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Reform Prayer and Messianic Concepts

11/13/2015

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Rabbi Larry Milder of Beth Emek a Reform synagogue in Pleasanton shared these thoughts about the new Reform High Holiday prayer book. Of particular importance is his explanation of the concept of Messiah and a Messianic age as Jews view these ideas.

One of the hallmarks of Reform Judaism has been its creativity, its willingness to revise traditional prayer language to better express our beliefs. Judaism is an evolving faith, and it is no surprise that sometimes our beliefs differ from the language of prayers spoken by our ancestors.

And yet, creativity is not unidirectional. Sometimes, old words speak to us in new ways. We find that they resonate with us, not necessarily the way they did with our ancestors, but powerfully, nonetheless.

Mishkan Hanefesh, the new Reform High Holy Day prayer book, restores traditional language in a number of places. One of the most interesting of these is messianic language.

We Jews have a hard time with messianic language. We have difficulty distinguishing it from Christian concepts of the messiah. Of course, Christianity originally got those concepts from Judaism, and though they took on an entirely unique form in Christian belief, the hope for a messianic age is intrinsic to the teachings of the Prophets.

Messianism emerges during the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century BCE. It was a hope for restoration to the land of Israel, the ingathering of the exiles, and a return to political sovereignty. The symbol of political sovereignty, self-rule, was that we would be governed by our own king, and not a foreign king. To the Jews in exile, that meant a rightful descendant of King David, whose dynasty was the last vestige of political autonomy.

Messianism was not understood by the prophets as something supernatural, but rather as something quite this-worldly. The heir to the throne of David was always meant to be a real live person, not a supernatural being. Nor did the prophets envision resurrection of the dead when the messiah returned to the throne; they envisioned resurrection of the nation.

Leap forward to the 19th century and the early Reform movement. The notion of being ruled by a king was as far from their sense of modern democratic society as one could imagine. Nor did the early Reformers particularly desire an "ingathering of the exiles;" they preferred achieving civil rights and justice in the lands in which they resided.


As a result, all the language about the messiah was removed from previous editions of Reform prayer books. It just didn't speak to their world view.

Leap forward again to the 21st century. Mishkan Tefilah restores messianic language in several places you might not notice. Early Reformers took the literal meaning of prayer language seriously. In this post-modern age, we are much more inclined to read prayer language as evocative, a poetic expression of our deepest longings. If ancient words give those longings form, it does not mean that we consider ourselves bound by their literal meaning.

Take, for example, these words from the Amidah for Yom Kippur: "May the sparks of David, Your servant, soon grow bright enough for us to see-a beam of light in the darkness, a promise of perfection." Traditional words, "the sparks of David, Your servant," yet the hope is not for a return to monarchy, but rather that the world might be set right again, its current broken state repaired.

Similarly, the traditional words of the closing hymn Yigdal have been restored: "Yishlach l'keitz yamin m'shicheinu," "At the End of Days there will come an era of redemption; for those who await deliverance, a messianic age."

Judaism is a religion that looks forward to the future, that believes in the possibility of redemption for the world. Were it not for that belief, our good deeds would not amount to anything. It is our commitment to moving the world toward the messianic age that is one of the powerful themes of these High Holy Days.


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Another Story of Conversion

11/12/2015

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This is the personal statement of Nadav (Jose) who became Jewish this week. Mazel tov, Nadav!

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My journey towards Judaism began around my early teenage years if not somewhat earlier. There was something about Judaism that attracted me but I just could not know what it was, it came and went as I got older but didn’t pay attention too much at the beginning.
 
When I was sixteen years old that is when my life change, I felt empty and not complete, so I decided to try the religion I was born with or at least what I was told what I was. I began to be more involved with the religion of my parents, Roman Catholicism, I even went to other denominations and religions. While I was still in high school and in my late teenage years Judaism was still visiting my mind so up until I was around 20 years old I started to take action and fully study and read about Judaism. There was always a spark of interest of Judaism in me like I’ve stated before but just didn't do anything about it.
 
Once I became into searching synagogues around my area and Jewish resources on the internet I wanted to learn even more. It was a very very strong overwhelming feeling that I started to have while learning about Judaism, it was an all day all night type of thing so I did not want to ignore it. Studying as much as I can was key, the more I learned the more I wanted to know and I wanted to know why I was feeling this way.
 
Once I started to attend and go to a synagogue the first time I immediately felt comfortable even though I didn’t knew anyone but I knew inside of me that this was going to be good and something I want in my life. When I studied parsha and got myself ahold of a chumash my eyes opened and I came to understand Torah and it got me thinking that Torah is everlasting and that there will be no other Torah. As I was learning more and learned about mitzvot I’ve felt a lot more closer to God more than ever before, it was such a great feeling. The nature of the Almighty is what fascinates me of God being one, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, creator of everything and that God exists and loves us all like crazy. And no matter what obstacles and hardships I may go through in life I am still devoted to God. God is one and unique and can forgive my sins and give me joy.
 
I study Judaism as much as I can when I have free time and as best as I can. I still have a lot to learn. I want to take action to live the way God wants us to live by being committed to mitzvot and have Judaism in our lives. Lighting shabbos candles and remembering and observing shabbos is just an awesome feeling that can’t be beaten, It’s such a calm and rejuvenating feeling that I never had before. Learning basic Hebrew so far has been amazing even though I barely have the letter sounds and vowels, obviously I will continue and has been moving forward by attending services and following along.
A recent discovery that may strengthen my Jewish identity is that my maternal hablogroup has the sephardic signature from the Iberian peninsula according to the ancestry DNA company ‘23AndMe’ and an expert specializing in sephardic Jewish diaspora;all because I spat in a testing tube and my DNA was examined.
 
