Kol Nidre Services - September 15, 2021

[Music] last year [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] um [Music] um [Music] um [Music] hmm [Music] return again [Music] again [Music] me [Music] oh [Music] return again [Music] thank it is amazing that we can take a regular old plain high school and turn it into a sanctuary it just takes a few really important ingredients some beautiful music some beautiful people the torah and the desire to make this into a holy space as we gather we can help each other create that space by paying attention to our masks keeping them on our face not below our nose we can check our cell phones to make sure that they're off or in silent mode we're not used to doing that at home on our couches as we go through the service this evening we invite you to explore the book don't have to read what we're reading there's a lot of beautiful and uplifting material in it and when we invite you to rise please know that we understand that rising can be both physical and spiritual so please rise in the manner that is best for you i'm rabbi melinda penkin i'm cantor wally shakit briskin i'm cantor lisa levine and we're joined by our presidents tamima grinvald and jennifer fessler and we are very happy to welcome you we invite you as we create this sanctuary to take a moment look around maybe find a mask you haven't met before and introduce yourself so there are several meets vote that are part of yom kippur the first is we fast for 25 hours we empty ourselves so that we can fill ourselves back with something better we don't wear leather on our feet because leather comes from animal life and so today especially we pay attention to the world and the resources that we use and the way we tax the life around us not just human life we don't work and we don't have intimate relations because it's not a day of outward creation this day is about the internal creation and the work we will do to recreate ourselves and there's no anointing today you don't have to take a shower tomorrow morning because it's not about our outer appearance i know that many of you don't anoint but maybe we take a shower and put on makeup we don't have to do that today because we're not focused on the outside we're focused on the inside and so we invite you as a community to remove the distractions to focus on the important work and to put our hearts into it we'll begin on page six reading together what an extraordinary gift it is what a blessing what a miracle to have been raised by imperfect parents who did their very best to share our life with a partner no more flawed than we are to count as a friend one who understands and accepts us most of the time how brave how hard it ties to is another to give even when we're exhausted to love faithfully to receive with grace the love and perfectly offered to us can this night set us free from the tyranny of expectations can this night release us from fantasies impossible to fulfill we resolve this night to embrace the practice of forgiveness to forgive others who fail to be all we hope they would be to forgive ourselves when we fall short of what others hope we would be we declare this night that we will cherish goodness wherever it is found and open ourselves to the gifts [Music] we read responsibly the human spirit is the lamp of god searching out what guided by the flame of conscience on this sacred night we search for truth shine your light upon us as we strive to serve you may we find safety in your faithful love we light the flame of healing and forgiveness on this atonement night we give thanks for love [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] the [Music] on page 10 and 11 you'll find some meditations and we invite you to choose one that feels right and i just want to point out that there are those who have to eat during yom kippur for health reasons and number two is a blessing for them [Music] my do [Music] so [Music] page 14. let's read responsibly yom kippur the jewish people's festival of the soul and col nidre its sacred portal a night of deep emotions a night as the psalmist wrote to rejoice with trembling we rejoice at the sound of coming today rhythmic words of release from vows quotes and promises to god we fail to keep we tremble at the melody music of spiritual amazement it fills us with awe as we stand before god and torah we rejoice that we stand together strengthened by community in this hour of shared weakness and humility we tremble for tonight we confess our flaws admit our imperfections and acknowledge a power far beyond our understanding we rejoice that we commit ourselves to the great endeavors because we feel so deeply and think so nobly we tremble for we find that our ideals are far greater than our ability our promises surpass our might we rejoice in the freedom that is the freedom to begin a new year without fear of failure to aspire to be god's image in the world we tremble because we are mortal we rejoice in our gratitude [Music] please rise as we continue page 16. [Music] is [Music] light is sown for the righteous radiance and joy for the pure of heart with one voice assembled sages past and present declare all may pray as one on this night of repentance let none be excluded from our community of prayer with one voice god and congregation proclaim all may pray as one on this day of return let all find a place in this sacred assembly page 18. [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] the [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] me [Music] r [Music] is [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] last [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] this [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] we remain standing and we continue page 22. with the barclays [Music] page 25 day and night are yours creative spirit of the universe the muted colors of twilight the radiance of dawn yours are the spreading wings of light the deepening shadows of darkness and ever-changing drama together in the human heart to the