Dear Friends,

Rosh Hashanah is just over a month away! Don’t miss out on securing your tickets to the High Holy Day services. Tickets will be mailed to members in good standing late next week. Members in good standing are those members that have paid in full the previous fiscal year’s (2015-2016) Building Fund and membership dues, and the first quarter of this fiscal year’s (2016-2017) Building Fund and membership dues.

For the complete High Holy Days schedule and packet, which includes the President’s Letter, Eligible Attendees, High Holy Days Receptions Form, Yom Kippur Book of Remembrance Form, High Holy Days Childcare Registration Form and Memorial Wall Plaque Form, please click here.

L’Shalom-Melissa Wolfson

Dear Friends,

In 1957, a small group of 37 families set out to establish a new congregation where fellowship would be nurtured by maintaining a sense of intimacy in worship and equality in leadership. They sought a community where everyone had a voice in the direction and mission of the institution, and where one’s Jewish identity was inextricably linked to the American experience.

The founding members of Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism were dedicated to the preservation of a style of Reform Judaism which is now referred to as “Classical Reform Judaism.” As articulated in the preamble of our congregation’s charter, our founders strongly believed that Judaism should be “exemplified in our daily lives by striving, in all human relations for equality, brotherhood, justice and righteousness, and the ongoing recognition of our mutual responsibility to each other in a world of constantly shrinking dimensions.”

As we enter our 60th year as a community, the values and vision of our founding members have been preserved through our unique prayer book, our emphasis on meaning over ritual, our outreach to interfaith families, our ongoing work in social justice, our unwavering commitment to make worship accessible to all who enter our sanctuary and our endless desire to ensure that everyone has a voice in the ever-unfolding dynamics of our institution. We are proud of what we have created, and on September 9 and September 11, we will be kicking off a year-long celebration of our congregation’s wonderful history.

Please mark your calendars and set aside the time to join us for a weekend filled with celebration, nostalgia, festivities and fun as we begin our Diamond Anniversary as a congregation.

On Friday night September 9th: Join us for a very special service honoring our history as a congregation. A Champagne oneg following services will highlight an evening dedicated to our Diamond Anniversary. During the oneg, we will show videos from our 40th and 50th anniversaries. Services begin at 7:15.

On Sunday September 11th: We will kick-off our year-long celebration with a Tailgate Party. Fun for all ages! The celebration will take place from 11:00 – 3:00. Click here for more information.

L’Shalom-Steve

Dear Friends,

The Torah portion for this week contains the Shema, which is often referred to as “the watchword of our faith.” The Shema is the first Jewish phrase we learn as children and, traditionally, is the final phrase we utter before we die. It is a profound statement of faith and a powerful articulation of a way of understanding our existence. The words of the Shema are simple, and they proclaim a theology of comfort and hope:

Shema Israel Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad
“Hear oh, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One”

In reading the Shema, one might wonder why there are the two different words for God used in the Hebrew: Adonai and Eloheinu. One explanation suggests that these two names for God are there to remind us of two central traits we associate with the divine:

“Adonai” is understood to reflect God’s mercy and compassion.
“Eloheinu” is understood to reflect the God of Judgment.

According to this explanation, when we recite the Shema, we remind ourselves that God is always working in both realms. We need both justice and mercy in life, and by articulating that God provides an eternal source of both, Jews throughout history have found a sense of strength and comfort.

The idea that there is an eternal Judge of Truth has long provided the faithful with a sense of order in a world of chaos and confusion, and the idea that there is a transcendent source of comfort and mercy has served to ease our pains in the trials of life. Thus, the Shema, in six simple words, has remained the single phrase of comfort to Jews as they go to sleep at night, wake up in the morning and prepare for their final breath on earth.

