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Rabbi's Page
Some Disjointed Meanderings To Begin The Summer
Words of thanks and appreciation—to Mark Kaplan for his leadership – to members of Mvakshe Derekh for your warmth, commitment to Judaism and the Jewish people and your intellectual depth. Time has passed amazingly fast and now we reach a “summer hiatus” in the regular meetings of Mvakshe Derekh.
We will hold Shabbat morning services on July 24 and August 21, beginning once again the first Shabbat in September with services in the morning and slichot (with movie and discussion) in the evening. And then it is right into the High Holy Days.
Judaism takes no hiatus. We continue our intellectual and spiritual growth as Jews not to mention our daily practice regardless of the scheduling of Mvakshe Derekh tefillot. Torah study will continue with Joe Feibel having indicated to me that he is anxious to continue the summer Torah study program he so graciously and ably conducted last year.
And I constantly remain available for any personal needs via phone, email or needed special visitation.
I remarked on Shabbat B’ha’alotcha in reading one of the rebellion stories of the Israelites in the wilderness that it is such a shame that we now break “when the Torah is just starting to get good.” But no need to put down that great book just because we’re not meeting. Study with Joe. Read Torah yourselves. In fact, I’ll recommend a wonderful text for personal or group study beyond our Chumash. Dr. Marc Tzvi Breitler has edited a text called The Jewish Study Bible which uses the JPS translation but which adds commentary from a wide range of sources. I strongly recommend it.
Mary and I leave for Israel on June 28 and as on each trip, wish to bring tzedaka to Israel on behalf of the congregation. We support Israel in a number of ways—through our gift to Federation, through organizations such as Hadassah, through other donations. It has been my custom to add to those other tzedaka opportunities, almost in an enactment of the Biblical sacrificial commandment “You should never appear before the Lord your God empty-handed.”
For the past number of years, my primary support has gone to Bikur Cholim hospital in Jerusalem. Bikur Cholim is the only hospital in downtown Jerusalem and serves the large ultra-Orthodox community in nearby Meah Shearim, it has served as a triage facility for terrorist attacks in Central Jerusalem, its cardiac facilities serve all Jewish residents as well as numerous Palestinians. It has a long history and is just sometimes forgotten after the major facilities of Hadassah and Shaare Tzedek.
I also make donations to various groups in Israel promoting social justice and workers rights such as B’Maagle Tzedek.
Here is where I enlist your help and provide a mechanism.
We have established a Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund at Mvakshe Derekh. Its goal is to enable me to have funds available to distribute to needy individuals and causes. By making the fund part of the structure of Mvakshe Derekh, donations are tax deductible. In order to contribute, just send a check payable to Mvakshe Derekh with the notation Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. This will ensure proper accounting. Your check should go to our treasurer Carole Rubin, just like any other CMD check. Carole will then be able to disburse those funds as I direct. No amount is too little. Conversely, no amount is too much.
In my regular reporting from Israel, I’ll include tzedaka updates.
May we all find physical and spiritual refreshment over the summer months!
Communication
The best communication is detailed in the Torah. God spoke to Moses panim el panim—face to face. Now we of course take that statement in a very metaphoric sense but the principle is basic. No communication mode is superior to the interaction of two human beings in immediate proximity.
We can’t always communicate, though, face to face and the rise of ever-evolving technologies change those modes of communication. Words in printed flyers or email communications needed to be chosen carefully and our short-attention span world requires them to be stated concisely.
The question at hand for Mvakshe Derekh is how we communicate who and what we are to a Jewish community receptive to our message and unique constituency.
The best way is face to face. Every member of Mvakshe Derekh is a member of the communications/membership committee. Not only invite your friends, but bring your friends. Don’t just engage your friends on monolog about CMD, but inquire of their spiritual and intellectual needs which we might be able to serve through the enhancement of our own program.
Communication of who we are begins with our own self-definition. Do you want to be part of this process? Help us define ourselves in a few content-rich statements. Once we develop those points, help us expand them to reach the Jewish community.
A number of us are meeting after Shabbat services on June 19 to brainstorm communications. Our goal—the continued vibrance of community through attracting and integrating “Jews like us.” Your insights are valued.
Prayer Facts
Some differences between the traditional language of prayer and Reconstructionist language of prayer—
God may sometimes be called “The Boundless One” or ‘The Eternal.” We wish to convey that we do not see God as a supernatural being but rather as a force for goodness and creative inspiration.
Asher Kidshanu B’mitzvotav—“Who sanctified us by commandments”—We try to avoid gender-references to God whenever possible, keeping in mind the limitations of human language both Hebrew and English. And when we refer to Mitzvot, we don’t mean supernatural commandments on Sinai but rather those customs, mores and folkways which have a divine inspiration and which emerge from the process of Jewish growth and practice. Mitzvot emerge from the collective life of the Jewish people and in turn nourish our people. Mordecai Kaplan urged translating Mitzvot as Minhag—customs and folkways.
V’keravtanu la’avodato—“Who brought us near to God’s service”. These words replace the traditional formulation in the Torah blessing “asher bachar banu”—who chose us. Choseness is an issue for Reconstructionist Jews. The more precise understanding is that of a people who chooses. Our thanks are expressed to God for the opportunities for service and observance.
M’chaye Kol Chai”—“who gives life to all”. We replace the phrases relating to resurrection of the dead with a more universal affirmation of life.
And one final change in our Siddur. When raising the Torah, we do not recite the traditional phrase “Vzot HaTorah…” “This is the Torah which Moses placed before the Israelities through the word of God.” Rather, we affirm Torah as “a tree of life to all who grasp it.”
Rabbi Ned Soltz
updated 6/7/10
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