Torah Dedication by Dr. Marilyn Ader, October 24, 2004
Shalom. I have known Congregation Kol Ami since before the day of its birth. So I believe I can say from firsthand knowledge that today this day is like no other in the life of this Congregation, and frankly, it is a day that moves me to tears. As many of you know, over the 12+ years since this congregation was born from a dream, I have come before you on many occasions: Shabbat services, Congregational Meetings, Rosh Hashanah and Kol Nidre. I have spoken to you as a Board Trustee, an Officer, Committee Member, and fellow congregant. I have offered to you my thoughts from the perspective of founding member, long-standing Board Trustee or Officer, or simply the tried and true label of Kol Ami Old Timer. Yes, I have served many roles for this synagogue, and worn many mantles -- but none of those mantles can compare to the holy mantle before us, the one that enwraps the newly scribed, sacred Torah in our midst -- the Torah we dedicate today.
But what does this day mean to us as a Congregation? Funny you should ask that. Ever since the Rabbi asked if I would speak to you today, I have struggled with the question, and frankly I admit I cant answer what the dedication of a new Torah means to this synagogue. Or perhaps I dont choose to answer. Why? Because, I believe that with Torah, as with life, the answers are not important. Its the act of asking thats important.
On this day of dedication for our new Torah, to truly appreciate the magnitude of this event, each one of us must place into context this moment in our synagogue's life this moment in each of our lives. For each one of us, the birth of a new Torah scroll has unique meaning. For each of us, our own experiences with Torah breathe life into each carefully formed letter. I challenge all of us in this room to replay the tapes of our lifelong memories of how Torah has touched us, and how we have touched Torah. What does this day of Torah Dedication mean to you? Only you can answer that question for yourself. And it is up to you alone to ask it.
But I can share with you what Torah means to me. What this day of dedication means to me.
In all honesty, in the early years of my life, I had little knowledge or use for Torah. My Bat Mitzvah was typical of its time, relegating me to reading a Haftorah while my brothers got the honor (whether they wanted it or not!) of chanting from the Torah. But yet I still have a very clear memory of being taught the VHafta and the commandments hidden within its text. That was pretty much it.
But despite the absence of Torah in my early years, the seeds were being laid in my life for the study of Torah later on. Because in my house growing up, there were always books scattered around the kitchen table. My mom and I were always researching something what weird bird was in our yard, or perhaps what was the origin of words like schmutz. When my brothers came home from college, there was always a debate in the house. The issue was irrelevant. What side you took on the issue was irrelevant. It was the process that was important. Having an idea, defending it, hearing alternatives, modifying your thoughts, articulating them and all while eating bagels and lox, whitefish, carp, and soup with knaidel! Sounds a bit like Torah Study, dont you think?
Many years later, Torah made a grand entrance into my life, thanks to a new player in my journey -- Rabbi Denise Eger. Never before had I experienced Torah the way Rabbi Eger shared it with us at BCC. I never envisioned how weekly Torah portions could be so seamlessly interwoven with events of the day. Most vividly, I remember the contrast she explained between our ancestor Jacob and a more current figure -- Alan Cranston. You see, Jacob was struggling with his conscience over cheating his brother Esau out of the birthright, while Senator Cranston claimed no wrongdoing during the Savings and Loan debacle.
For the first time in my life, I saw Torah as a tool for learning. I didnt need to believe it was written by God. I just needed to study it, just like I had studied birds or word origins in my youth, or diabetes and metabolism in graduate school. For the first time, Torah was equated with learning. Not about finding the answers, but about looking for the answers. Now, finally, I was in my element.
For me, the birth of Kol Ami changed the dynamic a bit. The early years were marked by countless decisions:
· Do we affiliate as reform, conservative, reconstruction, orthodox, or Chasidic? (ok, we didnt have many votes for those last two!)
· Do we have 2 Shabbat services a month or 3?
· Do we have a kosher community Seder or not? And how many hard-boiled eggs do we need?
In all seriousness, I was on the Board of Trustees for over 8 years, and attended scores of meetings and Board Retreats during which many important decisions about our synagogue were debated. But never not once did we begin to tackle the work at hand until our Rabbi led us a Dvar Torah. Whether we were drafting temple budgets or bylaws, organizing membership events or High Holidays, Rabbi Eger made sure we knew what our service to the temple was really about. She gave us a context for our debate, because the work of a synagogue may often appear to be one of constant fundraising and membership drives. But it really isnt.
The real work of a temple of this temple is to encourage all of us to live the lives we were born to live. And to live them with the integrity that the Torah encourages us to embrace. I cant speak for anyone else. But for me, every time I see a Torah, every time I touch a Torah, every time I nervously fill in an ALEPH or a BET with the steady hands of our scribe Neil Yerman every time, I am reminded of how I need to live in this world. That is what Torah means to me, and I am always humbled in its presence.
And so I join with you today as we dedicate our new Torah to our congregation and to the Jewish people. I also join with you as we dedicate our spirits and our souls to this very Torah and the lessons contained within the letters we breathed to life with our scribe as our guide. And I pledge to you, in this sanctuary, in the presence of our new Torah and my fellow Jewish people, that I will continue to work to live up to my potential as a human being.
I wish for all of you the joy of Torah in your lives.
Thank you.
Posted by Lee at October 26, 2004 02:02 PM
