Rabbi's Column - August 2023 High Holiday Shofar

Dear Friends,

As we enter the Hebrew month of Elul, we find ourselves once again within Judaism’s central season of renewal. This period of Jewish time revolves around two primary spiritual technologies: Cheshbon Ha-Nefesh (an accounting of our deeds and goals); and Teshuvah (repair, reconciliation, return).

That feeling of renewal courses throughout our entire community this year, too. Together our hearts turn to our beautifully renovated synagogue home as we prepare to return for the High Holy Days at TBT for the first time in several years. We will consecrate our gorgeous sanctuary and welcome back our Torah Scrolls to the ark at Selichot (September 9th). If you do not often join for this beautiful, contemplative evening service, I especially encourage you to experience it this year. Our wonderful choir will be presenting special musical pieces for the occasion, and our very own Noah Stein has composed a new piece of congregational music just for the occasion.

And there’s more homecoming to look forward to this fall! Please save the date for a festive weekend of gratitude: November 3rd and 4th. That Friday night we will say todah — thank you — to all who have helped us to arrive in our beautiful renovated space. Then on Saturday night, we will party!

Hashiveinu Adonai Eilecha V’Nashuva - Help us to turn back to you, God, and we will turn: to one another, to our beautiful synagogue home, and to a new year filled with joy and endless possibilities.

Bivracha (Blessings),
Rabbi Moss

A note from Dr. Cassorla - June 2023

Dear TBT Family,

One of my chief joys in the last week has been putting my winter blanket up and taking out my summer “cooling cover.” While there is a sense of coziness that comes with the winter blanket, I find a sense of freedom with the summer cover. Meanwhile, it feels like the porch is calling my name in the evenings as the sun takes its sweet time setting over the hills. And the beach beckons each Shabbat.

Our lives are marked by recurrences in time and season that nonetheless are not truly a circle, but rather a spiral, in which the return of the familiar sounds more like a harmonious echo than a repetition.

The rabbis recognized this sense of not-quite-recurrence. After the flood receded, God promised to never again upturn the laws of nature, but God also gave us a way to step out of the regimented time we, as humans, seem to need. Shabbat, a weekly vacation from the clock, is that space.

Rav Yehuda HaLevi, a medieval Spanish rabbi, poet, physician, and philosopher put this into words in his poem Avdei Zman (Slaves to Time), writing “Slaves to time are slaves to slavery /only those who work for God are free.” On Shabbat, we let go of our metered labor and instead welcome in an extra “ensoulment” of rest and repose in the presence of the holy.

What this looks like is different for each person who practices it. For some, lighting candles with the family on Friday night as Shabbat comes in is the moment of separation from the week. For others, it can be as simple as choosing not to listen to the news on Saturdays. Rabbi Zalman Shalomi Schachter famously explained that if walking around the mall was one’s way to let go of the weight of the week and reconnect to the inherent Shalom of God, one should get in the car and drive to the mall on Shabbat.

I encourage you to find your special Shabbat space this summer. We will continue to enjoy our Shabbat evening services each week—both in our new sanctuary and on our airy veranda. We will celebrate Clara Calvert later this month as she is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. And our choir has already begun to prepare for our Board Installation Shabbat Service that same weekend (June 23-24).

We would love to see you there.

Kol Tuv,
Dr. C

Rabbi's Column - May 2023

Dear Temple Beth Tikvah,

By now you may have heard the news: Susan and I are expecting our first child in late May or early June. We are overjoyed, excited, and a little bit anxious to embark on this journey together. We are especially glad that we get to do that here on the Shoreline, as a part of the TBT community. I am writing this letter to you in order to share our gratitude, and also to communicate about my plans during this sacred time.

First and foremost, Susan and I feel so fortunate that the leadership of Temple Beth Tikvah helps staff and clergy prioritize family needs. Providing family leave and day-to-day support when needs arise is a true act of chesed (caring love) that recognizes that all of us are, first and foremost, human beings with obligations to those who love us. This recognition should be universal, but in this country it is not. So, modeh ani — I am all the more grateful.

