ARCHIVED
ARTICLES
by Rabbi Samuel Cohon, Rabbi David Freelund
and Marjorie Hochberg, from Temple Times
Bigger Than All of Us
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon -- August 2002
We recently stayed in a place overlooking the spectacular scenery of the
Olympic Range in Washington state. The view was consistently stupendous, but
the great moments occurred when the rim of cloud that sat on the peaks of the
mountains cleared momentarily. Then, rising almost literally from the blue
sea, the gorgeous white crested summits seemed to soar out of banks of soft
clouds, and our spirits would soar. It was enough, by itself, to make you
believe that God had created a magnificent world, and that simply by being
alive you were part of something fantastic.
When is Terror not Terror?
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - August 2002
The July Fourth attack was spun very quickly through our nation's instant
news cycle. In just a few days, it was gone from the headlines and even the
back of the newspaper. An Egyptian national was shown to have gone to the El
Al counter at LAX, and calmly murdered two people: a young woman working for
the airline, and a father of eight who had brought some friends to the
airport. But for the heroic actions of Israeli security agents, the man could
have gone on killing.
"Moses is Moses, but business is business"
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - July 2002
My father and I have an old story we trot out now and then. We say that
when I was studying to be a cantor I asked him "how do you handle the
Temple 's board of directors?" And he answered, "How do I handle
the board of directors? Like this: we have an agreement. I don't come to
their meetings, and they don't go to my services."
The Long Hot Days of Summer
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - July 2002
No more pencils, no more books! School is out, and no matter our ages,
there is a natural tendency to look at the summer as a period to slow down.
Even if we have been out of school for years, our thoughts are more likely to
turn to play.
Musical
Notes
From the Desk of Marjorie Hochberg - July 2002
One of the acts of gemilut chasidim, acts of loving kindness, that is most
rewarding is bikkur cholim, visiting the sick. This July, Temple Emanu-El
members have a unique opportunity to fulfill this mitzvah, and to help others
in need by volunteering to participate in Tihan's July POZ Cafe.
Shimon Omer
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - June 2002
Shimon HaTzadik said: "On three things the world stands: on Torah, on
service, and on acts of loving kindness." -- Mishnah (Pirkei) Avot 1:2
Shanah Shleimah, A Full Year
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - June 2002
With every year that passes, I become more aware of how a year just isn't
as long as it used to be. Time is not speeding up for any of us, however much
it may feel that way. The observation has often been made that each passing
year represents a smaller fraction of the lives we have lived. Whatever the
cause of this perception of accelerating time, none of us are immune to it.
Everything in our lives, both good and bad, moves more quickly. My time at
Temple has been no exception to this rule.
Musical
Notes
From the Desk of Marjorie Hochberg - June 2002
The other day, one of my students and I were preparing to read from the
Torah scroll. As I placed the undressed Torah on the Torah table, I remarked
to my student that he would have to find the yad before we began to read.
Why
Us?
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - May 2002
There is a classic story about a Jewish professor living in Germany during
the early years of the Nazis. He is walking along the street when he is set
upon by brownshirted Nazi brutes. They beat him unmercifully, and finally the
leader of the gang grabs him and shouts "Who is responsible for the
war?"
How
do we talk to our children?
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - May 2002
How do we talk to our children about something we don't fully understand
ourselves? When we get a question about why the sky is blue, or where sun
goes at night, it can be a challenge to our skills at explanation and
understanding of the solar system and the refraction of light. At least when
it comes to the physical world, we know we can look up the information if we
aren't sure of ourselves. There are definitive sources to explain what we
don't understand. We are not nearly as fortunate when it comes to the realm
of human behavior.
Marcel
Mooring's
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - April 2002
Our Sefer Book Group recently discussed Marcel Mooring's fascinating
novel, In Babylon, the story of a Dutch Jewish family and its journey through
history. The protagonist of the narrative is a fairy-tale writer, and in the
course of the book he retells some classic Jewish stories in fresh and
different ways.
Omer?
What's An Omer?
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - April 2002
There's one thing about Jewish religion and practice that is undisputed by
every rabbi, layman, and scholar: whenever we seek to explain a given custom,
we are sure to have more than one reason for why we do it. As this phenomenon
has been famously summarized, "For every two Jews, there are three
opinions." The practice of counting omer is certainly no exception to
the spirit of this truism. Just what is an omer anyway?
Freedom
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - March 2002
Perhaps you know the story. Ruth is on the phone with her daughter.
"That does it. This is the last Passover together. After fifty two
years, I'm going to divorce your father." "Ma, what are you talking
about? That's terrible." "You can't talk me out of it. I tell you
I'm finished with him!" "Listen, Ma, we'll take the next plane
down. We'll be there by Seder, and we can talk you out of this."
It's
Matzah Time
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - March 2002
"V'shinantem l'vanecha, v'dibarta bam, You shall teach [words of
Torah] to your children and speak of them" (Deut. 6:7) These are words
we speak often in prayer, perhaps without considering their true importance.
How many of us are really engaged in teaching our children the ways of Jewish
learning and tradition on a daily basis? While it would be wonderful if all
of us could do it, the reality of our lives is such that we teach our kids
lessons as the need arises. A fight happened at school? We step in and teach
about the values of understanding others and what is truly worth fighting
for. We hear our child say something unflattering about another? A golden
moment arises to instruct in the idea of lashon hara, slander and gossip, and
just how much damage they can do. So it is with our kids day today, as we
fill in when the need and opportunity present themselves.
