Hineni- Here Am I

Hineni- Here Am I

You know, theology is a funny thing. It can  be the subject of high minded debate in the university classroom, of devout pursuit in the halls of a seminary and used as a weapon in politics as well.

But I wonder how often we take the opportunity to ponder our own theology as Jews.   There are lots of prayers in the siddur in which we ask God for sustenance, renewal, understanding, humility, joy.

We also believe in following a baseline of Jewish observance, mitzvoth, after all, have to be commanded by something or someone.

Most of the year, though, i don’t think many of us give a lot of thought to the man behind the curtain. We focus on our acts, and our community, our shared struggles and our pursuit of self betterment.

But where’s God? Then the High Holidays come, and its all we can get think of. Who shall live and Who shall die. Who shall be sealed in the great book of life.

It’s a daunting switch to say the least. It’s almost like our liturgy has a split personality. How come these existential questions only come at us 3 days a year? Is that why so many people come to shul on those days?

More to the point, how can we possibly be ready for the enormity of facing our relationship with God and Gods place in the world when the rest of the year hasn’t really prepared us?

For my part, I think that’s what the Hineni prayer seeks to answer. Or at least struggle with. “Here I am, poor in deeds, terrified and trembling before the One who sits on the throne receiving our Tfilot”

Some people think that the Hineni is just a show piece for the Hazzan, to highlight his voice and have a grand moment in front of the congregation.

Actually, I’ll tell you, it is terrifying. And the words are a sharp wake up call that this, all of this is very real and very urgent.

“Do I believe? Do I not believe? Does God hear my voice?”

I think the Hazzan’s prayer expresses what many of us feel. A sense of awe, fear and bewilderment all wrapped up into one.

“Here Am I” said Abraham, Moses and most recently Leonard Cohen, when they were called by God.

When God calls to us on these High Holidays, will we be ready?  Now is the time to ponder, explore, meditate and maybe even journal your innermost thoughts on God, faith and the nature of our existence.

Come to synagogue ready, prepared to struggle, sing, cry aloud and experience the majesty of the holidays

L’Shanah Tovah

Hazzan’s Fradkin

The Clergy Blog has a New Home!

Beth El’s clergy blog, Reflections Off the Bimah, has a new home! Visit us at clergy.bethelmc.org for all future updates!

Welcome to Beth El’s Clergy Blog

Rabbi Greg Harris

Finding my expressive ‘voice’ is not an easy undertaking.  I do not mean my voice which emerges through my throat.  I am focused on my expressive voice which arises from my heart.  In this regard, my voice is what makes me or you an interesting conversationalist to some people yet disagreeable to others.  My voice is my ‘take’ on the world and my comfort in letting it shape me as a person.  With the quantity of communication we undertake today, I would have thought the idea of an authentic voice was easy to describe but I was mistaken.

Click here to read the rest of this post on the new clergy blog at clergy.bethelmc.org.

 

Article Published in Kol HaBirah: “Hearing in the New Year” – Sept 2017

Click the text below for the full article:

Hearing in the New Year

I am fascinated by the spirituality of hearing. Hearing requires an intrinsic connection between the source of the sound and the one who hears. The dynamics of hearing are emphasized throughout the Tanach, Talmud, and our liturgy. It focuses on us hearing G-d and each other, as well as G-d listening to us. Ultimately, our acts of listening and responding will bring redemption.

The most famous instance of hearing is the Shema prayer: “Hear O Israel, the Lord our G-d, the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4). The Israelites are being told to hear our core doxology — G-d’s oneness.

Click the text above for the full article.

 

 

Israeli Hope, A Speech by President Rivlin

Beth El’s congregational theme for 5778 is Israel.

This speech by the President of Israel in 2015 lays out some of the complex internal challenges Israelis must face moving forward.  Looking inward, he lays out the diverse pulls from different streams of Israel’s citizens – secular, modern orthodox Jewish, ultra orthodox Jewish and Arab citizens both Muslim and Christian.

Of course there are significant external threats to Israel as well which will be explored in other forum this year.

This speech will prompt our discussion for the Yom Kippur afternoon session.

Click here: Israeli Hope by Pres. Reuven Rivlin

 

A Need for Moral Leadership: Responding to Charlottesville

Article II Section 1 Clause 8

Mr. Wadleigh was my high school government teacher.  I loved his class, his enthusiasm for the mechanisms of government and his conviction that citizen activism was the most powerful lever in our system.  I recall Mr. Wadleigh dressing up in Colonial costume just to bring the lectures alive.