struggle between darkness and light unfolds from sunlit heights of generosity the human heart sinks to the gloomy depths of selfishness although we fall you give us the strength to rise again you can call on those who hurt through word or deed to break free from wrongdoing and return to you all who hear your call to goodness are embraced all who reject emptiness from evil we come into your presence this night the fully aware that our short comings and weaknesses are many and encouraged by your promise of forgiveness we choose freely the path of repentance restoring holiness to our lives [Music] page 27 we read together we pause in reverence before the gift of self the vessel shatters the divine spark shines through and our solitary self becomes a link in israel's golden chain for what we are we are by sharing and as we share we move toward the light the pause and reverence before the mystery of a presence the near and far reality of god not union but communion is our name and as we approach the mystery words lead us to the edge of action but it is deeds that bring us closer to the god of light we pause in terror before the human deed the cloud of annihilation the concentrations of death the cruelly casual way of each to each but in the stillness of this hour we find our way from darkness into light may we find our life so precious that we cannot but share it with the other that light may shine brighter than a thousand suns with the presence among us of the god of light [Music] is [Music] please be seated we joined together [Music] um [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] page 39 we read together our sages taught it is proper to mention the exodus from egypt in our morning prayers and also at night we celebrate the going out from egypt in the morning light full of confidence and vigor as we enter the new day but in the evening weary from the day's exertions passed down and fearful with the coming of the night what can the exodus teach us then our nighttime prayer brings hope and trust in the future as god did not abandon our people long ago through the long dark night of exile so the holy one will be with us in time to come to stand by the one you love that is the true essence of faithfulness so it is written in the psalms to proclaim your kindness in the morning and your faithfulness in the nights sing with joy in the mornings of your life when light surrounds you and the world seems beautiful and good and in the evenings of your life when you dwell in sorrow and the world seems dark do not despair [Music] oh [Music] me [Music] is page 42. [Music] hello foreign [Music] foreign [Music] oh may you tell me much [Music] me [Music] day [Music] is [Music] age forty-five [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] hey [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] we continue page 46 with the tephila please rise [Music] that my mouth may declare your praise [Music] [Music] is [Music] um [Music] um [Music] me [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] please be seated together and sow in your holiness give all creation the gift of all turn our fear to reverence let us be witnesses of wonder perceiving all nature as a prayer come alive we bow to the sovereignty of your strength the primacy of your power yearn for connection with all that lives doing your will with wholeness of heart aw inspiring is your creation all encompassing your transcendent name and so in your holiness give your people the gift of honor bless with praise those who praise you bless with hope those who seek you give your believers a basis for faith true happiness for the land of israel true joy in jerusalem may the sparks of david your servant soon grow bright enough for us to see a beam of light in the darkness a promise of perfection page 56 we continue and so in your holiness give the righteous the gift of a vision bright with joy a world where evil has no voice and the rule of malevolence fades like wisps of smoke good people everywhere will celebrate the stunning sight of arrogance gone from the world page 63 we continue together like smoke above the altar may a memory of us ascend and come before you as israel once came to you with offerings from the flock so we bring to you the offerings of our mouth not live a service but heartfelt prayer so the prophet taught return o israel to adonai your god for you have fallen because of your sin take words with you and return to adonai accept the words we set before you awkward and imperfect as they are they're hesitant questions corrosive doubts except to our silences our thoughts that rise in the stillness our faith that coheres for a fragile instant then dissipates like smoke above the altar page 73 together prayers for the soul [Music] so too the blessings of a prayer last until we pray again the longer the pause between one prayer and the next the more we're mired in worldly pursuits in words that dim the purity of the soul in speech that dulls its brightness when we pray we wash away all that clouds our vision and satisfy our spirit's hunger for a higher calling prayer give the soul what food gives the body page 74. as we continue silently with our modim i encourage you to take a few moments to read the words in hebrew or english and meditate on your sense of gratitude what are you thankful for what words will you fill this page with ah [Music] on page 78 our prayer for peace [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] oh [Music] we pause for a moment to silent prayer [Music] me [Music] o may the words [Music] the meditations of my heart be acceptable my [Music] no [Music] um [Music] as we open our hearts in prayer this evening we open them to pray for those who are ill those who are in need of healing and wholeness be it of their body their mind or their spirit there are so many we pray for we pray for those affected by the fires and the floods and the hurricanes and the earthquakes we pray for those who are the victims of war wherever they are in this world we pray for those