Keeping Connected with Rabbi Perry
Jews are People of Hope
February 2018 Newsletter Article
For over ten years I have participated in a monthly Spiritual Direction group with colleagues. We have been witnesses to each other’s spiritual questions and struggles. We have respectfully listened to each other and because of this collaborative journey, we have been blessed with periodic moments of personal insight. More often than not, we have been strengthened by one another’s companionship and friendship. In rare moments, perhaps we have even felt a presence of something that some would call grace, some would call holiness and some might even call God.
The experience of participating in this group has taught me many things about my personal spiritual journey, one element of which I would like to share with you. For me, one of the greatest gifts that Judaism has given to me is the presence, responsibility and opportunity of hope. Many Jews call themselves the “People of the Book”. For me, although, clearly there is truth in that sentiment, I resonate more the sense that as Jews we are people of hope. More
The Core Jewish Value of Community
January 2018 Newsletter Article
Almost two thousand years ago, Rabbi Hillel was recorded as sharing two essential teachings about Jewish life. The first is a simple mandate – “Do not separate yourself from community.” The second, and perhaps the more famous of the two, being – “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?” Both of these teachings, which emphasize the core Jewish value of community, have helped to guide, sustain and enrich the Jewish people through history.
In a temporal and spiritual sense, Jews connect to community THROUGH time. We see ourselves as standing at Mt. Sinai, just as our ancestors did. Each year at Pesach, we say that WE/OURSELVES went forth from Egypt. We relish celebrating the achievements of Jews through time and in other parts of the world, and in feeling such pride, a small part of us feels as though these achievements happened in our “extended family”. We also feel as though the dark chapters of our history are somehow also our own. The significance of the expression “L’dor Va’dor” takes shape in this understanding of community.
Thank You to All Members
November 2017 Newsletter Article
It is with gratitude that I write to thank all the members of the congregation as well as the members of the 50th Anniversary Committee for planning such a wonderful Gala and year of celebrations. I was very touched to be honored at the Gala, along with Rabbi Bard, the founding families and past presidents. For those who were not there I wanted to share my words of thanks with you as well.
It has been a privilege to serve Congregation Shalom since 1998 and I am deeply grateful to all the lay leaders and especially the presidents who I have worked with as we have pursued the mission of our congregation. Many synagogue communities think of themselves as “special”. After having worked in many synagogues since 1986, I know that Congregation Shalom is special and I feel blessed to be a part of a community that is so caring of its members and the pursuit of Tikkun Olam. More
The DNA of Judaism
July 2017 Newsletter Article
The first part of Congregation Shalom’s mission statement reads, “Congregation Shalom is a Reform Jewish community committed to education, spiritual growth, and Tikkun Olam (healing the world).” As one reads this, it is easy to separate out the categories–Education, Spiritual Growth, Tikkun Olam, as if they are distinct and non-intersecting endeavors. For instance, if we were to reflect on the pursuit of Education, we might conclude that studying Jewish texts, reading in general, attending lectures and classes, watching movies, reading newspapers, discussions with others, etc. would all be actions that fulfill this mission. If we were to think about a path towards Spiritual Growth, we might consider that prayer, ritual and meditation would fall into this category. As for Tikkun Olam, we would probably think about tzedakah and performing acts of gimilut chasidim–acts of loving kindness. For instance, helping at Mitzvah Day, cooking for the food shelter, donating clothes, teaching English to refugees, and more, would all be examples of Tikkun Olam. More
Finding a Sense of Purpose
June 2017 Newsletter Article
In recent months, I have had the honor of teaching our B’nai Mitzvah class, our Confirmation class and our Post-Confirmation class. With each group of students I have offered the opportunity to reflect on the theme of “purpose”. What does it mean to become an adult Jew? What words of wisdom would you share with younger students in our religious school? What does it mean to “confirm” your identity as a Jew and how has community helped your vision grow? How do you hope to move forward in your Jewish lives with a sense of meaning and commitment? Our students have embraced the opportunity to reflect and they have offered different age-appropriate answers. In every case, their insights and observations and most of all their embrace of “purpose” is truly inspiring. More