From Barak To Barack To Brachot:  Musings on the URJ Biennial

Rabbi Gaylia R. Rooks     23 December 2011    28 Kislev 5772

                Last week, just outside Washington, DC,  I joined almost 6,000 other Reform Jews from across North America to participate in the 71st Biennial of the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest Biennial in the history of our movement.   It was the most overwhelming convention I’ve ever attended.  I always enjoy these gatherings, whether congregational or Rabbinical conferences, there is so much learning going on!  There is the joy of reconnecting with old friends and colleagues as well as meeting new people who share common interests.  There is the sheer delight of praying in a larger congregation with Jews from across the nation and singing songs, new and old.  If you’ve never experienced Shabbat with over five thousand REFORM Jews, you’re missing a truly powerful experience.  Then there are side delicacies like “the exhibit hall” which is basically the largest Judaica shop you’ve ever seen (in this case there were 600 separate vendors!) and my personal favorite, the late-night song sessions with  the opportunity to sing old favorites and learn brand new songs from people ranging from the most famous, to the most up and coming musicians in the movement. 

                There were so many performers at this biennial, including Craig Taubman, Josh Nelson, Danny Nichols, Julie Silver, Rick Recht, Michele Citron.... the list goes on and on.  The only one who wasn’t there was Debbie Friedman and her absence was a painful loss.  There was a touching tribute to her life and work and the establishment of an award in her memory--not just for someone who has devoted their life to Jewish music, but also has changed the face of Judaism through their efforts.  The first recipient of the Debbie Friedman Award for Contributions to Jewish Music was Theodore Bikel and he spoke and sang for us in a moving and magnificent program.  I was amazed at how much he has done to enhance Jewish life beyond his role as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof- which he has performed more than any other single actor, over 2,000 times!

                I will restrain myself from going on (and on!) about the incredible musicians who were part of this Biennial, but just say: if you’ve never heard of world-renowned David Broza with his flamenco-style guitar and rich Israeli baritone or New York’s Six13, a Jewish  a capella  group that sounds like a full band – while using nothing but their voices, you are missing something truly phenomenal!

                I hope you have all heard by now about President Obama’s address to the Biennial, you can hear the whole thing on the URJ website--but believe me, you can’t recreate the experience of actually being there.  This was my third opportunity to be in the same room while Obama spoke.  I felt so sorry for the exhibitors who lost all their shoppers while thousands of delegates waited in the security lines, so I decided to “be righteous” and go shopping instead.  I knew there was an overflow room set up with instant video-feed and resigned myself to listen to the president’s speech from next door.  But, you’d be surprised how easy it was to run through security at the last minute and find a single empty seat, not in the last row but maybe 2/3 of the way back.  I may have heard the president twice before, but this was the first time I felt he was speaking personally to me!  It was incredible--truly amazing and inspiring!

                Did I say I slipped in at the last minute?  Well, what was Supposed to be the last minute!  The president’s appearance was more than half an hour late....Apparently Barack was meeting with Barak!  The President spoke with Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, behind the stage.  The news feed from The Chicago-Sun Times read:  President Barack Obama is delaying a speech at the Union of Reform Judaism Conference here to meet backstage with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. While thousands are waiting for Obama to deliver a major speech on domestic and Israeli issues, Jewish folk rock singer Josh Nelson is filling time--with tunes ranging from the Channukah standard "Rock of Ages" to "Great Balls of Fire" to "Bashana Haba'ah," which means in the year to come.

                Poor Josh, for a performer who can literally go all night in a song session without having to even think about what to play next, he was pretty much sweating bullets as he was told, song after song, to.... keep stretching, the President wasn’t ready to come out yet!  But finally he did, to a cheering, standing ovation from over 6,000 Jews.  After the expected thank you’s and appreciation for the invitation, and a shout-out to all the NFTY participants (which received a deafening roar of appreciation from the youth!) he delivered his promised address ranging from domestic to Israeli issues.  

