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Rabbbi’s message
Dear Congregants, I want to begin by quoting our famous and illustrious past president Arthur Greenberg, who said at numerous occasions "Kvell from Temple Emanu-El." If you don't know what the word kvell means it is a Yiddish word meaning swell with pride and brag about it as well. Why should you "Kvell from Temple Emanu-El"? Because the Temple is an outpost of Judaism and the Jewish people. It stands for the preservation and continuation of the Jewish way of life. It’s a place where we do Judaism, not just think about or talk about our feeling proud to be Jews. This is especially important because our faith is one that must be practiced. It is based on action and observance more than on sentiment or even beliefs. At Temple Emanu-El we celebrate Shabbat and holidays, study Torah, educate our children and learn about what is going on in the Jewish world. We are there for each other in times of celebration and help each other in times of need. We are also a place where the arts are encouraged through the wonderful music of our Cantor and Choir. We are very traditional but at the same tine welcome to all wherever they are on their religious journey I think that is a lot to kvell about. So if any of these things are important to you, share the news of Temple Emanu-El with your friends, family and acquaintances. Encourage them to join and take part in our activities. The Temple upholds tradition while at the same time welcomes everyone wherever they are on their Jewish journey. They will most likely thank you for introducing them to life-enriching experiences. Also, I want to remind you that the Temple never is open for the full schedule of services over the summer. If you perhaps did not have time during the rest of the year, you might find time over the summer. Our Temple represents Judaism and its heritage. It is up to you for it to grow and prosper. Rabbi Gerald Sussman
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Rabbbi’s message
I recently read that there are plans to revive NASA with the possible goal of sending a man to Mars. This brought back memories of the NASA space launches that put the first man on the Moon. Many of us remember watching the launchings along with millions around the globe. How exciting and how nerve‐wracking. The most exciting and even nerve‐wracking part of these launchings was the countdown. The head of the NASA launch team would announce in a serious and somewhat concerned tone of voice, “ten, nine, eight, seven...” ‐ going down to the number one, at which time the rocket was launched. The purpose of the countdown was to make sure all the systems necessary for a safe and successful launch were checked and found to be in working order. If not, the mission would be aborted to avoid the possibility of danger. This time of year, we count each day between Pesach and Shavuot. On Shavuot, we celebrate the launching, so to speak, of our Jewish way of life, with the giving of the Torah. For us it is not merely an historical reminiscence, because on that day each of us asked to accept the Torah in a personal way by renewing our commitment to Judaism. Just as the countdown served as an opportunity to check to see if all systems were working, so Shavuot and the counting of the Omer provides us with the opportunity to see if the systems that enable us to live Jewish life are in working condition. I think there are three systems that need to work for Judaism to continue. They are presence, knowledge and generosity. The first question we should ask ourselves in our countdown is, “Am I present? Do I show up at Jewish activities such as synagogue services, lectures and programs?” Remember, Woody Allen said that "showing up is nine tenths of what life is about." If you are not there, you lose the connection. You are missed ; don’t think that your absence is not felt or that your presence makes no difference. The second is knowledge. For too many of us, participating in Jewish life is like someone who knows nothing about football watching a football game. The more we know about Jewish life, the more we are part of it. The third is generosity. Our country could not have explored space without government support. Could the Jewish community thrive without our support? As we are about to celebrate the giving of the Torah, I hope that all systems are go. Happy Shavuot! I hope to see you in Shul. Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s message
Passover was always my favorite holiday. Even though it was a lot of work, the end of the process of cleaning out the Chametz and replacing the year‐round dishes with the Passover set made everything new and fresh. I loved the Seder. It was not only the food or the chance to show off what I had learned in Hebrew school that made Passover so special. It was the thought that I, a kid from Queens, was so somehow doing what my ancestors did in ancient Egypt when they gathered around their tables on that first Passover. We Jews have been conducting Passover Seders every year for approximately the last 3500 years. Not only is that a long time but it probably makes the Seder the oldest continuously performed ritual in the world. We should perhaps try to picture Passover Seders in ancient Israel, in the time of the Romans and Greeks, in the period of knights in armor or the shtetls of Europe. We carry on these same traditions. The Passover message has been understood through the centuries in ways which addressed the needs of the time. Our present epoch is one in which life is centered on our own desire to achieve happiness and self‐fulfillment, and in which finding it depends on our own choices. Making the making the right choices is often too confusing and difficult therefore , I see many people, especially young people living in a state of aimlessness and purposelessness. Passover in our period of history teaches us the truism that the best way to achieve happiness and fulfillment is to be involved with a cause larger and more profound than our own individual happiness. When we stop thinking about ourselves and engage with the world we have the best chance of achieving a fulfilled and happy life. The message of the liberation of from Egypt and the Passover Seder tells that that we are links in the chain of Jewish tradition and that our continuing this tradition one more generation is an Important achievement and can give our life the sense of purpose and meaning that we seek Chag Sameach, A wonderful Passover to all, Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s message
There are many reasons to attend services; here is one you may never have thought of. Research conducted partly at the University of Colorado at Boulder has found that regular worshippers live longer than people who seldom or never attend services. In recent years there have been a number of studies trying to quantify the difference. One such study found that those who attend worship services once or more each week can look forward to about seven more years than those who never attend. Various explanations have been attempted. One shows that regular attendees smoke, drink, and engage in unhealthy behavior to a lesser degree than others. Some researchers have postulated that through regular social contact, the feeling of belonging and being part of a community that regular worshippers have contributed to their wellbeing. I would like to share with you some comments made by some of our own regular shul attendees: “When I go to Shul I forget about all the things that worry me.” “I feel at peace just being there.” “I like remembering the people who are no longer here who said the same prayers I say now.” “When I am there, I pray for healing for myself and others, and others also pray for me; maybe our prayers are heard”. I think that going to shul adds a lot of intangibles to our lives. We connect with our fellow congregants, to the Jewish people, past, present and future, and to the mysteries of life itself. Shul gives a sense of stability, focus and connectedness that is satisfying even to those who do not ostensibly believe. There are a number of factors that may make us reluctant to try. Some people feel that they don’t know the Hebrew and everyone else does. You’d be surprised. You are far from the only one, and those who know the Hebrew are so happy to see you that they do not look askance. Besides, come regularly and you’ll pick it up in no time at all. You may feel that you are too busy. Our services take place Friday night, Shabbat morning, and weekday mornings; at least one of them is probably doable. If you are not sure that you believe, Judaism, however, is a religion that asks us to wrestle with issues of belief and come up with our own answers. I want to conclude with an invitation. Do yourself a favor in many ways. See you in Shul! Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s message
This past month our country greeted a new president. Some greeted him with joy, others with dismay. Thousands upon thousands poured into Washington for the events. The events included his being sworn in and a whole host of demonstrations culminating in the “Woman’s March” in Washington and in many other places around the country. For the most part the scene was positive. People of varying political views had a chance to express their opinions about our nation and society and for the most part it was done with dignity and seriousness. The differences of opinion are not trivial. They are the culmination of debates that have gone on, in some cases for many years and in some cases for generations. For some the president is saving us from dangers and restoring our pride. Others may view the very same actions as betraying our deepest ideals and values. This polarization is in itself a delicate and important matter. The results of half of the country having the opposite view from the other half may if, we are not careful, have far more profound results than the issues on which we are divided. I am pained to hear of people breaking up long standing friendships because the former friend is now a Republican or Democrat. Many years ago I had had the occasion to visit Yugoslavia as part of a rabbinic group sent by the UJA. It was the time of fighting between Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians. We asked them how the civil war started. Most of those we asked said something like “we all got along pretty well but when things got heated relationships and even families were torn apart. I have never forgotten those conversations. If we don’t turn down the heat. If we allow ourselves to descend into violence and mutual contempt we will lose everything. Jewish tradition and history contains many examples of serious differences which for the most part did not tear apart the fabric of communal life. On the rare occasions they did all suffered. All of us as Americans have the duty to advocate for our vision of how our country should be. We must use our freedom of speech to raise strong voices but at the same time keep from hating or trying to silence those with whom we disagree. Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s message
