AIPAC Luncheon Invocation - March 22, 2010

We come together this year, on the eve of the holiday of Passover, with a sense of concern and anxiety -- which heightens our appreciation for the urgency of our mission, the nobility of our calling and the importance of our work.

We share our concern about the fate of the State of Israel and on behalf of the people of Israel.

Knowing that she is strong, nevertheless, we are concerned that the voices of those who seek to weaken her, of those who wish to limit her ability to do what she must to protect her citizens are growing louder and must be countered.

We are united in the conviction that the efforts of those who dare to question the very existence of the Jewish state, and of those who want to diminish the bonds that unite us must not and will not prevail.

And so we gather in our nation’s capitol to express our support and solidarity with Israel, for we recognize that the relationship between Jews around the world and the people of Israel strengthens and nourishes both communities.

We share the notion that we dare not let differences divide us, nor shall we allow imperfection be an impediment to love.

And so, let our message from this gathering go forth -

To the people of Israel, we say:
Anu etchem: We are with you.
Atem lo bodedim: You are not alone.

To the government of Israel, we say:
We stand with you in your quest for peace and security.

To the leaders of our government, we say:
It is incitement and indoctrination and promulgation of hate that is an insult and affront to the American people.

Make no mistake about it. We are loyal citizens of this great democracy.

We come to Washington like other advocates for various causes to exercise the rights granted to us by this great nation and to express our steadfast love and support for it and the state of Israel in the belief that America stands tallest when it shows the world that it is loyal to its friends.

Let us remind our elected officials that we are most proud of our nation when it is on the side of the right and the just which is why we believe that it exemplifies the best in all of us when it stands with Israel.

And finally, and most important of all, to the Almighty God:
We ask and we pray:
Ribbono shel Olam, Master of the Universe,
Adonai oz le’amo yetan – May the Lord give Strength unto His people.
Adonai yeverach et amo beshalom, May the Lord bless His people with peace.

An Interesting Couple of Weeks

One of our former music teachers, Ann Laurie Josephs, used to teach her younger children a popular catchy song the kids would sing enthusiastically called, “What Does a Rabbi Do?”

Over the last couple of weeks I have been in the thick of things with the Obama administration’s denunciation of the Israeli government’s decision to issue housing permits for construction on vacant land in North Jerusalem. I wrote a letter to Congressman Steny Hoyer which, in internet parlance, “went viral.” It was picked up on several national blogs including Commentary and The National Journal. I heard from people around the country, and even in Canada, some telling me they had received it from several different sources. I think one of the reasons it was so widely circulated and well received is because all too often rabbis equivocate and do not take clear positions on behalf of Israel.

In addition to making calls and sending letters to members of Congress on this important issue, I also participated in a meeting with members of the Presbyterian clergy to talk about an upcoming proposal to be introduced to their General Assembly, which would be hostile towards Israel. A few rabbis and representatives of the American Jewish Committee were invited by local clergy sympathetic to Israel and are concerned about the hostile impact of the resolution on Jewish-Presbyterian relations. I also attended a meeting of our local Federation, of which I am a Board member, to discuss the process of choosing a new Executive Director. Other responsibilities in the community over the last few weeks included teaching a class at the “Routes” program of the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning, entitled, “How to Read the Bible.” Later that same day I spoke at a conference at the University of Maryland on the issue of religious pluralism and religion and democracy in Israel.

In addition to these responsibilities outside of the synagogue, and my regular ongoing classes that I teach in the congregation, I also met with the children in the nursery school to speak with them about the upcoming holiday of Passover. I taught a couple of workshops for parents about how to bring Judaism into their lives on a daily basis. I met with our 11th and 12th graders to speak with them about how to respond to anti-Israel propaganda on college campuses. One night I went downtown to speak with children of members to discuss some programs we can offer for the “Next-Gen.”

The rabbi of the first synagogue where I worked taught me that as important as our work in the community is, we must always be there for our congregants and make that a priority. It is a message I have never forgotten. Meetings with congregants range from private conversations about personal issues to offering support or comfort during difficult times, as well as providing counseling and advice when they are facing various personal challenges. I enjoy sharing and preparing for the life cycle events that transpire in people’s lives, be they happy or sad.

I led a meeting of Washington area rabbis at our synagogue about the impact Israel has on our lives as individuals and as rabbis. The discussion was a most interesting one in which I asked colleagues to talk about the role which Israel played in their decision to become a rabbi, as well as how to treat concerns when speaking from the pulpit. The greater part of a day was spent a few weeks ago at the mikveh as part of a beit din, a rabbinic court, which welcomes and certifies individuals who choose to convert to Judaism. One night I reviewed a book and led a discussion for our Sisterhood about the book entitled, “The Inner Soul,” by Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein.

I am often amazed by the diversity of my job as a rabbi. One of the things I so much enjoy and cherish about it is the multi-faceted dimension of it. The child of a member met with me the other day to discuss the possibility of becoming a rabbi. I gave an enthusiastic endorsement of how meaningful and fulfilling it can be!