Unity Matters Now

On November 8, 2016 this country elected a man to the presidency who has never held public office. He has never served in our military. No major network or news group predicted his win. This historic event has troubled many. Some have expressed anger and rage, while others are confused and fearful. The future is unclear and for this reason my thoughts go to a story in the book of Samuel.

The people wanted to be ruled by a king. The advantages of a monarchy were idealized; a strong, centralized government with a strong leader to make the people feel secure. But Samuel pointed out a monarchy would also bring heavy taxation, forced labor, and conscription of their sons into an army and their daughters into servitude.

But the people were looking for change and a new model of leadership. The people felt their voices were not heard. We learn from Samuel that the citizens who bear the burden of government tend to be those who are the least able to speak up. Samuel warned that when they were servants to God’s demands God still heard them and made allowances. But now they will be exploited by a king who will not judge them in mercy and love.  (1 Samuel 8:17). 

Samuel prayed to God for guidance. God told Samuel “heed their demands and appoint a king for them.” (1 Samuel 8:22). And so he did. And Samuel's warnings came to pass - the people were burdened greatly by heavy taxation and forced labor; but they also built great cities because of the vision and leadership of the king.

Samuel's warning rings true today. The vision and strong leadership of a new administration creates an obligation to ensure that that government does not exploit those who cannot speak for themselves. We must ensure that all voices are heard.

I recently organized a unity prayer service in Huntsville, Alabama.[1] I gathered together more than 200 people from all walks of life, including various faith leaders and elected officials. This group of souls gathered to march on their soles to show unity and love for all. Together we set the example of our highest selves by marching seven times around Temple B'nai Sholom, just as the Israelites marched around Jericho until the walls tumbled, to symbolically break down the walls which divide us from one another. To me, this concept was perfectly illustrated by the participation of leaders from our Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, LGBTQ, and Atheist communities. When we reach out to others we recognize the divinity in them and create an I-Thou[2] relationship.

For me, the highlight of the service was the shaking hands and hugging between Rep. Phil Williams (R) and Rep. Laura Hall (D) from the Alabama Legislature. They both rose to the occasion to demonstrate what leadership should be – working together for the benefit of everyone they serve.

I am personally inspired and filled with the renewed hope that President-elect Trump's presidency affords us by underscoring the need to create I-Thou relationships.

My hope is that we find the courage to travel this new path together where we can sing the songs of unity.

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[1] http://whnt.com/2016/11/13/local-church-hosts-unity-rally/

[2] https://www.amazon.com/I-Thou-Martin-Buber/dp/1578989973

Yom Kippur Yizkor Thoughts

One of the greatest gifts of Yom Kippur is that we take the time to be contemplative, to be present with one another, to bare our souls to God and to remember our loved ones who have gone before.  This Yizkor service gives us an opportunity to remember that we are simply a link in the chain of tradition stretching back to Moses.  We are individuals woven into the fabric of humanity and the greater world – something that can be easily forgotten as we go about our busy days. 

Yom Kippur’s rituals require us to “check-in” with ourselves and God.  

Rav Kook, the first Ashkenazic chief rabbi of Israel was walking in a field with one of his students, who reached down and plucked a leaf off of a plant.  Rav Kook responded: “believe me when I tell you I never simply pluck a leaf or blade of grass or any living thing unless I have to.  Every part of the vegetable world is singing a song and breathing forth a secret of the divine mystery of creation.”   Let’s us take a moment to hear the divine song around us, singing to us encouraging us on even in our grief. 

Please take a deep breath and close your eyes.

Perhaps you can hear God calling out to you. 

For some of us, only when we are in a state of absolute vulnerability can we hear God.  Please allow yourself to enter that state of openness. 

As we open ourselves up to God, let us also recall our loved ones who helped us arrive at this juncture.  Please also take a moment to thank them. 

Please take another deep breath. 

Lastly, death is a reminder that life is part of a cycle:

“Birth is a beginning

And death a destination.

And life is a journey,

A sacred pilgrimage –

To life everlasting.”

