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Nov
'03 onwards
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The Separation
of Judaism and Daily Life
"Moses is Moses, but business is business."
July 2002
From the Desk of Rabbi Cohon
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."
Now, please know that this is simply not true of our own Board of
Directors of Temple Emanu-El, most of whom attend services regularly and
enthusiastically. On any given Shabbat you will see the president of the
Temple on the bimah, and many other board members not only present as
congregants but involved in the service as a gabbaim (Torah assistants),
darshanim (drash writers), Torah readers, participants in Torah study and the
Rabbi's Tish, and greeters. Board members are actively engaged in Adult
Education Academy classes, work on Social Action Projects, visit the sick,
and perform primary Jewish actions, the mitzvot, that form the Jewish heart
of our temple. And this year we are participating in a new UAHC program
called Berit Kodesh-A Sacred Partnership, in which our board and clergy
utilize parts of several board meetings to focus on the Jewish ideals and
texts that underlie all holy relationships.
But the notion that there is an essential wall of separation between the
praying, studying, and teaching parts of a temple and the business end of the
enterprise is a well-established tradition. And the fact of the matter is
that we do the same things in our own daily lives. Most of us create a kind
of wall of separation between our Jewish life-which exists at temple, or
perhaps on Friday nights and holidays at home-and our "regular
life". We have a very limited notion about how much Judaism is supposed
to be allowed to influence our everyday lives and the decisions we make that
are of real importance to us.
Mostly this is a simple question of choosing to limit the ways in which we
allow our religious life to influence our daily actions. For example, how
often do you ask yourself if an activity you are about to engage in is
appropriate or seemly for a Jew? How often do you consider if the way in which
you are going to use your time increases holiness in your life, or seeks to
improve the world? Sometimes the questions are simpler, and more mundane, but
no less Jewish or important: what percentage of your income do you choose to
give to tzedakah? What was the last Jewish class you took? When was the last
time you really prayed?
Summer is a wonderful time to take stock, to consider if the ways in which
we live our lives are morally and spiritually productive. In the heat of a
Tucson July-or the cool of one spent in Coronado or Colorado, for that
matter-we have the space we need to consider the things that ultimately
matter most in life.
I urge you to take specific time-say, an hour, once a week-just to look at
what you are doing in your life that reflects your real moral values. How can
you be a better Jew? How will that add holiness and meaning to your everyday
life? And then think, as well, about how to make that happen.
If the erosion of the wall between church and state in America impresses
many of us as dangerous, the erosion of that Jewish/secular wall within
ourselves will lead to quite a different result. It offers to bring each of
us to a life of greater beauty, sanctity, and purpose. A fully realized
Jewish life-a life Jewish in values and practice-promises meaning and
holiness and, ultimately, peace.
Take that hour, once a week. In doing so you will make this a better
world, and yours a better life.
L'shalom v'rei'ut, in peace and friendship,
Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon
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