These ideals were reinforced for me by watching my mom become engaged in the democratic process with our congressman, Representative Tom Lantos.  As a teenager, Congressman Lantos had survived Nazi forced labor camps in his native Hungary and was ultimately saved by Raoul Wallenberg.  Lantos’ life and activism were inspirations for me.

As I earned a degree in Political Science years later, my understanding of the nuances of our government system deepened as did my appreciation for the dedication of individuals who were dismissively called ‘bureaucrats.’  To me, our government and the people working in it were the instruments of bringing our national values into reality.  Though often imprecise, our trajectory towards inclusion, aiding those in need, protecting minority citizens and opinions, caring for our infrastructure, expanding our knowledge and defending the homeland always seemed like the clear goals of our nation.  Debating differences on policies was the crucible of our system. It helped define terms, clarify ideas and agendas and strengthened decisions.

Today, President Trump swore “to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” as he assumed our highest office.  My hope is that President Trump continue our trajectory towards inclusion but I continue to believe Mr. Wadleigh’s lessons.

Tomorrow thousands will meet in downtown Washington, D.C. and embrace Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s words, “When I marched… I felt my feet were praying.” Others will gather in synagogues and offer prayers including the Prayer for Country.

Prayer is only one part of our responsibility to our country.  Citizen activism is also essential.  Whether you are Republican, Democrat or Independent, this is not a time for complacency.  We each must renew our efforts to get involved in local causes which we are passionate about.  Whether it is through upcoming events of Tikkun Olam at Beth El (ToBE) or other avenues, pick one area to make a difference.

I have not met anyone who is indifferent about this moment… so get involved.  It is time to be an activist and inspire each other to become the crucible of democracy.

One Week Later

It has been one week since the election but ‘We the People’ has felt more like them and those people.

• Those fostering an environment of intolerance have been elevated
• Acts of hate and intimidation have increased nationally
• A synagogue in Montana (Har Shalom in Missoula, MT) was targeted with Nazi fliers
• Vandalism in our own community has increased (Burning Tree Elementary, Westland Middle School, Episcopal Church of Our Saviour in Silver Spring)
• The white nationalist alt-right movement is at the center of conversation with the appointment of Stephen Bannon as a key aide to President-elect Trump.

And it has only been one week.

Psychologists have told me about deep anxiety patients are expressing.  People have told me of friendships which have been strained or broken.  Fellow clergy have shared they feel their years of building bridges and preaching tolerance was wasted.

I have asked Trump voters within our synagogue to describe what they found compelling about Donald Trump.  Their answers focused on his ‘change agenda’, anti-Clinton feelings, and ‘pro-Israel’ policies including moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem and expanding settlements.

President Trump’s election is different than past elections though.  We previously had close elections (Bush v Gore).  We had significant policy differences between candidates (Bush v Dukakis).

People’s despondency though seems to stem from a profound disappointment in our country allowing intolerance to win.

The Founding Fathers codified in the preamble of our Constitution:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence (sic), promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

To me, this week did not feel like we made the nation more perfect or established justice or promoted the welfare for all.

As we move forward, we cannot demonize or generalize about each other though.

For Republicans, be the important moderating voice within your party.  For others, become more engaged in causes essential to you.  No matter who you voted for, we must assure the policies of our next President and Congress reflect our highest values and push away hatred, bigotry and intolerance.

In our daily routines and circles of influence, we must make sure intolerance is not acceptable.  Speak up if you see something.  Talk with your friends, family and children about doing the same.

Our sage Hillel said: Do not separate yourself from the community. (Pirkei Avot 2:4)

So, join the broader community at a unity vigil against hate at Westland Middle School, Thursday night at 7pm. 

It has only been one week… but we can already feel the tectonic shifts.

 

The Sun Rose Today… So Roll Up Your Sleeves

An Israeli headline proclaims “President Trump”

Walking along Ben Gurion Street in Tel Aviv yesterday, a stranger walked up to me and said ‘Mazel Tov.’  I asked why mazel tov?  He said ‘we have a new President!’

The English news tv channels at my hotel were BBC, Sky and Fox.  It was fascinating to see the different tones of the coverage and the responses from around the world.  At home though, social media posts, texts and emails told me how deeply Trump’s win disappointed many, but not all, in the Jewish community.  (Initial reports are that 25% of Jewish voters cast their ballot for Donald Trump.)

People wrote, “How do I tell my kids that a bully won?”; “Where is the light in this darkness?”; “We elected hate.”  Many churches and synagogues held impromptu healing services for those feeling broken.  Countless letters were immediately penned by colleagues bemoaning the election.  One wrote about, “the despair like never before.”

