The Messenger
March - April
Dear Friends,
Not long ago someone asked me whether I would just go where the wind takes me during my sabbatical, or whether I had any set plans.By the time you read this, I expect that I will be in Israel.I will miss you all during these three months, but I also look forward to seeing my children, to having time to devote to a writing project, and to having some time for deeper study and reflection.I want to take this opportunity to thank our President, Gary Nachman, our Board and our Executive, our committees, and all of our members, for your help during this past year.I know that, in my absence, many are volunteering to take on more responsibilities in our Temple and I appreciate that as well.It is inspiring to be part of a congregation that has so many capable and so many involved members!Yasher koach!
This week I have been privileged to take part in an extraordinary Rabbinical Assembly Convention in Washington, DC.
Let me share with you some of the moments that moved me. The theme of the Convention was "Religion & the Public Square." And, of course, "Israel at 60" was a thread which ran through the entire Convention.We heard about the exciting work our Masorti (Conservative) colleagues are doing in Israel.We remembered the captive and missing Israeli soldiers, as well as the residents of Sderot, a small town in the South of Israel that has been under constant rocket attack since the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.Israeli Ambassador, Sallai Meridor, and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk both addressed the Convention and responded to questions. In between sessions of limud (torah study), practical rabbinics and business, we heard an address by Dr. Ruth Wisse of Harvard who is the author of the recently published Jews and Power. I had the honor of chairing a session in which The Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, Arnold Eisen, presented his views on the nature of the Conservative Movement's voice in the Public Square.The Chancellor suggested that we must overcome our natural tendency as Jews to turn inward, and we must recognize that Torah has a message which also is intended to be shared in the public arena.The Torah is relevant, as we recite in the Shema, "B'shivtecha b'veytecha, u'v'lechtecha va-derech [in our homes, and outside]".
On Tuesday, we traveled to the Conservative Congregation, Adas Israel, for dinner and the installation ceremony where Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg was installed as the new president of the Rabbinical Assembly, and I was installed as the Vice President. As part of the installation ceremony, Mark Talisman spoke about his work as president of Project Judaica in the former Soviet Union, and the Robyn Helzner trio provided wonderful musical ruah (spirit).
On Wednesday we visited Capitol Hill and heard from Rabbi David Saperstein, Howard Kohr, a number of representatives and senators, Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sam Brownback (R-KS), who has been very active on the Darfur issue, Reps. Jane Harman (D-CA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Steve Israel (D-NY) and Ron Klein (D-FL).Later that day, we heard from a panel of journalists, including David Brooks, Norm Ornstein, Jeff Birnbaum, and Charles Krauthammer.Finally, we heard an address by Chief Justice John G. Roberts where he integrated the parashah and teachings by our past Chancellors, Rabbi Solomon Schechter and Louis Finkelstein.
Thursday morning during breakfast, a panel of governmental officials, moderated by Liz Schrayer, spoke about the role of Judaism in their lives as public servants. We heard from Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff, Amb. Dennis Ross, and Reps. Rahm Emanuel, Shelley Berkeley and Allyson Schwartz. It was an amazing session.The bottom line is that all of our guests see the challenges which we face, yet they all see that there is an opportunity to work toward peace, toward understanding, and toward the values we, as Conservative Jews, hold so dear, both here in the United States, and in Israel.
In the business sessions, the RA discussed and passed several resolutions.One of the resolutions relates to reports that Pope Benedict XVI has revised the 1962 text of the Latin liturgy, retaining the rubric, "For the Conversion of The Jews", containing the words "Let us pray also for the Jews that Our Lord and God may enlighten their hearts, that they may acknowledge Jesus Christ as the savior of all men..." and has brought this prayer back into the liturgy as an acceptable, if optional, prayer for Catholic Churches.The RA expressed concern about these reports and resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly seek clarification from the Vatican of the meaning and status of the new text for the Latin liturgy which will be heard in Catholic churches on Good Friday. Other resolutions were passed on social action issues including issues of environment, poverty and health care.
What I conclude from the Convention as a whole is that we Jews must continue to make our voices heard beyond the confines of our Jewish community.We have a vision to offer. Although we may have different ideas as to how to work toward that vision, we undoubtedly have a contribution to make to our society.What I also learned at this Convention is that, in the United States, we are blessed with many Jewish public servants, and that many, if not most, of our Jewish public servants are members of Conservative Movement Congregations!So, it is not accidental that Rodef Sholom Temple has produced the leadership that it produces for our area.There is something about the values of the Conservative Movement which teaches us to extend ourselves into areas of public service and of leadership, both in the Jewish community and beyond.Ashreynu, we are blessed, to belong to such a wonderful spiritual community.
I look forward to seeing you all in mid-May when I return from Israel and, in the meantime, I wish us all a season of health, happiness and joy!
Rabbi Gilah Dror |