Getting Ready for Yom Kippur

Every year we read the book of Jonah on Yom Kippur. The reading in the afternoon marks a dramatic conclusion for a day of fasting, praying, and introspection. A time in which we truly reconsider our lives, our deeds, and how to best return to God. Often times we are blind to the things which we really need to repent for. Sometimes we can be blinded by greed, selfishness, insecurities or even our ego. It is an extremely painful thing to realize that a mistake was made. Sometimes that realization can only happen years after that incident occurred when our emotions are finally at ease and our insecurities are at a rest.

It is amazing how our personal urge to be the best can sometimes lead us into the most complicated of situations. These situations can be challenging to extract ourselves from. We are scared that we lack the inner strength to be able to overcome them. We have trepidations about our own ability to grow and change in order to become a more whole person.

It was God who called out to Jeremiah saying: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations.” (1:5). A powerful statement from which we learn that God knows our ability to grow. This ultimately is a statement of hope, I believe. The Redak (a medieval commentator) retranslated that verse to say “when I had not yet formed you in the womb, I made you great, and when you had not yet emerged from the womb, I sanctified you.” He was attempting to answer the question of a) are we born evil? and b) was Jeremiah given special instruction so that he would pop out ready to be a prophet? Since most prophets rejected their calling from God initially, was this a sign that Jeremiah did not reject his calling? No, this was saying that we are all made great and that we have all been sanctified by God. That God calls upon us to engage in life. We are asked and called by God to engage in the process of teshuvah when we find ourselves entrapped in one of those complications. We are further called to be in this process every year as a sort of reset button on our life. Our specific calling according to this verse is in fact to be “a light to the nations.” We accomplish this by simply being a light to those around us.

In this case, I would offer my translation of the word navi or prophet to be an example. We are supposed to engage in the teshuvah process to be both a light to those around us and bring us closer to God. When we recognize the divine light within ourselves and the divine light within others perhaps we will be more ready to engage in a process of teshuvah.

This is a process in which we would engage and become more intimate with God, grow in our maturity and develop stronger relationships with those around us. It helps us to channel our anger, fear, and doubt into a statement of profound loving faith by our very actions.

May you all be blessed with the knowledge that you have the ability to engage in this process. May you find within yourself the courage to do so. May we be blessed with a sweet healthy and happy new year.

Shannah Tovah!

Learning from our Doubt - Rosh Hashanah Morning

There is no owner’s manual explaining how to live life. I wish there were. But the truth is, we are all human. We all make mistakes, we all struggle and strive to be better, we all have blind spots about who we are and at various times we all live in denial. It's called the human condition.

I would like for you to hold out your index finger and imagine that it is ruler. From the base of your finger is the span of your life. At the base of your finger signifies when you were born and at the tip when you will die. Now hold up your other hand and take your index finger and your thumb and make a “C.” Determine how much longer you have in this life. My God, that's all the time I have left.

With that amount of time left, I ask myself, how will I live my life? What decisions can I make when presented with various situations so that I am living out my personal life’s motto?

This beautiful Rosh Hashanah morning we read about Abraham and the decision that he made with Isaac. He was told by God; go sacrifice your son Isaac. Abraham decided to carry out that commandment.

Do any of us really hear the voice of God calling down to as clearly as Abraham did? I don’t. I study, I pray, I meditate and hope that I make the right decision. After all, the decisions that I make impact my life and everyone in it, including this congregation. When should I speak up on a subject? When does holding up a mirror of truth to a congregant help them? When does it hurt them? To be a Congregational Rabbi requires a certain amount of artistry. It is an art that I am still learning and I thank you for allowing me to explore and grow with you.

But now back to Abraham. Many conclude that Abraham did not have a decision to make but that he was simply following the commandment he received from God.  But there are some rabbis who point out that Abraham did indeed make a decision. After hearing the word of God, Abraham walked for 3 days to mount Moriah. The Midrash says that Satan appeared to him on each day asking:  “Are you silly and foolish that you would go and do this thing to your only son?” [1]  We can think of Satan as that little voice of doubt and fear inside Abraham as he was making his decision.

