Rabbi’s Monthly Message

Dear Coalition Community,

Welcome back from the summer and into the cycle of the new Jewish year. Next month, we
will celebrate the High Holy Days and begin again the cyclical celebrations of our tradition.
Over the summer, I had the pleasure of spending some time with friends and in particular
having guests over for Shabbat dinner.

As many of you may know, I am an introvert who really appreciates quiet and solitude. But
at the same time, I love having friends and family together for Shabbat dinners. It has been
a tradition for many years in our home to host Seders, Thanksgiving, and Shabbat meals. It
was, perhaps, the thing that I missed most during the early days of the pandemic when all
in-home visits came to a halt. In fact, I recall the first Shabbat meal we hosted in the fall of
2020; an outdoor BBQ on Friday evening with some of our closest friends. It was very chilly,
but it felt like a weight had been lifted from our shoulders.

Society has changed tremendously over the course of Jewish history. And yet, it is
surprising to see how much of Jewish wisdom, from the Bible until contemporary
commentators, focuses on enjoying yourself. The physical pleasures of the world are not
something to be overlooked. Rather, they are something to be indulged in and celebrated.
Shabbat meals, good music, learning, and more are all meant to elevate our experience of
Jewish life.

The High Holy Days also have joy at their center. We have arrived at another year, and we
have another chance to make meaning of our experience in this world. We have the
opportunity to grow our relationship with loved ones and with the Divine. Even Yom
Kippur, a day of fasting, is intended to leave us exhausted but also renewed and joyful. Joy
is not just an experience of the holidays – it is central to them! In fact, I would argue that
the true message of the High Holy Days is that what we do in our lives matters!

It is hard to always do the right thing. While we can make amends and commit to improve,
perfection is never a realistic outcome. We work each year to leave our smaller, meaner,
more selfish selves behind in our search for kindness, depth, and meaning. But, we can
only do that if we allow ourselves to enjoy the realities of the physical world. We build our
capacity for kindness when we welcome others to our home and share meals together. We
become less selfish when we experience what the world has to offer and share those
moments with others.

We are starting a new year. Let’s make this the best year we can. A year of love, a year of
compassion, a year of holiness. But let us also know that we do not truly begin at the High
Holy Days. Instead, we continue a journey that has lasted for thousands of years and will
continue for thousands more into the future. And, this is a journey that is best when
shared with others.

I look forward to sharing a meal with you in September for Shabbat, and then to journeying
with each of you through the High Holy Days in the month that follows. Until then, I hope
that you are enjoying the beautiful weather of this late summer, and looking forward to
sharing your joy with those around you.