as a land flowing with milk and honey? Or, as the midrash (legend) asks, were there others who shared this dissenting view but chose to keep silent. Perhaps what makes Caleb special is his description in the Torah as having a ruach acheret, a different spirit. It’s the ruach acheret that compells us to speak out, even when we hold the dissenting view (based on last week’s Union for Reform Judaism Ten Minutes of Torah). (Thank you to the URJ for this image).
Rules to Live By?
It’s graduation season. Those of us who have the opportunity to address a group of college graduates, high school graduates or Confirmation students consider how to reduce all of life’s lessons down to a few simple rules. While it may be a trite endeavor, it’s a powerful opportunity to remind ourselves of a central question: What is the ikar, the central point, the most meaningful essence, of life?Continue reading
Ani Kinor: The Rodeph Shalom Orchestra
Cantor Erin Frankel
Back in October, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a profile of Yannick Nezet-Seguin, the new music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra. I was amazed to learn in the article that Nezet-Seguin spends a lot of his free time listening to music that is not classical. He talked about having a period when he devoured Ella Fitzgerald recordings and then moved on to Sarah Vaughan and Joe Pass. He unwinds by listening to R&B, he loves Jill Scott, and he is able to compare Usher’s early and later music. He described a concert he led in the Netherlands with the Rotterdam Philharmonic where he juxtaposed classical music and techno music for a crowd of 2,500 young people between the ages of 25-35. And the audience couldn’t get enough of the orchestra.
This experience taught Nezet-Seguin that his goal is to “get out of our comfort zone, as long as we play in the best quality possible and the real music that we know.Continue reading
