Beth Hillel Synagogue
A Conservative Synagogue for the Hartford Area

YOM KIPPUR DAY 5768

Yesterday evening, I made reference to the late Naomi Shemer, Israeli musician, songwriter and poet,  and her most popular song: “Yerushalayim shel Zahav,” Jerusalem of Gold.

One of the most beautiful lines in this exquisite song is the final phrase of the chorus: Halo lichal sheyirayich anee keenor, "I am a violin for all of your songs." While I will not be speaking today about Jerusalem or Israel – if you didn’t hear my sermon last night, just ask for a copy -- this line and the line in the song which precedes it have inspired my message to you this morning.  

And it does this especially because of my resonating to the theme of our sermons these HHDs, bein shishim l’zikna. Since there may be a few people here who have not heard my recent sermons, let me repeat how Rabbi Lazowski commented on these words:

“Sixty is not aged but rather worthy of inclusion among the elders, enjoying the ‘Late flowering of matured wisdom.’” Zakayn and Zakayna --  generally connote the dignity of prestige of the learned elder.”

And I resonate to these words because one indeed needs “mature wisdom” and “learning” to cope as a rabbi. The rabbinate is a complex endeavor. For me, besides the obvious difficulties of time commitment…. one of the most difficult aspects of a rabbi's job is that he or she is expected to be a kinor, a violin, to accompany and set the melody for each and every Jew's understanding of Judaism. Sometimes, Jews turn to their rabbi and expect him or her to endorse every different approach to every different question which exists in the Jewish world and also to prioritize Judaism in the same way that each of them does. But I can’t do that. I have to define the priorities of Judaism that work for me…. And you have to decide what work for you. And that’s the way it should be…. One beam of light shines into a diamond; the light is refracted in 54 different directions. And each is a part of that beautiful original light. And when the light is Godly, every refracted beam embodies God as well. Does that mean I can't relate to someone with different opinions and priorities? Of course not. And, one of the reasons that Beth Hillel Synagogue is such a wonderful, blessed place is there is such a high level of participation from congregants in so many different areas. Everyone should not agree with the rabbi’s priorities any more than everyone should like only my davenning melodies. 

But, while this sermon may begin with me, it is really about you. None of you, no matter how committed you may be to Judaism, no matter how proudly you identify yourself, no matter how deeply you yearn to become a better Jew, none of you can play every part in the choir and none of you can be a kinor for all of Judaism's songs either. There are simply too many of them.

But you have to start, you have to be passionate about something. Another saying from Pirkei Avot, “It is not incumbent upon you to finish the task, but that doesn’t mean you don’t do your part!!

The belief that what we do makes a difference is FUNDAMENTAL to Judaism…. That we can change the world for the better… and that THIS IS WHAT GOD WANTS AND EXPECTS FROM US AS HIS PARTNERS IN OUR ETERNAL COVENANT!!

This is what is called in our Judaism Tikkun Olam. Some of you are already burning with the passion of Tikkun Olam, working to better the world and see in this the reflection of everything Judaism is and all our world could be. Some of you hopefully will respond to my words and my urging and join those who have already made the commitment to care.

For there are so many good causes. What are some of the areas?….Being an activist for Israel; being involved in any of many charities that work to understand the causes of, find the cure of, or help the victims of disease; supporting Jewish education here or overseas. Other options are to volunteer to help disadvantaged children or communities, or to deal with physical challenges to the world itself. And I am sure the list could be made much, much longer.