Now for the plans. When the auspicious hour arrives, I will be with Susan for the arrival of the newest Moss and the transition to home. Over the summer, I will be on leave for a total of approximately eight to ten weeks. The precise timing will depend on the baby’s arrival and needs. I will be “back to work” for the remainder of the summer weeks and through the High Holy Days, in order to plan and support our team as the fall begins. While on leave, my focus will be on the needs of Susan and our new child. Therefore, I plan to be truly away from day-to-day duties, including email, phone calls, meetings, and ritual leadership. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. C, our office team, the Religious Activities Committee, volunteers, and our Rabbi Emerita and Emeritus - Rabbi Offner and Rabbi Sommer, all of whom you may encounter during this time.

In that vein, please know that TBT Clergy will be available to our members should an emergency arise. In that case, please call TBT’s main number at any time, and follow the prompts to our emergency line.

Finally, Susan and I are very excited for you to meet this new addition to our family. A formal welcome and blessing will take place at a Shabbat evening service this summer, date TBD.

The traditional Jewish greeting for an expectant parent is b’sha’ah tovah, loosely translated as ‘may it be a good and auspicious hour.’ Susan and I are so grateful for all of your love and support during this momentous time for us and our family.

Shalom,
Rabbi Danny Moss

Rabbi's Column - March 2023

Dear Friends,

We’ve all heard the phrase “I’m going to hang up my hat…” Well, this month I hung up my tallit! But that doesn’t mean what you might think — in fact, quite the opposite. Please allow me to explain.

In the summer of 2021, Rabbi Offner left me some very useful tools, including the tallit racks inside my study. I hadn’t really used them much, though, since we’ve been gathering for services all over the Shoreline. Ever since we’ve been meeting regularly at TBT, however, I have finally started using those tallit racks for the first time! It feels incredible to hang up my prayer shawl each week, knowing that Temple Beth Tikvah is once again ‘home base’.

In the days of the ancient Jerusalem Temple, our ancestors referred to it as Beit HaMikdash (‘The Sacred House’), or more colloquially, HaBayit, (simply, ‘The House’). After the Temple was destroyed, the family table became the new altar. The synagogue came to house the new sanctuaries of our people. Private residence and synagogue alike came to convey an abiding Jewish sense of ‘home.’

Now, every Erev Shabbat (Sabbath eve) I can come home to TBT, prepare to enter Shabbat with a moment of silence, and wrap myself in my tallit following the custom of my ancestors. These small moments help me realize that we are truly entering a new stage of readiness to re-enter our congregational home.

Has it been a while since your last building tour? We’d love to invite you back to see all of the progress! Simply refer to the details enclosed or be in touch with the office. It’s going to be a very exciting spring at Temple Beth Tikvah. I look forward to sharing many meaningful milestones with you.

Shalom,
Rabbi Danny Moss

Rabbi's Column - February 2023

Dear Friends,

As I write this, we are nearing the dramatic climax of the Exodus story in our weekly Torah cycle. It’s one of the great human narratives; one which we revisit every day in our prayer services and every year around the seder table. But we tend not to dwell on the plagues (apart from the hokey children’s seder toys, anyway), which would have been quite terrifying to experience! Consider the penultimate plague of darkness:

 “And Adonai said to Moses: ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.” (Ex. 10.21)

The medieval Italian commentator Ovadia Seforno attempts to understand the unique character of this darkness. He explains that darkness is not a substance, as such, but rather the absence of light. But the darkness of Egypt, he explains, is a separate entity, entirely: not an absence, but a tangible presence. Thus, no light could banish it.

Sometimes it feels that there is darkness in our world that no light can banish. We are living through difficult and dark times, for certain. And all of us go through seasons of trial and challenge — darkness out of which it may feel that we will never emerge.

