Rabbi's Message

Last night was a wonderful evening of reflection and celebration of our TBS community at our annual meeting. Mazal Tov to all of our Service Award recipients, to our Staff Years of Service honorees, and to our David J. Levy Award recipient, Michele Golkow.  Todah rabbah to our outgoing board members and officers, and mazal tov to our incoming board members and officers.  Finally, thank you to Marty Chazin, our now Immediate Past President, for his two years of leading our congregation with patience, wisdom, and vision.  And Mazal Tov to our new President, Alison Shapiro.  Looking forward to the next two years!  

In my d’var Torah at the annual meeting last night I spoke about the menorah, because our Torah portion this week begins with instructions for the Aaron and kohanim to light the menorah in the Tabernacle daily. Last night I spoke about the flames of the menorah, but today I am thinking about the structure of the menorah itself.  Why isn’t the menorah just one large lamp? Why seven branches?  Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi suggested that the branches “represent the diverse souls of Israel.” Each is important in its own right, just as our individuality within community brightens the whole. Each one of the seven lights shines in its own uniqueness. In fact, the only thing that can make a menorah treif (ritually impermissible) is if the lights are not all on the same level–precisely even–so that each light is distinguished but also so that no light is perceived as greater or more essential than the other. 

An important message, especially this month of June which is Pride (LGBTQIA+) Month. As we read this week about the menorah and reflect on its lessons, may we ask:  can we say that in every corner of the Jewish community, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews are seen as equals to others? Are we creating communities in which everyone feels welcome, safe, and valued?  We certainly work hard to create such a community at TBS each and every day.  But sadly, as we know, this is not the case everywhere.  

Judaism insists that we must see each individual — gay and straight, bisexual and pansexual, transgender and cisgender, queer, and ally, as equal and as a person of God. Every person’s voice matters. Every person’s presence matters.  Every person’s life matters. Everyone is unique.  Everyone is different.  But everyone is also created in the image of God and of infinite importance. This lesson is reflected in the menorah, in the equal height of each branch and in the burning flames which testify to the shining light within each human being. As we learn in the book of Proverbs: “the human soul is the lamp of God,” (20:27). 

May we each let our own unique light shine, and may we continue to build a community in which we support one another, accept each individual, and ensure that everyone feels valued, respected, and loved.  

Shabbat Shalom.