My Last Kol Nidre

Kol Nidre 5785 – Awareness, Appreciation, and Action

Rabbi Joseph R. Black – Temple Emanuel - Denver, CO

October 11, 2025

My Dear Friends – L’shanah Tovah and G’mar Chatimah Tovah!

This is the last Kol Nidre sermon I will deliver as your rabbi. As I think about July 1st, 2025 when I will join Rabbi Foster as a Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Emanuel, I realize that the coming year will be filled with many “lasts”: 

·      The last b’nai mitzvah,

·      the last shabbat service,

·      the last funeral,

·      The last conversion student

·      or hospital visit, or baby naming

And all of these will be poignant and powerful. The last wedding at which I will be officiating while I am still Sr. Rabbi will be in June - and it will be extra special because my son, Ethan will stand with his beloved Zahava Davis under the Chuppah - here in this sanctuary – as I co-officiate with Zahava’s father, Rabbi Michael Davis of Wichita, Kansas. Ethan and Zahava met 8 years ago at Shwayder Camp where he was Songleader and she was Assistant Director, so the multiple layers of joy and fulfillment that this simcha represents are truly overwhelming.

As I think about all the “lasts” that will take place over the course of the next 262 days until I retire, I can’t help also thinking about some of the “firsts” that have brought me to this moment.

It seems like only yesterday that I began my journey to the Rabbinate as a student at the Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion. How could it have been 42 years ago?  That seems absurd! While in rabbinical school, I began to learn what it meant to be a rabbi – and the truth is, I am still learning – even at this point in my career.

In Seminary, my classmates and I learned to study sacred text. We immersed ourselves in liturgy, philosophy, theology, and Jewish history. We studied Hebrew and Aramaic grammar, Talmud, Midrash, Mishnah and even Kabbalah. We immersed ourselves in Educational Theory and Homiletics. But as thorough and wonderful as our education was, there were some things we could never be taught. No one told us about the possibility of

·     September 11th, 2001 – the day that changed the world as we knew it;

·     A rise in anti-Semitism – in America and around the world;

·     A global pandemic that forced us to retool everything we did overnight in order to serve the needs of communities in crisis;

·     Political unrest in our country that threatens the very foundations of Democracy;

·     The State of Israel facing an existential crisis that questions the validity and foundations of Zionism…

….just to name a few…..  we had no choice but to learn on the job– fumbling along with everyone else. And this process has never stopped. I learn more every day.

I am fortunate that, throughout my career, I have been blessed with some wonderful partners – both lay and professional

·        in Minneapolis,

·        In Albuquerque,

and, of course here in Denver where the talents of Cantor Elizabeth Sacks, Rabbi Emily Hyatt, Cantorial Soloist, Steve Brodsky, Executive director Steve Stark, Rabbi Emeritus Steven Foster – and everyone on our professional and lay leadership teams inspire me daily.

We have grown together. We have seen successes and taken on difficult challenges – but through it all, we have learned from one another and every experience – and we have strived to apply that knowledge and share its wisdom with all of you. I am thrilled that our Board of Trustees has chosen Rabbis Sacks and Hyatt to succeed me as we go from strength to strength.

This past year, in addition to celebrating our 150th anniversary, we also have been holding our collective breaths. Each day following the horrific events of October 7th has left us filled with dread as we anxiously seek out news about the fate of the hostages and an end to this war. This past Monday, on the anniversary of that tragedy, this sanctuary was filled to overflowing as our greater Denver Jewish community came together to commemorate, grieve, remember, and recommit ourselves to one another and to the State of Israel.  October 7th has changed us– and, in many ways – it has also kept us frozen in our tracks as we have prayed for the release of the hostages and a pathway – if not to peace, then at least to some kind of resolution that will allow for the rebuilding of destroyed communities – on all  sides of all borders – Israeli, Palestinian, and Lebanese. At the same time, we cannot ever give up our hope for peace – with two States – Israeli and Palestinian – living side by side.

October 7th and its aftermath has also provided an added layer of complexity as I reflect on my last year in the pulpit. While I know that retirement is the correct decision for me, my family, and Temple Emanuel, it is difficult to leave at a time when there is so much chaos taking place all around us. 