                He began (and this was my favorite part!) by saying that his daughter, Malia, has become the family expert on Jewish tradition being of the age when so many of her friends are becoming Bat or Bar Mitzvah.  When he asked if she had any advice for him in preparing to speak to this audience of 6,000 Reform Jews, she confidently told him what she had learned: it never hurts to start by referring to the weekly Torah portion!  And that’s just what the President did!!!  He noted that the parshah about Joseph the dreamer contains the Hebrew word “Hineini-Here I Am” four different times and that we need to learn from that how crucial it is for each and every one of us to respond “Hineini-Here I Am” to the call of our generation, to the needs of our time, just as Joseph did in days of old.

                I won’t go through his whole talk, as I said you can listen to it on-line at URJ.org, but as I’m sure you’ve read in the papers, he set the record straight on his commitment to Israel saying: “No US administration has done more in support of Israel's security than ours. None.” To back up his position, The President cited America’s cooperation with Israel on developing the Iron Dome, an anti-rocket system that protects Israel from the continuing attacks from the Gaza Strip,  and his administrations ongoing actions to counter attempts to delegitimize Israel in any way, especially the Palestinian’s recent bid to the United Nations.  “America's commitment to Israel and my commitment to Israel and its security are unshakable," the President reiterated, time and again.

                He quoted the famous saying from Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Ancestors, that “one is not required to finish the work, but neither can we desist from it,” and assured us that America would work for "an independent Palestine alongside a secure, Jewish state of Israel," even if that outcome would not be actualized under his administration. "The fact that peace is hard can't deter us from trying."              

                My personal opinion--Barack Obama was awesome, he really hit this one right out of the ballpark!  And no one can deny the power and import of the very fact that he is the first sitting president to address a URJ Biennial:  that alone is as significant as his inspiring and meaningful message.

                Just as Barack Obama met with Ehud Barak before speaking to the crowd, I had the opportunity to hear the Israeli Minister of Defense, past Prime Minister of Israel, the day before the President.  Ehud Barak is the most decorated soldier ever in the history of Israel.  His mentor was Yitzchak Rabin, of blessed memory, and the civil issues of religion and state were at the core of his campaign, as well.  Barak supports the Reform Movement in Israel and fights for the combined goals of security and peace with the commitment to a liberal democracy.  He was the not the first nor the last to say as much, but he commented on how appropriate it was that the Religious Action Center had been founded under the administration of President John F. Kennedy and now would be addressed by a similar such president-committed to social justice and righteousness-Barack Obama.  

                Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Barak went on to declare that “the ties between Israel and the US under President Obama are stronger and deeper than ever... and we are all thankful for his unwavering support of a secure, independent, and Jewish state in the Land of Israel.”  When it comes to hearing the voice of American Reform Jews he confessed that: it moved us a lot, this support from over the seas, when we needed support; in  particular the Iron Dome that intercepts incoming rockets that can now reach almost every inch of our Israel .  Between Hamas run Gaza, controlled by Iran, to Hizbolla in Southern Lebanon, also sponsored by Iran, Israel faces daily threats.  But, as he pointed out, while it “only takes one party to make war, to make peace you need two to tango!...History has shown that the only way to reach an agreement is through direct negotiations” and that is what it will take to maintain the only Jewish Democratic State in the world that must remain just that:  Jewish and Democratic!

                Barak not only acknowledged the importance of the opinions of World Jewry, he agreed that the voice of the Reform Movement in North America was essential in Israel’s “decision making” and that they value the input and debate that the URJ offers.  Reminding us that with two Jews you get three opinions, he suggested that in Israel that’s more like four or five!  Still, he recognized with appreciation that hundreds of roadblocks and checkpoints had been removed and revised based on pressure from America’s Jews.

                He ended his comments by wishing everyone a Happy Chanukah and acknowledging our help and solidarity in accomplishing a miraculous Chanukah event:  the return of Gilad Shalit after six Chanukahs away from his home and family.