We so often don’t know if what we do is right or wrong. Making decisions is really hard. We want to believe that we are good people and God will protect us and help us make decisions. I’m reminded of the story of the man who was in a flood. He heard the radio report of the rising waters and went up to his roof knowing that because he was such a good man God would save him. A rowboat came by and offered to take him to safety. The man said, "No. God will save me." A helicopter came by and offered him a ride. "No. God will save me." The man died in the flood and when he got up to heaven he asked God, "Why didn't you save me from the flood? Why did you let me down?" God responded, "I sent you a radio report, a rowboat, and a helicopter. What else could I possibly do for you?"

We learn from this that faith is not enough. We must make decisions and take action in our own lives. We must use our faith as a guide for us in making those decisions. 

One of the most poignant stories I have read in the Talmud is of the death of Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai. As he was dying, he knew that his death was imminent. His disciples and students came to visit him. This was a long time custom the rabbis had - to offer one last lecture. As they walked into the room, the dying rabbi began to weep. His students asked, "Why are you weeping?" He responded, "My death is near and I'm unsure if I'm going to heaven with God or Gehinnom – the Jewish version of hell. I am about to face my final judgment."

Though few of us live our lives like Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai, a number of commentators offer reasons explaining why he had fear and doubt at the realization of his final judgment. During the siege of Jerusalem danger was everywhere and the leadership, including Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai, was divided about what decision to make and what action to take. Some offered faith statements that God would come in and protect the Jewish people from Rome, others believed military strength was the answer and attempted to wage a guerrilla war against the Roman Empire. But Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai offered a third option. His option would attempt to bring the nation some peace while still working with the Roman Empire.

Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai met with his nephew who was the head of a group of zealots called the Saccari who was among those engaged in guerrilla warfare by stabbing people to death around the city.

He asked Saccari: "How long are you going to carry on in this way and kill all the people…?" 

Saccari responded that he had lost control of the people and he would be killed if he spoke up.  He told Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai to plan a way to escape the city.

He advised Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai: "Pretend to be ill, and let everyone come to inquire about you. Bring something evil smelling and put it by you so that they will say you are dead. Let then your disciples get under your bed, but no others, so that they shall not notice that you are still light, since they know that a living being is lighter than a corpse." (BT Gittin 56a)

Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai took his nephew's advice and escaped Jerusalem in a coffin. He went to a small city called Yavneh and committed to create a Beit Din or a house of rabbinical judgement and study.

He gave up the idea that Jerusalem as the heart of the Jewish people, and instead made the community's synagogue the heart. This was a radical departure from the past. Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai posited that the Torah was to be studied and revered. He decreed that the way of praying to God was no longer through sacrifice but through liturgy.

Just as an aside, several of his new decrees which became law including: the blowing of the shofar on Shabbat, the "day of waving," the taking of the lulav outside of the Temple, the acceptance of testimony concerning the new moon (Neusner, Development of a Legend, 206–9).

I’ve heard this story many times in many different texts. As a rabbinical student we were taught the story because Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai   was the founder of rabbinic Judaism. I think it was no small accident that Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai   went out of Jerusalem in a coffin. It was symbolic of the death of the temple cult as the center for the community. Leadership was to be in line with his contemporaries and his students such as Rabban Gamliel and his disciples and descendants after him. 

I want to highlight that not everybody was thrilled with the decisions that Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai  made.  Rabbi Yosef, or some say, Rabbi Akiva, applied to him the verse: “[God] turns wise men backward and makes their knowledge foolish” (Isaiah 44:25).  [When Ben Zakkai met with the Emperor of Rome for the safety and security of Yavneh] he should have used the opportunity to ask the Emperor to leave Jerusalem alone. But he thought that such a request might be rejected and he would thus forfeit an even smaller salvation. (Gittin 56b) The debate raged for many generations between rabbis and Jews who had nationalistic tendencies and those who leaned toward pragmatism. 

Looking back we can see the value of what Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai   did. He attempted to create a path to prepare the Jewish people for life following the war with Rome. In the same regard, as we discussed last night, the prophet Jeremiah did the same thing.

