Thinking about our Communities in the Jewish Year of 5780

We are social beings. G-d created us that way. We are not part of the animal kingdom where babies are born and then in minutes or a bit more, walk, fly or swim away. We are born physically dependent to enable the development of social skills, interactive techniques and empathy for each other. Biology tells us this and our religious systems amplify the point in many of the teachings and narratives we all hold dear. As we grow and mature, we hopefully come to appreciate the people in our lives and the connections we make. Additionally, we are to love and care about each other and to acknowledge that ultimately, as we are taught in Kohelet/Ecclesiastes 4:12 (and will read on the Chag/holiday of Sukkot), And if one prevails against one that is alone, two shall withstand that person; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. In other words, together we can accomplish so much more than we can apart.

Unfortunately, as we look around us and there is too much divisiveness, too much yelling, not enough acceptance and not enough caring about each other, deeply caring as The One Who Created Us intended. And yet, what amazing things happen when we get this and practice this sense of community, creating those threefold cords that cannot be broken. I just experienced yet another such community during Shabbat Elul and Rosh HaShana at the beautiful Isabella Friedman Retreat Center. Our community of about two hundred souls included all ages, a wide spectrum of observance levels, and just as wide a spectrum of gender and sexuality identities. Particularly evident were two entities – An Orthodox community and an LGBTQ+ community. We all made community together and created a strong cord that simply could not be torn asunder in any way. We prayed together in different minyanim, sang together, ate together, learned together and just lived in this wonderful environmentally beautiful and charged space for five days as a collective that was absolutely breathtaking in so many ways.

I was honored and awed to be able to teach throughout the five days, including sharing a D’var Torah (words of Jewish learning) related to the weekly Parsha/Torah reading on Shabbat, which is among other things, interestingly enough about COMMUNITY. In Parshat Netzavim, ALL OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL – men, women, children, all ages, the leaders of various categories, the water carriers and wood choppers and EVERYONE was to be standing at attention to hear the lessons to be imparted. I contrasted this to another community model as found in the Talmud in Masechet Hagiga where we are taught ALL ARE OBLIGATED TO COME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HAGIGA OFFERING EXCEPT … and then just about every possible category of people except able-bodied flawless adult men are listed. BUT during the rest of the Masechet/Tractate, these categories of people are brought back into the community with some seminal teachings, including the following:

1. All may not be obligated in the actual deed of the offering, but if they want to participate because it brings a sense of emotional well-being (nachat ruach) then the community is to enable their participation.

2. Even though all are not obligated in the actual deed of the offering, all are obligated to be happy (mechayavim b’simcha) and therefore, should not be excluded, but included.

3. Many supposed “exclusions” are due to the literal nature of language, but such exclusions are often ameliorated and qualified so that people who want to be can be included.

4. The experience of communal happiness and community is increased by the inclusion of many, not the exclusion of most so that very few are left in the end.

By including and welcoming all into our Rosh HaShana community, by joining all of our voices, sharing the songs and niggunim (beautiful wordless melodies) that so many brought with them and sang from their heart, we were all enriched and floated on the beauty of these tunes well into the night.

By enjoying and benefitting from the food from this Environmentally Sustainable community and its farms and resources, we all ate well, healthily and were nourished in a wonderful and meaningful manner.

By joining in prayer, we all sang from our hearts and found the beauty of words and tunes permeate the air around us with true Kavanah (intentionality) and Simcha (joy and happiness, which is commanded for us all). We did this both in our Orthodox and Egalitarian spaces, with people moving seamlessly between them as they wished and to the extent they desired.

By being in a place together that is so land conscious and appreciative of all that G-d has bestowed upon us, the gratitude we shared for ALL that was there and ALL who were there was awe inspiring in a way that will take us into the coming Jewish year with an increased appreciation of the world and community of which we are all part.

By sharing learning sessions where individuals from the various prayer communities came together to learn with and from each other, we all made new friends and came to expand our circles of the people we appreciate.

What wonderful lessons learned to take into the year of 5780. My blessing for all of us is that we all continue to talk to people who may be “outside” of our conventional community circles and learn more about each other, so we can always be that threefold unbreakable cord no matter what challenges come our say.

Shana Tova and Gimar Tov to all in the Jewish community and with gratitude for all beings of faith who are trying to be our best selves at all times, creating communities that are truly inspiring and inspired.