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This past Shabbat, Saturday, March 3rd, I was invited to sit on the Bimah of Heska Amuna Synagogue by my new friend, Rabbi Alon Ferency. As congregants began to show up for Shabbat Shacharit services, I was continually greeted with, "So nice to see you Rabbi," or "Shabbat Shalom Rabbi..." It was very heart warming to be greeted so graciously. I would not have expected anything different as the Knoxville Jewish community is quite small - and it is very easy to get to know other members of the community - regardless of which Synagogue/Temple they attend.
As the service began, the "Saturday morning crew" began to grow and grow. There was a great sense of community at this service and I was very grateful to be present. Having been immensely wrapped in Temple Beth El and the warmth of my new community, I have been very busy. It was very nice to be able to sit back and watch as my colleague led his congregation with grace and great leadership. Rabbi Ferency has been to TBE to visit quite a few times already this year so I was glad to be able to join his congregation.
Here is my truth today - the Jewish community in Knoxville is quite small. As a community, we have some really extraordinary organizations and people. After all, we have been in Knoxville since the Civil War (or even before). However, like many religious communities, we need to work together to ensure the future of our Jewish community and really the greater Knoxville Spiritual/Religious community. I have begun to meet some of the other non-Jewish clergy in town recently and we all need to work together to continue to create the kinds of communities we all dream about.
Yes - a community filled with inspired, spiritual, educated and wonderful people. There are many, many, many wonderful people in our community. We just need to do a better job of reaching out and engaging them. This is my goal - and a goal I share with my Jewish and non-Jewish colleagues. We will work together to strengthen our communities....
As the service began, the "Saturday morning crew" began to grow and grow. There was a great sense of community at this service and I was very grateful to be present. Having been immensely wrapped in Temple Beth El and the warmth of my new community, I have been very busy. It was very nice to be able to sit back and watch as my colleague led his congregation with grace and great leadership. Rabbi Ferency has been to TBE to visit quite a few times already this year so I was glad to be able to join his congregation.
Here is my truth today - the Jewish community in Knoxville is quite small. As a community, we have some really extraordinary organizations and people. After all, we have been in Knoxville since the Civil War (or even before). However, like many religious communities, we need to work together to ensure the future of our Jewish community and really the greater Knoxville Spiritual/Religious community. I have begun to meet some of the other non-Jewish clergy in town recently and we all need to work together to continue to create the kinds of communities we all dream about.
Yes - a community filled with inspired, spiritual, educated and wonderful people. There are many, many, many wonderful people in our community. We just need to do a better job of reaching out and engaging them. This is my goal - and a goal I share with my Jewish and non-Jewish colleagues. We will work together to strengthen our communities....
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On Saturday, February 17, my 12-year-old daughter, Carlie and I joined with hundreds of others to protest the lecture of a well-known anti-Semitic white supremacist, Matthew Heimbach of the Traditional Workers’ Party on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tn. One core part of my rabbinate is the concept of V’ahavtah Lereiacha Kamocha, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This quote may sound familiar as it comes from the Biblical book of Leviticus: 19:18. I have always tried to live my life by this very important ideal. I was raised to treat everyone with respect and love, so I expect to be treated the same from everyone else. When I heard that a member of the TWP would come to the University of Tennessee campus, I jumped to action.
After attending a meeting with Vice Chancellor for Communications Ryan Robinson and about 15 University of Tennessee professors, I was encouraged and challenged at the same time. I was encouraged because it was clear the University of Tennessee would not accept or support any kind of hate speech. I was challenged because with the 1st Amendment of the Constitution allowing free speech, I knew there was a lot of work to do to educate students and protest against the hate speech of the TWP. I took these responsibilities very personally. As a leader in the Jewish community, I knew I needed to act. And, as a father, I wanted to make sure to make my daughters and son proud of me.
One of my congregants, a professor at the University of Tennessee, asked me a simple question. She wondered if anyone had reached out to Matthew Heimbach and invited him to have a conversation. Perhaps he had never met a Jewish person before, she remarked. She was challenging me to see what I perhaps had not seen – the humanity of someone who despises or hates me. While I was intent on educating the students at the University of Tennessee; while I was set on teaching my children right from wrong – was I not seeing that those on the other side are humans too? I had to think about that a bit. You see, I believe it is ok to detest the ideas of another person. However, it is NOT right to detest the other person – we must find a way to love them, looking beyond the hate speech. So, after some deep reflection, I decided to reach out to Matthew Heimbach. Unfortunately, though, I did not hear back from him or the TWP.
When I decided to ask my daughter to join me in the protest, I was sure this was the right thing to do. And, yes, I am very glad she joined me. I believe it was a learning experience for her and for me. This was her second protest – she joined me at the Atlanta airport in January, 2017 to protest against a proposed travel ban. But, this was different. This was someone coming to our town, to our home and preaching hatred against not just “the other,” but against US. So, it was personal. While I wanted her to learn, I did not want to put her in any danger or for her to feel unsafe at any time.