Most of us are not leaders of a nation whose decisions have a profound impact on generations to come. Most of our names will not be recorded in the annals of history.  Most of us do not hear God commanding us to sacrifice our children.  Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai even questioned his decision of how he went about saving the Jewish people on his deathbed. 

We all have decisions to make. It is the circumstances of our lives that tend to dictate those decisions. I can look back and realize how the decision Uzi and I made to move to Huntsville, Alabama has impacted us. That decision has been a blessing to me just as I have always worked hard to be a blessing to you.

I've shared with you some positive decisions from our history. Abraham went to mount Moriah and his faith was renewed. Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai helped saved the Jewish people.

But what about the consequences of a bad decision?

When Moses received the 10 Commandments, the Jewish people gave in to their doubt and fear during his 40 day absence and made a fateful decision. They created a golden calf to worship.

God spoke to the people and said: “God, God, a compassionate and gracious God, long-suffering and magnanimous and true love, keeping that love for the multitudes, forgiving sin, transgression, and the misdeeds, but surely not cleansing them entirely, revisiting the sins of the fathers upon their children, down to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7). 

This passage was adopted into our liturgy somewhat early on in the formation of our liturgical practices in the early rabbinic period started by Rabbi Yahaan ben Zakkai.  It was altered to say: “God, God, a compassionate and gracious God, long-suffering and magnanimous and true love, keeping that love for the multitudes, forgiving sin, transgression, and misdeed, and cleansing!”

The rabbis transformed the verse in the Bible from “not cleansing” to “cleansing.”  The rest of the verse is about revisiting the sins of the father upon their children down through the generations was also cut.  God no longer seeks retribution and punishment upon unclean sinners. God forgives us and cleans us in unconditional compassion. At every opportunity, we are taught that even if we make bad decision, we have an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start over.

We will make mistakes. I have made some mistakes. I am a human rabbi. The humanity in me allows me to see the humanity in you and to unconditionally love you and help bring you closer to God. Sometimes I view us like little plants, we struggle to reach toward the sun. Sometimes we are blocked by shades from trees; sometimes there’s something about the inherent nature of the plants which makes for the reaching a challenge, but I believe that there’s an inner force inside of us that reaches out toward God to obtain nourishment. That nourishment for me has and always will be love.

The first step in the process of repentance is not between us and God. The first step is in recognizing that we erred.  Only then can we correct the error by naming it and apologizing.  Apologizing to ourselves and/or others. Together can we grow into a beautiful garden of flowers reaching out toward God.

After all, as Jeremiah taught: Blessed is one who trusts in God,

Whose trust is in God alone.

That person shall be like a tree planted by waters,

Sending forth its roots by stream:

It does not sense the coming of the heat,

It leaves shall be forever fresh and luxuriant;

It has no care in a year of drought,

It does not cease to yield fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

The decisions we make will not always be the best ones, but if we look at and examine life as an opportunity to grow, then our decisions will help us reach the sun and be nourished by God's love. May you grasp this opportunity for tushvah, repentance, and make the most of it. After all, we need to make our life here on Earth count!

Shannah Tovah!!!!!!!!!!

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[1] Legends of the Jews p.226-7

Jeremiah's Message for Today - Erev Rosh Hashanah

This year marks 15 years since 9/11. The attack was of such magnitude to the heart of American consciousness has never been the same. In a similar scope, the attack on Pearl Harbor also led to a shift that led into the Cold War. These traumas transformed our community. 

We now live in an era dominated by fear and uncertainty. An era which is reactionary. Prior to 9/11, we took so much for granted - our safety, our wealth, and our power in the global sphere.  We did not know the difference between Sunni or Shiite or Islamist strands of the Islamic faith, but we know now. That day unleashed an evil rarely seen.  An evil which creates a feeling of great uncertainty.  Is it safe to walk down the beach in France? Can I go dancing at a nightclub in Orlando? Or visit New York, New Jersey or a mall in Minnesota and be safe? 