who have coveted and all those who care for them may those who have covid find a speedy and complete recovery and may our health care system be strong and healthy enough to make that happen we pray for nika mandelberg daniel minerva lori shulman stephen rice jordan silverman richard cohen karen pine elliott rudick gabby bursey allison sack brian roche mort cohen colleen syett arlene schubert mindy minerva norma meniker susan vitale patricia roiger marilyn jacobs vi and alfred miller nadia mcdonald ron klug kenneth tenkus etu fang adrian apuza spencer gray rothstein bonita apple elka pravda ganz brody share hal hal miller matt gross dan recht allen zwick joseph mayer miriam clenover bence clenover jared narotsky and bob clatterman if there are others that we should pray for this evening people who could use a prayer of healing we invite you to simply say their names aloud now for those we've named for those we haven't and for those we named silently in our hearts misha bera tinubi motenu may the one who blessed our ancestors bless all those who are ill may their doctors and nurses be skillful and compassionate may those who care for them find support and comfort and may they all be granted the complete healing of body and spirit as together we say [Music] may the source of who strength the ones before us help us find the courage to make our [Music] let life oh [Music] the renewal of spirit and let us [Music] we are so blessed to be led by two strong women and throughout the course of yom kippur you will hear from both of them tonight we are honored to hear from tamima the president of word of torah good evening it is friends it is friends who make us feel connected i joined trt because our friends the class family invited us to try the school and since then i have connected with many friends we laugh and we cry together i support them and they support me you may wonder why i speak of friendship on yom kippur well in our jewish faith social interpersonal mitzvot are as important as ritual mitzvot in any regular year i could have said look and see your friends surrounding you yet i know some of you watch us live through video streaming so those words would not achieve what i would really want you to consider instead i ask why are you celebrating with us tonight wherever you are everyone know everyone knows you can't choose your family but you can choose your friends and you surely chose us as your congregation to celebrate this holy day together it only makes sense that we also become best friends with yom kippur providing us the framework for introspection let's think for a moment how could we become friends how do you acquire friends i'll share with you that as a child i was always hesitant to make friends you probably think i'm kidding but one could say i was selective i grew up i changed schools i went into the army moved into a new country over the ocean and i probably experienced something that we all experience without allowing a little bit of trust and faith it's hard to get closer to others my first touch of true friendship here at temple shahraimet had has already happened a few weeks into the summer i got bronchitis i was miserable i was still attending the core team meetings on zoom and we continued to plan details of the integration my extensive cough revealed that i was sick on the following day in an exchange of emails bonnie castle viola offered to make me chicken soup just imagine a few weeks before we were negotiating terms for a merger and now her gesture of friendship warmed my heart bonnie proved to me beyond the doubt that we all regardless of which temple you came from can make new friends here in our integrated community thank you bonnie when you went to college there were clubs and gathering of different kinds most students don't know where they would end up who will be their friends what activities will they enjoy most but everyone is open to try and that dynamic allows the exploration to begin some of us already begin the process right here at sharayamath i believe the integration of our temples provide this dynamic to all of us being members is just the beginning this year brings new energy and i invite you to consider exploring new programs sisterhood choir adult ed men's club minion group on shabbat torah study with rabbi penkin perhaps volunteer to make a difference in a committee or take part in community drive for tikkun olam i can promise you that you will fall in love with the first thing you try just like in college you may try two or three different programs before you connect with the special one that brings a sense of fulfillment while you're at it make sure you introduce yourself ask questions listen allow yourself to become acquainted with others allow others to get to know you i assure you that you'll meet other fantastic like-minded people who share the same jewish values and show up to build this ki lak dusha together we'll make it thrive the thing i'm learning more and more is that by creating opportunities to spend time together you're actually creating the special sauce that breeds friendship on sunday september 26 at 7 pm we will have we will be having a committee open house on zoom mark it on your calendar now that's one of the places you can start your exploration during rosh hashanah and yom kippur we say simply saying returning to engage in jewish community life praying and participating in a community appeal within your own means are just the action that have the power to make our life matter we all want to enjoy our spiritual home others cannot do it for us we need to show up i would like to wish you and your family a year of friendship and connection a year of new energy and exploration a year of discovery a year of life well-lived may you and your family be inscribed and sealed for a good year and now a few announcements regarding tomorrow our early service will start at 9 00 a.m tourist study will be will begin at 10 45 here the late service will start at 11 45 years core will take place at two