I can’t say which cause is better, I cannot say how much time you should give or how much you should donate. But I can say you can/you should/ you must do something…. And this is the day I can remind you of this and this is the day you must respond. Listen again to Isaiah:  “Is such the fast I have chosen? The day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down your head as bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under you?… Is not THIS the fast I have chosen? To loose the fetters of wickedness; to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?” (P. 316 Silverman Mahzor)

Bob Woodruff was a TV news correspondent in Iraq when he was almost killed by an IED )improvised explosive device). He spoke here in Simsbury last spring. Iris and I went to hear his and his wife’s incredibly  moving story of triumph over tragedy and pain. What have they done since…. They’ve started a foundation to deal with Traumatic Brain Injury… to which I have made a donation in the name of Beth Hillel Synagogue. Here’s his book…. You are welcome to borrow this or any of the other books that I’ve mentioned over these HHDs.

Some individuals in Hartford were distressed about the problems of inner city childrens’ failure to read. Reading is the key to education and a good life. They started a program, Hartford Jewish Coalition for Literacy, which now mobilizes hundreds of volunteer tutors and is a model program for the nation. Many congregants here participate in it.  Some b’nai mitzvah young adults have even made supporting it their mitzvah projects!

Whatever you feel about the political issue of global warming, there are ways to save energy and improve our planet. It may very well be, as the current Moment magazine says, that “being green is good for the Jews”…. But everything we do that is ecologically minded, such as the fluorescent lightbulb project, is a step towards a better world.

The Conservative movement is developing the “hechsher tsedek” program to introduce a moral as well as a ritual dimension to keeping kosher.

And if you are concerned about genocide in Darfur, as I talked yesterday, become active. Go to the savedarfur.org website and read about what you can do.

Beth Hillel is developing a “sister congregation” program with the Conservative congregation in Karmiel, Israel. It is a part of our concern, our involvement with Israel.

Become active in our community. The JCRC does important work; the Hebrew Home needs volunteers. There was a wonderful program last Wednesday night both honoring the Lazowski family and describing the good work that organization does.

Yes, causes for Israel, Hadassah, refugees, health  issues abound. I read someone that there are over 3 million registered charities in this country. Make your choice. But MAKE YOUR CHOICE. TIKKUN OLAM!!! For, as Elie Weisel cautions us, "to remain indifferent to persecution and suffering anywhere is to become an accomplice of the tormentor.”

I quoted before the words of Naomi Shemer who wrote about Jerusalem…. symbol of our history, our yearnings, our current struggles, our hopes and dreams. In the verse just before the one I quoted today she writes of Jerusalem as being of Zahav, gold, of Nehoshet, metal, of Or, light. (quote)

Judaism is pure Gold and being and acting Jewish and committing one's life to this ancient yet dynamic and changing tradition is a way of mining some of the most precious metal which exists in our world.

The words of the Torah are pure gold, sparkling and priceless. The words of our holy texts are food for the mind and for the heart. They both keep us up at night with challenge and support  us with their 

And Judaism is metal. It provides a strength beyond anything else in my world. It links me together with a past and a present and a future.

And Judaism is light. It is God. It is the sense of the spirit, the meaning, the hope, that believing in something beyond ourselves brings. It is light at times of darkness. It is light to make us love our partners that much more deeply, hug our children that much more tightly, sing our songs that much more clearly, dedicate our lives to pursuits which are that much more lofty and, in the spirit of this Yom Kippur day, take our vows that much more seriously.

I am Jewish because my life needs gold and it needs strength and it needs light and I know where to find it. And I am a rabbi because it is special and holy to teach and share this with you. It is there for all of us, for all of you. It is within your reach and it is a wealth, a strength, a light that we are privileged to call our own. I realize this with “bein shishim l’zikna,” a mature wisdom, and I share it with you now.

I can't be a violin for all of Judaism’s songs, no one could be. But, I can not imagine a world without the melodies that we, as a people, have composed over the millennia. They have given a wealth of meaning, a strength beyond compare and a glowing light to our people and to those in the world who know us and see us. It is a song which, God willing, will always be sung. And because of this, our vows to be partners with our God in Tikkun Olam are vows that, I pray with all my heart and all my soul and all my might, we will keep in the year ahead.

Yerushalayim shel zahav…….. This year in Jerusalem!