This time, this period of fear and uncertainty, recalls  a similar time in our Jewish history.    In the opening chapter of the book of Jeremiah, we learn that in his lifetime 2500 years ago there were five different kings – indicating the amount of uncertainty. There was captivity of Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem. There was deportation and displacement. There was great questioning of the future of the Jewish community And, within that community, a questioning of the presence of God.

Jeremiah had an impossible task as a leader. He had to help his community comprehend the loss of independent rule, the royal family, the Temple, and lastly, what appeared to be a broken covenant with God. 

The events during the time of Jeremiah and the events today can be paralleled into TWO distinct categories.   Sociological and theological.

I want to simply draw the parallel between the feelings of uncertainty experienced by people  in the time of Jeremiah to the feelings of uncertainty that we have today. Our world, is changing at an astounding rate. The effects of climate change are real, the political dominance and the economic monopoly that America had in the world is changing and the moral certitudes of the past are no longer quite so certain.  This uncertainty has led to a seemingly inability to listen to one another long enough to agree on the problem. And if we cannot come together to define the problems we face, then we cannot come together to solve them either.

Let me take you back to Jeremiah's time to really understand what the destruction of the Temple meant. The Temple was a place where God was worshiped, where sacrifices were offered, where taxes were collected – it was the heart of the community. The people of this community knew for certain that whatever happened in their community was a mirrored up in heaven. If neighboring nations  were engaged in a battle then God was engaged with that other people’s deity in battle in heaven. If a group of people lost the  battle it meant that their deity died. 

There had been a covenant between God and the Israelites.  In exchange for His blessing and continued presence, His people promised to obey His commandments. God promised to be present for His people  This covenant began during the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was reestablished with Moses and again with David. But by the time of Jeremiah there was a belief that God’s temple, by its very presence in Jerusalem, would protect the city and its inhabitants. Because the people of Jerusalem  felt protected, they lost their way. They were not focused on obedience to God's commandments. They had forgotten to live a life based on the story of the Exodus narrative, based on our deliverance from slavery. Instead they focused on increasing their own wealth (Jeremiah 5:26-28 and 2:8). They took things for granted and perhaps even felt a sense of entitlement.

The religious leadership had forgotten to put God at the center of their activities. They wanted to make everyone happy and not hold up the mirror of truth. 

It can be argued that we too have lost our way in our relationship with God. There is an increasing secularization of our society. There is a decrease in affiliation with religious organizations

We must ask the challenging questions:

Are we in danger of losing our relationship with God?

What parts of us need to be revealed so that we are not living in denial of the current situation?

Have we allowed ourselves to be pulled away from God by the temptations of shiny new objects and the worshiping of the cult of celebrity and the cult of anti-intellectualism in America?

Jeremiah attempted to answer these questions in an exceedingly radical way. Jeremiah knew what the problem was – the lack of attention placed on living a life with God at the center.  He understood too, that because of that deficiency the people were suffering.  He needed to break through their denial of why they were having a problem, help them the accept the problem they were facing and lastly help them grieve over what was lost. He wanted the Judeans to break through the denial of keeping everything as the status quo and accept that their decisions to do so had negative consequences for them. It is impossible for an individual who is not ready to engage in cheshbon nefesh, an accounting of their souls to identify a problem and truly repent.  The Israelites were not prepared to even look at themselves to explore a problem, Jeremiah had problems with other prophets of his time who told the people everything would be ok.  But because of the people’s rejection of self-reflection the nation was going to lose and did lose everything.  The covenant with God was frozen and numb there was no possibility for newness because the people were numb from the pain. Only once the criticism that Jeremiah offered was embraced and understood, faced and accepted, was liberation from the pain of suffering the loss of their nation a possibility. By grieving and letting go of what was, Jeremiah presented an opportunity to face what could be. We know today after much psychological study of grief that mourning is a process that we go through in order to be able to let go of what was lost.  Jeremiah attempted to offer the people a path to mourn.  

When they were ready to listen he then offered his people were two prophecies that helped shape their future and free them from the negativity of the past. Those two prophecies can also offer us a path forward in our feeling uncertain about the future.  They can provide a path for us to walk down and to live a more balanced, whole and holy life.