o'clock healing service will take place at three o'clock tucked uh service at 3 30 at temple shari yamath our afternoon service at four o'clock here in the ila service at five o'clock here i hope to see you all we turn now to page 82 and we begin our v dewey our confession pay attention to a couple of the things that happen in this section first we say the v dewey together and we're going to talk about a lot of things that maybe you all didn't do maybe some of you did some of them and others did others of them but we haven't done them all but there's comfort in knowing that when we look around the room nobody here is perfect so we can forgive ourselves our sins once we articulate them and commit to doing better you'll notice that we do an alphabet of sins a shamnu bagadnu we go through the hebrew alphabet to hope that we acquire in this process some sort of completeness that we touch everything that we could have touched upon to remind ourselves to look fully into our deeds and what we have done and you'll also notice that we will come to a section and hate is a word for sin but it's really the word we use for shooting an arrow and what happens when you shoot an arrow and you're a bad marksman you miss and what do you do to get better you continue shooting the arrows so the whole idea of hate is not that we are good or we are bad it recognizes that we're going to shoot the arrows and sometimes we will miss and sometimes we will hit the target but we will keep practicing because through practice we get better we're more likely to hit the target and so as we go through our confession all of these things come together to allow us as a community to express regret and remorse and a commitment to change but also it gives us time privately as well as individuals to explore who we are and how we want to be better and so we begin page 82. eloheinu velogeovotenovi motenu our god and god of all generations together may our prayers reach your presence and when we turn to you do not be indifferent adonai we are arrogant and stubborn claiming to be blameless and free of sin and truth we have stumbled and strayed we have done wrong [Music] oh [Music] [Music] oh [Music] new [Music] foreign [Music] me [Music] see [Music] together of these wrongs we are guilty we betray we steal we scorn we act perversely [Music] [Music] we go astray we lead others astray page 84 we continue in the english our turning away from your meets vote and laws of goodness is a hollow pursuit you are just concerning all that happens in our lives your way is the way of truth while ours leads to error what can we say to you whose existence is beyond time and space what words of ours can reach your realm beyond the clouds beyond heaven itself every hidden mystery every revelation surely you know them all you know the secrets of the universe and the secrets of the human heart you know and understand us for you examine our inner lives nothing is concealed from you nothing hidden from your sight eternal one and our god and god of our ancestors we pray that this be your will forgive all our moms pardon us for every act of injustice help us atone for all our moral moral failures page 86 [Music] is [Music] [Music] and harm we have caused in your world [Music] [Music] the ways we have wronged you through lies [Music] um the ways we have wronged you by judging others unfairly and harm we have caused in your world through disrespect to parents and teachers [Music] the ways we have wronged you through insincere apologies and harm we have caused in your world by mistreating a friend or neighbor [Music] the ways we have wronged you through violence and abuse and harm we have caused in your world through dishonesty in business [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] for all these failures of judgment and will god of forgiveness forgive us pardon us lead us to atonement [Music] [Music] the ways we have wronged you openly and secretly and harm we have caused in your world by losing self-control [Music] the ways we have wronged you through sexual immorality and harm we have [Music] the ways we have wronged you by giving in to our hostile impulses and harm we have caused in your world through greed and exploitation [Music] the ways we have wronged you through cynicism and scorn and harm we have caused in your world through arrogant behavior [Music] the ways we have wronged you by hating without cause and harm we have caused in your world through offensive [Music] tongue and harm we have caused in your world through a selfish or petty spirit [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] for all these failures of judgment and will god of forgiveness forgive us pardon us lead us to atone page 99 together will you hear my voice you are far from me will you hear my voice wherever you are a voice calling aloud a voice silently weeping endlessly demanding a blessing this busy world is vast its ways are many paths meet for a moment and then heart forever we go on searching but our feet stumble we cannot find that which we have lost perhaps my last day is already drawing near drawing clothes are the tears of parting i will wait for you till my days flicker out like rachel waiting for her beloved page 98. [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] a [Music] ah [Music] ah [Music] lord god [Music] ah [Music] oh [Music] the [Music] so [Music] to feed [Music] page 100 we read together god of forgiveness we come before you in need of compassion at sinai you spoke words that guide our lives to this day but our ancestors lost faith in you lost hope in their redeemer with one voice they had promised [Music] your forgiveness in that moment of human weakness and doubt we too have broken promises to you we too worship the work of our own hands we too make of gold a god and we too forsake your word at sinai you revealed 13 attributes of mercy these aspects of your nature your very essence we now recall adonai god compassionate gracious endlessly patient loving and true showing mercy to the thousandth