By David Kasakove
The Torah of Congregation Beth Elohim
When
we think of Torah, what comes to mind? A scroll? A book? A moral code? What
about our community?
The
word "Torah" comes from the Hebrew root "yaroh", "to teach," and is translated
as "teaching" or "instruction." Talmud
Torah k'neged kulam – the study of Torah equals all mitzvot
because it leads to the doing of mitzvot.
All true. But this, too, is true:
the doing of mitzvot in community itself leads to teaching or learning.
This
past month, while this country experienced a historic election, our community
lived through much grief and mourning.
Yet, our community taught us many things:
At a
special meeting of the Congregation, a past president of our congregation, who
has been a member for 41 years (during the rabbinates of Eugene Sack and Jerry
Weider), makes a motion to renew Rabbi Bachman's contract. The motion, which passes unanimously,
reflects our Congregation's commitment to Jewish continuity and to a living,
vibrant Judaism that is open to a diverse, growing community.
Highlighting
our congregation's bonds from generation to generation, a new committee is
formed to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Early Childhood Center on May
7, 2009, and is co-chaired by a new member with a child now in the ECC, and a
member of 25 years, who once chaired the Early Childhood Center and now has
grown children who were in the ECC in the 1980s.
At shiva, two members talk: a new member and the
bereaved, a young man whose wife died unexpectedly and tragically, and both
reflect upon the power of community to heal and bind us together.
At
another shiva, I meet a new neighbor, a
young man who just moved to Park Slope.
When I ask why, he replies, "To be a part of the Altschul minyan at Beth
Elohim." (I didn't tell him I was CBE's
president until after he told me that!)
At
Plymouth Church, people of many faiths mourn and honor the life of a member
whose golden voice and character blessed our congregation and community for
decades.
On
Shabbat, the Yachad service is held in the Sanctuary, transforming a classical
Reform setting to one filled with guitars, African drums and children on the
bimah.
At a
Havdalah bar mitzvah, the bar mitzvah family invites the entire community to
celebrate, and to enjoy pre-Havdalah refreshments, reflecting the Jewish values
of community and hospitality.
At a
Shabbat evening service, while one family is grieving for a recent loss,
another is celebrating a bar mitzvah, and both families experiencing, in
community, the cycle of life.
The
community mourns and celebrates the life of our beloved security guard, who
died too young, as members, CBE employees, clergy, friends, and family join together to remember
a life of goodness and blessing.
All
this is the Torah of Congregation Beth Elohim.
With
all best wishes for a Hanukah season of light and blessing.
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