Jeremiah told the Jews living in exile in Babylonia to live life. They were to build houses, plant gardens, make memories, and have children and grandchildren (Jeremiah 29:4-6).  More astounding than that, he instituted a practice of praying for the government.

The prayer that I lead you in each Shabbat and holiday service is a prayer for the welfare of this  country;  a practice that began with Jeremiah. He advocated that while we live outside of Israel we are to create a thriving community. The community of Jews that was created in Babylonia, and existed there for thousands of years, is like our community here in Huntsville. We have children here, we build houses here, we create a life here, and we pray for peace here.

We have a relevant and vital community here and it is mandated by Jeremiah to support the Jews worldwide by supporting our congregation.  We are strong Jews here.  By participating in the Jewish community we can become even stronger and more cohesive as a community. This is a community which I have seen be a blessing to its members and one which I am honored to by the rabbi for.  Thank you for giving me that honor.  May I always live up to the opportunity given to me.  May you also be able to be strong members here, supporting the congregation and helping it continue to thrive just as it has since the 1870s.

We are good citizens in Huntsville because we are good Jews. The hope Jeremiah gave the Israelites was to take the tools and the resources that they had available and keep on living. Winston Churchill famously said KBO – Keep Buggering On.  It is our obligation in the face of uncertainty and in the face of limited resources to Jewishly live life to the fullest.

To live a life full of Judaism and to bring that gift to our children by making a strong temple.

The second prophecy that Jeremiah offered was that we must be partners with God.

The God of Jeremiah was strong enough to heal the world.  But God did not do it alone.  God relied upon Jeremiah’s imagination to challenge the people and ask: how do you imagine God? Do you see God inside of your family/friends/self or small miracles which occur around you daily? 

Toward the end of Jeremiah’s life he gave a last and hopeful prophecy.  He was told to buy a plot of land and he was told by God that God does not close the door without opening a window. “I will surely gather them from all the countries, where I have driven them in My furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and cause them to live in safety. They will be My people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one path, that they may always revere Me, that all may go well with them and their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing them good, and I will inspire them to fear Me, never turning away from Me. I will rejoice in doing good for them and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. (32:37-41). 

The statement that we will fear the Lord, is not about fear, but rather AWE.  We will have a relationship with God based on love and that we will humble ourselves before God’s presence. God’s will acts regardless of our desires. God will shower us with love and not stop doing good for us.  God is so great, that God’s vision and power is beyond anything we could construct.  

What Jeremiah was saying to the leaders in exile was that they needed to examine their own lives and recognize a new manna from which to eat to feed their souls. For Jeremiah there had to be a relinquishing of what was so that the leaders could receive the potential of what could be. We will dream of possibilities and together we will make them a reality. We will release God, as Jeremiah attempted, from our conceptions and expectations so that we can see God for what God is. God offers us comfort and promises God’s presence to energize us to have fresh faith. The God of Jeremiah was powerful, liberated and free.

This is the power and potential of God. Does your vision of God allow you to tackle the tough issues in your life? 

Are you willing to recognize God as powerful enough to take bold stands in the face of tyranny as Dietrich Bonhoeffer did when facing the Nazis? 

Are you open to seeing God as capable to changing the hearts and minds of America as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr did when he worked for racial justice in this country?

Do you take every opportunity to speak out against the plagues of society in the public square or simply wander back and forth between home and work?

Are you willing and able to be a partner with God. Or do you simply lie in your own anguish clinging to the pain of missed opportunities for improvement. There is mourning to be done as a community, there is grief work that needs to occur, because the Temple may not be everything we would wish it to be.  But together we can dream and together we can create a community based on love here in Huntsville.   We need to apply those lessons then to society.  Just imagine how united we could make society.

It is the role of our congregation to apply the prophetic literature in imaginative way, to practice acts of gimilut hassadim (acts of loving kindness) in a concrete world to improve our existence and engage in Tikkun Olam (repair of the world). 

While this may be a period of uncertainty, with uncertainty comes an opportunity to develop something fresh and new, something transformative.

May this year give us the ability to be open to naming our problems, the strength to mourn opportunities lost, the possibility of using our imaginations for the good and the courage to act on them. 