After parking at Temple Beth El (where I serve as the Senior Rabbi), Carlie and I, along with our friend Stacy Beyer walked to the UT Campus and found the section where the protest was stationed. When we arrived at the protest location, we were greeted with a heavily guarded security check point. We emptied our pockets, were checked for weapons and then allowed to cross into the protest area. What we saw was a sectioned off area with armed local and state police stationed every 3-5 feet. We were surrounded…we were protected. We were there to protest peacefully while being protected at the same time.
We stood, in the cold and rain, for several hours. Across the street and about half a block away, in a parking garage, about 30 members of the TWP, including their speaker, Matthew Heimbach, gathered. There was intense anticipation from the protesters as we anxiously awaited our opportunity to protest loudly and clearly against their hate speech and ideology. After about 30 minutes, another much larger group (probably around 200 or so) of students appeared, marching from the opposite direction. Armed with signs and bullhorns, the students made their presence known, even if from afar. They wound up gathering across the street from us about half a block away in the other direction from the TWP crowd.
Once the TWP group started to cross the bridge to get to the building where they were meeting, both of the protest groups raised their voices even louder as we chanted against the hate of the TWP. “We will win…” “Hate speech is not free speech…” “You are not wanted here…” These were a few of the chants from our protest. After about another hour, the rain really began to pick up and it was time to go home. The TWP was still meeting, but the group across the street were getting a bit rowdy, and my daughter became a little nervous and scared.
On our way back to our car, we passed a group of 4 or 5 of the protestors who were being arrested for stationing themselves in the middle of the street. One of these brave souls was singing Shalom Aleichem, “Peace be upon you.” Stacy and I stopped and began to sing with her. She looked out at us with a smile and tears streaming down her face as she felt the connection between us. It was at that point that my daughter, no doubt intimated somewhat by the overwhelming presence of police and loud protestors, told me she wanted to go home.
I am very proud of my 12-year-old daughter and her desire to live in a better world, a world in which all of us can truly be equals. She has only one voice, but a strong one for sure. Standing up against those that hate us and in support of others is something very important to me, my family and my congregation. It is about loving your neighbor – no matter who your neighbor is.
After attending a meeting with Vice Chancellor for Communications Ryan Robinson and about 15 University of Tennessee professors, I was encouraged and challenged at the same time. I was encouraged because it was clear the University of Tennessee would not accept or support any kind of hate speech. I was challenged because with the 1st Amendment of the Constitution allowing free speech, I knew there was a lot of work to do to educate students and protest against the hate speech of the TWP. I took these responsibilities very personally. As a leader in the Jewish community, I knew I needed to act. And, as a father, I wanted to make sure to make my daughters and son proud of me.
One of my congregants, a professor at the University of Tennessee, asked me a simple question. She wondered if anyone had reached out to Matthew Heimbach and invited him to have a conversation. Perhaps he had never met a Jewish person before, she remarked. She was challenging me to see what I perhaps had not seen – the humanity of someone who despises or hates me. While I was intent on educating the students at the University of Tennessee; while I was set on teaching my children right from wrong – was I not seeing that those on the other side are humans too? I had to think about that a bit. You see, I believe it is ok to detest the ideas of another person. However, it is NOT right to detest the other person – we must find a way to love them, looking beyond the hate speech. So, after some deep reflection, I decided to reach out to Matthew Heimbach. Unfortunately, though, I did not hear back from him or the TWP.
When I decided to ask my daughter to join me in the protest, I was sure this was the right thing to do. And, yes, I am very glad she joined me. I believe it was a learning experience for her and for me. This was her second protest – she joined me at the Atlanta airport in January, 2017 to protest against a proposed travel ban. But, this was different. This was someone coming to our town, to our home and preaching hatred against not just “the other,” but against US. So, it was personal. While I wanted her to learn, I did not want to put her in any danger or for her to feel unsafe at any time.
After parking at Temple Beth El (where I serve as the Senior Rabbi), Carlie and I, along with our friend Stacy Beyer walked to the UT Campus and found the section where the protest was stationed. When we arrived at the protest location, we were greeted with a heavily guarded security check point. We emptied our pockets, were checked for weapons and then allowed to cross into the protest area. What we saw was a sectioned off area with armed local and state police stationed every 3-5 feet. We were surrounded…we were protected. We were there to protest peacefully while being protected at the same time.
We stood, in the cold and rain, for several hours. Across the street and about half a block away, in a parking garage, about 30 members of the TWP, including their speaker, Matthew Heimbach, gathered. There was intense anticipation from the protesters as we anxiously awaited our opportunity to protest loudly and clearly against their hate speech and ideology. After about 30 minutes, another much larger group (probably around 200 or so) of students appeared, marching from the opposite direction. Armed with signs and bullhorns, the students made their presence known, even if from afar. They wound up gathering across the street from us about half a block away in the other direction from the TWP crowd.