generation for giving evil defiance and wrongdoing granting pardon [Music] [Music] oh [Music] page 106. [Music] i am [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] we are your treasures you are cherished one we are your people you are [Music] i [Music] we are your people you are [Music] page 113 we read together avinu malkenu hear our voice some of us have cancer some of us has lost strength of body some have lost memory and speech some of us are in pain some can't find work some of us bear the marks of human cruelty inside where the scars don't show some live with depression some battle addiction many feel alone some have known shattered marriages trust betrayed hopes destroyed some of us have lost the ones we love far too soon and some have lost a child all of us have seen suffering in our midst all of us know the ravages of war for which there are no words avinu [Music] here is our prayer give us the strength to go on give us reasons to get up each day give us purpose and persistence help us to fend off fear and to hold on to hope help us to be kind don't make us bow or grovel for your favor give us dignity and give us courage show us the way to a year of goodness renew our belief that the world can be better restore our faith in life restore our faith in you page 114 please rise [Music] almighty and merciful hear our voice have compassion [Music] [Music] overflow [Music] [Music] for answer us with grace for our deeds our wanting save us through acts of justice [Music] oh um [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] [Music] oh [Music] know [Music] um [Music] oh [Music] please be seated let's begin with a feel-good story on september 6th the times of israel reported that for the first time in israel one-year-old israeli twin girls who were born joined back to back at the head were separated in a rare and complicated surgery in beersheva even more heartwarming is that dr awas jalani a cashmere born muslim scrubbed up alongside an israeli team to help a jewish family when the nurses brought the babies together newly separated they looked at each other made noises and gently touched one another it was beautiful their doctor said you could see the communication between them and it was just so special stories like these make us feel such pride in israel and there are so many stories the fact that israel is a startup nation giving us technology we use daily like cell phones and firewalls in israel they have developed a battery operated exoskeleton that enables paraplegics to walk upright they gave the world the pill camera that you can swallow to get pictures of places you could never go before in the human body in a non-invasive manner and the flexible stent which has been used to save more heart patients than we can even imagine in israel they have found ways replacing harmful pesticides with bugs that will eat the pests and destroy the crops that eat the pests that destroy the crops and in 2010 an israeli company created watergen a device to produce clean drinking water out of thin air it grabs the existing humidity and water vapors using nothing more than a portable generator and it's been used around the world in disaster zones to provide fresh clean potable water to places that have experienced tragedy these are the stories israel treating wounded syrian refugees and israel leading studies on covet vaccination safety especially the ones that confirmed they were safe for pregnant women this is the israel we love to hear about and like our children or our family members we prefer these kinds of stories that they be the ones that set the narrative for our beloved homeland but in life our narratives are often set by others in between these beautiful stories are the stories of land in jerusalem prayers on the temple mount wars with gaza stories that create a certain kind of narrative for the world numbers tell the story of tragedy two peoples stuck together on a small tract of land and in this latest war this past may it resulted in 260 palestinians and 12 israelis being killed 66 palestinians were children two of the israelis were children thousands injured and traumatized on both sides each life is a world so many worlds destroyed these losses are tragic full stop these wars that flare up they are expected in israel it isn't really if there will be a war but when with no partner to work towards a two-state solution this is the status quo thousands of rockets fired from gaza thank god for the iron dome missile defense system thank god for a strong army now some may blanch at my gratitude for an army for the israel defense force and yet it is part of an ongoing necessity in my mind and reflects the reality for israelis that power is necessary without power israel won't live there are times that israel will have to use its power to solve its problems in terms of hamas israel's aim has not been to get rid of hamas it's usually just to stop them or slow them down always hoping to extend that window of quiet between the violent flare-ups and while over four thousand bombs four thousand over four thousand rained down on israel the criticism came from all over trevor noah declared it wasn't a fair fight because israel is more powerful than hamas but what trevor noah neglects to acknowledge is that asymmetry isn't always immoral just because i have power and the other doesn't doesn't mean that the weaker has the moral authority in fact in genesis god creates humans gives us the world and tells us to subdue it to be powerful over it and then god sets a framework a moral framework for how to do that because god says use your power very carefully power in itself is not evil or wrong but it can be when it's misused torah also teaches us that we have a right even an obligation to defend ourselves to preserve our lives and when over 4 000 bombs fall on your head you defend yourself you use your power what nation wouldn't and that is what israel did this summer in 1967 israel conquered the west bank and gaza occupying land upon which the palestinian