And so, as I thought about this sermon, I must tell you, I was not sure what to say. Even though I will not be retiring until the end of June, this is the largest crowd I will address from this pulpit. So, the pressure is on. What do I need to share, and, more important, what do you need to hear from me tonight?

Many people have asked me what I plan to do when I retire. When asked this question, Rabbi Jack Stern – of blessed memory used to say that he was going to finish his book. People would ask: “Are you writing a book?” His response: “No, I am just trying to read one!”  For the past 37 years in the pulpit (42 – if you count the time I spent in Rabbinical school), my time has not been my own. Being a member of the clergy is more than a full-time job.

Now, I’m not complaining – I love being a rabbi and, as Cantor Sacks so beautifully said on Rosh Hashanah, it is a calling, not a profession. But when I wake up on the morning of July 1st it will feel strange – even disorienting– but I know that I’ll get used to it.

While I don’t have a full plan yet, I do know that I will be composing, recording, and sharing my music with others. Over the course of my rabbinic career, I have often struggled to balance service to my congregation with my creative self. Music has all too often taken a back seat to the needs of the communities I have served – as it should have. After retirement, I will have more time to dedicate to creative pursuits. (Although Sue has informed me that she has a long list of things for me to accomplish at home…but that’s another story…)

One goal that I have also set for myself early in retirement is to actually write a book based on a concept that I have been presenting at various songwriting and music conferences for the past several years. The tentative title of the book is “The Spirituality of Creativity” and my hope is that it will shed some light on the sacred work of artists, musicians, writers, and anyone else who feels called to create.

You see, I have found that responding to the call of my creative impulse has led me to find holiness in the most unexpected places and moments.

Spirituality is a difficult concept to grasp. It can mean many different things to different people. The author and lecturer Dr. Brene Brown, in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection[i] writes that: 

“Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion.” 

I like her definition – it’s a good place to start, but it is also incomplete. For the gift of spirituality to be fully actualized, it needs to not only be connected with others - it has to be shared as well. This is where the line between creativity and spirituality becomes blurred. All art, all creative acts reflect our relationship with the world around us and, ultimately, its source.

As such, I have come up with my own definition of spirituality that I want to share with you on this holiest night of the year.

My definition of spirituality is based on three principles – all conveniently beginning with the letter “A”:

·        Awareness

·        Appreciation, and

·        Action

Awareness begins with Dr. Brown’s definition – understanding that we are all connected to each other by a power greater than ourselves. But, as I just said, that, in and of itself, is not enough. Judaism teaches that every aspect of our lives  - everything we do - has the potential for holiness – if we allow ourselves to find it. This happens all the time, and every day. We have blessings for everything – from waking up in the morning, to going to sleep at night; from tasting the first fruits of the season, to affixing a mezuzah to the door posts of our homes – our tradition teaches us to open up ourselves and our souls to the presence of something larger than ourselves – wherever and whenever we look.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, in this seminal work, The Sabbath, teaches that a key component of spiritual awakening arises out of an understanding that, although we spend much of our time creating, for one day of the week – on shabbat – we stop our labors and focus on the fact that we are created. Our task, as spiritual beings, is to see the world around us with a sense of awe and wonder. We crave God’s presence in our lives, and we constantly search for it. This is reflected in our sacred texts:

·      Jacob, awakening from a dream where he saw a ladder reaching up to the heavens cries out: “Wow!  God is in this place and I – I did not know it!”

·      Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel all cry out to God in desperation as they pray for a child – and their prayers are answered.

·      Moses pleads with God to show him the divine countenance so that he will be able to better understand God’s ways, and all of God’s glory passes before him as he stands on the rock.

·      In the depths of his aloneness, the prophet Elijah hears a “Still Small Voice” that reassures him of God’s presence.

But this doesn’t only happen in the Bible. There are times when we are all acutely aware of the spiritual gifts in our lives  - moments of both joy and sorrow:

·   Holding a newborn child or grandchild

·   Celebrating a young person becoming B’nai mitzvah

·   Standing under the chuppah at a child’s wedding

·   Standing silently, shovel in hand, as the casket of a loved is lowered into the earth, and hearing the heartbreaking thud of dirt as it hits the coffin – the pain and loss we feel reflects the gift we have been given by sharing in their lives;

·   Even standing at this pulpit for the last time on Kol Nidre….