Once the TWP group started to cross the bridge to get to the building where they were meeting, both of the protest groups raised their voices even louder as we chanted against the hate of the TWP. “We will win…” “Hate speech is not free speech…” “You are not wanted here…” These were a few of the chants from our protest. After about another hour, the rain really began to pick up and it was time to go home. The TWP was still meeting, but the group across the street were getting a bit rowdy, and my daughter became a little nervous and scared.
On our way back to our car, we passed a group of 4 or 5 of the protestors who were being arrested for stationing themselves in the middle of the street. One of these brave souls was singing Shalom Aleichem, “Peace be upon you.” Stacy and I stopped and began to sing with her. She looked out at us with a smile and tears streaming down her face as she felt the connection between us. It was at that point that my daughter, no doubt intimated somewhat by the overwhelming presence of police and loud protestors, told me she wanted to go home.
I am very proud of my 12-year-old daughter and her desire to live in a better world, a world in which all of us can truly be equals. She has only one voice, but a strong one for sure. Standing up against those that hate us and in support of others is something very important to me, my family and my congregation. It is about loving your neighbor – no matter who your neighbor is.
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Let’s start with a little Torah, shall we:
V’yadaber Adonai el Moshe: ‘Daber el B’nei Yisrael v’yikchu li t’rumah meieit kol ish asher yeedveinu leebo tikchu et trumati.
“The Lord spoke to Moses saying: ‘Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept the gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him.’”
V’asu Li Mikdash v’shachanti b’tocham
“And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.”
I will come back to these 3 verses in just a few minutes. Let me give somewhat of an explanation on how I create a sermon:
Generally, when I begin to write a sermon, or as I am gathering resources together, one of the first things I do is read through the Parasha of the week. Then, I turn to my Dropbox and look through my digital sermons to make sure I do not deliver a sermon too close to a previous one. It’s ok to bring over ideas and concepts, but not to redeliver a former sermon of mine! When I was perusing through my digital files this week, I noticed I have never given a sermon on Parashat Terumah, Exodus 25:1-27:19.
Next, I consider what is going on in the world…beginning with my congregational community and going as broad as needed. This week – it was easy to focus on what is happening in Knoxville. Tomorrow at 1 pm, on the campus of the University of Tennessee, there will be a speaker representing the Traditionalist Worker Party (TWP). TWP is a white supremacist and anti-Semitic organization. Directly from their website:
“We in the Traditionalist Worker Party fight for the interests of White Americans, a people who for decades have been abandoned by the System and actively attacked by globalists and traitorous politicians.”
“The Traditionalist Worker Party is America’s first political party created by and for working families. Our mission is defending Faith, Family, and Folk against the politicians and oligarchs who are running America into the ground. We intend to achieve that goal by building a nationwide network of grassroots local leaders who will lead Americans toward a peaceful and prosperous future free from economic exploitation, federal tyranny, and anti-Christian degeneracy.”
After examining current events, I turn back to the Torah to connect what is going on in our world with the lessons we find in our sacred texts. Last week, I attended a meeting with about 15 UTK faculty members and the Vice Chancellor. Our discussion was focused on whether we should respond and how to respond to this weekend’s speaker.
We all agreed that hate speech of any kind is not welcome on the UTK campus. To quote Chancellor Davenport, “Despite what their social media says, this group was not invited here by anyone at the University of Tennessee, and they are not welcome…As I have said before, hate is wrong. Racism is wrong. Advocating for the exclusion of all but one race is clearly wrong. Also, this group could not be more wrong.”
So, we all agreed that this organization and its speaker is not truly welcome on the UTK campus. However, what next? Some of the discussion focused on programming leading up to tomorrow (including several fantastic educational opportunities including learning with UTK professors on a variety of subjects), the counter protests and continued educational programs beginning next week, after tomorrow’s event.
It is at this point I begin to look for other resources, including quotes from different sources – news outlets, websites, books and other online resources. This week, it was incredibly important to bring quotes from the TWP and Chancellor Davenport. It is vital to show the approaches both TWP and UTK are taking. Let me be clear, no one believes that any of our freedoms, including Freedom of Speech, should be taken away. TWP has a right to speak and UTK has the right to protect and shield its students from hatred of any kind.
Now, let’s turn back to the 3 Torah verses I began this sermon with. You see, there is always a message in the Torah. It is not always easy to make it connect – but this week it is!
“The Lord spoke to Moses saying: ‘Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept the gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him.’”
In Exodus 25, verses 1 and 2, God instructs Moses to have the Israelites bring gifts to God. However, there is a condition – “every person whose heart so moves him.” One might argue that God may have expected everyone to want to bring gifts…so, then why the provision? Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra, an 11th century Biblical Commentator and Philosopher, explained, “All contributions to the Tabernacle were voluntary except the half shekel, which was required of all. Contributions in kind were left to generosity, money was not.” God wanted the Israelites to give charity or gifts out of their own desires to give, through generosity – to God and to our fellow men and women. As the Tabernacle was God’s dwelling place and since God’s presence was a benefit to everyone, gifts to God for the Tabernacle would be beneficial to everyone.
