RABBI ARI LUCAS Sharing our journeys, hearing each other’ s stories

One of our guiding themes for this year has been “sharing our journeys.” Typically, we think about that phrase in the context of showing up for each other at significant moments in life. From birth to death and everything in between, a synagogue community can be a supportive environment to share the joys and struggles of our lives. But “sharing our journeys” has another meaning: In a community, we have the opportunity to tell and hear each other’s stories. When we share our Jewish journey with others, we appreciate the diverse experiences and individuals that make up our congregational family. June was LGBTQ pride month, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City. It is a time when we celebrate the progress our country, society, and Jewish community have made in affirming the core biblical principle that everyone is created b’tzelem Elohim — in the image of God. It is also a time to strive for greater inclusion and dignity (k’vod ha’briyot) for all people. At CAI, we’re thinking about how our commitment to these Jewish values informs our culture and the shape of our programming. One of the ways we can affirm these values is by sharing our journeys with each other and lifting up the voices and experiences of our fellow congregants.

That is why I am excited and grateful to announce that CAI will host Ben Gersten as guest speaker/teacher on Shabbat, September 30 — the first day of Sukkot. In reality, Ben is not a guest at all. Ben grew up at CAI and has agreed to share his journey with all of us so that we might come to know him better. You can read a message from Ben on the next page. I hope that this month and his visit will offer an opportunity for each of us to consider what a religious community can be when we affirm the values of belonging and human dignity, even as those notions are being threatened in our society.

In my conversations with Ben, I’ve been moved by his Jewish journey and his commitment to Jewish education as well as his involvement in the gay community of Washington, DC, where he now lives. I was also moved to hear about the acts of hesed (kindness) — both small and large — that he has received from different members of this community along the way. I hope you’ll mark your calendars for this important event and come to learn from a fellow congregant as we all continue to share our journeys with one another.

Rabbi Ari Lucas, Senior Rabbi

FromBenGersten:

OnSukkotweinviteallkindsofpeopleintoour boothsourancestors,ourneighbors,even strangersIhadachucklewhenRabbiLucas invitedmetospeakatCAIduringthisholiday. WhichwasIancestor,neighbor,orstranger? Iam28yearsold(notyetforefatherstatus), liveinWashington,DC(farfromCaldwell),and amaproudalumnusofthecongregation (familiartosome)—noneofthethreekey categories

Uponreflection,IconsideredthatthemanIam todayisnotthesameteenwhowasamember ofCaldwellUSY.That,infact,inthedecade sinceIlastranthroughthehallsofAgudath Israel,myJewishpracticeandsenseofselfas agaymanhaveevolvedAndmaybe,therefore, aninvitationhome,asachangedperson,is appropriate.

IamexcitedtoreturntoCAItosharemy Jewishjourneywiththepeoplethathelped shapeitmykehillah.ThemoreIthought aboutmylifeasaJewandasagayperson,the moreIrealizedthatmyJewishlifeismyqueer life,andmyqueerlife,myJewishlife.CAIhas alwaysputforthitsbestfoottomakemefeel included,andIamproudtojoininitseffortsto continuetoincreasethatspirit.