From the Rabbi’s Desk

Rabbi Manes Kogan

Message for the Second Day of Rosh Hashanah

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You may have noticed that these High Holy days services are a little different from the ones during the previous years. This year we have a different Cantor and some of the melodies Gaston brings with him are different from the ones Cantor Barmor used to share with us during the last eight or nine years.

You may have also noticed that today’s morning service was different from the one yesterday. Cantor Bogomolni gave place to Kim Witt to lead Torah services. Natalie Sheffler, who during the entire last year enlightened us with her Divrei Torah, shared with us her insights on today’s Torah reading. Alan Oberlender, Martin and Betty’s oldest son, read the Torah and Amy Morris blew the Shofar after the Torah reading. During Musaf we will enjoy some of the creative reflections for Malchuyot, Zichronot and Shofarot, written by Beth Israel members, and David Frank –a relatively new member of Beth Israel- will blow again the Shofar after those reflections.

Last week, Frank Sheffler shared with me the following thought: "Rabbi, You will be surprised to know that during the year we were without a Rabbi, this congregation rediscovered many of its strengths and many of its members were able to share their hidden talents with us"

Although Rabbis are very important within religious congregations, and I, as you can guess, don’t have any interest in contradicting this idea, the real strength of a congregation consists of what its members can and are ready to do for it. The strength of a congregation exists in how its members grow spiritually and can acquire different skills in order to share them with other congregants.

We are very lucky to have within us young and not so young people that not only today, but also during the entire year, are enriching the life of our congregation.

For me, as a Rabbi, to sit down and see that members of Beth Israel can take care of responsibilities that usually are identified with the Rabbi or with other professionals linked to the congregational life, fills me with satisfaction and pride.

By involving members of Beth Israel in its development and growth, we give them a place here, in this house that is theirs. We tell them: ‘here you will not only be a spectator but you will be a player’. You are not a guest, but you are the congregation. And by the way, the same is true when people came here to build Sukkot to take to other’s houses, to bake Chalot, to help cook and set the tables for a dinner or to paint the walls of the social hall.

By contributing your time, skills and ideas to the growth of our congregation, you became part of Beth Israel and Beth Israel becomes part of you.

When our members, young and old alike, start feeling that they can take an active role in a religious service, they are able to internalize that Judaism in not reserved for Rabbis or Jewish educators, but it can be an entire part of their life too.

That is the reason I celebrate this second day of Rosh Hashana at Beth Israel. I celebrate that some of our own members, not different in essence from any of you sitting here today, are able to share their talents with us.

And may God strengthen us during this coming year, so we will be able to understand and elucidate, to learn, teach and safeguard, to perform and fulfill all the words of your Torah’s teaching with love.

Shanah Tova Umetuka!