Now, Exodus 25:3:
“And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.”
In this verse, God directs Moses and the people of Israel to build the sanctuary that God will dwell in. However, it is not just the Tabernacle, the physical dwelling place for God, that we are learning about. God intends for the Israelites to open their hearts so that God may dwell inside of every Israelite. First, we are instructed to bring gifts to God, if our heart tell us to…now, we are instructed to open our hearts to allow God to dwell inside of us. God wants us to want to give charity or Tzedakah…then open our hearts to let God inside. These 3 verses go hand and hand together. If we are not moved to help God and others, we will not be able to let God inside our hearts. If our hearts are not open to God, we will not be able or even willing to help by bringing gifts.
Now, think about how this directly relates to what is going on at the University down the street. The faculty and staff at UTK want to educate and protect their students, all of them, from hate of any kind. Chancellor Davenport said it best when she wrote, “But I am asking you now to change the conversation away from what they stand for and toward what we stand for. We must reanimate our values, our beliefs, and our commitment to the common good. I repeatedly talk about kindness and respect and our responsibility to others because these are the virtues of a civil society and the foundations of democracy.”
Last week, one of our congregants, a professor at UTK, asked me a simple question. She wondered if anyone had reached out to Matthew Heimbach and invited him to have a conversation. Perhaps he had never met a Jewish person before, she remarked. At the time, I did not really understand what I do now. She was bringing gifts to others and opening her heart for God to dwell inside. She was attempting something that maybe never has happened – seeing the humanity through the hatred, even of someone who verbally and ideologically despises her.
Let that sink in a bit.
It is our responsibility to teach and educate about the other in our community. We should reach out across barriers and attempt to embrace the other. The faculty and staff at UTK choose to educate rather than hate. The congregant that spoke with me last week took it even a step further and suggested we reach across the hatred and see humanity. In its truest essence, this is the definition of opening our heart and letting God in. Remember, we are all created B’tzelem Elohim, “in God’s image.”
This Shabbat, let us look for humanity…
Kein Yehi Ratzon, May this be God’s will!
V’yadaber Adonai el Moshe: ‘Daber el B’nei Yisrael v’yikchu li t’rumah meieit kol ish asher yeedveinu leebo tikchu et trumati.
“The Lord spoke to Moses saying: ‘Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept the gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him.’”
V’asu Li Mikdash v’shachanti b’tocham
“And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.”
I will come back to these 3 verses in just a few minutes. Let me give somewhat of an explanation on how I create a sermon:
Generally, when I begin to write a sermon, or as I am gathering resources together, one of the first things I do is read through the Parasha of the week. Then, I turn to my Dropbox and look through my digital sermons to make sure I do not deliver a sermon too close to a previous one. It’s ok to bring over ideas and concepts, but not to redeliver a former sermon of mine! When I was perusing through my digital files this week, I noticed I have never given a sermon on Parashat Terumah, Exodus 25:1-27:19.
Next, I consider what is going on in the world…beginning with my congregational community and going as broad as needed. This week – it was easy to focus on what is happening in Knoxville. Tomorrow at 1 pm, on the campus of the University of Tennessee, there will be a speaker representing the Traditionalist Worker Party (TWP). TWP is a white supremacist and anti-Semitic organization. Directly from their website:
“We in the Traditionalist Worker Party fight for the interests of White Americans, a people who for decades have been abandoned by the System and actively attacked by globalists and traitorous politicians.”
“The Traditionalist Worker Party is America’s first political party created by and for working families. Our mission is defending Faith, Family, and Folk against the politicians and oligarchs who are running America into the ground. We intend to achieve that goal by building a nationwide network of grassroots local leaders who will lead Americans toward a peaceful and prosperous future free from economic exploitation, federal tyranny, and anti-Christian degeneracy.”
After examining current events, I turn back to the Torah to connect what is going on in our world with the lessons we find in our sacred texts. Last week, I attended a meeting with about 15 UTK faculty members and the Vice Chancellor. Our discussion was focused on whether we should respond and how to respond to this weekend’s speaker.
We all agreed that hate speech of any kind is not welcome on the UTK campus. To quote Chancellor Davenport, “Despite what their social media says, this group was not invited here by anyone at the University of Tennessee, and they are not welcome…As I have said before, hate is wrong. Racism is wrong. Advocating for the exclusion of all but one race is clearly wrong. Also, this group could not be more wrong.”
So, we all agreed that this organization and its speaker is not truly welcome on the UTK campus. However, what next? Some of the discussion focused on programming leading up to tomorrow (including several fantastic educational opportunities including learning with UTK professors on a variety of subjects), the counter protests and continued educational programs beginning next week, after tomorrow’s event.
