In just a few days we will gather for our High Holy Days. Congregants from near and far will gather in our newly remodeled sanctuary to welcome the new Jewish Year. The new blue chairs and carpets, large overhead window, no doubt will blow those seeing it for the first time away. But what I am most excited for is for people to see one another. Old friends, new friends, rows of family members, and brand new Jews, all there to sing, to pray, to hope for our collective health and happiness. From my vantage point on the bima, I will be able to see the bonds that hold our community together and make everything else we do possible.
The words of this week’s Torah portion, Nitzavim-Vayelech, ring true: “Behold you stand this day, all of you, before your God, your leaders, your elders, and your officials, every householder in Israel” (Deuteronomy 29:9). Everyone is present. Everyone is accountable for one another. Yes, we are there for the sake of God. But, more importantly, we are there for the sake of one another. Let us, in these moments, recognize the true sacredness of our gathering. This is a place where we can be our full selves, even when do not feel like our full selves. As Rabbi Sharon Brous, whose book The Amen Effect is a national best seller, writes, “when your heart is broken… when you feel lost and alone and inclined to retreat, you show up. You entrust your pain to the community.”
As we stand together on those most important days, I encourage you to look around. Notice who is new, who is alone, who is in pain, notice all of those before you stand. And, after services, if you don’t know the person already, go over and introduce yourself, offering support and consolation. This is how we create a Kehillah Kedoshah, a Holy Community. This is how our sanctuary, in all its newness, will truly shine.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex