A message of challenging times

A message of challenging times

Rabbi Menachem Mirski | Temple Beth Shalom

As we approach High Holidays the Hebrew year 5784 is coming to an end. It has been quite a year! A year marked by profound challenges for the Jewish people as a whole. The scale and gravity of the atrocity of October 7th and the shocking aftermath has left an indelible mark on our collective Jewish life and has shaken up many of our long-held worldviews. Beautifully, in the face of this monstrosity, we have also seen our Jewish, ethno-religious community come together with unity and openness.

Despite the diversity within Judaism, whether in terms of different religious streams or levels of secularism, the Jewish people are united by a shared foundation of Jewish values. These values - such as devotion to live in community (Israel), learning (Torah), governance of life by law (halacha), justice and righteousness (tzedek), kindness and taking care of others (chesed) and responsibility (acharayut) - have served as a unifying force, instilling a strong sense of community among the Jewish people. These values are at the very core of Judaism, representing the felt commitments of a lived religion. They remain forever unchangeable, even as the specific rituals, customs, and other expressions of Jewish faith may differ across various communities.

Our daily Shema is an expression of all these values and a reaffirmation of how important it is to be guided by them in our lives. Reciting the prayer twice a day reminds us of our sacred obligation to teach future generations all the laws and traditions of Judaism. Creating a space for Jewish families to deepen their connection to Judaism is a sacred mitzvah and core purpose of every synagogue. Joining your local Jewish synagogue should not be viewed as a transactional arrangement, like choosing a service provider and paying for their services. Rather, it is about becoming part of and supporting your local, extended Jewish family - including the generations of Jewish families that will walk through its doors.

Yes, there is a transactional element to joining a synagogue, in the sense that one may rightfully expect to receive something in return. After all, every human-to-human relationship, whether it be marriage or a bond between parents and children, has a certain transactional nature - where both parties have reasonable expectations of the other. However, becoming part of your local Jewish synagogue is primarily about joining your extended Jewish family. A strong, loving family is the foundation of a thriving society, and the synagogue is where children learn the core Jewish values in both theory and practice. It is within this familial context that they internalize these principles - such as devolution, learning, justice, and kindness - and carry them forward to implement as successful, upstanding members of the community in their adult lives. So while there may be transactional elements, the true purpose of joining a synagogue is to become part of a supportive, multigenerational Jewish family that will nurture the next generation in the values of our faith.

In these challenging times, it is more crucial than ever to be part of your local Jewish community and synagogue, as it profoundly represents a deep connection with one another. This sense of unity and belonging is essential for our people to thrive and grow strong, a lesson our ancestors have learned many times through the ages and passed down to us.

Shanah tovah!