It is at this point I begin to look for other resources, including quotes from different sources – news outlets, websites, books and other online resources. This week, it was incredibly important to bring quotes from the TWP and Chancellor Davenport. It is vital to show the approaches both TWP and UTK are taking. Let me be clear, no one believes that any of our freedoms, including Freedom of Speech, should be taken away. TWP has a right to speak and UTK has the right to protect and shield its students from hatred of any kind.
Now, let’s turn back to the 3 Torah verses I began this sermon with. You see, there is always a message in the Torah. It is not always easy to make it connect – but this week it is!
“The Lord spoke to Moses saying: ‘Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept the gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him.’”
In Exodus 25, verses 1 and 2, God instructs Moses to have the Israelites bring gifts to God. However, there is a condition – “every person whose heart so moves him.” One might argue that God may have expected everyone to want to bring gifts…so, then why the provision? Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra, an 11th century Biblical Commentator and Philosopher, explained, “All contributions to the Tabernacle were voluntary except the half shekel, which was required of all. Contributions in kind were left to generosity, money was not.” God wanted the Israelites to give charity or gifts out of their own desires to give, through generosity – to God and to our fellow men and women. As the Tabernacle was God’s dwelling place and since God’s presence was a benefit to everyone, gifts to God for the Tabernacle would be beneficial to everyone.
Now, Exodus 25:3:
“And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.”
In this verse, God directs Moses and the people of Israel to build the sanctuary that God will dwell in. However, it is not just the Tabernacle, the physical dwelling place for God, that we are learning about. God intends for the Israelites to open their hearts so that God may dwell inside of every Israelite. First, we are instructed to bring gifts to God, if our heart tell us to…now, we are instructed to open our hearts to allow God to dwell inside of us. God wants us to want to give charity or Tzedakah…then open our hearts to let God inside. These 3 verses go hand and hand together. If we are not moved to help God and others, we will not be able to let God inside our hearts. If our hearts are not open to God, we will not be able or even willing to help by bringing gifts.
Now, think about how this directly relates to what is going on at the University down the street. The faculty and staff at UTK want to educate and protect their students, all of them, from hate of any kind. Chancellor Davenport said it best when she wrote, “But I am asking you now to change the conversation away from what they stand for and toward what we stand for. We must reanimate our values, our beliefs, and our commitment to the common good. I repeatedly talk about kindness and respect and our responsibility to others because these are the virtues of a civil society and the foundations of democracy.”
Last week, one of our congregants, a professor at UTK, asked me a simple question. She wondered if anyone had reached out to Matthew Heimbach and invited him to have a conversation. Perhaps he had never met a Jewish person before, she remarked. At the time, I did not really understand what I do now. She was bringing gifts to others and opening her heart for God to dwell inside. She was attempting something that maybe never has happened – seeing the humanity through the hatred, even of someone who verbally and ideologically despises her.
Let that sink in a bit.
It is our responsibility to teach and educate about the other in our community. We should reach out across barriers and attempt to embrace the other. The faculty and staff at UTK choose to educate rather than hate. The congregant that spoke with me last week took it even a step further and suggested we reach across the hatred and see humanity. In its truest essence, this is the definition of opening our heart and letting God in. Remember, we are all created B’tzelem Elohim, “in God’s image.”
This Shabbat, let us look for humanity…
Kein Yehi Ratzon, May this be God’s will!
- Published on
My Thoughts on Parkland
A broken record
Nails on a chalkboard
Incessant and loud gum chewing
Snoring
A 3 year old’s insistent “mine, why? I want it!”
Shootings, death, MURDER!
Pain coursing through my veins as I wonder, “why, God, why?”
Excuses, excuses and more excuses
It’s not my fault, blame the NRA
It’s not our fault, blame the government
Pass more laws, more stringency
Wait, no, we need to focus on mental health
Anger in my brain, “What next?”
Take action! No – send thoughts and prayers
Take the guns away! No – don’t take away our rights
When is enough? Are we really asking that question?
Cry, Scream, Hurt, Cry, Scream, Hurt
“Where will my help come from?”
Tears running down my cheek, “How can I help?”
Community, hope, prayer, action – SOMETHING!
Sanctuary
Sanctuary, home, dwelling, safe…
B’makom, Bayit, dirah, batuach…
Camp, Temple, School…
Machaneh, Beit K’nesset, Beit Sefer…
I wake up, take a deep breath and get ready.
I eat breakfast, drink my coffee and leave my home.
My day goes on and on and on…sometimes it seems monotonous.
I take a break, take a breath and imagine.
What will today bring me?
My mind wanders and wanders…
The day comes to an end.
I kiss my family. I hug my children and my wife.
My home is where they are…no matter where they may be.
I think of those who now may not have that same peace.
Perhaps the pain will dissipate over time, perhaps not.
