A Rabbinic Reflection for the New Year of 5773
It is at this time of year when we are commanded to do T’shuvah, repentance; to engage in an intense introspection both individually and as a community. When I reflect upon the Jewish people who live here, whether they affiliate or not, I am struck deeply about how much everyone cares about Jewish life, the Jewish people, and humanity. It is, in many ways remarkable that in this small island, where its largest institution’s motto is taken from prophecy of Isaiah – Kol Koreh Bamidbar – a voice cries out in the wilderness - that so vibrant and caring group have expressed such deep love for Jewish life and its promise.
I see it in the small things, not necessarily in the large gatherings for great events like the Yamim Hanoraim. Rather, it is in the small daily rituals that I engage in. Almost every day in the late afternoon, I go to the mailbox. I enjoy seeing little envelopes on which printed is our name and address. It usually indicates a membership, school enrollment, or a donation to help further the work that we are doing. It brings me pleasure to know that Jewish people in our world care.
A parent may be waiting in the Leon Black promenade of the Roth Center, while her or his child is finishing their lesson in preparation for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Yesterday, a group gathered in the Lappin Lounge to discuss issues related to our cemetery. The day before, in that very room, a lovely group of women assembled to play Mah Jong, throughout the previous week, Dartmouth Jewish students studied and socialized there as they prepared for the end of the summer term.
Soon, ninety children, their teachers, and their assistants, will begin another cycle of Jewish learning in the various rooms as we once again on Sundays and Tuesdays become a Talmud Torah, a group of people devoted to the study of Torah. Tonight, we have services and dinner. Tomorrow morning is Shabbat where will celebrate a Bar Mitzvah of a young man and then Sunday a wedding will take place in the Alperin sanctuary.
This kind of stuff is the norm. We have the wonderful Klezmer Concert that was the vision of a Board member. It will begin Motzei Shabbat September 8th at 7:30 p.m. with Havdalah, followed by the actual concert at 8:00 p.m., and then a Selichot service. On Sunday, our religious school begins, with a concert by the Klezmer band that played the night before, followed by our annual cookout. Dartmouth Jewish students will celebrate the new class of 2016 with a 2:30 p.m. bagel brunch and then will gather on the Green to connect with new Jewish students at a campus-wide celebration.
We may still be a “midbar” – a Jewish wilderness – when we compare ourselves to the larger urban centers that have larger concentrations of our people. Let us not forget, however that the Torah was given in the midbar – the wilderness – as well; a Torah that is alive and well through all of you and that your collective voices is one that is heard loud and strong throughout this beautiful land.
Shannah Tovh U’metukah
May you have a beautiful and sweet Year