June 19, 2020
27 Sivan 5780
Dear Friends,
For those of us that are Shabbat morning regulars, not being in shul together has been nothing short of heart-breaking. Personally, the inability to come together as a community, to pray, sing, eat, and just be together, has been the most challenging part of this pandemic. And as a synagogue, it’s the hardest thing to replicate given that what many of us crave is actually being together, feeling the energy of other people around us. Right now, sadly, we can’t have that, and I pray that all of you are staying safe until we can gather. In the past few weeks, many have asked for a way to still connect to the Shabbat morning experience in shul. I invite you to daven alongside me here, as I’ve created a recording of Shabbat morning davening and a d’var Torah. This is an experiment, and I do not presume this is an adequate replacement for Shabbat morning in shul, but until we can be together we will do what we can to bring us closer to our tradition and each other. My hope is that even if we are in our homes, we don’t have to feel like our spiritual experiences happen alone. (For next week, if you’d like to borrow a siddur, please get in touch with me or Geo to come by and grab one.)
This Shabbat, synagogues all over are commemorating, in their own way, Pride Shabbat. It’s a Shabbat of recognizing those in our Jewish community who have historically been marginalized because of their sexual preferences or gender identity, and making a dedicated effort to say: You matter. You belong here. We love you, exactly the way you are. Some might wonder why we have to have these reminders. Why, in a Conservative synagogue, must we make explicit statements that all belong? But of course, we remember.
Four years ago this past week, on June 12th, 2016, 49 precious souls were killed in Orlando at Pulse, a gay night club. Four years ago, we were reminded, as we often are, sadly, that the world is often not a friendly, safe place for LGBT folks. So our task is to make sure there are more safe places. There must be more places in our world that make it abundantly clear that we care not about who you love or what you wear or how you present. We just care about you, your neshama, your soul.
On Monday, we witnessed some small change in our country as the Supreme Court upheld protections for LGBT individuals in the workplace. This is an important, monumental step for the 8 million LGBT workers in our country, but it also should be a celebrated moment for all of us that seek to uplift the dignity of each individual person.
And yet. Last week our federal government rolled back protections against transgender patients, allowing for discrimination by doctors, hospitals, and health insurance companies. Sometimes it feels like two steps forward and one back. Sometimes it feels like many steps back and we have a full 40 years of wandering left to go. On this Shabbat, this week, we are reminded of the work we must do year-around. I remember that the world is often a cruel place to those that embrace who they are. You might not be someone that needs to hear this message, but I promise you there is someone you know who does: You are loved. You are worthy of love. You belong in community and you are important contributors to our Jewish world. God loves you. Your life is valuable; you deserve life.
Below, you’ll see a prayer that I’m including from Alden Solovy, a liturgist living in Jerusalem. I too pray that our world is, becomes, a place where every person loves their neighbor. May this Shabbat be one of lifting others up, a Shabbat of love in every person’s heart.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Sarit
Love Wins: A Pride Prayer (by Alden Solovy)
One day, the words ‘coming out’ will sound strange,
Oppression based on gender or orientation will be a memory,
History to honor and remember,
The pain of hiding, repressing, denying,
Honoring the triumphs of those who fought to be free,
Remembering the violence and vitriol that cost lives.
When love wins,
When love wins at long last,
ואהבת לרעך כמוך,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself’
Will be as natural as breathing.
ואהבת לרעך כמוך!
One day, love will win every heart,
Love will win every soul,
Fear will vanish like smoke,
And tenderness for all will fill our hearts.
ואהבת לרעך כמוך!
Love wins. In the end,
Love wins.
Man for man,
Woman for woman,
Woman for man,
Man for women,
All genders,
All orientations,
All true expressions of heart.
ואהבת לרעך כמוך!
Let this come speedily,
In our day,
A tribute to the many
And the diverse
Gifts from heaven.
A tribute to love deep and true,
Each of us for one another.
ואהבת לרעך כמוך!
