September 2010

"Rabbi! I have a question: Is Rosh Hashanah early or late this year?" Whenever I have tried to answer this common inquiry with the explanation that, since Rosh Hashanah is always the first day of the month of Tishre and therefore it is always on time, I’m usually met with the response: that’s very nice, but tell me, is Rosh Hashanah early or late?

The fact is: THE HOLIDAYS ARE VERY EARLY THIS YEAR. Slichot, the mystical night that opens the door to our Holy days, falls on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Rosh Hashanah begins two days after Labor Day. Based upon the solar and lunar cycles that must be balanced in order to recalibrate the relationship between the Jewish lunar calendar of 354 days and the solar calendar of 365 days, the High Holy Days of 5771come as early on the solar calendar as they ever do.

The High Holy Days are so early this year that, for the first time since 9/11/2001, September 11th falls on the Shabbat after Rosh Hashanah, a day that on our Jewish liturgical calendar is called Shabbat Shuvah, which means both the Sabbath of Return and the Sabbath of Repentance. This convergence of dates is the prompt for my message to you this month.

Shabbat Shuvah will mark the 9th anniversary of one of the darkest days in American history. I remember that bright sunny autumn morning and the disbelief that came over me as I saw the planes strike the twin towers. I remember as well how, later that night, hundreds of us gathered in our temple sanctuary on September 11, 2001 to mourn our neighbors and friends and to give thanks for the scores of people here that night, with Trade Center dust still on their bodies; I remember how much I needed to be here with all of you on that day that turned to night, while the sun still shined. I know that the hundreds who came that night, and the tragically ever decreasing numbers who return here each September 11th, are grateful to you and the previous generations of temple members for creating a holy space, a true house of prayer for all people. September 11th is a time to remember and, to paraphrase Avraham Smolsky, a survivor of Aushwitz, to take an oath to remember.

I especially remember when hundreds more came together on September 11, 2004 to rededicate our renovated building as our window on the world. We were saying to each other, HINENI; and to the terrorists who sought to destroy our way of life, that American Jewry would not only survive but thrive.

This year on Saturday morning, September 11th, we will once again gather to remember the 3,000 who died on 9-11 and read the names of the Bergen County residents who perished. They are entitled to be remembered; but that will happen ONLY if we take responsibility to make time to do so. We will also have the opportunity to welcome a new child into our community as Maggie and Shane Klein bring their daughter to the bima for a Simchat bat blessing. In the face of death, we Jews affirm life!

The theme for my High Holy Day sermons this year is Entitlements and Responsibilities. My goal is to challenge us as Americans and as Jews to remember that our entitlements come with responsibilities. Remembering our loved ones and remembering our martyrs is both a right and a responsibility. It is also the over-riding theme of our High Holy Days. Conversely, it is the greatest challenge we face in the post-modern world of the 21st century. Prayer and Worship are the antithesis of instant messaging and texting.

May each of us, during these awe-filled days of reflection and introspection, make time to count our blessings and to ask ourselves how we can be a source of blessing to others.

On behalf of Ann, Abby and Jeremy, I wish each of you a L’shana Tova U’m’tuka, a good and a sweet year; may each of us be inscribed in God’s Book of Life for a better year.

-Rabbi Neal I. Borovitz

The Mission Statement of Rabbis for Israel

A Lasting and Secure Peace for Israel

We, the undersigned, believe that Israel has a legitimate right to exist as a sovereign, democratic Jewish state in the historic homeland of the Jewish people. We support a peaceful and just resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict that will recognize two independent states, a Jewish state of Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in peace, security, and prosperity.

We call upon the Arab world to accept unequivocally and publicly Israel's permanent right to exist in peace.

Sovereignty

We believe that any resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict will require Israel to cede sovereignty over most of the West Bank and will need to address the aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians concerning Jerusalem, a city that is holy to three religions.

Palestinian claims for a right of return will need to find their resolution within the Palestinian state once established.

Teaching Tolerance and Peace

We call upon Muslim and Christian religious leaders to establish frameworks in their own communities to oppose messages of hatred and violence against Israel, to work towards developing a spirit of mutual understanding, tolerance and peace with Jews, and to encourage the strengthening of peaceful relationships and partnerships between Israelis and Palestinians.

We demand that the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and their agents cease using the media, mosques and textbooks to foster and incite hatred against Israel and the Jewish People.

Support for Israel

We call upon leaders in the Jewish community to support Israel in their public statements and express any concerns they may have with great caution and considerable forethought given the manner in which their views are likely to be manipulated to Israel's detriment by those who use every opportunity to vilify her.

The Use of Violence

We call upon Palestinian political and religious leaders to denounce the use of violent Jihad, and demand that the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and their agents cease all forms of support, complicity and participation in or glorification of terrorist activities.

Moral Equivalency

We recognize Israel's moral right to defend her citizens against attacks emanating from the Palestinian territories. To demand that Israel forgo the right to defend her citizens in order to improve the lot of Palestinians without the latter abandoning their call for violent resistance is both morally and ethically repugnant. As such, we reject the moral equivalency that some would draw between the suffering of the Palestinians and the lasting psychological trauma not to mention literal endangerment of life with which Israelis have to contend.

Israel’s Defense

We call upon the international community and media to recognize that any resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict will demand that Israel's very real security concerns be addressed, particularly in the light of the key role played by Iran and Syria in arming and training Israel's enemies.