On Yom Kippur I spoke to the congregation about our values, using the liturgical passage, Elu D’varim, as a source for our values. One value that is important to Jews that is not listed in that reading is the value of caring for the next generation. That value was made clear in the Torah portion for that morning, when it reminded us that not only was the generation of the desert part of God’s covenant, so is every generation of Jews to this day, and it is our duty to pass that covenant on to our children.
With apologies to our members who do not live in St. Louis County, those who do, have an opportunity on November 4th to care for all children in St. Louis County. Enclosed in this Temple Topics, you have likely noticed the brochure about voting Yes on St. Louis County proposition 1. This proposition will increase sales tax in St. Louis County by 0.25%, that is one penny on every $4 you spend in St. Louis county.
The benefits of this tax far outweigh the cost. The tax will be used to create a Community Children’s Service Fund, such as already exists in Lincoln, St. Charles and Jefferson County, along with St. Louis City. This fund would provide resources for children who have difficulties with addiction, depression, and other emotional difficulties, along with those who have been victims of abuse. The treatment options that will be made available to these children will include shelters, psychiatric care, abuse counseling and general counseling.
This is not only the right thing to do for our children, but it is the fiscally responsible thing to do as well. If we can provide these services, we help keep these at-risk children out of the legal system and state prisons, we given them the emotional tools that they need to be productive adults in our society, and we help to break the cycle of abuse, neglect and crime that permeates too many segments of our society.
You will see on the brochure that many organizations of all different types support this ballot initiative, religious and secular. In a search of the internet, I was unable to find any organized opposition, but yet I know people are scared to vote for tax increases, especially in troubled times. I have opposed, in the past, tax increases that were punitive or unnecessary, but this is neither. This minor tax increase will benefit the entire region and bring St. Louis County on par with its Missouri neighbors.
While in order to maintain our tax exempt status as a religious organization, I cannot endorse a particular candidate through any official organ of the congregation, it is appropriate to endorse or oppose any ballot initiative. While I still refrain from doing that most of the time, this is one issue that speaks so directly to our values, and really the values of all people, that I felt the need to come out so directly.
Remember to Vote on November 4th, it always feels as if each election is of historic importance, but I think it is indisputable that this one actually is, as for the first time we will send either an African-American or a Woman into the position of President or Vice-President for the first time. But remember to look further on the ballot as well. Make sure that you are educated about the state, district and local races, those are the ones that have more immediate impact on our lives than the presidential election. Last, make sure to be educated on the ballot initiatives, there are several important ones on the ballot for the state (Missouri only) and in whatever locality you may live.
We make our nation stronger when we make educated, principled votes based on our values.
October 2008
A New Beginning
Each year we gather as one community to observe the Days of Awe: Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. It is when we open up our sanctuary so that everyone who wants to attend can do so, and we welcome as many guests on these two days as we do the rest of the year. Even people who don’t set foot in a synagogue the rest of the year (unless they have a family function) are sure to come out on these days.
The reason for this is that Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur offer something that the rest of the Jewish observances do not. While I feel that there is much to be gained by attending synagogue activities and services during the entire year, I also recognize the unique nature of the High Holy Days within the Jewish religion.
These days of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur offer us a chance to begin our lives again. The power of these days is such that it gives us the opportunity to examine what our lives have been up to this point and how, if we are not satisfied with our lives, we can begin again.
Nothing we do until our final breath is ever final. Sometimes it is easy to change things in our lives for the better: like making the extra effort to call loved ones more often. Other changes are more difficult: A determination to stop smoking, or to stop engaging in harmful gossip and rumors. Then there are changes that seem nearly impossible but sometimes necessary: picking up and moving ones family for a better opportunity or to be closer to extended family, leaving a harmful relationship, or even more so stepping forward and opening oneself up to making the relationship better.
It is these most difficult changes in our lives, from quitting an addictive habbit to making a major life change for the benefit of ones self and ones family that these days give us the opportunity to address if we make ourselves open to the message of change these days bring.
We say many prayers that are unique to the High Holy Days. On Rosh HaShanah I will address the Unetanah Tokef (commonly known and “who shall live and who shall die?”) in great detail, as it is a difficult and challenging prayer to the way many of us understand the world. Ultimately, as I will discuss that morning, it is a prayer that teaches us we have control over our lives.
Other prayers and rituals speak to us as well and give us an opportunity to make positive change in our lives. Avinu Malkeinu reminds us of the power we have to make the New Year a good year for ourselves. Kol Nidre teaches us that we do not have to be perfect, but that when we fall short we must do what is in our power to make amends. The Sounding of the Shofar is a wakeup call to our souls, that calls up to live up to the best of ourselves.
On these Days of Awe that give us such an amazing opportunity for self renewal and self transformation, I ask that you open your selves up to more than just saying or hearing the words on the pages. Allow those words to penetrate to your deepest places, allow them to speak to what is good within you and to help you change what is not.
