It's been a good week. No pastoral emergencies and some interesting experiences.
On Monday, on MLK Day, I helped facilitate AIM's Annual Retreat. We broke into small groups and role played/dramatized the issues AIM is pursuing this Spring/Fall. We hope to insure that the Dream Act Referendum does not overturn the legislation. And we are also doing House Meeting throughout the county on Senior Issues. We hope to have actions for the county to enhance the quality of life for seniors in our area.
Wednesday Morning I drove to Annapolis and on invitation from District 39 State Senator Nancy King invoked the Senate of Maryland. I had done it before about 10 years ago, but it's still cool to be in our historic capital building and set a tone for the day. I spoke briefly about Martin Luther King's inspirational leadership and how great leaders tell great stories and frame challenges which unite us in common quest for meaning and community. Thanks to Ben Goldstein-Smith, from Senator King's Staff (and who I "bar mitzvahed" many years ago) for helping to make the arrangements.
On Tuesday and Wednesday following up our Yom Kippur initiatives to re-energize our community we had orientations for volunteers to serve as Ushers/Greeters. It is important to have a caring and warm face for everyone who enters our spiritual home to worship. Thanks to those who attended the workshop and a special thanks to Howard Glassman for reorganizing the greeter/usher guidelines and leading the sessions.
This Shabbat ... Sisterhood Shabbat. Sisterhood's doing almost everything... it's almost a Shabbat off!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
I've changed my mind - January Bulletin article
I’ve changed my mind. In December 2006 the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement voted two papers about the “Status of Gays” in our part of the Jewish world. One opposed changing Jewish law and a second, reinterpreted Jewish law to permit the ordination of a gay rabbi. In the February 2007 Shofar, I had written my support for the paper of my teacher, Rabbi Joel Roth, which maintained the status quo and rejected the ordination of gay rabbis.
After four years of reflection and continued study I’ve changed my mind. In the same way as Rabbi’s Roth Responsa of 1984 lead to the ordination of women as rabbis, the legal ‘paper’ of 2006 lead directly to the ordination of homosexual and lesbian rabbis. In 1984 Rabbi Roth created a new legal category. In order to lead the community in public prayer one must have the obligation. Traditionally women do not. Roth posited that women could voluntarily accept the same obligation as men to worship and therefore bind themselves to pray and empower themselves to thereby daven for the community. It was a brilliant solution to a halachic barrier.
In the same way, the 2006 Responsa of Rabbis Dorff, Nevins and Reisner reinterpreted the Torah and said the Torah’s prohibition of homosexuality refers only to ‘Anal Sex’ between two men. All the other mitzvot regarding prohibitions of homosexuality and lesbians are rabbinic in origin. With regard to rabbinic law the value of “human dignity is so great that it supersedes a commandment of the Torah.” The acceptance of this “Torah” prohibition of the specific behavior therefore empowers full participation in Jewish life, even ordination as a rabbi. This is a brilliant solution to a halachic barrier. The humiliation of being excluded and the anguish of being unable to observe certain mitzvot are inconsistent with our basic respect for every soul. Instead of alienating caring and committed souls, we can welcome and enable full observance and participation in Jewish life.
For today, this is my personal commitment to state and do what I believe is the truth of our tradition. Consistent with my new understanding I would be honored to officiate at a commitment/wedding ceremony (within the laws of the jurisdiction of the ceremony).
I look forward in the coming months to continue our common quest to understand God’s teachings and truths for our community and every soul.
After four years of reflection and continued study I’ve changed my mind. In the same way as Rabbi’s Roth Responsa of 1984 lead to the ordination of women as rabbis, the legal ‘paper’ of 2006 lead directly to the ordination of homosexual and lesbian rabbis. In 1984 Rabbi Roth created a new legal category. In order to lead the community in public prayer one must have the obligation. Traditionally women do not. Roth posited that women could voluntarily accept the same obligation as men to worship and therefore bind themselves to pray and empower themselves to thereby daven for the community. It was a brilliant solution to a halachic barrier.
In the same way, the 2006 Responsa of Rabbis Dorff, Nevins and Reisner reinterpreted the Torah and said the Torah’s prohibition of homosexuality refers only to ‘Anal Sex’ between two men. All the other mitzvot regarding prohibitions of homosexuality and lesbians are rabbinic in origin. With regard to rabbinic law the value of “human dignity is so great that it supersedes a commandment of the Torah.” The acceptance of this “Torah” prohibition of the specific behavior therefore empowers full participation in Jewish life, even ordination as a rabbi. This is a brilliant solution to a halachic barrier. The humiliation of being excluded and the anguish of being unable to observe certain mitzvot are inconsistent with our basic respect for every soul. Instead of alienating caring and committed souls, we can welcome and enable full observance and participation in Jewish life.
For today, this is my personal commitment to state and do what I believe is the truth of our tradition. Consistent with my new understanding I would be honored to officiate at a commitment/wedding ceremony (within the laws of the jurisdiction of the ceremony).
I look forward in the coming months to continue our common quest to understand God’s teachings and truths for our community and every soul.
My "year" of Kaddish is done
I finished my 11 Jewish months of saying Kaddish for my mother yesterday, so hopefully I'll be back to writing at least once a week on my blog. It's been a trying year. Last year at this time we knew my mother's time was short and she did pass away in February. A few weeks later my sister-in-law died and then a week later I officiated at the funeral of a special cousin/"uncle". At the same time, in a tumultuous process, Kehilat Shalom considered it's future and after months of fractious discussion about a possible merger voted to stay independent as long as possible.
So looking back on the year it's been year of sadness and loss and stress and incredible loving support. I've attended minyan at Kehilat Shalom almost every night and at Bnai Israel in Rockville almost every morning. People at Kehilat Shalom especially in the weeks after my mom's death were incredibly kind and supportive. And the 'gang' at Bnai Israel every morning feels like extended family... I'll continue to support them as they've helped me by continuing to go every Friday morning.
I also see that my family is doing good. My son is healthy and happy at college. My wife, Diane, is OK and trying to take a little better care of herself. My sisters and their families are all doing good. My father is doing amazingly well. He's walking with a walker and his memory is good almost every day... both are tremendous improvements for previous years.
It will be good to "get back" an hour and a half every morning (early rush hour to Rockville to minyan and back) ... to sleep a hour more and go back to the gym every morning. I'll still pray at home every morning and think about my mother and the other family who I remember at every service.
A good and healthy 2012 to all...
So looking back on the year it's been year of sadness and loss and stress and incredible loving support. I've attended minyan at Kehilat Shalom almost every night and at Bnai Israel in Rockville almost every morning. People at Kehilat Shalom especially in the weeks after my mom's death were incredibly kind and supportive. And the 'gang' at Bnai Israel every morning feels like extended family... I'll continue to support them as they've helped me by continuing to go every Friday morning.
I also see that my family is doing good. My son is healthy and happy at college. My wife, Diane, is OK and trying to take a little better care of herself. My sisters and their families are all doing good. My father is doing amazingly well. He's walking with a walker and his memory is good almost every day... both are tremendous improvements for previous years.
It will be good to "get back" an hour and a half every morning (early rush hour to Rockville to minyan and back) ... to sleep a hour more and go back to the gym every morning. I'll still pray at home every morning and think about my mother and the other family who I remember at every service.
A good and healthy 2012 to all...
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