Many of us are shocked and dismayed about the UN resolution condemning Israel. Even if we are opposed to settlements, the resolution was extremely harsh; its formulation declared any Israeli presence beyond the 1967 borders to be illegal. Thus the Israeli presence in places like the Jewish quarter of the old city or the Western Wall itself is illegal, as is the presence of hundreds of thousands of Jerusalem residents in areas of the city built on territory that Israel acquired as a result of the 1967 war. The resolution is only the first step. Declaring the Israeli presence illegal is a significant step towards further undermining the legitimacy of the state of Israel as the Jewish homeland. The goal of all of this is quite simply to reduce the Jews to the all too familiar role of a pariah people despised and held in contempt by the world community. Many believe that this resolution may be followed by an attempt at imposing a solution by having the world community endorse a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders at a meeting of foreign ministers to take place on Jan 15 in Paris. The resolutions approved at that meeting could then be quickly approved by the Security Council before the inauguration of our new president on Jan 20. This would put the state of Israel in grave danger. On Friday night January 13, I would like to hold a special Middle East Conflict Basics meeting to familiarize ourselves with the issues involved. I would also like to declare Shabbat January 14 as a day of prayer for Israel. Let us pray that the storm will pass and Israel and the Jewish people emerge unscathed. Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s Message
Let me be the first to wish you a happy Chanukah. Chanukah with the candles, dreydles and latkes is often thought of as a time of pure joy. The back story of Chanukah is somewhat somber. It begins with a divided nation. Some Jews wanted to adapt to the Greek culture of their day. Others preached an uncompromising allegiance to the traditions of their ancestors. Each group fought for advantage. They could not present a united front, and the Greeks came close to putting a permanent end to Judaism. It was a confusing time, a civil war between Jews with a revolt against an empire going on at the same time. That Judaism prevailed was truly miraculous. This all brings to mind our elections and all of the disappointment, anger and fear they brought out. The task of today’s America is for people of different ideologies, philosophies and life styles to find a way to live together in peace. I am afraid that differences in approach and ideology can lead to strife or even civil war, as it did among our ancestors in the Chanukah story and as it has done in many places around the world. This Chanukah, let us remember that the way to fight the darkness is not to hit it with a stick, it is to light a light. Let us all think hard and try to discover the lights that we can kindle which will dispel the darkness and light up the world. Chang Urim Sameach. A happy festival of lights. Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s Message
Dear friends, We should be very proud of our Temple. Our holiday services were outstanding. The choir and Chazzan were the equal of anything you would hear in the New York area, and I am told that the sermons weren’t bad either. Our Sukkot services and the luncheon in the Sukkah were a delight, and those of us who were present on Simchat Torah enjoyed the Hakafot and the general merriment. We are a small Temple located in Port Richmond but when we are at our best we are truly in the big leagues. . Sometimes I hear people describe Temple Emanu-El as a family and that makes me really proud. I think, however, that like all families we could be an even stronger one. A Temple member recently remarked that everyone is very friendly when you see them but they don’t always keep you in mind when they don’t. What this means is that we should keep our eyes open. If someone who usually attends is not there do we make a phone call to find out why? If we notice someone who may have difficulty coming to services or events do we offer to take them with us? Most people will not ask us out of pride or perhaps not wanting to be a burden. It is up to us to take the initiative and offer our assistance. Even if our offer is refused it will be deeply appreciated. Many of us see each other primarily at services and Temple events. I want to suggest that we try to become closer to each other. Perhaps we may want to invite a Temple member over for dinner or a cup of coffee, and by doing this turn an acquaintance into a friend. Our age group, economic status or level of religiosity shouldn’t matter We live in a time when more and more people are alone and the social fabric that keeps society together is fraying. We therefore need each other all the more. I like to finish with a quote that was popular many years ago. Though it is often considered trite it still says a lot. “The family that prays together stays together”. Let us not only pray together let us stay together and try to be family to each other. Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s Message