                So from Barak to Barack to Brachot--beyond Ehud Barak and Barack Obama, I’d like to highlight just a few of the other Brachot, blessings, from the Biennial.  For me, the opportunity for Torah study and Jewish learning is paramount.  I’ll share a tiny summary on just a few of the things I learned...first, a new word:  Hybridity.  Professor Steven Cohen defines this as the many identities modern Jews have floating around inside of them.  Many of us are familiar with the term “JewBuh” referring to Jews who have embraced a Buddhist philosophy of living.  Apparently that’s old school.  Now we have people who identify themselves as being  Jewish with their mom and Christian with their dad and a whole variety of other hybrid identities.

                Prof. Leonard Saxe taught me a new acronym “DIY: Do It Yourself” Judaism.  “Just Jewish” is the fastest growing, non-denominational Judaism in North America.  In the 2010 study of people who were raised as Reform Jews, only half identify as adults with Reform Judaism; only 51% of those who grew up as Reform Jews!  46% are Just-Jewish; (2% are Conservative, 1% Reconstructionist, and 1% Orthodox).  

                Speaking of Reform Jews and statistics, here’s a frightening one:  Birthright Israel, that wonderful program that sends young adults to Israel, leaves behind more Jews than it takes on every single trip, and the majority of those left behind-you guessed it-are Reform.  That the endowment is not large enough to sponsor everyone who applies is understandable, that those who are not accepted are largely Reform Jews, is not.

                A great deal of my time was spent with our outstanding Religious Action Center, now celebrating its 50th year of spreading Jewish values of equality, justice and the separation of religion and politics.  Great progress has been made towards equality in recent years including the right to gay marriage in NY, a national LGBT-inclusive hate crimes law, and the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the military.  Still there is much work remaining to be done. 

                120 of us began our Day With the RAC at the White House to hold conversations about U.S. aid to Israel and our role in achieving a peaceful two-state solution.  We then continued on to the Israeli Embassy to talk with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S.- Michael Orren.  I have always admired Ambassador Orren and been impressed by his brilliance and wealth of knowledge and experience.  I knew he was that rare breed, a Reform Israeli Jew, but I learned that he’s actually a member of my favorite congregation in Jerusalem! How much higher can the man go in my esteem!  He also helped to ease my fears of the delay in preventing Iran from attaining their nearly completed goal of achieving weapons grade nuclear potential.  Briefly put I would say that within half a year, one way or another, that nightmare will be resolved.

                Our three busses then went on to Capital Hill to meet with four Jewish members of Congress: Alyson Schwartz from Pennsylvania shared that her mother is a Holocaust survivor who came to America when she was 16 years old.  She instilled in her daughter a tremendous love of the US and the freedom and security it represents for all its citizens.  Representative John Salazar of Colorado was raised in the Reform Movement in San Diego.  He believes that politicians are more followers than leaders and encouraged us to make our voices heard.  In order of effectiveness he suggests calling, writing letters, emailing, and signing petitions (in that order)it really does make a difference.  Henry Waxman from California was most articulate in expressing his frustration at what he calls the worst partisan, unproductive Congress in the history of this great nation.  And last, but certainly not least, Howard Berman of California, a long-time friend and supporter of both the RAC and Israel.  

                There were more Israelis at this Biennial than ever before including two fascinating speakers I heard: former Russian Refusnik, Natan Sharansky, and  Anat Hoffman of the Israeli Religious Action Center (now celebrating their 25th anniversary!) Of course there were more Israelis since there were more speakers in general than ever before.  From House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to Fox News political commentator William Kristol, the list goes on and on.  I think the one thing on which the 6,000 delegates of the 2011 URJ Biennial could all agree is: there were simply too many wonderful opportunities and too little time!  It wasn’t only a question of not enough hours in the day to absorb even a fraction of the offerings, it was the fact that every time slot had literally dozens of competing learning opportunities and, well, as the Talmud says:  Even an angel can only dance at one wedding at a time!!!

                It’s late so I’m going to skip over the fact that the theme of this Biennial was the launching of the URJ Campaign for Youth Engagement; the response to our need to engage the next generation of Reform Jews is summed up in the slogan:   We Can Welcome Every Youth!  I’ll also have to let you just read on-line about the passing of the torch of leadership from Rabbi Eric Yoffie who has served magnificently as URJ President for 16 years to Rabbi Rick Jacobs .  They both gave inspiring speeches sharing their vision of the direction our movement needs to take to stem the tide of disaffiliation and ride out the challenges we face due to the current economic times.