All of these moments are infused with hyper awareness of both the joyous gift of life – and the unbearable pain of loss. Sometimes these two experiences are blurred, and yet, it is the fact that we are attuned to both joy and sorrow that we begin to understand just how so many different sacred strands are woven into our lives.

In the Torah we find that we are created in God’s image[ii]. Rabbinic tradition adds to this by positing that an even greater gift than creation itself is our awareness that we were created in God’s image. Once our eyes have been opened to this fundamental concept, we are forever changed. And it is this change that moves us to the next component in understanding our spiritual selves – from Awareness to Appreciation.

Appreciation means responding to the gift of awareness. One of the many lessons that my mother, of blessed memory, drilled into my head was the importance of writing thank-you-notes. When we receive a gift, we must acknowledge it and give thanks. When we understand the beauty, fragility, and uniqueness of the gift of our own creation, we have no choice but to find avenues of expression – to give thanks for the blessing of our very existence.

·   We show our appreciation when we share our lives with others.

·   We show our appreciation with words of prayer

·   We show our appreciation by living lives of meaning and purpose – utilizing the finite moments of our experience – savoring the good – and even the bad …

– because life is fleeting, precious and rare. The older I get, the more I understand this profound truth.

There is a reason that so many of our prayers are about giving thanks. The act of acknowledging the gifts we have been given puts us in relationship with the source of those gifts:  with God – or however you choose to define the Divine.

To understand the miraculous nature of our lives is to realize that we have no choice but to adopt an attitude of gratitude for the blessings that surround us. We are compelled to say thank you – to show our appreciation to the source of life - even when we are not sure where to direct our thanks. And when we have to face sorrow and pain – as we all do – the memories of the blessings we have experienced can give us strength, hope, and appreciation when we contrast them to our current situation. There is a reason that the mourner’s kaddish is not about death, but rather about extolling the God who gives us life, meaning and purpose.

But acknowledging – giving thanks – is still not enough… Once we have been given a gift and shown our appreciation, the next step is to share these gifts with others - to work to make the world a better place – what our tradition calls Tikkun Olam- the repair of our all too imperfect world. And so, we move from Appreciation to ACTION.

If we do not work to improve the world, we are forsaking the gift of life itself. In Judaism, true spirituality is not about separating ourselves from others – achieving a higher level of consciousness and reveling in the marvel of our mindfulness. Have you ever wondered why there are no Jewish monasteries? The Torah takes a dim view of monastic life. It is all but forbidden[iii]. The reason for this is that in order for our lives to have meaning and purpose, we need to be present in the world, and act to make it a better place.

·   Is there a cause, or a candidate about which you are passionate? Volunteer!

·   Is there an organization that makes your life better? (Perhaps a synagogue…) Get involved! Donate!

·   Is there a way that you can improve the lives of those around you? Find it!

·   Is there a way for each of us, especially at this liminal time of Yom Kippur, to find new ways to give back – in thanks and appreciation for the good that we have received?

And yes, as I have asked you - every year on Yom Kippur - are there relationships in our lives that are broken – that need to be repaired? On this Kol Nidre eve, let is take some time and think about how we all might be able to bridge the painful gaps that come from shutting out – or being shut out – by the most important people in our lives. Do it now! Before it is too late!

Taking action to repair the brokenness in our world and in ourselves is more than simply a good deed – it is an act of Spiritual connectedness. It is prayer incarnate.

Connecting with our spiritual selves is not easy. God (however you define God) can be illusive. Sometimes God is distant and hard to find.  Other times – such as this moment right now – God’s presence is overwhelming. Over the past 14 years that I have served as your Sr. Rabbi, I have truly been blessed. This is a remarkable community. You have nurtured my soul and helped me to find the spirituality that puts everything in perspective. For this, I offer you my deepest thanks, gratitude, and love. And most importantly, for the times that I have NOT been there for you – when I have let you down – knowingly or not – please forgive me.

I would never have been able to be present for you – or to understand the meaning and power of Spirituality - without my family:

·    My beloved wife, Sue – who nurtures and sustains me, shares my dreams, calls out my bullsh…(pause) my hubris, serves as my greatest cheerleader and, when necessary, my toughest critic, and has been by my side throughout this entire journey. Being a rabbi’s spouse is not easy. There have been too many times when the needs of the congregation have overshadowed our ability to be together. I look forward to finally being able to do simple things like sit together at services. I am blessed by her love and support every day.