The Torah goes on to specify that the Israelites could not see one another, so they did not rise from their dwellings for three days (10.23).  How does the Midrash respond? It says that the greatest darkness we experience is when we do not truly see one another —  when we do not participate in the distress of others. 

The only antidote to this darkness, of course, is reaching out to those around us who are in need. Or, when we are in need, we may reach out to others for a helping hand. This is one of the reasons our community exists. The relationships we can build at TBT are like a candle in the dark. Just ask our families who have been here for decades.  It doesn’t take decades to feel the warmth and profundity of these relationships, though — and like any profound journey, it starts with a first step. If you are interested in your first (or next) step, I’d love to talk with you about it.

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Moss

Rabbi's Column - January 2023

Dear Friends,

At the Jewish summer camp of my youth, a popular topic for our limmudim (learning sessions) was this classic question: do we consider ourselves American Jews, or Jewish Americans? If push ever came to shove, which would be our primary identity?

I don’t think this question resonates anymore. For most Reform Jewish kids these days, there’s little to debate. Nearly all, I’d surmise, would identify as Americans first, and Jews second. And in many ways, this is a sign of incredible success: we have integrated into American society in ways that our immigrant ancestors could only have dreamed of.

Unfortunately, no matter our successes, there will always be those who reject us, existentially. That’s why I often avoid the clinical sounding word, “antisemitism,” preferring to call it what it is: the hatred of Jews. Many of us thought that the days of socially accepted Jew-hatred were behind us. Unfortunately, nobody can reasonably think that now. The hatred of Jews — which scholars deem the ‘oldest hate’ — has ebbed and flowed over 2000 years; and once again, it is on the rise.

In 2021, the ADL tracked 2,717 antisemitic incidents throughout the United States, ranging from harassment to violent assaults. This is the highest number in decades; and unfortunately, 2022 is on track to set a new record.

I believe that there are essentially two ways to respond to these trends: by disguising our identity or by confronting the hate by living proudly as Jews. Unfortunately, history has shown us that even assimilation and anonymity cannot protect Jews from those who hate. So, let’s stand up together, loud and proud!

I hope you will join us for our Kulanu (“all of us”) event against antisemitism and hate on January 29. We’ll be joined by Director of ADL Connecticut Stacey Sobel, as well as local clergy, school superintendents, and other civic leaders from the Shoreline. The event is open to all; so please bring your friends from inside and outside of the Jewish Community. And most importantly, bring your pride and love for being Jewish.

May love and true understanding prevail over hatred. May our hands together build the future we know our kids deserve.

Bivracha (Blessings),
Rabbi Danny Moss

Rabbi's Column - December 2022

Dear Friends,

As I write this, we are about to light the first candle of Chanukah. Chanukah, which means “dedication,” commemorates the rededication of the great Temple in Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees in the 2nd Century, BCE. The famous story of the oil is first mentioned only many years later in the Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 21b):

When the Seleucid Greeks entered the Sanctuary, they defiled all the holy oil. And when the Hasmonean monarchy [i.e, the Maccabees] emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil to light the menorah for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the menorah for eight days. The next year the Sages made [Chanukah] a holiday, with psalms of thanksgiving…

What the story leaves out — and I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot over the last year — is how the ancient Jews observed Chanukah in that first year. It would not have been a relaxing, luxurious holiday like we celebrate today. The sacred objects had been desecrated, and the space defiled with the remains of sacrificed pigs. There was much to clean and repair. I imagine the “rededication” only came to fruition in stages. For the eight nights following the victory, the miracle alone was enough. But then it was time to get to work.

The ancient Jewish community could not restore everything overnight. As with any major renovation project, it took sweat, patience, generosity, and time to become reality. So it is with our own “rededication” — we can see it happening in stages. Earlier this fall, many in our community signed a wall of dedication, to be installed behind the ark. Later, the lower lobby was ready for gathering, and we have been joyfully singing, praying, and connecting there with folks of all ages and stages. Very soon, we will be able to gather in our brand new community room, adjacent to the south building entrance and accessible to all. Thanks to the generosity of our families and the hard work of our volunteers, it is only a matter of time until we will celebrate the rededication of our own sanctuary.