Shanah Tova!

Sermon in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

MLK Sermon Fellowship Presbyterian Church

I am so grateful to be given this opportunity to speak to you this morning.

it is a rare opportunity to be able to address such an amazing audience and i want to say that being with your Reverend - Rev. Gregory Bently at the Temple this past Friday evening was a wonderful honor.  

We are taught in the book of Deuteronomy: Tzedek, tzedek tirdof. Justice, justice you shall pursue. Deuteronomy 16:18.  This verse is particularly hard living in a world today where 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, 51 years since the Civil Rights Act and countless acts of civil non-violence and protest since the Civil War culminating in the Civil Rights movement, we still see and experience as a country the scourge of racism.  52 years ago Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel spoke at the first US Conference on Religion and Race in January of 1963, he said:

“the exodus began, but is far from having been completed. In fact, it was easier for the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea than for a Negro to cross certain university campuses.” (From AJ Heschel speech at Conference on Religion and Race, January 1963)

The recent deaths of Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and so many others whose names never made it into the press are painful reminders that Heschels words still ring true today.  In an era where one in three black men born today will serve time in a prison, where whites have about six times more net-worth than non-white families, where access to educational resources still leave minorities “separate but not equal” and lastly where black Americans are more than twice as likely to die as a result of gun violence as whites leads me to wonder if Justice is blind like she is depicted in the statues around courthouses or if we simply do and live as humans do with all of our biases around us all the time.  

We are imperfect beings created only in the image of God, a mere shadow of Divine perfection.  As beings we can only live our individual experiences and see things through the lens of our own life.  We all have stumbling blocks which exists and are a part of ourselves which we may not even be aware of.  There are parts of ourselves which we do not like, appreciate or even want to acknowledge.  This prevents us from seeing who we are and from loving all aspects of our-self.  When a Hindu says “Namaste” what they are really saying is: “The divine self in me loves the divine self in you.”  Yet our own blindness prevent us from really seeing the divine in the “other” person in front of us.  

I am speaking specifically and painfully to the concept of privilege.  The concept of privilege is a concept which is both challenging and informative because it allows us to discover the many fascists about ourselves that we are both comfortable and uncomfortable with.

I should therefore share with you more about who I am.  I am, a feminist, Jewish, mother and wife.  I am also the granddaughter of holocaust survivors… I am white, I am middle class and I am well educated.  I am a northerner living in the South and loving it.

Because I am at the intersection of many things: sex, class, religion and being an outsider to some extent from the local community, this allows me to have a slightly different perspective than others as to what are the problems here.

A few years ago I had the privilege of traveling to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis TN.  My experience there forever changed me.  I went there as an unscheduled stop on my trip to Memphis.  When I stood on the balcony of the Loraine Motel where Dr. King was murdered I felt as if I was witnessing something that was so profound and sad at the same time.  Dr. King was murdered for standing up and saying we are all create in the image of God, we all have inalienable rights and need to be treated with respect.  

Better, in his own words from the Letter he wrote from the Birmingham Jail:

"I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider …" (Letter from a Birmingham jail)

I had a congregant who was African American, she wanted to convert to Judaism.  In the time that I knew her over the course of two years she:

• had issues finding employment
• was stopped multiple times for Traffic violations
• went to jail because she did not have the extra money to pay for the traffic ticket and had to place her 4 year old son in the care of a stranger while she spent 3 days in jail to “pay the city” for the fine.
• experienced sexism and was nearly assaulted

Her story is probably a familiar one.  Yet to me, i was shocked.  I went from hearing statistics to seeing them living out in front of me inside of a person who was simply struggling to live, put food on her table and see the world for what if could be - a place of justice and equality.  

I questioned what were the circumstances which systematically prevented my congregant from succeeding?  What were the Pharaohs blocking the redemption of a people enslaved?

Then I realized my answer: me

I perpetuate that system because I benefit from that system.  I have been pulled over twice in my life.  I had the money to pay my ticket and not think about it.  I had the ability to access a mortgage and buy a house in a great neighborhood.  I was not questioned when i show up with my children in a restaurant that we might need some extra assistance.  There is no one judging me for a screaming child.  

