Rosh Hashanah 2005

Three Paths to the Soul of Community

A young rabbi who had just graduated from Yeshiva University in New York got a position at a small congregation in Chicago. But at his first Sabbath service there, a strange thing happened: when the Shema prayer was said, half the congregants stood up and half remained sitting.

The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and the ones standing yelled at the ones sitting to stand up...

The rabbi, educated as he was in the Law and commentaries, didn't know what to do. His congregation suggested that he consult a housebound 98 year old man, who was one of the original founders of their temple. The rabbi hoped the elderly man would be able to tell him what the actual temple tradition was. So he went to the nursing home with a representative of each faction of the congregation.

The one whose followers stood during Shema said to the old man, "Is the tradition to stand during this prayer?"

The old man answered, "No, that is not the tradition."

The one whose followers sat asked, "Is the tradition to sit during Shema?"

The old man answered, "No, that is not the tradition."

"But", the rabbi said to the old man, "The congregants fight all the time, yelling at each other about whether to sit or to stand....."

The old man interrupted, exclaiming...."THAT is the tradition!"

It's no secret that Jews often can't agree on the best way to be Jewish in the modern world. Rabbi Hayim Herring explains that today, there are two different approaches to Jewish religious life, pulling us in opposite directions. On the one hand, there is the "Commanding Community" urging us to adopt a traditional narrative of Jewish life, to find meaning in mutual support and service, and to follow time-honored behavioral norms and rituals. Judaism is a deeply communal religion. It's almost impossible to try to live a committed Jewish life in isolation from other Jews. There are many prayers and rituals that require the holiness of a minyan-a communal quorum-in order to be performed.

When asked what draws them to Congregation Beth Israel, the most common answer that I have heard from our members is "community." We are relearning the lost values of communitarianism extolled in books like "Bowling Alone." Meaningful and authentic community is essential to our people, our families and our personal lives.

On the other hand, the "Sovereign Self" "expects the synagogue to make few demands, but to provide resources to adapt to one's spiritual quest on one's own terms." It is rooted in the liberal, Western concept of the centrality of the individual, as well as the contemporary rise in secularism and the subsequent decline in communitarian values. Some with more traditional views look askance at this rampant individuality and see it as merely self-centered.

Yet, the idea of individuality is not foreign to Judaism either. The book of Genesis describes the first person being created in God's image, and rabbinic commentary states that God is not like a king of flesh and blood who stamps his image on every identical coin. Even though each person is stamped with the divine image, each one is unique. If we see a crowd of 600,000, we are to bless God-not for making so many people, but for knowing the secret differences in each heart. So Judaism acknowledges and honors our individuality.

Some people are drawn to the responsibilities and meaning offered by the Commanding Community, while others value the open ended choices represented by the Sovereign Self. Unfortunately, these world-views are often in conflict in the Jewish community, and members of one group are not always understanding of the other.

The challenge, says Herring, is to find the middle path, the Golden Mean, between these two extremes and to "create a coherent community that still allows for more individualized Jewish expression." It reminds me of the story of a Rabbi in the Old Country. When two litigants came before him to settle their case, he heard them out. Then he turned to the first and said, "You're right." He turned to the second and said, "And you're also right." When one of his hassidim, one of his followers said, "but they can't both be right," the rabbi turned to him and said, "And you're right, too!"

In the case of synagogue life-you are both right-both those who acknowledge that Jewish community commands certain loyalties and norms, and those who claim that in order to thrive in today's world, the synagogue must address the needs and aspirations of the individual. It will take both of these approaches to shape the Jewish future. The stakes are high for our people. The largest growing Jewish denomination is not Reform or Conservative-it's unaffiliated. Although nationwide about 80% of Jews claim to belong to a synagogue at some point in their lives, no more than 50% are members of a synagogue at any given time, and perhaps a quarter of Jews (some surveys say as low as 16%) attend synagogue services on even a monthly basis.

If we want to survive and thrive as a people, if we hope to combat rampant assimilation, we must find ways to make Judaism more relevant and meaningful to individual Jews and seekers who are interested in the Jewish path, while at the same time building the strength of our communities. Over the past few years, there have been many national programs designed to revitalize Jewish life. These programs range from "Birthright Israel," a program in which college students get a free educational trip to Israel, to Synagogue 2000, a nationwide program to renew congregational life, to websites like Jewz.com (that's J-E-W-Z.com).

Not all of these programs are synagogue based. You can't become a Jew just in synagogue. The home in particular, the school, summer camp and youth group, the national life in Israel, Jewish organizations, and (in larger cities), Jewish community centers are all vital parts of Jewish life. Yet the synagogue remains a central Jewish institution that has been with us for some 2500 years and is still essential to Jewish existence, so we must make it relevant and real for our members.