This Chanukah, the sweet taste of anticipation is on all our lips. Like our ancient ancestors, there is so much for us to be thankful for this year. There is so much light ahead at TBT.

Wishing all of our families a joyful Chanukah of abundance,
Rabbi Danny Moss

Rabbi's Column - Fall 2022

“But Rabbi, I’m not really religious!”

Dear Friends,

What’s the Hebrew word for “religion?” It may surprise you to know that there isn’t one!

There are some close analogues: dat (דָת ,(minhag (מִנְהָג ,(and purkan (פּוּקרָן (all convey elements of Jewish ritual and practice. But none of them means religion. Why? because Judaism predates religion. Religion is a modern concept that consigns our spiritual and material selves to separate buckets. This is an illusion. There is no “religious life” and “secular life.” There is only life.

The great 20th Century American Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan thought of Judaism as a civilization. It’s an ancient wisdom tradition; an ethical system; a series of practices and a roadmap for cultivating the relationships that matter the most. It’s an orientation to the Mystery beyond our understanding.

But there’s more: Judaism is itself a later idea in our history (c. 2000+ years ago). Before we adopted that “ism,” we were a people - Israel. That identity has always come first. As a Jewish community we are connected to all Jews, past, present, and future. As I write this, we are reading Parashat Nitzavim, at the end of the Torah in which our ancestors assembled at Sinai to receive the Torah — everyone living and ready to enter Canaan, but also, existentially, everyone who has not yet been born. This means that all Jews are equally Jewish.

And there are so many ways to be Jewish. But the most important thing is to do, not necessarily to believe. Not sure if God exists? Okay. Light Shabbat candles with your family on Friday nights. Help a stranger in need. Volunteer with our social justice committee. Take one of my classes. Sing with the TBT Band. Attend a Kol Ami event. In short, have a joyful Jewish experience. Open your heart and your mind to something new. Judaism is much more interested in doing than believing, in relationship over dogma. If you ask me, God cares more about who we are than what we think of God.

At TBT, we’re starting to do a lot more in person. I’d love to greet you in person and learn more about what excites you about being Jewish.

Bivracha (with blessings),
Rabbi Moss

Rabbi's Column - Summer 2022

Dear TBT Friends,

In my magical, seemingly never ending summer days at camp OSRUI in Oconomowoc Wisconsin, we often cited this aphorism: every day is like a week; and every week is like a day. I feel the same about the year gone by: it has been so rich and full, but at the same time, I marvel at how quickly my first year as your rabbi has passed! It’s hard to believe that at this time in 2021, Susan and I were settling into our home, exploring the Shoreline for the first time, and beginning to meet all of you! What a wonderful year it has been.

As American Jews, we mark the new year at different times: we have Rosh HaShanah and the Gregorian New Year, of course; but also Tu Bishvat (the new year for trees and all things green) and, in the congregational world, the the fiscal year, which begins on July 1st. This is a meaningful time of transition at TBT, as we welcome a wonderful new Board and President: Dr. Karen Goldberg. At the same time, we offer a heartfelt todah rabbah (thank you very much) to Sarah Mervine, who served with dedication over the last two years.

Continuing the theme of exciting new beginnings: as we bid lehitra’ot (farewell) to Cantor Boyle, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Leah Cassorla as our new Religious School Director and Cantorial Soloist. Dr. Cassorla brings a wealth of experience, creativity, and passion to this role, and she is eager to get to know our TBT families. Soon, we will announce special gatherings this summer in which you will have the opportunity to meet her, tour the TBT construction site (I can’t wait for you to see the progress!), or both.

As the kids head to camp and many of us head to vacation or family gatherings, I wish everyone safe travels and a wonderful summer. I look forward to seeing you throughout the next few months — on the Green, at TBT, or perhaps for Shabbat on the Beach!

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Moss