Membership Shabbat Sermon

One of the beautiful and unique features of Membership Shabbat is its open-hearted participation. It is so wonderful to see people share their stories, their readings and come up to the Torah. Behind-the-scenes, many hands made light work. Less visible, perhaps, but equally important.

In that light, I will keep my remarks very brief and perhaps a little personal. In this week’s Parashah, Bo, there is a showdown between God and Pharaoh as the three most devastating plagues are visited upon Mitzrayim, Egypt. It is the kind of text that makes you shudder, but that feels oddly relevant in its apocalyptic tone. To Israelite and Egyptian both, this culmination must have truly felt like the end to all things. Yet, during the plague of darkness, we are reminded that the Israelites had light in their dwellings. Where the Egyptians stumbled in the dark, the Israelites found their way through a common embrace, or what we would call: community.

While today’s headlines are not quite as intense as the Book of Exodus, I am reminded that between the pyrotechnics and supernatural interventions, there was a tenderness between those who experienced their discombobulating times. They held onto each other, comforted each other, provided mutual aid and through collective wisdom, found a way to understand what was happening that gave purpose, meaning and companionship.

So too it is for us.

I am so glad to be part of this community. I am so privileged to serve as the rabbi of such an incredible, dynamic, creative, warm, big-hearted, tenacious and quirky (in the best possible way) community. It is hard to believe I will be entering my ninth year as your rabbi over the summer. I never take for granted the power and blessing of community; the way people show up for each other in ways great and small. From sweeping the floor of the social hall to assembling name tags for the High Holidays to planning for the future and teaching our youth. Each one of you is indispensable and infinitely precious. Whether you are a member old or new, we walk with each other through so much and always find ourselves returning to this space, to hugs and warmth and song and prayer and a safe space to be and a soft place to land.

Rabbis never take their communities for granted. It blows us away how you show up for Agudas Achim time and again, for 110 years exactly (the congregation is almost as old as Moses!) Every contribution is valued; it is what makes us strong and resilient and what gives us endurance for the future.

My heart is full. All I can say is thank you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for bringing your whole selves into this space. Thank you for offering love and trust, grace and wisdom to our Kehillah Kedoshah. May we continue to thrive together.