Dear friends, We are all very busy preparing for the holiday season. There is food to buy, meals to plan some of us are preparing to be hosts or guests. It is customary to buy new clothing and to spruce up our homes At the synagogue we are also very busy. The Cantor and the choir are practicing. I am busy with writing sermons. We are also thinking about building the Sukkah obtaining Esrogim and Lulavim and the celebration of Simchat Torah. While all of these preparations are important we sometimes forget the main point which is to prepare ourselves. The inner work is often more difficult than the outer work. Our spiritual lives as Jews have two aspects. The first one involves actions such as attending the synagogue, reciting the prayers, listening to the Shofar, spending time in the Sukkah and dancing with the Torah. The inner work requires reflecting on the meaning of the ritual actions and trying to internalize the message of the holiday. The Tishrei holidays have two different but related themes. Rosh Hashanah deals with personal change forgiving and seeking forgiveness and Sukkot and Simchat Torah are about joy and gratefulness. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ask us to look into our lives and make changes. It is quite difficult for most of us to do. If we make a serious effort to make even one realistic change we have accomplished a lot. It involves lowering our defenses and not only trying to find our shortcomings but trying to discover the meaning of our lives. Sukkot and Simchat Torah ask us to find what we have to be grateful for and to be joyful about those very things. It is in contrast to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in that it asks us to concentrate on the positive and be fully conscious of all that is good and right in our lives and all of the blessings that even the most troubled of us has received. This holiday season let us celebrate with all of the rituals and customs but let us also prepare and experience the inward part of the holidays and thus be part of the personal journey and mood poem that is the Jewish Spiritual path. May we be blessed with sweet healthy and successful and peaceful year in in which we use the lessons of our tradition to live better lives. Rabbi Gerald Sussman Rabbi’s Message
Dear friends, One of my favorite stories goes back to the late 1700’s when the first Lubavitcher Rebbe was imprisoned on a false charge. His jailer wanted discuss the Bible with the scholarly Rabbi and asked him why it was that G-d asked Adam “Where are you?”, when Adam hid in the garden after eating the forbidden apple. “Didn’t G-d know where Adam was?” asked the jailer. The Rebbe then turned to the jailer and said “And you? You are 50 years old and where are you?” The jailer shuddered, his whole life flashed before his eyes. From then on, he was a changed person. He stopped being a jailer and his life took an entirely different direction. This year, the High Holidays fall later than usual on the secular calendar which gives us a lot more time to prepare for the Holidays. Traditionally the month of Elul is one for spiritual preparation. We are asked to examine our deeds and see where we have fallen short and where we need to make changes. We must ask ourselves the question of “where are you?” Where are we on life’s journey? What opportunities do we still have for building the life we desire? Are we at the phase where our focus is building a family and career and looking forward to a long and fruitful future? Are we further along on life’s journey when our focus is on the legacy we leave behind or perhaps repairing the mistakes we have made? The second question we ought to be asking ourselves is “who are we?” What kind of person are we really? What are our faults and our strengths Do we like who we have become? Are we who we wanted to become when we began life’s journey as adults? What changes do we want to make so that our real selves will more resemble our idealized selves? What practical steps should we take to accomplish those changes? Beginning with the month of Elul, we are asked to work on ourselves to try to move towards being who we can and would like to be In around two months, we will be electing a new President. Many of us are focused on politics. This is, however, the time when we should be asking the same questions about our nation that we ask about ourselves as individuals. Where are we and who are we? How do we move towards making our nation healthier, stronger, kinder and more just? I would like to end with another little story. A Rabbi was walking through a Shtetl late one night and saw a light on in the shoemaker’s shop. He went in and saw the shoemaker repairing shoes by the light of a candle. He asked the shoemaker why he was working so late night and the shoemaker answered “as long as the candle burns I can still do some repairing. The Rabbi then responded “As long as the candle of life still burns we can all do some repairing” Let me be the first to wish you a Shanah Tovah a sweet new year, Rabbi Gerald Sussman |