I have been involved in two important movements to renew congregational life. First, I was ordained through ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal, the newest Jewish movement which strives to bring authentic spirituality back to modern Judaism, and then this year I was a participant in PEER, a leadership training program for rabbis developed by STAR (Synagogues: Transformation and Renewal). STAR has come up with such original programs as Synaplex, a program in which larger congregations offer a variety of Shabbat programs, some religious, some social, and some cultural, with very sophisticated marketing and promotion. Despite our small size, I strive to bring the things that I learn back hear to CBI, because I believe that communities like ours are testing grounds for the future of Jewish life in America.

The names and purposes of the synagogue can provide a key to the future of community. In Jewish tradition, the synagogue has three names: Beit Knesset (house of gathering), Beit Midrash (house of study of Torah) and Beit Tefilah (house of prayer). Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the founder of Reconstructionist Judaism in 20th century America, said that the synagogue must become a "synagogue center"-a center not only for prayer and study, but also for the social and cultural life of the community.

The three names of the synagogue represent three paths to the soul of a Jewish community and three ways to make the connection between individual aspiration and interest with the values of the congregation: the path of the mind, the path of the spirit, and the path of hands-on Judaism. I invite you now to consider which of these three is your door to the community, which is your personal path to Jewish life.

Are you one of those for whom the synagogue is primarily a House of Study? Do you find your primary Jewish expression through the mind, learning Torah, in academic scholarship, or in literature? Or do you just feel a hunger to learn more? If so, I invite you to try the Rabbi's Shabbat study group, to come and hear Shabbat Scholars, to take Jewish education courses at the university or to join our book club, or volunteer to teach one of our Confirmation classes for our youth. You are sure to love our Jewish book fair coming up in November. You might want to participate in committees that plan our religious school or adult education.

Are you one of those for whom the synagogue is primarily a house of prayer? Do you feel drawn to the "service of the heart," that is in prayer and meditation? Or do you feel a spiritual hunger that isn't satisfied with all of that the secular world has to offer? If the soul is your primary gate to Jewish participation, you might find your individual connection to community by taking classes that we have offered in Jewish mysticism or meditation, by participating in the healing circle or by bringing the whole familiy to Mishpachah Shabbat.

You might enjoy the lively guitar music and singing on Friday nights or prefer the traditional, contemplative spirituality of Saturday mornings, where we begin with a meditation and take plenty of time to immerse ourselves in the Torah reading. You might want to join the ritual committee to help plan our services or an anticipated Jewish Renewal Shabbaton.

Or perhaps you are one for whom the synagogue is primarily the House of Gathering. Do you feel a hunger for community, a need to connect, a need to serve or create? Your primary approach to Judaism is hands-on: reaching out to one another, joining hands with one another, or maybe creating something with your hands. It may be social action that attracts you, or philanthropy, or community service, or artistic expression. You might find your individual path to community by joining the Social Action committee, volunteering at Mitzvah Day, joining our revamped Sunshine committee to do the mitzvahs of visiting the sick, bringing clothes to send to Hurricane victims or the homeless in Chico, serving on the board or a committee, giving tzedakah, working in our biblical garden, or participating in an art workshop. You might enjoy participating in the stained glass workshop that will benefit our religious school in November, or later in the year making your own tallit or participating in making the congregational tallit for blessing the children.

Each of these doors to the synagogue-the mind, the soul and the hand -is authentic and meaningful. What's important to the success of the community is that each of us finds our own unique way of connecting, whether we call the synagogue a house of prayer, a house of study, or a house of gathering. Of course, some of us aren't satisfied with one area of Jewish life, and may engage in all three areas of congregational life at different times, but often there is one area that particularly calls to each of us. It is my hope in the year ahead to enhance each of these three areas of Jewish communal life. I am seeking special funding to do so, but what I ask even more is that each of us take some time during this season of renewal to identify our own pathway to the soul of our community.

I want to share with you a vision for what Congregation Beth Israel can be like. . Imagine twice as many people engaged in our learning activities, our spiritual services, our service projects and artistic endeavors. The energy created would be exponential in its power to renew our community life. Imagine intense and passionate study of Torah and Jewish studies, for all ages. Envision joyous and deeply spiritual worship, attended by many of our congregants each week, conducted in many styles. Picture a synagogue bursting with active volunteers, making an impact of service and social action in the larger community, and serving as a wellspring of creativity for Jewish renaissance in Northern California. The seeds of this Renewal have already been planted, but to make it flower and bear fruit will take much more involvement by many people willing to bring their individual uniqueness to the creation of a dynamic community.

The Sovereign Self cannot be ignored in today's society. But a total focus on the self can lead to loneliness and alienation. During these High Holy Days, let each of us take time to consider the nature of our personal path, the connection that we can make between our individual passion and the soul of our community. Let us each find one new step this year to take along the path of mind, soul or hands-on Judaism. May Congregation Beth Israel continue to flourish and become a house of learning, a house of prayer and a house of gathering for all of us, and may we all partake in the renaissance and renewal of Judaism for a vibrant future. Amen.