L’Shalom-Steve

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow, Jews around the world will be observing a solemn Jewish holiday called Tishah B’Av (which literally means the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av). According to our tradition, it was on the 9th of Av that both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed – first by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and then by the Romans in the year 70 CE. Jewish tradition further teaches that throughout our history many of the worst atrocities against the Jews fell on Tishah B’Av. In remembrance of these catastrophes, it is customary to observe a day-long fast and read from the Book of Lamentations, a scroll in which the author bewails the destruction of the First Temple and the exile of the Jews from Jerusalem.

From a Reform Jewish perspective, the observance of this holiday presents us with a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, the holiday provides us with an opportunity to remember our history. Through the observance of a fast, we can collectively memorialize the tragic events of our past. Through the recitation of the Book of Lamentations, we are provided with a powerful text to explore our beliefs and our ancient heritage.

On the other hand, the destruction of the Temple represents a break from a form of Judaism none of us would ever hope to observe. With the destruction of the Temple came the end of animal sacrifices and the cultic rituals surrounding the priesthood. With the destruction of the Temple came the beginnings of the Judaism we practice today. From this perspective, the observance of a day of mourning seems out of place.

For this reason, most Reform Jews are unfamiliar with the rites and rituals of this solemn holiday. Yet, Tishah B’av is a holiday worthy of our attention and consideration.

On Friday night, part of our Sabbath observance will be set aside to consider how remembering the tragedies from the past can help us as we seek to understand the complexities of daily life. With music and meditation, we will frame the lessons of Tishah B’av in a way that can help us better understand the challenges we face today.

L’Shalom-Steve

Dear Friends,

Technology is something that is constantly changing our lives, and there’s nothing like a trip to the wilderness of Maine and New England to help us see how such changes affect us day to day. Our family trip has opened our eyes to the joys and challenges of our dependence on technology.

It all started before we ever left the house, when we realized that we needed a small backpack for all of our charging devices, chords and headphones. Now, some would say, “Why not leave that stuff at home?” Well, it’s not that easy.

We depend on our phones to stay connected and to help us navigate the world through GPS (something we need when driving through unfamiliar terrain). And then of course, all of our watches need to be charged. Our kids may not need their devices day to day, but early in the morning, a quick electronic game can keep a hotel room calm.

Nature quickly proves that these devices and games are mere distractions from what matters most. On the craggy shoreline of Maine, we climbed the coast; we trapped lobsters; and we explored the glories of Acadia National Park. It was a true pleasure to see our boys wander into weedy, uninviting brush to pick wild blueberries. As we paddled across a solitary lake deep in the woods searching for Moose, the glorious quietude reminded us of the value of shutting out the noise of the world from time to time.

This trip has helped us remember that no technological game or device could ever match the joys of the moment when we take the time to explore the world in which we live. Of course, Simon and Aiden have taught us a lesson as well. It turns out that some of the rarest Pokemon can only be found in these remote corners of nature!

L’Shalom–Steve

Dear Friends,

In our Torah portion this week, God tells Moses, “Single out Joshua son of Nun, an inspired individual, and lay your hand upon him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission him in their sight. Invest him with some of your authority, so that the whole Israelite community may obey” (Numbers 27:18-20). The timing of this portion beautifully coincides with the Republican and Democratic National Conventions serving to remind us of the fact that in every generation the transitions of leadership must be public and filled with a bit of dramatic flair.

In my Reflections last week, I used the word “spectacle” to refer to these National Conventions, and this week’s Torah portion reinforces the idea that the transfer of power and the investment of authority to new leaders in every age must be somewhat of a spectacle. Over the course of the past two weeks, the Republicans and Democrats have done a wonderful job rolling out their candidates for the world to see. With powerful words and rituals, these televised events have captivated the world in much the same what that Moses and Joshua must have captivated our ancestors as they prepared to transfer the mantle of leadership.