·    My children, Elana and Greg, and Ethan and soon – Zahava, are all remarkable human beings whose values, humanity and love I cherish. Being the children of clergy is never easy. People think they know you and, all too often, boundaries are crossed. Many Clergy kids feel a need to rebel and reject their faith because they see it as barrier to family togetherness.  But they have not.  I feel so blessed to see them growing into amazing adults who care deeply about Judaism, their values, and their ability make a difference in the world.

·    And, of course, my perfect grandson, Ezra - who has shown me more of God’s presence in the past 15 months than I ever could have imagined.

My Dear Friends, over the course of this next year, as I prepare for the next stage of my life as a Rabbi Emeritus, I know that we will have many opportunities to connect, to study, to laugh, and maybe even to shed a few tears together. But as we do, let us try to understand that everything we do can and should be done with Appreciation, Acknowledgement and Action.

Thank you for the privilege of partnering with all of you in this sacred covenant:

·      Together we have searched for God.

·      Together we have worked to make the world a better place.

·      Together we have shared our lives – in joy and in sorrow – and I cannot be more grateful for the trust you have placed in me and my rabbinate,

On this holiest night of the year, I stand before you with joy, humility, and gratitude in my heart.

I want to conclude with a song that I wrote a few years ago about the meaning and purpose of the search for God’s presence: It’s called

God Plays Hide and Seek[iv]

Link to the song:  

 https://youtu.be/AQOCBO9RuDc?si=W36D6AxlsYjqOnp6

God plays hide and seek

Leaving trails of crumbs for us to find

With twists and turns along a crooked road that winds

Among the valleys and the peaks

God plays hide and seek

God plays hard to get

With feigned indifference to our daily toil

Like a pot- you watch it, but it never boils

Like a sideways silhouette

God plays hard to get

But even when you’re halfway thru the race

And you find yourself in hot pursuit

Just take some time and think about the chase

It's not the finish line you seek- it's each step along the route

God plays fast and loose

The rules change daily at a moment's whim

There's no devotion, prayer, or ancient hymn

To bring about a truce

When God plays fast and loose.

G’mar Chatimah Tovah – may we all be sealed for a blessing in the book of life.

Amen

[i] Brown, Brene, The Gifts of Imperfection, Hazeldon Books, Minneapolis, MN 2010

[ii] See Genesis 1:27

[iii] See Numbers 6:21

[iv] From the CD, Praying With Our Feet. Words and Music © 2016  - Rabbi Joe Black – Lanitunes Music (ASCAP)

All Rights Reserved.

 

Erev Rosh HaShanah- Zionism Today: Caught Between Two Narratives. Erev Rosh HaShanah 5758 (2024)

Here is a Link to the video of my sermon:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JhBibjTyePE 

My Dear Friends,  L’shanah Tovah! 

Tomorrow morning, we will once again read the story of the Binding of Isaac – the Akeydah. We will hear as Abraham is called by God to sacrifice his only son as a test of faith and how, at the very last second, an angel of God calls out and commands him to stop – saving Isaac’s life and Abraham and Sarah’s legacy.

I have been writing and delivering Rosh Hashanah sermons ever since my first High Holyday student pulpit in Walterboro South Carolina in 1983. Each year, I have wrestled with this text, and the many ethical, theological, and psychological problems that it poses- and I am not alone. Philosophers, commentators, and Rabbis from Rashi to Kierkegaard have tried to understand the messages and purposes of this complex narrative.

As I approach my last year as your Senior Rabbi, the quandary of the Akeydah still looms large. One of the key issues that Abraham faces as he and Isaac go on their three-day journey to Mt. Moriah is the difficulty of holding on to two completely different and contradictory narratives. God is testing Abraham. God tells him to take his son, his only son – whom he loves – and offer him up as a sacrifice. God has promised Abraham and Sarah that their descendants will be plentiful and that Isaac will be the progenitor of multiple generations.

Herein lies his dilemma: If Abraham sacrifices Isaac, then God’s promise of future generations is nullified. But if he does not go ahead with this horrible deed, then he is disobeying his Creator. Both outcomes are untenable. Abraham is facing an existential crisis that challenges both his faith and the reality in which he lives. Even the ending of the narrative is chilling. When, at the last minute, Abraham learns that this entire ordeal was a trial to measure his faithfulness, we are left with the question: “What kind of god would torture someone with such a horrific test?”

