2008    

Gut yontiff shana tova

   I am Mike Cohen, President of Beth Israel Synagogue.  We are in the midst of the greatest financial crisis this country has faced in 60 years.   I am not going to talk about that.  Instead of talking about your financial assets, I am going to talk about your Jewish assets. Last year I spoke to you about four assets Beth Israel Synagogue can provide.

First - Beth Israel becomes part of your extended Jewish family.

Second - It is a place where one can find spiritual fulfillment and growth.

Third - Beth Israel can help you connect to the Jewish community locally.

Fourth -  Beth Israel helps you connect to the Jewish community world wide, including Israel.

   Why are these four assets important to us? Because we identify ourselves as Jews. It is estimated that 50% of American Jews do not belong to a synagogue. We are the other half, showing our love and devotion to Judaism by being here tonight. It is not just enough to know you are Jewish, the 50% who are not here tonight know they are Jewish.  For us, it is not only being Jewish but practicing our Jewish traditions that is important.

   As you know, Moses was not allowed to cross the Jordan and enter the land of Israel with the rest of the people.  This is a great warning to shule Presidents on the perils of leadership.  Moses was the greatest spiritual leader of the Jewish people, G-D spoke to him and gave him our laws.  So why was he not allowed to enter Israel?  Some scholars say it was a punishment for killing an Egyptian taskmaster when he defended a Jewish slave.    Others say it was a punishment for something we would see as far less grave. Moses fled Egypt to save his own life. When he came to a well. Moses helped some women who needed help to get water for their herd.   They brought him to their home and introduced him to their father as an Egyptian. Moses did not correct them, saying he was an Israelite.  Some Rabbis say that because he hid his identity and did not say he was of the people of Israelite,  he was not allowed to enter the land of Israel. Concealing his identity as

 an Israelite kept him from entering the land of Israel, the promised land.

   Our goal is not one of geography: our goal is to live Jewishly fulfilling lives. So what can we learn from Moses mistake?  How do we get into the promised land of Jewish spiritual fulfillment?  How can we use the assets Beth Israel offers us.

   Each of us holds our own destiny in our Jewish faith.  We can only feel a strong connection to the Jewish people and be nourished spiritually by our traditions when we practice our rituals and become involved in our synagogue life. We are showing our Jewishness  tonight, by being here and praying  for forgiveness.

   Until recently, I was really no different than most Jews.  I went to Shabbat or holiday services out of a sense of obligation, but I did not find it meaningful.  Then for some reason, I began going a little more regularly. I'm not sure if it was guilt or if I felt I my spiritual yearning.  I knew  the make up of the service and would muddle along with everyone else.  As I attended more often, I became familiar with the meaning of the services. I found myself wanting more out of the prayers we were saying.   Now, not only do I go to shul more often , I am participating in the services.  The results of my increased attendance have been pleasantly surprising. Besides getting to know our congregants better, I have a stronger connection to our rituals and tradition.  Plus it makes me feel closer to G-d. Beth Israel has become an important asset in my life.

   Beth Israel is a great congregation with a wide variety of members.  As I go to more social and religious events I learn more about our members.  Besides sharing the common bond of religion I have been developing friendships which go beyond the boundaries of Beth Israel.

   I have discovered something interesting. There are two separate subgroups within Beth Israel, both equally important, our congregants and our Hebrew school families.   Yes, there is a small bridge between the two, but with some effort we can become one big happy shul where no one is a stranger.  Our TA's lead a monthly Shabbat service, attend , get to know them.   Those of us without children in the Religious School could attend the Sunday school's programs that are open to the whole congregation.  I found that most synagogues struggle with this issue.

   Being more actively involved at Beth Israel has influenced other areas of my life.

   When I talk to friends and co-workers about being President of a synagogue I get asked a lot of questions about Judaism.  Some questions are easy to answer and others require a phone call to the rabbi.  Everyone tells me I always answer with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.  I tell them it is because Judaism is such a major part of my life.  I love to inform people about our customs and beliefs.  My friends tell me I have too many holidays and restrictions.  I tell them it is a way of life that makes me complete and can not imagine living any other way. They still can not believe that I have never had a cheeseburger or pepperoni pizza, but I tell them that is what I choose to do.  I think that they respect me for being involved in spite of some of the sacrifices that must be made.

   Having a strong Jewish identity and talking about it with non-Jews means answering questions about Israel. This is especially true when people learn I recently visited Israel.  When I talk about Israel and the situation in the middle east most people have no idea about all the conflicts.  I feel it is our responsibility to keep our friends and neighbors informed about Israel's current events.

   Being part of Beth Israel has made it possible for me to meet other Jewish people in the Cincinnati area.  I have planned and attended  events with other shuls.  We took part in the world wide wrap in February, a city wide program about Tefillin.   Beth Israel  helped sponsor a city wide concert of Kol Sasson, a Jewish singing group from the University of Maryland,  and we hosted a movie night as part of Cincinnati Jewish community's  Israeli film festival.  Besides becoming more friendly with other shuls, I am making  Beth Israel known to the Jewish community inside the 275 loop.

   Tonight, I want you to think about taking advantage of one of your important spiritual assets, Beth Israel Synagogue. Try to attend services 1 or 2 times more than what you would usually do. Very shortly, there will be several events in our new sukkah which can bring us all together.  Check your bulletin for times and dates.  It would be fantastic to see everyone participating in these events, which, by the way, will involve food. What do you have to lose?   You will get to better know our other members and meet some friends.  You could gain a deeper appreciation for our religion, feed your spiritual needs, and become part of the local Jewish community. You could even have fun!

   It is important to identify yourself as a Jewish person, living and practicing our faith because you have personal spiritual needs.  It is also important to do these things because it is what keeps the Jewish religion alive.  Beth Israel is an asset that can help us attain our goals for a great Jewish life as part of a larger worldwide Jewish community.  So back to Moses.....

   Moses was kept out of the land of Israel because he did not proudly identify as an Israelite.  There is another story involving Moses that has a very different end.    Imagine Moses on the last day in Egypt.  All the preparations.  Packing, organizing, after all getting ready for 2 million Jews to shlep across the deserts was a logistical nightmare.  All of a sudden he’s gone.  His assistant, Joshua, is frantic.  Where is the boss?  Moses has one last task.  He has to retrieve Josephs bones.  Before Joseph died, he made the Israelites promise he would be taken to Israel and buried there. Moses finds one person who was still alive at the time of Josephs death.  She helps Moses find  Josephs bones.  Josephs body is carried for forty years and finally buried in Israel.  His tomb still exists today in Israel. Why was Joseph carried all the way from Egypt to Israel? The Rabbis point out that Joseph, unlike Moses, never hid his identity.  Even though it would have been to Josephs advantage to deny his heritage, he never did,  so his remains were allowed to enter the promised land.

   Make no bones about it.  Being Jewish, or even being proud of being Jewish is not enough. Besides feeling Jewish, we have a need, a real, emotional and spiritual need to connect to our people and our traditions.  Beth Israel is the place to rest your weary bones and find your Jewish connection to our people and our faith.

   Now with 23 hours left what should we be thinking about?

1.Teffila, which is prayer

2. Tzedacha, which is charity, and

3. Tsuva, which is repentence.

May you all be written in the book of life for a healthy, joyful, and peaceful year. Gmar tov.