We are in this together – we stand strong together.
Baruch Atah Adonai mi Sh’magein aleinu.
Blessed are You, Adonai, the One who shields us.
A broken record
Nails on a chalkboard
Incessant and loud gum chewing
Snoring
A 3 year old’s insistent “mine, why? I want it!”
Shootings, death, MURDER!
Pain coursing through my veins as I wonder, “why, God, why?”
Excuses, excuses and more excuses
It’s not my fault, blame the NRA
It’s not our fault, blame the government
Pass more laws, more stringency
Wait, no, we need to focus on mental health
Anger in my brain, “What next?”
Take action! No – send thoughts and prayers
Take the guns away! No – don’t take away our rights
When is enough? Are we really asking that question?
Cry, Scream, Hurt, Cry, Scream, Hurt
“Where will my help come from?”
Tears running down my cheek, “How can I help?”
Community, hope, prayer, action – SOMETHING!
Sanctuary
Sanctuary, home, dwelling, safe…
B’makom, Bayit, dirah, batuach…
Camp, Temple, School…
Machaneh, Beit K’nesset, Beit Sefer…
I wake up, take a deep breath and get ready.
I eat breakfast, drink my coffee and leave my home.
My day goes on and on and on…sometimes it seems monotonous.
I take a break, take a breath and imagine.
What will today bring me?
My mind wanders and wanders…
The day comes to an end.
I kiss my family. I hug my children and my wife.
My home is where they are…no matter where they may be.
I think of those who now may not have that same peace.
Perhaps the pain will dissipate over time, perhaps not.
We are in this together – we stand strong together.
Baruch Atah Adonai mi Sh’magein aleinu.
Blessed are You, Adonai, the One who shields us.
- Published on
Today seems like a writing day. This week has been, well, in a word, LONG. On Sunday evening, I was notified that a White Supremacist and well known Anti-Semite was scheduled to speak on the campus of the University of Tennessee on February 17. If you know me, you know that I am a die-hard University of Georgia fan. I graduated from UGA; I was in the Redcoat Marching Band at UGA; I "bleed red and black" as they say.
However, on Sunday and continuing this week, I find myself committed and a part of the University of Tennessee family. It is sad and yet overwhelming that it takes an event such as this to tie me to UT. Ok, I do have a couple of UT stickers/magnets on my car. However, those are really just so I can show my support to the local team. However, after multiple emails back and forth AND being invited to a meeting with the Vice Chancellor at UT, I feel like I am part of the Volunteer family.
I have had many conversations with congregants, faculty members and others this week regarding the organization that Matthew Heimbach is affiliated with - Traditionalist Workers Party (TWP). One very interesting suggestion yesterday was - to reach out to Matthew Heimbach and offer to have a conversation with him. Perhaps he has never spoken with a Jewish person. As you could imagine, I responded to this suggestion with a very predictable response - "no, not me."
I have given this thought all night and into this morning. So, yes, I reached out to Mr. Heimbach this morning through his website and offered to sit down with him to have a face to face conversation. I am certain I will not get a response...but what if I do? I know I will not change his mind or his beliefs; could I, however, show him a human side of my community? Perhaps all he knows/thinks he knows is his rhetoric. Perhaps not. What I do know is that violence and vitriol is not the proper response.
While meeting at UT yesterday, we decided it was best to educate the students, rather than react to the hatred in a way that would cause violence or more of a problem. Education is the key - no question. We must reach out to the most impressionable AND the most vulnerable in our communities. The most impressionable need to be given the opportunity to learn about love and acceptance. The most vulnerable in our community need to be given a safe space and to feel they are space where they are.
I have been prone in my life to get migraines. Often, these are a result of two main factors - bright light (which is one reason I wear subscription sunglasses) and stress. This week, I have found myself more stressed than I have been in a while. Why? As a leader in my community, I want others to feel protected and safe where they are. I want to help others learn about others in that safe place/space. I know that the answer is not violence and hatred - no matter what we see in the media and/or the political climate.
Fear cannot be the answer. Anger and frustration cannot be the answer. Hate cannot be the answer. Love may not be the answer either...Perhaps the answer is acceptance. Acceptance may lead to understanding and it may not. But, what acceptance will lead to is greater opportunity to teach, learn and maybe even love.
For now, let's just take a moment and breathe. Each of us needs to do so to live. Each of us deserves to live. Each of us has the responsibility to live...
However, on Sunday and continuing this week, I find myself committed and a part of the University of Tennessee family. It is sad and yet overwhelming that it takes an event such as this to tie me to UT. Ok, I do have a couple of UT stickers/magnets on my car. However, those are really just so I can show my support to the local team. However, after multiple emails back and forth AND being invited to a meeting with the Vice Chancellor at UT, I feel like I am part of the Volunteer family.