The truth, my truth, is that we are all victims and oppressors in our own way - all the time.  

We are all insiders, outsiders, members of the community and other at the same time.

Let me ask you a question, please raise your hands if you have ever:

• been pulled over for a traffic violation?
• had difficulty accessing health care or finding a doctor willing to work with you?
• struggled as a result of your race/gender/ethnicity?
• experienced sexism?
• been physically assaulted or otherwise exposed to violence?

A majority of the people in this room have raised your hands. You have also been given the opportunity to be and see the world for what it is - opportunity.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer wrote:

“Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.”

― The Cost of Discipleship

To rebuild our world…we must rebuild ourselves.  When Moses said that we had a decision to make between life and death, and that literally the commandments were in our hands should we decide to engage with them.  But failing to engage with them and with the world around us prevents us from being a co-creator with God in completing the work of creation.   By engaging in the “blame game” we fail to take into account our contributions to the problem and the possibilities which rest inside all of us to assist with the solution.  

Rabbi Heschel spoke at a speech on Race and said: “By negligence and silence we have all become accessory before the God of mercy to the injustice committed against the Negroes by men of our nation. Our derelictions are many. We have failed to demand, to insist, to challenge,[and] to chastise…. An honest estimation of the moral state of our society will disclose: Some are guilty, but all are responsible.” (From AJ Heschel speech at Conference on Religion and Race, January 1963)

we are all responsible for the current situation. and we are all obligated to fix it.

the problem with Israel is that Israel is accused in the Palestinian conflict of being the sole cause for the problems that the Palestinians face and experience.  There have been so many UN resolutions against Israel and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement has grown and become successful in incorrectly labeling Israel and apartheid state. Yes, Israel has engaged in actions which i find troubling against the Palestinians.  But they are not an apartheid state - far from it.  Accusations of such limit dialogue and discussion and prevent relationships from being formed which can move forward a process so staled as to prevent peace from ever being reached.

Both sides have contributed to this problem.  So have all of the other nations in the Middle East by using the Palestinians as pawns in a political game. Some are guilty, but all are responsible.

Dr. King famously and amazingly had a dream which he shared with us in Washington DC.

He said:

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."2

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

I too have a dream, though this dream has it origins over 2,000 years ago:  

“for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.” Isaiah (56:7)

When we stop to see the other, when we start to say i will be a part of the solution, when we start to engage with one another and see the Divine piece that rests in each other then we can start to make that dream of community a reality.

We are obligated to grapple with these problems, we are obligated to see the problems inside of us first and engage in Tikun Etzmi (the repair of ourselves) before we engage in Tikun Olam (the repair of the world) so that we are able to see what needs to be repaired.

The solution exists in educating our youth...bringing them to Memphis, Selma, Birmingham and Atlanta to see and walk in the footsteps of past generations so that history won’t be repeated.  We must go to Dachau, Auschwitz and Treblinka, Rwanda, Darfur and Bosnia so the results of genocide and live the words: Never Again.  We need to develop and enhance in ourselves a level of compassion and empathy where we see one another, see the divine the rests there and are grateful to be in each other's presence.  

By engaging in the challenging work of repairing ourselves we set the the example to those around us and those who will come after us.  It is for this reason that my daughter goes to a AAA magnet school where diversity is valued.  It is for this reason I reach out to the Huntsville Islamic Center to end Islamophobia.  It is why i have worked hard to work through my own personal prejudices and preconceived notions -  I admit that I am nothing more or less than a work in progress.  

Let us join together, Let us join together in reforming the justice system, closing the income gap, bringing equality to those in search of a good education by ensuring everyone has access to the same resources.  Let us work together: white, black, Jew, Muslim, Christian, Israelis and Palestinians; let us come together.  

Dr. King knew that our survival demands action:  “It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world; it's nonviolence or nonexistence.”

I pray that we are able to stop seeing “the other” and start seeing fellowship, friendship, peace and harmony.  that the dream that Dr. King had is one which we will all feel that we must work for together.