                The best good news I can share with you is this:  the 72nd URJ Biennial will be held in two years in sunny San Diego and every member of a URJ congregation is invited to participate!  What is the URJ?  The Union for Reform Judaism, and our Temple was a founding member, in fact, we are the sixth oldest Reform congregation in the county.  And look what we helped to build:  the largest movement of any liberal religion in all of America.  This year’s Biennial hosted Reform Jews from over 500 congregations from 15 different countries.  It is a powerful, meaningful and re-Jew-venating experience--I highly recommend it for all!

A Sermon for Rosh HaShannah 5772      by Rabbi Gaylia R. Rooks     The Temple

                The death of my father-in-law has been difficult in more ways than I had anticipated.  Jim Rapport (along with his son) taught me about “Unconditional Love” -

something I’m not sure I had even heard of 31 years ago, much less ever experienced.  But he loved me; completely, fully, without reservation or conditions.  I would say that I have a better understanding of G!D’s abiding love for me and all people, because of my experience with Dad.

                But somehow Dad’s death has brought up unresolved issues surrounding my own father’s death.  You’re not surprised? Mind you, my father was a great man in many ways, and I always knew he loved me.  He ‘loved’ me.... Even when he wasn’t talking to me, even when he disowned me when I went to Rabbinical School.  Oh, you didn’t know that story?  Well, some other time..... But in his own words, Harvey Rooks “never met a rabbi he didn’t hate.” And you just know G!D has a great sense of humor since he ended up with a daughter, son-in-law, and soon granddaughter, who all wanted to be rabbis!  

                Well, in my fifth year of seminary, I called my father at Rosh HaShannah (as I did every year, even though he wasn’t talking to me) to wish him a healthy and meaningful New Year.  And, this time I also told him that it was really important to me that he be at  my Ordination come the spring.  I reminded him that he came to my wedding, without talking to me!  He understood that a wedding was an extremely significant, and (G!D-willing) once in lifetime experience, so he had come.  Well, I explained, so was my ordination.  I also told him he should bring his mother, Nana Nancy! 

                Apparently Daddy decided that I was right.  He called back a few days later and not only agreed to come (with Nana) to Ordination, but said that he wanted to “see me in the pulpit” as a rabbi and so he was going to fly to my student congregation in Texarkana, TX, to see me on Yom Kippur.  OY!  

                As stressed as I still get, to this day, I never have experienced such panic about the topic of my sermon!!!  My primary goal was to write a sermon that he wouldn’t feel was addressed solely to him rather than the whole congregation.  All I wanted was to write something about forgiveness that would be meaningful, engaging, and relevant to ALL my congregants--without offending my father.

                And so, I decided to use a metaphor that I hoped everyone could relate to easily, but especially Dad.  I called it:  The “Business” of Repentance.  I talked about the traditional Hebrew phrase, cheshbon hanefesh; that The Day of Atonement is a time to literally take an “accounting” of the soul, to look back over the past year.  A holy time, scheduled to examine the “ledger book” of our life and see where we might be lacking or “in the red.”  And it’s true; this is the sacred time when we “take stock” of our lives; a ritual  opportunity to look to the “bottom line” of what’s really important.  I even spoke about the significance of “Prophet and Loss.” How the profits on a balance sheet pale in comparison to the Prophets of the Bible who call to us still from across the generations, inspiring us and reminding us about what truly matters. And while we are often preoccupied with the not insignificant losses of investments and material things, on this Day of Days especially, we need to focus on the real losses in our lives that make an indelible difference; the people who die, the relationships that fail, the promises that are broken.  

                Well, let’s just say I pressed the metaphor to its absolute limit--perhaps even beyond, but I was still a Rabbinic student.  At any rate, after services people were very complimentary saying the sermon was inspired, timely, and relevant to their lives.  As we left the Temple, in the car on the way to the break-fast, I finally broke down and asked my father what he thought about my sermon.  He hadn’t said a word... He paused for a moment and observed, “It was kinda short.”  I laughed and told him that was the one thing no one ever complained about!  