I have had many conversations with congregants, faculty members and others this week regarding the organization that Matthew Heimbach is affiliated with - Traditionalist Workers Party (TWP). One very interesting suggestion yesterday was - to reach out to Matthew Heimbach and offer to have a conversation with him. Perhaps he has never spoken with a Jewish person. As you could imagine, I responded to this suggestion with a very predictable response - "no, not me."
I have given this thought all night and into this morning. So, yes, I reached out to Mr. Heimbach this morning through his website and offered to sit down with him to have a face to face conversation. I am certain I will not get a response...but what if I do? I know I will not change his mind or his beliefs; could I, however, show him a human side of my community? Perhaps all he knows/thinks he knows is his rhetoric. Perhaps not. What I do know is that violence and vitriol is not the proper response.
While meeting at UT yesterday, we decided it was best to educate the students, rather than react to the hatred in a way that would cause violence or more of a problem. Education is the key - no question. We must reach out to the most impressionable AND the most vulnerable in our communities. The most impressionable need to be given the opportunity to learn about love and acceptance. The most vulnerable in our community need to be given a safe space and to feel they are space where they are.
I have been prone in my life to get migraines. Often, these are a result of two main factors - bright light (which is one reason I wear subscription sunglasses) and stress. This week, I have found myself more stressed than I have been in a while. Why? As a leader in my community, I want others to feel protected and safe where they are. I want to help others learn about others in that safe place/space. I know that the answer is not violence and hatred - no matter what we see in the media and/or the political climate.
Fear cannot be the answer. Anger and frustration cannot be the answer. Hate cannot be the answer. Love may not be the answer either...Perhaps the answer is acceptance. Acceptance may lead to understanding and it may not. But, what acceptance will lead to is greater opportunity to teach, learn and maybe even love.
For now, let's just take a moment and breathe. Each of us needs to do so to live. Each of us deserves to live. Each of us has the responsibility to live...
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Stop me if you've heard this one:
"I want candy now!" "Cause I want it!" "I said now!"
Perhaps you may have guessed these quotes came from my children. You see, kids will often seek instant gratification. They want something, and they want it when they want it - which is usually 5 minutes ago! This is something that adults are expected to grow out of. However, that is not always the case. For college football fans (especially in the south where it is a religion), teams are expected to win championships this year. The dreadful "there's always next year" is not gratifying or even a cause for hope.
It is true - I am a BullDAWG through and through and our loss in the BCS Championship hurt A LOT! Yes, we have a bright future ahead thanks to great recruiting and coaching. However, we were so close and UGA fans have been begging for the feeling of being a Football Champion since Herschel Walker! Yes, we CAN wait for next year...but boy do we not want to.
Putting the sports analogy aside, there are many examples in our lives when "NOW" becomes the desire. Have you ever gone to therapy? Don't you want the therapist to solve all of your problems during that first meeting? It does not work that way, of course. What about getting in shape? How many of us go to the gym one time and expect to see immediate results? There are products right now that promise results in 1 week or 1 month...seems to be the newest craze, right? This is the world we live in...
I like to plan (usually). I like to be prepared. I like to know what I should expect. However, it is necessary to be flexible as well. What I want/expect now may change depending on the circumstances I experience. Each of us must find the courage and strength to live in the moment but also be prepared for flexibility. What we want now may not be what we get. What we get may very well be what we need, rather than what we want. That's the point - instant gratification points to getting what we want when we want it (and that is usually NOW). However, in reality, we should be prepared to get something different and in due time!
Here is my prayer for Patience:
Put aside my angst today, Lord, and prepare me for tomorrow.
Show me the way to accept what I have when I have it.
Remind me of my needs and help me push away my wants.
Place Your hand upon my back and guide me along.
Direct me to the right path - the one for today.
Revive in me my wants when it is time for them.
Be present with me as I journey today.
Continue to support me as I move from goal to goal.
Help me to remember to live in the now while planning ahead.
Thank you, God, for the love and support.
B ‘Shalom,
Rabbi Erin
"I want candy now!" "Cause I want it!" "I said now!"
Perhaps you may have guessed these quotes came from my children. You see, kids will often seek instant gratification. They want something, and they want it when they want it - which is usually 5 minutes ago! This is something that adults are expected to grow out of. However, that is not always the case. For college football fans (especially in the south where it is a religion), teams are expected to win championships this year. The dreadful "there's always next year" is not gratifying or even a cause for hope.
It is true - I am a BullDAWG through and through and our loss in the BCS Championship hurt A LOT! Yes, we have a bright future ahead thanks to great recruiting and coaching. However, we were so close and UGA fans have been begging for the feeling of being a Football Champion since Herschel Walker! Yes, we CAN wait for next year...but boy do we not want to.
Putting the sports analogy aside, there are many examples in our lives when "NOW" becomes the desire. Have you ever gone to therapy? Don't you want the therapist to solve all of your problems during that first meeting? It does not work that way, of course. What about getting in shape? How many of us go to the gym one time and expect to see immediate results? There are products right now that promise results in 1 week or 1 month...seems to be the newest craze, right? This is the world we live in...