During the course of this past year, in the aftermath of October 7th, many of us have felt like Abraham.  We too have been tested. Of course, our experience here in Denver pales in comparison with the pain that Israelis are experiencing. And yet, as the one-year anniversary of the unspeakable horrors of the Hamas pogrom draws near, and in the shadow of the recent attacks on Israel from Iran, Jews around the world are dealing with several painful realities:

• The plight of the hostages in Gaza and the unbearable suffering that their loved ones are enduring as they wait for some glimmer of hope to emerge from this horrific situation,
• Yesterday’s missile attacks by Iran that made it perfectly clear that this war is not between Israel and Hamas, or Hezbollah – but, rather it is Iran that threatens the peace and stability of the middle East – if not the entire globe,
• The frightening rise of Anti-Semitism from both the Far Right and the Far Left here in America,
• The coordinated and well-orchestrated anti-Israel and anti-Semitic protests on school campuses, on the streets, legislative halls and public squares of every city around the country and around the world that utilize terms such as globalism, apartheid, colonialism, and racism to demonize Zionism and slander the State of Israel,
• The sense of abandonment that many in the Jewish world are experiencing as we see former partners with whom we worked side by side on issues of social justice, now spouting anti-Zionist and Anti-Semitic tropes that we thought were long buried in the ash-heap of history,
• The verbal attacks on Israel as it fights a war it did not seek – and when it targets enemies bent on its destruction it is blamed for the deaths of innocents who are deliberately placed in harm’s way,

…All of these have contributed to a sense of dread and uncertainty that have shaken us to the core. And to top it all off - this is taking place against a backdrop of social and political upheaval in America as we approach another bitterly fought presidential election. 

The situation for Jews - in America and around the world – is rapidly changing. In the 42 years since beginning my journey to the Rabbinate, I cannot recall another, more precarious time.

• The fact that armed guards are now commonplace in every synagogue we enter,
• The ever-increasing budget lines designated for protective personnel and defensive building upgrades that take away needed funds for education and other programming,
• The many security protocols that we have put in place

…are all testimonies to the fact that we are facing a dangerous period in our history.

And perhaps, more unnerving than all these factors is the increasing generational disconnect in our community as a not insignificant number of Jews – especially young Jews - are questioning the values, history and underpinnings of Zionism, and they are using the very same rhetoric and language as those who strive to put an end to the State of Israel.

The phrases, “Free Palestine,” “from the river to the sea,” and “globalize the intifada” are not new. We know what they mean. We understand that they are calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. We expect to hear them from our enemies. But the pain and shock of hearing these very same phrases coming from the mouths of our fellow Jews– many of whom grew up in our congregations and our homes - is quite another matter.

I am a proud Zionist. And I am not alone. I know that many, if not most of you here tonight share my views.

And yet, Increasingly, the connection between American Jews and Israel is being challenged by new norms and expectations that pose difficult questions we must ask ourselves:

• Are Zionism and Judaism really intertwined? Can one be a Jew and an anti-Zionist?
• How do we deal with the sufferings of innocents caught up in the crossfire between Israel and its enemies in Gaza, The West Bank, and Lebanon?
• What has been the impact of the policies of the current extremist government in Israel on Jews around the world who do not share in the triumphalist, fundamentalist and all too-often, racist views of some of the members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet?
• Christian Nationalism is on the rise in America. While not all non-Jewish supporters of Israel are Christian Nationalists, many Far Right, fundamentalist movements that love Israel often base their support on theological and ideological principles that share little, if anything, with our Jewish values. Can we truly feel comfortable marching side by side with those whose Zionism is based on a triumphalist, eschatological world view, and whose vision of a theocratic, Christian America that includes the subjugation of women, condemnation of our LGBTQ+ friends, family, and neighbors, and tearing down the sacred walls separating religion and State?
• And most important, have we failed to teach the next generation about the vital connection between the land and the people of Israel?

And so, we American Jews, like Abraham, find ourselves holding multiple, sometimes contradictory narratives that expose both our fears and our failures – at a time that we can least afford to be uncertain about ourselves, our values, or our future.