A Shana Tovah, may all of you be inscribed in the book of blessing for a year of goodness, health and positive change.
September 2008
Turning a new Page
From the title of this article you probably thought that this is my annual High Holy day Column where I write about how we can turn to a new page in our lives. If you want that, check back next month. I mean the title quite literally.
As many of you already know, last month we received our full shipment of Mishkan Tefilah: A Reform Siddur, the new prayer book for the Reform Movement. We have now a total of 176 books. 120 of them are for Shabbat Services, 45 are for our occasional weekday and Festival services, 10 are for our Hebrew Students and one is for my use on the Bima. Included in the Shabbat books are 14 large print editions.
It is wonderful that we have the opportunity to use these new prayer books. They truly represent the best of what the Reform movement has to offer in terms of theological insight, links to traditional practice and the type of flexibility which allows each congregation to use the book in a unique way.
The book is different from the prior prayer books of our movement. While our earlier books offered choices of services, Mishkan Tefilah offers choices within the service. This means that the book is used differently as well. Instead of reading straight down the page, on most pages (actually a two page spread) we will choose one of the readings, in Hebrew or English and then move on to the next two page spread.
This will take some getting used to. For that reason, the final three services in the month of September will be used as an opportunity to experience Mishkan Tefilah in a variety of different ways, and each of those services will be preceded by a 15 minute tutorial on the book and how it is used.
We will use the book in a number of settings. On September 12, we will use it as a part of our regular Tefilat Ruchaniyot – service of spirituality, exploring the opportunities the multiple choices in the book give us for personal reflection and meditation. On the 19th, we will have our Cantorial Service, and we will get to hear some of the wonderful musical options that can be found within Mishkan Tefilah. On the 26th of September, we will explore the opportunities for more traditional style liturgy that is made accessible to non-Hebrew readers thanks to the liberal transliteration that Mishkan Tefilah offers to us.
This will really be a wonderful opportunity for us to come together, and very literally turn a new page. Even after this month, as you begin to explore and use Miskan Tefilah, I and those who have gotten to know it will be available to you for questions.
One last note: For the High Holy Days we will continue to use Gates of Repentance, the Red colored book that we have been using for many years. Mishkan Tefilah does not cover the High Holy Days. A version is in the works but it will be 3-4 years or more until it is available.
August 2008
Preserving our Sacred Scrolls
This spring, the whole Jewish community of St. Louis was in shock when one of the two Torah Scrolls owned by a Chabad congregation suddenly went missing. Unfortunately the police have no leads, no suspects and no motive for this crime that affects us all as Jews. This is not an entirely isolated incident. Last year in Kenosha, WI, two Torah Scrolls were removed from their ark, and similar crimes have happened a couple of other times over the years.
When a Torah is stolen, there is usually little hope of ever getting it back. Some are stolen as a part of a hate crime, and the scroll is likely destroyed. Others end up on the re-sale market, and congregations that fail to conduct due diligence when purchasing a used scroll might end up with a stolen Torah. A quick check of e-bay shows a number of real Torah scrolls for sale (along with many miniature ones), and it is impossible to know how the seller was able to obtain such an item.
At B’nai El we have taken some steps to secure our Torah Scrolls. Keeping our building secure by always locking the doors is one step that we take. Beyond that, in our sanctuary, when it is not in use, our ark is secured by two heavy locks and brackets that make it impossible to open the ark. This is where we keep our four most valuable scrolls, including the one that was rescued from the Holocaust. In the chapel, it is a little more difficult due to the nature of the ark there. Of the three scrolls that are kept there, two are in rough shape, and the third is a very small, lightweight Torah that is the favored Torah of our friends at the SMDS-Reform Jewish Academy.
This month, we have an opportunity to further secure and asses our scrolls. An organization by the name of Machon Ot has a system of identifying scrolls by making an imprint of a page of Torah which allows for the unique style, penmanship and spacing of each Sofer (Torah Scribe) and each Torah. In this way, should any of our scrolls be stolen, we at least have a chance of recovering it. In addition to the imprint, they will also tell us how much our Torah Scrolls are worth for insurance purposes, and if we need to make any repairs to the Torahs.
Machon Ot is coming to St. Louis in August, and it is my desire to protect our scrolls in this way. Of course this costs some money, specifically $90 per Torah. This includes everything I mentioned above, but any repairs that were needed would be extra. This is not a budget item for B’nai El, so through this forum I am making an appeal to anyone who wants to participate in the Mitzvah of securing our sacred scrolls. If you are willing to make a donation to help with this, please send in a check with a note specifying the purpose of your donation. Of course such a donation would be tax deductible.
At a Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony, one of the real high points for me is when I take the Torah Scroll and tell of how it has been passed through the generations from Moses to the young person about to read from it. It is my hope that we can secure not only the lessons and values of the Torah at B’nai El, but also the scrolls which hold these great teachings for us.
Send mail to info@bnaiel.org with questions or comments about this web site.
