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This is a momentous weekend for our Wilshire Boulevard Temple community. When we all wake up on Sunday morning, I will officially be your senior rabbi.
What a blessing.
What a privilege.
What a sacred responsibility.
I believe there is a spiritual link between the timing of the Torah portion we read on Saturdays and what is currently happening in our lives and our world. Signs and clues embedded in the text teach us how to interpret and respond to this moment and remind us that the Torah is truly a living document.
Right now, we are in the final book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, as Moses prepares the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. He outlines the values, priorities, and pitfalls they will face as they settle in this new land. This week’s portion, Re’eh, begins with Moses presenting the Israelites with two choices - “See, this day I set before you blessing and curse…”(Deut. 11:26). The Israelites can either build upon the solid foundation provided to them by the Torah and their predecessors, and be blessed, OR they can forget their past, forget their values, and be cursed.
Today, I feel as though the Torah is speaking directly to me. The message is clear. Build upon the values and wisdom that have uplifted our community since 1862. Honor the past and use it to catapult us into a bold and bright future.
God has set before us many blessings. First and foremost, we have been blessed with a long history of dynamic rabbinic leaders, all of whom have left indelible marks on this community and Los Angeles. Most recently, we have been guided, inspired, comforted, and led by the remarkable Rabbi Steve Leder. We are blessed with a team of professional staff who consider their work to be more than just a job. We are blessed with clergy committed to making Jewish tradition come alive and touch our souls. We are blessed with lay leaders and a Board of Trustees who volunteer their time and talents to guide this community into the future. We are blessed to be connected with all of you, the nearly 10,000 members who call Wilshire Boulevard Temple their Jewish home. God has set before us many blessings.
The very first word of this Torah portion is the same as its name, re’eh, see. In other words, we must bear witness. We must recognize, internalize, emphasize, and capitalize on the myriad blessings bestowed upon us. We must bear witness to the beauty and abundance that have arisen from the challenging times we are all experiencing as members of a Jewish community at this particular time in our people's history.
And so, here are my prayers of gratitude as our community prepares to enter a new chapter:
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