people lived and this occupation was meant to be temporary but here we are 54 years later there has been no solution sadly no way out this conflict has become part of the day-to-day existence for those living in israel it is something that israelis now manage and live with but i don't think that american jews think about it the same way in fact there was an interesting change a shift that i've seen coming slowly but it became louder in may 2021 in a different way in a recent poll by the jewish electorate institute over 25 percent of jewish american voters agreed that israel is an apartheid state while another 22 percent said that they were unsure that's nearly fifty percent another nine percent think israel doesn't have the right to exist and 22 percent accuse israel of genocide these statistics might be surprising to some jews accusing israel of apartheid and genocide jews who question israel's right to exist sit with that for a moment for many that is extremely painful to hear for others it sounds like hyperbole the term apartheid a term in afrikaans meaning separation it's meant to evoke correlation to the racist and unjust policies of south africa if by apartheid one suggests that israel is like south africa with one race subjugating another race then israel is not an apartheid state because jews of color are part of every facet of life in israel and palestinians living within the 1948 borders are citizens of israel they face discrimination but they can vote in elections serve in the government attend university and they have freedom of movement so this conflict is not about race it's not apartheid nor is it genocide because the definition of genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of completely destroying that nation or group now according to data published by the united nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs since 2008 there have been close to 6 000 palestinian fatalities and an incredibly high number close to 130 000 number of palestinians injures injured in conflict these numbers are nothing short of tragic but they are nowhere near genocide reducing this historical conflict to these inflammatory words makes this into something that is black and white but this is not black and white this is a very messy complicated historical problem one that is not simple and yet just because what is happening isn't apartheid or genocide doesn't mean that there aren't problems palestinians in the west bank east jerusalem and gaza don't have basic freedom of movement or self-determination and there are american jews that 22 that close to 50 percent who worry about the palestinians why do they worry about them because that's what they learned it means to be jewish that's what we learned it means to be jewish judaism teaches us to care for the stranger it teaches us to celebrate and cherish freedom it reminds us all the time that all humans are imbued with a divine spark and we all come from one human family isn't this what we teach our children and it is this torah that led 90 rabbinical and cantorial students to write an infam infamous letter just a few weeks ago which caused a huge uproar they penned an open letter about the war in gaza and they published it in the foreword they wrote listen to their words our political advocacy too often puts forth a narrative of victimization but supports violent suppression of human rights and enables apartheid in the palestinian territories and the threat of annexation how many palestinians must lose their homes their schools their lives for us to understand that today in 2021 israel's choices come from a place of power and that israel's action actions constitute an intentional removal of the palestinians many were outraged by this letter rejected it as pure nourish kite decrying these students as traitors and disloyal some agreed with the letter felt it had merit and still others were heartbroken these are our future leaders rabbis and cantors these aren't the simple child at the passover table she no yo daily who doesn't know how to ask these are some of the most educated jews whether it is this letter or the statistics of jews who think israel is an apartheid state the heartbreaking part for some is that this rift between american jews and israelis may be a moment of jews giving up on jews and what future will we have if we give up on one another we can wring our hands we can try gevalt we can put our fingers in our ears and yell no no no i'm not gonna listen to your side but where will that get us we could insist on curriculum in hebrew schools that only teaches about the good in israel but that will not prepare our students to go out into a world that questions israel's basic right to exist we need to help people to understand the deep complexities of jews wanting to live in safety and palestinians wanting to live in freedom there is such nuance and complication that easy answers just won't fix this if we shut down these conversations and questions however uncomfortable and difficult they are we risk having jews who will turn away not only from israel but from jewish peoplehood this letter did not sit well with me and yet the last thing i ever want to do is to turn jews away from israel and each other even if that means that we have some wrestling to do now some may say we american jews we have no right to tell israel what to do or be critical at all because our children are not the ones serving in the idf they are not the ones in the tanks and the planes that keep israel safe we don't know the kind of sacrifices that families make to ensure that there is a jewish homeland for all of us because where would the jewish immigrants of the world be from the soviet union france ethiopia iran and all of the arab countries where would they be right now without israel in the moments when these thoughts silence me i listen to the teaching of rabbi danielle hartman from the hartman institute in jerusalem who said i need to hear from americans and what i also need from american jews is what