I like to plan (usually). I like to be prepared. I like to know what I should expect. However, it is necessary to be flexible as well. What I want/expect now may change depending on the circumstances I experience. Each of us must find the courage and strength to live in the moment but also be prepared for flexibility. What we want now may not be what we get. What we get may very well be what we need, rather than what we want. That's the point - instant gratification points to getting what we want when we want it (and that is usually NOW). However, in reality, we should be prepared to get something different and in due time!
Here is my prayer for Patience:
Put aside my angst today, Lord, and prepare me for tomorrow.
Show me the way to accept what I have when I have it.
Remind me of my needs and help me push away my wants.
Place Your hand upon my back and guide me along.
Direct me to the right path - the one for today.
Revive in me my wants when it is time for them.
Be present with me as I journey today.
Continue to support me as I move from goal to goal.
Help me to remember to live in the now while planning ahead.
Thank you, God, for the love and support.
B ‘Shalom,
Rabbi Erin
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I remember the first time I heard Debbie Friedman's "L'chi Lach." I was 13 and I was attending a youth group event at my synagogue, Tree of Life Congregation in Columbia, S.C. I am sure now that I was confused and full of mixed emotions. It was different - I had never heard it before. It was beautiful - I felt an immediate connection to the music. It was magical - that memory has remained stamped in my memory ever since. I have heard many Jewish songs since and before that day. However, that one memory is as vivid today as it was 28 years ago when I heard it for the first time.
This week, we read from Parashat "Lech Lecha," the part of Genesis in which God challenges Abraham to leave the land of his forefathers, the only land he knew - to a new Land in which God would accompany him and be with him from that moment on. In my life, I have been on many journeys, traveling across cities, states and countries. However, the most gratifying of these journeys was when I traveled from Baltimore, Maryland to Phoenix, Arizona in March, 2001. You see - I was moving from one "strange" land to another "strange" land. The driving force in this new move was my desire to begin my life with my beloved Batya....and I have never turned back since.
Now, granted, Batya and I have traveled on several journeys since: from Phoenix to Duluth, Ga.; from Duluth to Sandy Springs, Ga.; from Sandy Springs to Roswell, Ga.; from Roswell to Jerusalem; from Jerusalem to Cincinnati; from Cincinnati to Marietta, Ga.; and most recently from Marietta to Knoxville, Tn. We have learned a lot about ourselves and each other along the way. From our first journey we went from a family of 2 (plus a dog) to a family of 5 now in Knoxville. There have been ups and downs; good days and not so good days. It is often the journey that is the challenge and sometimes it is the destination rather than the journey.
This brings me to now. We are a family of 5 living in Knoxville, Tn. Who would have thought that this UGA Dawg would wind up being extremely happy in the middle of "Orange" town? But, it is true...we have found our home here - at Temple Beth El, in Rocky Hill, at the Webb School...it all just fits. And, we are extremely blessed and honored to be here! Just like Abraham, we were unsure at first of this move...just like for Abraham, our journey was NOT easy. However, also just like Abraham, we are better off for the journey AND proud to be in this new destination!
This week, we read from Parashat "Lech Lecha," the part of Genesis in which God challenges Abraham to leave the land of his forefathers, the only land he knew - to a new Land in which God would accompany him and be with him from that moment on. In my life, I have been on many journeys, traveling across cities, states and countries. However, the most gratifying of these journeys was when I traveled from Baltimore, Maryland to Phoenix, Arizona in March, 2001. You see - I was moving from one "strange" land to another "strange" land. The driving force in this new move was my desire to begin my life with my beloved Batya....and I have never turned back since.
Now, granted, Batya and I have traveled on several journeys since: from Phoenix to Duluth, Ga.; from Duluth to Sandy Springs, Ga.; from Sandy Springs to Roswell, Ga.; from Roswell to Jerusalem; from Jerusalem to Cincinnati; from Cincinnati to Marietta, Ga.; and most recently from Marietta to Knoxville, Tn. We have learned a lot about ourselves and each other along the way. From our first journey we went from a family of 2 (plus a dog) to a family of 5 now in Knoxville. There have been ups and downs; good days and not so good days. It is often the journey that is the challenge and sometimes it is the destination rather than the journey.
This brings me to now. We are a family of 5 living in Knoxville, Tn. Who would have thought that this UGA Dawg would wind up being extremely happy in the middle of "Orange" town? But, it is true...we have found our home here - at Temple Beth El, in Rocky Hill, at the Webb School...it all just fits. And, we are extremely blessed and honored to be here! Just like Abraham, we were unsure at first of this move...just like for Abraham, our journey was NOT easy. However, also just like Abraham, we are better off for the journey AND proud to be in this new destination!
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I am a husband, father and rabbi - just trying to help to make the world a better place!
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