                But since that short stay in Texarkana, we began the process of healing and renewing our relationship.  He did come to Ordination and brought Nana Nancy!  A few years later, by the time he became a grandfather, an amazing grandfather, he seemed to have finally made peace with my decision to enter the Rabbinate.

                But he never apologized!  For anything.  I was 47 years old when my father died and I never once heard him ever say he was sorry.  To anyone.  I think he saw it as a sign of weakness.  Quite a difference from my Rapport family who will apologize for anything--like the War in Afghanistan (for which they are truly sorry, even though they had nothing to do with it!)  An interesting study in contrasts.....

                The ability to apologize is a difficult skill to learn.  At least for a Rooks; and I assume for others.  And yet, how do we even begin the “business of forgiveness” if we don’t know how to say we are sorry.  And make no mistake, forgiveness is a huge part of repentance.  These Ten Days of Repentance, the sacred time between Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur, are an amazing opportunity for growth and change.  Truly a gift, for what more could we ask? What could be more significant than our ability to become better people?  What could possibly mean more in our lives than to know that we can still evolve and expand our goodness and our caring, our service and our compassion?

                Let’s think ahead for a moment... What is it exactly that we want to happen when we come back to Temple on Yom Kippur?  We know that there is no magic formula, that we can’t just show up, recite certain words, and poof! we are no longer the same!  Our slate is clean, we are forgiven, and the New Year will be filled with blessing.... 

                We pray for that but, in reality, we understand that the Day of Atonement is a heavy responsibility.  And the process, our task, is meant to take a great deal of thought and energy, time and yes, “taking stock” of our lives; examining our souls.  Where are we and where could we be? What receives our energies and attention, our time, our talent, and treasure?  Are we truly focusing on what we believe really matters in the world?  Or are we more caught up in the day to day trivialities that divert us from the things that in our hearts we truly value.

                So think ahead for a moment...... What is it exactly that we want to happen when we come back to Temple on Yom Kippur?  We are all seeking forgiveness and love, we want to be part of a community--and we ARE part of a community.  Part of the mishpochah, the family, whether we want to or not! :<}  We are the Children of Israel, a remnant of a great and illustrious people.  And that matters.  Desperately.  Think of all that Judaism and Jews have given to the world.  And being here, actively being a part of the Jewish community, is both a gift and a responsibility.  We are a link in a chain that goes back for over 3,000 years.  

                And the key to all this can be found in understanding a single mystical phrase from our Torah, “V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha, You shall love your neighbor as your self.”

Out of this one luminous sentence come two critical lessons for these Days of Awe, like two sides of the same coin they are uniquely and irrevocably intertwined.  “V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha, You shall love your neighbor as your self.”  The deeper, often overlooked part of this message is that until we can first learn to love ourselves, we cannot learn to forgive ourselves.  Then and only then, can we learn to truly love others, and forgive them, as well.

                “V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha, You shall love your neighbor as your self.” Hopefully the words sound familiar.  V’ahavta is the name of a prayer, “And you shall love AD!NAI your G!D with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might.”  That teaches us not only the words ‘and you shall love,’ v’ahavta, but also helps us to accomplish the goal, for when we love our neighbor as our self we are, in fact, loving G!D.

                You shall love your neighbor as your self.” Only it’s not always as easy as it seems.  First of all, it presumes that we do, indeed, love ourselves.  I don’t think we can just automatically take that for granted.  For many this is harder than we think.  And yet, we are, all of us, created “b’tzelem EL!HIM”, in the image of G!D.  That spark of the Divine which lies within us all is precisely what our mission in life is all about.  We need to nurture the spark and protect it.  We need to feed the tiny ember within until it is a steady flame that burns and glows with the knowledge that we are, each one of us, a part of G!D, a part of a divine plan, a precious individual.  And, each act of righteousness we do, each deed of lovingkindness we perform, eachmitzvah, nourishes and helps that spark to grow.  By the same token, every time we are hurtful, to ourselves or others, we add more ash that clogs and chokes the spark, preventing it from dancing with its true potential.