Tonight, as we welcome in a New Year, we have no choice but to acknowledge that we are facing a turning point in our history. One of the main issues that the Jewish community must address in the short term is the need to radically transform the way that teach our children - and ourselves, for that matter - the essential call of K’lal-Yisrael- or Jewish peoplehood

We’ve done an excellent job of working for social justice. The universal push for Tikkun Olam – the repairing of our all too broken world has no less value today than it did before October 7th.  But has this emphasis on Universalism moved us away from the importance of peoplehood? As Hillel taught:

אם אין אני לי מי לי?

‏ וכשאני ולעצמי מה אני?

‏ואם לא עכשיו אי מתי?

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?  But if I am only for myself, what am I?  And if not now, when?”

We Reform Jews are experts on the second part of Hillel’s Maxim: וכשאני ולעצמי מה אני? -- “If I am only for myself, what am I?” – and we should be proud of that fact. But we have fallen short in relation to his primary statement: אם אין אני לי מי לי?

 “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” We have taught our children to look out and care for others – and this is as it should be – the ideals that fuel our movement’s social justice initiatives are essential. But they cannot replace the importance of supporting our community in times of need – especially in the State of Israel.

And this leads us to the third part of Hillel’s Maxim: ואם לא עכשיו אי מתי?

 Im lo achshav, eymatai? – If not now, when?

If we do not act quickly to increase our emphasis on K’lal Yisrael, then we run the very real risk of distancing ourselves from the history and values that have sustained our people for millennia.

We also cannot afford to cut off the young people whose anger and angst about the State of Israel has caused them to protest. As much as we might disagree with them, they see this conflict as a human rights issue. They are living out the very values we have taught them – if not in a misguided fashion.

• We have taught them that the pursuit of social justice is a central Jewish value.
• We have taught them to speak up for the powerless.
• We have taught them that we should not oppress the stranger for we know the heart of the stranger – having ourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.

And when they hear from others that Israel is an occupying and abusive power; when they are told that everything that they learned about Israel is false; when they repeatedly hear the lie that Israel is a racist, colonialist enterprise that is oppressing an indigenous population, they do not have enough information to confront and refute this sophisticated poison that flows directly from our enemies.

This is on us, my friends. There is no short term “magic pill” that can address propaganda. Education about the history of the Jewish people and the values of Zionism takes time, resources, effort and consistency. It also takes courage to tell the whole story – not a sanitized version of the truth.

Let me be clear: Israel is not a utopia. The myth of Israeli infallibility is dangerous. Mistakes have been made over the past 75 years. Democracy and governance can be messy. Just look at our own country! When we hold Israel to an impossible standard of perfection, we do everyone a disservice and open the door to manipulation and misinformation.

My friends, the task before us is difficult, but not impossible. For 2 millennia, Judaism has taught us how to disagree without alienating one another. We can’t lose this now.  It is said in the debates between Hillel and Shammai that the Halacha  - Jewish law -often went on the side of Hillel in part because he knew the opposing views and would lay them out before presenting his own.

As such – it is vitally important that, instead of cutting off our young people who actively oppose Israel and Zionism, we should open our doors and hearts and bring them close. We should listen to them and hope that they, in turn, will listen to us. This doesn’t mean that we should agree with or support their beliefs, but rather it does mean that we want to engage them in true dialogue and let them know that they are not pariahs. We cannot afford to lose them.  They are our children.

Similarly, as we teach our children and ourselves about the State of Israel we cannot sugarcoat the facts on the ground. Instead of ignoring or rejecting the problems facing the Jewish state, we need to work to improve them. One powerful way to accomplish this is by supporting the Reform Movement in Israel.

Some of you will remember that a year and a half ago - in April of 2023 - I served as a delegate for the Reform Movement to a special meeting of the World Zionist Conference in Jerusalem. There, in addition to celebrating Israel’s 75th anniversary, we also debated and voted on key issues that faced the worldwide Zionist movement. The World Zionist Congress is a non-governmental gathering of every facet of the Zionist movement. Its main purpose is to set forward an agenda for education and allocation of resources from the World Zionist Organization and its affiliates – including, ARZA – (the Association of Reform Zionists in America), Haddasah, B’nai Brith, and other groups from the most Ultra-Othodox, Far Right, to the extreme left. Prior to the Congress, there is an election in which every organization and movement encourages its members to vote. The more votes received, the more power and influence on policy a movement has. The next Congress will take place in Fall of 2025. Elections will take place from March to May next year.

