Rabbi’s Corner: Let’s Redo It Again

By Rabbi Daniel A. Weiner

DANIEL A. WEINER SENIOR RABBI

Residence Chava Mirel joins Rabbis Fine and Weisman, amplifying the familiar foundations of our service with a renewed effort to welcome and celebrate the multiple generations that desire worship accessible to all.

For the elementary school set, it’s called a “do-over.” For golfers, a “mulligan.” For the tech-savvy, a “reboot.” And for the wellness-besotted, a “refresh.” The literary-minded might push back on Fitzgerald’s caution about “...no second acts in American lives.” And the Torah’s Yovel/Jubilee offers the ultimate economic reset, cast in those iconic words that inspired civic leaders to engrave them on the Liberty Bell: “...proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof.”

Our upcoming High Holidays encourage our own spin on this timeless pursuit of second chances: Teshuvah, a “return” to a better path and repentance for the failings of the past year. But our embrace of this opportunity transcends mere repetition. It is a chance for a genuine re-envisioning toward a transformative renewal, building upon individual commitment to forge a communal and moral evolution.

And while all synagogues strive to provide the context and connection for this re-jew-venation, the coming crispness of fall also brings with it exciting and, in many ways, generational changes at Temple. As always, the High Holidays will blend timeless prayers and melodies with relevant and engaging modes of worship. Renowned singer Stephen Kalm and I will continue our decades-long partnership, augmented by Musical Director Douglas Cleveland and home-grown cantorial soloist Jacqueline Kamm. And our sublime Artist-in-

In these trying times of unprecedented challenge, our High Holiday messages will inform, inspire, and engage: From insights emerging from the 50th anniversary of Israel’s Yom Kippur War, to an exploration of what Jewish wisdom offers in the face of encroaching Artificial Intelligence; from the imperative of saying “no” as a way of preserving the integrity of identity, to ultimate questions of life’s purpose and promise. We hope our High Holiday experience will provide sustenance for the mind and spirit, as timeless tenets meet this dynamic moment in our culture.

And of course, the coming year will bring the ground-breaking remodel of our 16th Ave Complex. Ours is a congregational moment that is privileged to experience a revitalization of our facilities that will ensure that Temple remains vibrant, engaging, and relevant for our children, our grandchildren, and beyond. There will be many opportunities for everyone in our Temple family to participate in this transformative process. We hope you’ll join us as we secure Temple’s purpose and promise for the future.

The Book of Ecclesiastes offers a message of humility and hope, tempering the hubris of the current generation that imagines it knows more than any previous, instilling an awareness of the distinction between the shallow trends of the moment and the transcendent values that define our humanity. This balance is encompassed in the iconic phrase: “There is nothing new under the sun.” While seemingly deflating in its assessment, the commentator Rashi reminds us, “But one who engages in the study of Torah constantly finds new insights therein.”

Perhaps the greatest gift of Judaism to the broader world—and Reform Judaism even more critically—is an appreciation of this balance and blend. As timeless principles complement revitalizing creativity, evolving sensibilities are founded upon rooted tradition, and the pillars of the past anchor the dreams of the future. From its founding to this very moment, Temple has reflected the best of this balance and blend. And the coming year will continue to brilliantly reflect this dynamic. We invite you to align your personal, yearly refresh with an embrace of all the ways that Temple deepens your lives and broadens your horizons.

I wish all of you a true and enduring Shana Tova a good, healthy, and blessed New Year.