                It all begins by learning to love and respect ourselves.  After all, we ARE made b’tzelem El!him, in the image of the Divine; little lower than the angels, according to Jewish tradition.  Only then can we share this powerful belief and sacred love with others.  Only then can we truly work to make peace within ourselves and with others.

                                        Many of us are much harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else. And while it’s a good thing to have high expectations and serious goals, a big part of forgiveness has to start within our own hearts.  We all know people who are either too full of themselves or too self-effacing; it’s a difficult and narrow path to walk.  But in reality, often those who go overboard in either direction are suffering the same kinds of insecurities.  We must believe in our own basic goodness and our willingness to continue trying to improve.  That means treating ourselves with respect and dignity, patience and forbearance.  We are not perfect, none of us!  But that’s not a surprise.  If G!D had intended for us to be perfect, G!D would have created us that way!  And then how boring would life be, and what would we do during this Season of Repentance?  For we surely do have our work cut out for us.  Forgiveness begins within our own hearts for our own imperfect selves.  Not that we would should become, G!D-forbid, complacent or overly self-satisfied.  Just that we should have faith in our own intrinsic goodness and strive to walk more consciously the path of righteousness.  

                Then, as we nurture the spark of the Divine in our own hearts, we find it easier to show kindness and graciousness to our family members. Our immediate family; parents, siblings, in-laws... and extended family, as well.  The ripples spread and each life we touch with goodness and love goes on to touch others.  And, have no doubt about it, this in turn radiates warmth and love, compassion and kindness back into our own lives.

                With this increase in well-being, we are even more able to spread love to others. “V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha, You shall love your neighbor as your self.” Here we are, sitting side by side, within the context of our larger family, our Temple congregation.  Make no mistake about it; they need us.  And we need them.  Just think of how glad you are that they are here today to help you celebrate the New Year of 5772.  Imagine Rosh HaShannah without our beautiful building, devoted rabbis, inspiring music; without our  friends and family.  Imagine what living in Louisville would be like if we didn’t have a caring Jewish community.  One that supports this amazing Temple and all the myriad experiences that go on here.  Think about not having services for holidays and Shabbat, not having a congregation to help you mourn your losses, celebrate your joys, teach your children, teach you- at every age!  If we didn’t join together to fight injustice and feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless.  If we didn’t have people willing to devote their time and energy to the nitty-gritty details of organizing prayer services and onegs, programs and classes.  From the day a new child is welcomed into the House of Israel to the day we breathe our last breath, this is our home.  Whether we wish to pray for healing or give thanks for recovery, this is our home.  Whether we study Torah, learn Hebrew, or get involved in social action, this is our home.  

                So, what kind of home to we want our congregation to be? There’s a popular phrase that says “It is what it is!” But I disagree--it is what we make it.  It will be what it will be, what it can be if we would just reach out and care about who and what we are becoming.  When G!D appeared to Moses at the Burning Bush and Moshe Rabeinu asked, ‘When the Children of Israel ask Who has sent me, what shall I tell them?” [Ex 3:13] The Eternal One replied, “Eheyeh Asher Eheyeh, I Will BE Who I Will BE; I will be who I am becoming.”  And that, my friends, is perhaps the greatest lesson for these Days of Awe:  we will be who we will be, based on who we are becoming.  And the choice lies firmly within our own hands.

                My father, Jim Rapport, alav hashalom, had a PhD in Shakespeare, so I’m glad you can’t tell him this, but my favorite Jewish Philosopher of the modern age, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, disagreed with William Shakespeare.  He insisted that “the essential question is not ‘To be or not to be,’ but rather HOW to be!”  

                And that is our question for these Ten Days of Repentance until we return home again on Yom Kippur: How shall we be?  Who shall we be?  And who are we choosing to become?  In our own lives, in the lives of those we love, in the life of this community whose future is ours to choose.

                May it be a year of thoughtful choices and sacred commitments.  May it be a year of forgiveness and of love.  May it be a year of great health, fulfillment, and meaning for us all.

                Amen.                                    L’Shannah Tovah!