 

Lest you think that this is a trivial matter, let me assure you that it is not.  While non-citizens cannot vote in Israeli elections, we can have a say in promoting and sustaining our values. Millions of dollars of funds, and key leadership portfolios will be distributed from the Jewish Agency in Israel based on the results of next year’s elections. The platforms and policies funded by these resources will reflect the vote tallies.  By registering as a member and by casting your vote, you can and will make a huge difference. The Far-Right Zionist camp did not do well in the last elections. This time, they are well organized and have prepared a sophisticated smear campaign against the Reform movement – calling us non-Jews and anti-Zionists. We cannot let them win.

Why is this important? In the words of my friend and colleague, Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Director of ARZA:

“Liberal Zionism is the insistence that there is no necessary contradiction between Israel’s dual identity as a Jewish and democratic state: that Israel can be a national home and refuge for the Jewish people while also embodying universal democratic principles of human rights and equality. Threading this needle, for liberal Zionists, means Israel must adopt a more liberal set of policies — most importantly, a two-state peace agreement with the Palestinians that allows both peoples to live with security and dignity, and to allow for greater religious freedom and pluralism.”

And so, I want you to do something tonight.  As you leave services, you will notice several posters in the Foyer about registering to vote for the World Zionist Congress. There is a QR code on these posters that will take you to a website that will give you information about the World Zionist Congress and help you register to vote. Before you go home, take a picture of the QR code.  If you’re not comfortable doing that, it’s ok - all Temple members will be receiving information about the Zionist Congress in the next few weeks – but it is vitally important that everyone register! There will also be opportunities to get involved on a grass-roots level here in Denver to help register as many people as possible.

My Dear Friends, we are living in difficult times. Our hearts are turned towards Israel as it struggles against enemies – within and without.  But together we can make a difference. Now is the time for us to work together to reinforce all of our values: the Universal and the Particular - those of K’lal Yisrael and those that teach us to care for others. They are not mutually exclusive. Now is the time to remember the words of Israel’s National Anthem – “Hatikvah”

Od Lo Avda Tikvateynu – We have not lost our hope – the hope of two thousand years, to be a free people in our land – in the land of Zion and Jerusalem. HaTikvah means “The Hope.”

The late great Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote the following:

"Many of us confuse two concepts: optimism and hope. They sound similar. But in truth, they are very different. Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Hope is the belief that together we can make things better. To be optimistic requires no courage. A certain naivety suffices. But to hope requires great courage. No Jew who knows the history of their people, much of which was written in tears, can be optimistic. But no Jew, if they are a true Jew, can give up hope. And that is why Judaism is for me the voice of hope in the conversation of humanity. And hope is what changes the human condition."

As we begin a new year, let us journey together with hope in our hearts. Let us work and pray for peace and reconciliation, and let us say, AMEN – L’Shanah Tovah

 

Remarks at the Freedom To Marry Faith Leaders Pres Conference – 9/10/2024

 While the State of Colorado is currently a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ individuals, this was not always the case. Currently, an amendment in the Colorado constitution defines marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman. If the U.S. Supreme Court was to roll back rights for gay and lesbian couples, marriage for same-sex couples would no longer be protected in Colorado. I participated this morning in a press briefing in support of "Amendment J" in the upcoming elections that would eliminate this hateful wording

Statement by Rabbi Joseph R. Black –

Sr. Rabbi – Temple Emanuel, Denver, CO

Freedom To Marry Faith Leaders Pres Conference – 9/10/2024

 

I am here this morning because I am passionate about a central tenet of my faith: the idea that all humanity is equal in God’s Creation.  One of the most important verses in the Bible – if not THE most important verse is Genesis 1:27, where we are taught that all of Humanity is created in the image of God. As such, we need to celebrate and protect every person’s right to personal freedom and human dignity. Who we love, how we love and the sacred commitments we make with others are areas that Government should regulate – unless the choices that individuals make impinge upon the rights of others.  Our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters are created in the image of God. Full stop. They do not choose who they are – it is part of the divine spark that is implanted within them by a beneficent Creator. Instead of persecuting members of the LGBTQ+ community, we should be celebrating their uniqueness. If, indeed, we are all created in God’s image, then laws which exclude and discriminate against one’s ability to express and sanctify their love and relationships violate basic principles of fairness and equality that are central to the values of our nation, my tradition- and that of everyone else on this call. As a Jew, history has taught me that laws that discriminate against any minority population can, and often do, lead to disastrous consequences.  Thank you