Now, as we prepare to move from the spectacular nature of the conventions to the brutal realities of the campaign season, a shift in responsibilities begins to fall on our shoulders. This shift is at the heart of our democratic system. Each of us now bears the responsibility of sorting through the facts and mulling through the details of proposed policies and visions. As we journey down this campaign trail together, let us make a conscious effort to remain courteous and respectful every step of the way.

L’Shalom-Steve

Dear Friends,

With the political spectacle of this week’s Republican National Convention and our anticipation of next week’s Democratic Convention, we are being inundated with harsh (and sometimes very nasty) rhetoric. Yet, while the candidates will certainly be taking shots at each other for the next four months, we need to find a way to be civil and respectful in our discourse with one another.

In our Torah portion this week, we have a model for such restraint. In this week’s portion, the non-Jewish prophet Balaam tries to decline King Balak’s instruction to curse the Jewish people. In his heart and mind, he knows that placing a curse on the Israelites is wrong, and he challenges King Balak with the following question, “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?”

Perhaps, this should be a mantra for all Americans over the course of the next few months. We are going to hear a lot of stuff we do not agree with. We are going to engage in conversations which will turn political without notice. We are going to find ourselves in the midst of political arguments rooted in emotions rather than reason. Whatever the case may be, we need to remain civil. We need to remind ourselves that everyone is entitled to an opinion, and we need to take our cue from Balaam in our Torah portion and watch what we say.

L’Shalom-Steve

Dear Friends,

The tragic events of last week draws our attention to a number of individual, structural and institutional issues which are becoming an ongoing threat to the harmony of society. Racism and racial profiling, respect for law enforcement and concerns about gun violence are among a number of catastrophic challenges that need to be addressed if we are going to make a shift in our nation’s ever-escalating epidemic of violence. Each issue, in and of itself, is of paramount importance for a healthy future, yet, if we are to
succeed in moving forward, we will need to address each of these matters simultaneously. Unfortunately, our nation in general and our media in particular seem to be unable to address each of these matters with equal weight at the same time.

As Jews, we understand the consequences of allowing this kind of anger and hatred to fester. As a community we need to be dedicated to taking action to repair these broken aspects of our society. We need to find new ways to relate to each other across lines of culture, race and points of view. We need to seek ways to rebuild the bridges of trust are fundamental to effective law enforcement and the communities that they serve. Finally, we need to find a way to have a reasoned national conversation about guns without compromising the rights afforded to us by the Second Amendment. If we have any hope to ending the escalation of violence that continues to plague us as a nation, each of these issues must be addressed simultaneously in serious ways.

As individuals, we must strive to consider these issues with equal weight as well. It is not easy to separate the complexity of these matters without getting political, defensive or judgmental, but this is exactly what we must begin to do. As the aftermath of last week begins to settle, we need to respond with compassion in our hearts and with minds that are open to solutions from all sides.

L’Shalom-Steve

Dear Friends,

This past Saturday, the world lost an advocate for justice and peace with the death of Elie Wiesel, who died in his Manhattan home at age of 87. He was an outspoken activist for human rights whose words inspired millions around the world. Elie Wiesel strongly believed that he had survived the Holocaust for a reason, and so he dedicated his life to countless causes for social justice and peace in his quest to ensure that those who had lost their lives in the death camps would not lose their voices.

Elie Wiesel spoke as an eyewitness to the human capacity for evil, but his messages were never vengeful. Through the words of his books and the actions manifest throughout his life he modeled for the need to stand up against intolerance, hatred, prejudice and injustice in society. The following words from the speech he delivered upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 stands to inspire all who strive to fight for peace and justice in the world:

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. (The Nobel Peace Prize speech, 1986)

With the death of Elie Wiesel, we come face to face with the fact that the final eyewitnesses to the atrocities of the Holocaust are passing from this earth. Elie Wiesel’s legacy demands that we must never stand on the sidelines when hatred and injustice arise in society. We must not be indifferent. We must be advocates for what is right and just in the world, and we must never forget the human capacity to act otherwise.

L’Shalom-Steve