Dear Friends,

Monday was Tu B’Shevat, the day that marks the beginning of a “New Year for Trees.” This is the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.

In our modern-day experience of this “birthday for the trees”, Tu B’Shevat serves as a kind of Jewish Earth Day. Through recognizing the importance of trees, we take the time to appreciate the delicate ecological balance of the earth and dedicate ourselves to preserving it for generations to come.

In the spirit of Tu B’Shevat, consider take a brisk walk in the days to come and enjoy the glories of God’s world of creation.

L’Shalom,
Steve

Dear Friends,

In this week’s Torah portion, the newly liberated Israelites prepare to leave Egypt. They have been enslaved for generations. They have never known freedom. It is here, in the context of an existential shift for our ancestors, that God commands us to teach our children the story of their redemption:

“And you shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what Adonai did for me when I went free from Egypt'” (Exodus 13:8).

Our sages interpret this verse to mean that in every generation, each of us must see ourselves as if we, personally, were part of that liberation from Egypt. Each year, during the holiday of Passover, we retell the story of the Exodus, and each year we are taught to relive our ancestral liberation.

Why do we do this?  We do this because only when we include ourselves in the stories of the past can we ensure that we internalize the morals and values of these stories for the future.

During the winter break, my family and I visited the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. These two powerful centers have been designed to bring us face to face with some of the darkest chapters in human history. These centers for education and memory were designed to help us remember the story of slavery in the United States NOT to impart a sense of guilt, but RATHER as a means to shape the future.

As it is with our Haggadah on Passover, the interactive content, films and first-person narratives reminds us to place ourselves at the center of the story of redemption. As my family emerged from our time in this important place, we were reminded of the eternal teaching of our faith: Until all are free, none are free – and the eternal truth that it is up to every generation to embrace this struggle.

L’Shalom,
Steve

As 2022 begins,
may it unfold a
never-ending chain
of blessings of
Prosperity, Health and Happiness
For you and your family.

Happy New Year.

Steve

Dear Friends,

Christmas may not be our holiday, but American Jews have always found ways to share in the joy of the season. As a child, I delighted in the fact that I could join my friend Brian Galloway (Irish Catholic) early in the morning to open his gifts under the tree and then zip over to the home of Chris Nico (Italian Catholic) to open gifts with his family in the afternoon.  Of course, Christmas Eve was reserved for Chinese food and a movie – a longstanding holiday tradition for most American Jews.

Many of us had similar experiences growing up, and as adults our Christmas traditions continue. Some of us have family members who are not Jewish, and we embrace the opportunity to share this sacred day with them.  Others may choose to spend the day bringing joy and love to the world by doing a special mitzvah.

Whatever the case may be, Christmas in America has become part of the fabric of our society regardless of our faith. So, in that spirit, I wish everyone in our congregation a day filled with love of family and friends and caring for the world in around us.

L’Shalom,
Steve

Dear Friends,

As our secular year is coming to a close, so too are the stories recounted in the Book of Genesis. In the final chapters of this first book of the Torah, we find Jacob and Joseph beginning to prepare for their deaths.

Jacob and Joseph have overcome a great many of the obstacles which challenged them in their youth. Given the opportunity to lead, each has risen to the occasion. Given the opportunity to make amends, each has met these painful moments with courage and integrity. And in the end, each has achieved a sense of inner peace and harmony, a stature of strength and wisdom, and a spotlight in the birth of our people.

Like Jacob and Joseph, we all hope to look back on a life well lived and see that we are leaving lasting legacies for the future. There is a great sense of satisfaction and fulfillment knowing that our values and dreams will continue long after we leave this world.

This is the primary purpose of our current efforts to build our endowment at HCRJ. A bequest in your will to the L’Dor VaDor Legacy Endowment Fund is a beautiful way to ensure that Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism will continue to nurture Jewish learning, worship and fellowship in intimate, meaningful ways for generations to come. In making a promise for an afterlife gift, each of us can know in our hearts that our Jewish values will continue to thrive and grow well into the future.

If you wish to receive a call from me before the end of the year to learn more about this program, please click here and I will reach out in the coming days.

L’Shalom,
Steve

Dear Friends,

Sunday night was the eighth night of Chanukah, and as we gazed upon the blazing candles in all their glory, we were invited to embrace the idea that with faith and fortitude we can bring light into a darkened world. Each year, these candles open our eyes to the miracles that surround us every day, and they challenge us to emulate the courage of Judah Maccabee and the importance of standing up for justice and freedom in the world.

In our Torah portion this week, we read about another Judah, whose courage in the court of Pharaoh is often understood as a plea for justice in his time. As Judah and his brothers stand at the mercy of one of Pharaoh’s courtiers (who happens to be Joseph), Judah calls for justice in the midst of crisis.

From Judah to Judah and generation to generation, our faith has recognized the paramount value of defending justice and mercy in the world. As the final weeks of 2021 draw to an end, let us all find ways to look back on an exceedingly difficult year and begin to imagine a 2022 that is filled with the light of Chanukah and the pursuit of justice modeled on countless generations of Judah.

L’Shalom,
Steve

Chanukah Shabbat