And yet the sun rose anew today.

In the months leading up to the election, I focused attention Shabbat mornings on the Prayer for Country:

Our God and  God of our ancestors: We ask Your blessings for our country- for its government, for its leaders and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority.  Teach them insights from Your Torah, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.

Creator of all flesh, bless all the inhabitants of our country with Your spirit.  May citizens of all races and creeds forge a common bond in true harmony, to banish hatred and bigotry, and to safeguard the ideals and free institutions that are the pride and glory of our country.

May this land, under Your providence, be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all people in peace and freedom- helping them to fulfill the vision of Your prophet: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

And let us say, Amen.

I repeatedly spoke of finding candidates, from President to County Council members, who moved us towards these values.  And many rolled up their sleeves to phone bank, canvas neighborhoods, donate money and volunteer at polling locations.  At Beth El, people supported Clinton, Stein, Johnson and Trump as their preferred candidate.

But today, people have been asking me ‘what do we do now?’

The vision I laid out for Beth El over the past year and a half is more important now than ever.  In our own community, we must energetically:

• strengthen our ties with other houses of worship – Jewish, Christian, Muslim and others
• build stronger bridges with other ethnic communities – African American, Hispanic and others and
• think more strategically about our robust Tikkun Olam efforts

To get involved with Beth El’s efforts, send me an email at gharris@bethelmc.org.

The sun will rise again tomorrow and each day after so we must roll up our sleeves anew.   We must ask for God’s blessing “for our country- for its government, for its leaders and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority. ” Simultaneously, we must work to bring those blessings to reality.

 

 

Victims and Villains Towards Peace

 

This peace dove wearing a bullet proof vest is street art on a barrier entering Bethlehem

 

 

This was my first visit to the Palestinian towns of Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Rawabi and the Jewish town of Gush Etzion in the West Bank.  It required special clearances and security measures.  I came away with the feeling that any signs of hope for peace are complicated and fleeting.

Throughout our visits, Israelis (Jews, Christians and Muslims) and Palestinians (Muslims and Christians) each spoke about their deep sense of a victim / villain dynamic.  Israelis spoke of bus bombings, wars, and terror.  Palestinians spoke of occupation and check points. While the Israeli story is most familiar to me, I now realize the battle of competing narratives cannot be won.  For each people, their sense of being the victim and the other being the villain is real and deep.

The Palestinian diplomat who suggested the Israelis are European colonialists and should not be in the Land is not going to be convinced of the Jewish historical ties to the region.  His comments were offensive to me and many in the group.

The Israeli who discounted the conditions of the Palestinians today because they had chances for a State of Palestine in 1948 and again in 2000 with the Camp David proposal with Palestinians controlling 91% of the West Bank is not sympathetic to their slogans of ending the occupation when he feels they don’t really want peace or coexistence.

While these narratives are not equal in my eyes, they are deeply true for each of them – Israelis and Palestinians.  The sense of victimization by each is palpable.

There are a few efforts underway to build new ways forward and move beyond the victim / villain claims.

Just two of these initiatives are Kids4Peace and Roots.   Both are Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Muslim efforts to build connections and relationships across physical and metaphoric barriers.

I met with both of these incredible organizations and will let them describe their own work:  “For the past 13 years, Kids4Peace has provided life-changing interfaith peace education programs for Israeli, Palestinian and American youth.  More than 1,800 youth, parents and volunteers have participated in summer camps and year-round programs.”  Their staff and work are really inspiring.

Shorashim or Roots in English,  “offers a paradigm shift, changing people and transforming the relationship between the sides. We provide a space for understanding, where hates and suspicions are challenged and enemy is transformed into neighbor and partner. At Roots, despair and fear experience hope and collaboration.  We are a unique network of local Palestinians and Israelis who have come to see each other as the partners we both need to make changes to end our conflict. Based on a mutual recognition of each People’s connection to the Land, we are developing understanding and solidarity despite our ideological differences.”  While these are grand aspirations, my experience at Roots of meeting with an Israeli settler and a Palestinian ‘liberator’ and hearing how they came to see each other in new ways was very powerful.

The victim / villain narrative will not lead to peace or justice for Israelis or Palestinians.  Until each can move beyond that though, the ground will not be ready for whatever agreements politicians craft.  The hardest work remains ahead – to prepare both Israeli and Palestinian societies to shape new ways of seeing each other and themselves.

Until a new paradigm emerges though, peace will remain the greatest victim.