April 12, 2013

Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon, Temple Emanu-El, Tucson, AZ

This week we read the Torah portion of Tazria-Metzora, and you probably know by now that it's not a very tasty Torah portion. The tradition of reading the word for leprosy, Metzora, as motzi shem ra, the use of evil speech or slander. It is an important revision. For in Metzora there is a concept called metzora'at bayit, leprosy of the house. It is puzzling what this means literally, but I think I know why it's here, and why we read this peculiar Torah portion every year. It has much to teach us.

A while back I taught a summer class based on the ChofetzChayim's book Guard Your Tongue. It was, I was told, a rousing success, one of the best-attended Adult Education Academy courses ever here. Of course, some people attended that course in the mistaken belief that it was not a class but simply a chance to exchangelashon hara, gossip; and others thought it would be a workshop in how to exchange lashon hara. But I believe that, in spite of this, my class in lashon hara had a great and profound impact. You see, for several months after that class people would begin confidential conversations with the powerful phrase "I know this is lashon hara, but..."

Read more: Tazria-Metzora 5773: A Bestiary and Lashon Hara

March 15, 2013

Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon, Temple Emanu-El, Tucson, AZ

One of the most distinctive qualities of Jews everywhere in the world has always been our ability to disagree and remain in dialogue.  That is, we argue but stick together.  Jewish families are typically loud, contentious, and verbally energetic.  Jewish organizations are active, engaged, and often contentious.  But we have an ability, after thousands of years of overcoming adversity, to pull together in spite of our many, many differences.  Most of the time.

I was reflecting on this fact of Jewish life the last few days.  In truth, both in our homes and in our organizational life, we often sound like we are engaged in something closer to courtroom combat than the loving and harmonious lives that we aspire to living.  This friction is something typical of every Jewish group I have ever had the privilege of being a part of, and to someone not initiated into the verbal thrust-and-parry natural to Jews it can seem that there is real animosity when the situation is quite different than that at heart.  It’s just that in Jewish life everyone considers himself or herself to be an expert on, well, everything, and when you get more than one maven in a room at the same time he or she is each certain to be certain that they are right about everything, or at least whatever it is you are talking about at the moment.

This verbal vigor is a great shock to those not raised in loud Jewish homes, and it inevitably leads some people to conclude that Jews are the most difficult, contentious lot ever formed by God.  And that’s not counting how it is to be part of a Jewish organization or organizational leadership, which frequently seems a great deal like herding cats… 

But the real point is not that we Jews can argue; everyone knows that.  It’s that in spite of these arguments we are able to overcome our differences and work together to accomplish really great things.  And that underneath the dispute of the moment we fully understand that we are not really fully breiges with anyone, that we intend to remain in conversation and dialogue and community no matter what we may say in the heat of the moment.  Real Jewish identity means understanding that we can disagree and yet remain connected. 

Read more: Vayikra 5773: Arguing for God

March 1, 2013

WRJ President Dana Adler, Temple Emanu-El, Tucson, AZ

Shabbat Shalom. I'm so proud to be here this evening, representing the Women of Reform Judaism and I bring greetings tonight on behalf of our WRJ President Lynn Magid Lazar, Pacific District President Ellen Bick, and our Executive Director Rabbi Marla Feldman. There is a tremendous sense of belonging tonight knowing thousands of women around the world are celebrating the centennial anniversary of Women of Reform Judaism in their own houses of worship.

During a celebration such as this we have a tendency to look back on the accomplishments of an organization. During the oneg tonight please take the opportunity to view the Centennial posters on display to give you a better understanding of the active role women of the reform movement have and continue to perform today.

Beginning with 165 women in 1913, meeting in Cincinnati, OH the Federation of Temple Sisterhoods began a journey that now spans the globe and is comprised of over 65,000 women.

Sisterhood, to me, is a culmination of so many parts of a my Jewish life; a place where I am able to put into practice my Jewish values, in a way that impacts my community at home and the larger Jewish community.

My involvement with WRJ has taught me to become a stronger advocate at many different levels; to advocate for children, to advocate for myself, to advocate for social justice, to advocate for women to be strong and to stand up for themselves, and to encourage women to stand up for what is right and to take on active roles in making this world a better place.

Read more: Ki Tisa/Parah 5773: WRJ Centennial Shabbat

February 22, 2013

Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon, Temple Emanu-El, Tucson, AZ

My friends, I have a confession to make and a public apology. This week I strongly ridiculed someone and was proven very wrong—and dramatically so.

I heard on the weather report on the news on Tuesday, a lovely, sunny, 70-degree spring-like day, that weatherman Chuck George was predicting Tucson was going to have blizzard on Wednesday, and I scoffed loudly at the idea. A blizzard in Tucson?! Seriously? As my 12 year-old daughter Cipora would say, "I know, right?" We live in the Sonoran Desert, after all, not the Alps. We might get some rain, an occasional bit of frost, and once every two or three years a dusting of snow that looks beautiful but melts instantly. But a blizzard? No way, Jose´.

Oops. As we say in Judaism, al cheit shechatati lefanecha... for the error I have committed before you... Around noon on Wednesday we found out what a blizzard in Tucson actually looks like—beautiful, in fact. Saguaro cacti covered in snow, a white winter wonderland. It didn't last long, and it might not actually count as a full-on blizzard to people from, oh, New Hampshire, but it sure as heck quickly covered our front and back yards with snow, including all the pool furniture. And then the storm came back again that night, and we had the opportunity to experience a full mix of driving snow and wind, a genuine, real-live winter storm. I was beginning to think we might actually have a white Purim, which Irving Berlin did not write a song about.

The best part might have been the fact that every single living Tucsonan went outside with their iPhones and Galaxies and took photos and videos of the snow, and posted them on Facebook, and eagerly emailed them to each other. Look, it's amazing, it's snowing outside! As though we couldn't just look out the windows of our cars and houses and see it for ourselves...

Read more: Tetzaveh/Zachor 5773: Miracles