The
Future of Judaism is Here, Now
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - February 2002
Having recently returned from a series of conventions, two facts about the
American Jewish community have become clear. The first is that the most
dynamic, creative, and fastest-growing part of the Jewish world today is the
liberal synagogue movement. And the second is that we at Temple Emanu-El are
on the cutting edge of that trend.
How
Did it Get to Be So Early?
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - February 2002
I have to share one of my most annoying habits with you. Along with often
responding, "yes" to the question, "Do you know what time it
is?" I have an equally grating custom when it comes to Jewish time.
Whenever I am asked a question along the lines of, "When does Purim come
this year?" I am bound to answer, "Why, on the 14th of Adar, just
like every year!" Certain habits just die hard.
Sing
to God a New Song...
A Special Month of Creative Music, Prayer and
Innovation
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - January 2002
How do you communicate with God? What kind of music, prayer, and rituals
help you find holiness in your life? What's the best way for you to exercise
your spiritual energy?
Excelsior!
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - January 2002
As a native New Yorker, I of course learned my state's motto as a young
man. Emblazoned boldly on every flag that flew before a state office was the
word, "excelsior." Being the victim of a joker, for most of my
youth I was under the impression that the term could be translated as,
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" This jibed perfectly with my
understanding of the no-nonsense pragmatism of your average New Yorker. It
wasn't until high school that I finally learned that the state of New York
had chosen a slightly more inspirational motto for itself. Excelsior really
meant, "ever higher" or "ever better." This discovery
also met with my understanding of the place I grew up in: always rebuilding
and reinventing itself. New York was in part New York because it strove to be
first in so many undertakings.
War,
Peace, and Dedication
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - December 2001
Do you remember that Oscar awards back in 1984 when Sally Field said
""I can 't deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you really
like me!"? It was a great, comic moment of remarkable self-deception and
embarrassment. Ohmigosh, I won, you really like me! Only after she finished
blurting out the words did she find out that, suddenly, people didn't really
like her, and her career as a "serious" movie actress was pretty
much finished. What a disappointment; what a shock.
From
the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - December 2001
December is upon us and with it the annual dilemma surrounding Hanukkah
and that other holiday that falls sometime nearby: the awkward moments when
we are wished a Merry Christmas, the television blitz of religious
programming that runs counter to our beliefs, the inescapable music on the
radio, and the compiling of gift lists drawn up with the intent to counter
any jealousy that might arise in the children. What's a Jew to do?
The
Righteous of All Nations
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - November 2001
On October 11th, the 30-day anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we
had an extraordinary interfaith clergy service here at Temple Emanu-El. It
was an amazing experience that epitomized much of what religion, at its best,
can mean.
A
Month With Nothing?
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - November 2001
After the recent months packed so full with holidays and horrors,
celebrations and scares, it is something of a relief to look at the month of
November and see a suddenly open landscape in time. No Jewish holidays demand
our attention, and there is a natural tendency to sit back, relax, and wait
for Hanukkah to come. Well, just because there are no major holiday doesn't
mean that there is nothing going on. In the absence of major holidays, there
is a golden opportunity to enjoy the many other aspects of Jewish life that
are available to us. As the days get shorter, we can make the lights of
Shabbat grow brighter in our homes. For all of us who made resolutions to
explore Judaism more intensely this year, Shabbat is a great place to start.
We can join our families around the Shabbat table and make it a central part
of our Jewish lives. The rituals and prayers of Shabbat can become some of
the warmest memories that we pass on to our children. When we stop to make it
the focus of our attention, Shabbat grows in significance for all of us. It
ceases to become a thing that lives only at Temple, and enters into our
personal experiences.
"Therefore,
choose life... uhv, ohause Kedoshim tihyu..."
You Shall Be Holy
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - October 2001
It is rare in our lives when the line between life and death is so clearly
drawn as it was during the tragic weeks we experienced this September. As we
prepared to greet the new year of 5762 we were all stunned by the vile terror
attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center, badly damaged the Pentagon,
and wiped out four passenger planeloads of ordinary Americans. It seemed like
a bad dream from which we never quite awoke.
Renewal
and Perseverance
From the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - October 2001
If ever there were a need for a new year, it would be now. In the midst of
our shock, fear, and the incomprehensibility of the horrible crimes
perpetrated in New York and Washington, we welcomed the New Year with less
than our usual joy. The pall of smoke that rose over New York cast a shadow
over all of us. Many of us are challenged, wondering, "What should I do?
What is an appropriate response?"
"Therefore,
choose life..."
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon - September 2001
An old friend of mine, a confirmed bachelor in his forties, recently
announced his engagement. When we told our five year old, Boaz, that his
"uncle" was getting married, he looked at us and asked, in honest
amazement, "Why?" The shock was obvious.
From
the Desk of Rabbi Freelund - September 2001
L'shana tova, a Happy New Year to everyone! Our Temple Emanu-El Religious
School is off to an auspicious start for 5762. Our enrollment has exceeded
last year's gains, and we look forward a to continuation of that trend in the
future as our Temple family grows ever larger. The New Year provides us with
an opportunity to reflect on the past, take stock of our efforts, and make
plans for the coming year. While all of us should be engaged in this process
on a personal level in anticipation of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, this is
also true of our institutions, particularly our school. Being new to Temple
Emanu-El, reviewing the past has proved somewhat challenging but extremely
fruitful. I hope that in the coming year we can build on the excellence
present in years past, as well as improving areas of weakness. During school
year 5762 you will see evidence of our improvement. We will be striving for
new levels of organization in our activities and a greater sense of
uniformity and cooperation in our classroom efforts. Every child enrolled in our
school deserves the very best that we can provide. I am confident that you
will see the changes for the better throughout the year.
|