much of that letter is i need partners who are going to hold us here to the standards that we pretend to hold ourselves to but don't really i need american jews from their distance to uphold the integrity of the jewish people and do you know that when you're caught in the middle of a day-to-day conflict as we are and we've been from day one of our existence it's very hard to hold on to a morally complicated conversation to hold yourself to the standards you need to apply so i need american jews to be part of this conversation i need them to remind me what i'm not seeing hartman an israeli is telling us that we need each other will israel make mistakes absolutely is israel perfect absolutely not what nation is but if israel wants to maintain the moral high ground it won't be done only through power you can't just say we offered a two-state solution they refused and now all we can do is manage this conflict through power in the words of rabbi hartman if zionism doesn't embrace embrace the right to land and that we came home to be a force for good if we don't have moral conversations what are we is a jewish state just a place where jews live and where you have a jewish army or is it more we all want israel to be a force for good in this world there is a story of professor sidney morgan besser a modern american philosopher who taught at columbia he was attending a conference sitting at a table filled with israelis and he said to them i think israel has to get out of the west bank well all of his table mates began to jump on him how dare you you don't have children who serve in the army but he stopped them and he said i don't think you heard me i didn't tell you what to do i just told you what i think why do we have to be afraid of hearing what people think in the end israelis will be the ones who vote and decide who they want their leaders to be in what direction they want their country to take but what can we do what we can do for each other is to hold up a mirror and share what we see both of our communities in both directions because that's how we grow that's how we make each other better and it isn't and isn't that the meaning of the days of awe to hold up the mirror and take a good hard look at ourselves so that we can grow wouldn't it be nice if this conflict between israelis and palestinians could be solved by simply flying in the world's best surgeons and performing a 12-hour procedure to pull them apart but you and i both know that that isn't possible israel has a right to exist and israel must exist it needs us and we need it this is the season of growth and the one way to do that is with honesty with less labeling and more talking with less justifying and more listening let us not turn our backs but rather let us embrace even those we disagree with and let's be like jacob and wrestle really wrestle and hold on to one another jacob was wounded and he was changed and it wasn't easy for him and it won't be easy for us it's uncomfortable it's hard but in the end let all of us never forget that we are his descendants we are banay israel one family the children of israel people who wrestle and people who prevail gemara khatimatova may we all be inscribed together as a people in the book of a good and peaceful life amen [Music] me [Music] me [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] we continue now page 116 please rise for elena [Music] um [Music] foreign [Music] please be seated page 118. [Music] [Music] page 121 this holy night concludes with memory our last thoughts always are those we have lost we miss them especially tonight yearning for their presence at our side the service we shared once was theirs they spoke and sang the ancient words they prayed repented and yearned for better lives as we have done flawed in their deeds and perfect in their faith they still drew strength from their tradition as we seek fortitude in ours what was good and beautiful in their lives once gave us joy and now inspires us to reach higher the knowledge that they loved us deeply brings comfort to our hearts so we light candles of remembrance and gratitude and we speak this timeless truth their memory is a blessing now and forever we pray that their goodness will live on in our lives planting seeds of kindness and hope for generations to come our thoughts turn now to loved ones whom death has taken from us in recent days and those who died at the season in years past our hearts open as well to the wider circles of loss in our community and wherever grief touches the human family tonight we remember the more than 678 000 americans and the 4.6 million human beings around the world who have succumbed to covet 19. we remember those whose families are currently in the 30 day morning period of shloshim paul mark michael modell anne chernuts and john evans remember those whose yard site the anniversary of their passing falls this week linda burkowski harry borel israel breslow boyd briskin jack berg kenny goddard curtis houseman rosalind kahan morris b palakoff howard sachs and anita woolrich zircon may those who have touched our lives continue to bless us through their memory page 122 we rise as a community for the words of the mourner's kaddish this [Music] is [Music] [Music] may the source of peace send peace to those who mourn and comfort to those who are bereaved as together we say [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] please remain standing for a closing song oh shalom [Music] the [Music] lord foreign [Music] [Music] our ancestors [Music] may your presence in our lives this new year renew our spirits and renew our strength may it be a good year may it be a sweet year [Music] today [Music] good [Music] return again return again [Music] everyone [Music] is [Music] foreign thank you all so much for all of your work and thank you to our cellist as well you

Channel: Temple Shaari Emeth

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Id: Q6xbcATsKXQ

Length: 126min 29sec (7589 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 16 2021