I feel joyful and excited to further my process of studying as much as I can. Living a Jewish life can give me spiritual fulfillment and happiness one of those examples is performing tikkun olam. Being able to find a community and structure in life and the great feeling that there are other Jews across the world with common history, goals and being a light to other nations brings me comfort. I am excited about my future and the people that I have met and the new people that Hashem will bring to my life. It is best for me and the family that I hope to have. I’ve found a spiritual home and I want it in my life. Knowing what I now know, how can I set Judaism aside, I do not want to ignore my neshama.






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The Torah's Happy Endings

11/10/2015

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This week Beth Sholom in San Francisco shared this bit of information in their weekly email.

If you've attended shul on Shabbat more than a handful of times, you're probably aware of the fact that the weekly Torah portion, or parsha, is divided into seven sections. These sections correspond with the number of aliyot meaning "calling up." For each aliyah, a reader is called to the bimah to recite a blessing for the gift of Torah.

So, sure, you know all that...but have you ever noticed that each reading ends on a positive note, even those in the midst of a dismal parsha? This is no accident.
 
As this recent article in J Weekly explains, the Shulchan Aruch, our most widely consulted halachic code, cautions that "one should aim to always begin reading [each aliyah] on a good note and end reading it on a good note as well."

Rabbi Yonaton Cohen, the author of the J Weekly article, believes that the rabbis elected to break up each parsha this way to demonstrate what might be described as the power of positive thinking. "Time and time again," he writes, "those who divided the Torah chose blessings over curses, life over death, hope over despair."

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 I want to convert - should I look for a Jewish spouse first?

11/2/2015

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One Jew by choice replies:


If you want to convert, you should do it for you. Why wait? I think it would be important in that situation to think about your impending conversion when dating (Do I want to only date Jews? What kind of Jewish life do I want and is this someone who will be interested in sharing this journey with me?) But why wait?

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A Personal Journey

11/1/2015

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Tracy Layney sent us her personal story and now has had it published in the J-weekly. 


We all walk our own paths
— why I chose the Jewish one

Why have I chosen to become Jewish? I’ve heard this question many times over the past five years as I moved through the conversion process with Rabbi Michael Lezak at Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael. A series of small (but ever growing) guideposts, popping up early and unexpectedly during my life, have brought me to the mikvah.

At the heart of Judaism is the notion of wrestling with and struggling with God. Since beginning the formal conversion process, I have wrestled with things I am sure most converts consider: How will my mother feel about this? Will I ever feel Jewish given that a significant portion of the American Jewish experience is rooted in a cultural history that is not mine? Am I willing to become the subject of anti-Semitism — and worse, expose my son to this hate?

I am happy to say that my mother is supportive of my journey. I also know that it is our responsibility as Jews to fight hatred and injustice wherever they appear. As for cultural identity, I have met so many different types of Jews that I now realize that a shared cultural heritage is not the only story — and in many ways, I do have a shared cultural experience. My ancestors were poor immigrants who escaped famine and persecution in Ireland. As they made their way to America, they often faced discrimination due to their ethnicity and religion. So, while we each walk our own path, I have come to understand that even though I started somewhere else, I am walking the same path that started with Abraham and Sarah so long ago.
So why, like Ruth, am I becoming part of the Jewish people? I am becoming a Jew because Judaism is a religion deeply rooted in family and community. When I light candles on Shabbat or bake my own challah, I feel deeply connected to those around me who are saying the blessings with me, and to all who have come before me.
I love the fact that while Judaism accounts for private moments of prayer, it also mandates community in times when people need it most — such as requiring
a minyan to say the Mourner’s Kaddish.
I am becoming a Jew because Judaism is less about dogma and more about action. What we do in this world matters. We are commanded to repair the world — tikkun olam — and to offer tzedakah as a form of social justice and not just charity.
I am becoming a Jew because Judaism is a religion of learning (and debating, and wrestling with) and not just blind belief. We are commanded to study Torah — to wrestle with its contents. Learning in all forms is a blessing, and we must commit our lives to its pursuit.
I am becoming a Jew because I have become a lover of Israel. I have learned that I can disagree with its politics (as I often disagree with America’s politics), but I can love what Israel stands for just as I love what America stands for.
I am becoming a Jew because of Judaism’s commitment to finding the holy in the ordinary — to sanctifying our lives with meaning every day. I love Shabbat and the Jewish holidays and the lessons they give us. Shabbat gives us a palace in time each week; Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur demand that we reckon with the year behind us and the one in front of us; Pesach reminds us of the blessings and responsibilities that freedom brings; Purim reminds us to laugh; Hanukkah brings light and hope to the darkest days.
I am becoming a Jew because I want to give this gift to my son, Noah, now 10 — the brightest light in my life — so that he too becomes a descendant of Abraham and Sarah. I want to give him the gift of mitzvot as a path to find meaning in life and to know that he is connected to something much bigger and much more enduring that himself.
I went to the mikvah last month for all of these reasons — and because of guideposts large and small that brought me there. I emerged from the mikvah as Sarah. I chose this name to honor my heritage, as Sarah is my mother’s name and my great-grandmother’s name and her grandmother’s name before her. Sarah was also the first Jewish woman and so a convert herself who accepted the covenant with God.
I am also excited that Noah entered the mikvah as well. He has become Noah Asher. Asher means blessing and happiness, and Noah has been such a deep blessing to us, bringing us happiness since the day he was born.
Like Sarah and Ruth and so many others before me, I am excited to make the Jewish people my people — to walk the path with Abraham and Sarah, to join the tribe of people who have been instrumental in shaping our world.

Tracy Layney is a human resources executive who lives in Marin County with her husband and 10-year-old son.

You can see this article on the J-weekly site here.



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