The Four Weeks Of Elul: Week One - The Importance of Sacred Community in Difficult Times

Dear Friends,

I am writing this message on a plane en-route to Denver. This past week, I have been out of the country officiating at a wedding. As wonderful as it was to be celebrating a simcha in a beautiful location, the ongoing war in Israel and the recent horrific murders of 6 Israeli hostages cast a long shadow on our festivities.

A highlight of every Jewish wedding is the chanting of the words, “Soon may there be heard in the cities of Judah and the neighborhoods of Jerusalem – the song of joy and happiness, the voice of the bride and groom, the joyous celebrations of youth and the songs of children at play…”

I must confess, it was difficult to chant these ancient, hopeful words which speak of the longing to rejoice in our ancient homeland while parents were burying their children and Jews around the world were filled with grief and uncertainty. The joyous act of celebrating a wedding seemed incongruous considering the grief, anger, and fear that was once again kindled – as has repeatedly been the case - ever since the heinous attack on October 7^th. And yet, we did not refrain from our celebration. To have done so would have been improper. It would also have granted our enemies a small victory. When I chanted those words under the Chuppah (the wedding canopy), I spoke about our pain. When the glass was broken, I shared how our history has always been filled with both joy and brokenness. This is what we do as Jews. There is a famous teaching from the Talmud - tractate Ketubot, that instructs, “If a funeral procession and a wedding procession meet at an intersection, the wedding procession goes first.” As Ecclesiastes teaches: “To everything there is a season… a time to Mourn and a time to dance….”

As many of you know, on this Shabbat we will be culminating our year-long celebration of Temple Emanuel’s 150th Anniversary with a special Friday night service and gala celebration on Saturday night. We are justifiably proud of our congregation and its legacy, and we intend to carry on with our plans. And yet, we also understand the need to respond to the tragic events of this past week. As such, our services, in addition to celebrating our history, will also serve as a Shabbat of Solidarity with Israel and our entire community. Together we will mourn – and then we will rejoice. Saturday night’s gala will go on as planned, and on Sunday morning, at 10:00 am, we encourage everyone to attend the “Run for Their Lives” at Washington Park where our community will come together to show our support for Israel and share our pain.

As we contemplate the mixture of emotions we are feeling, we also want to acknowledge the sacred time of year into which we are now entering.

 

 

This past Wednesday, September 4th, marked the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul. It is customary during the four weeks that precede the High Holidays, to begin intensive personal preparations for the New Year. This process, called Cheshbon Ha-Nefesh – an inventory of our souls – requires that each of us engage in a process of self-examination. During this sacred season we look closely at our relationships, thoughts, deeds, fears and dreams. We do this so that we can enter the Yamim Noraim– the Days of Awe – spiritually and personally renewed and prepared for the process of teshuvah (repentance/returning).

Our tradition teaches that the month of Elul compels us to ask for forgiveness from those we have wronged over the course of the past year. We are also commanded to forgive those who ask us as well.

It has become our tradition at Temple Emanuel to focus on different aspects of our lives during the four weeks of Elul. Each week, a member of our Clergy Team will be sending out an message addressing our Communal, Interpersonal, Physical, and Spiritual Selves. Each message will begin with an introduction to the week’s theme, followed by 7 questions that we can ask ourselves. At each Friday Night Service we will address our comments and questions in our remarks.

Given the fact that the events of this past week have shaken us to the core, it is appropriate to focus this week’s questions around Community.

Most of us are part of multiple communities. Sometimes they intersect and sometimes they do not, but our ability to forge meaningful relationships with those with whom we share our lives is a vitally important aspect of our overall health.

As such, here are 7 questions to think about as we enter into this sacred month of Elul:

1. How has the tragedy of October 7^th and the war that has followed brought me closer to my community? How have these events distanced me from my community?
2. There are many people who are passionate about what is happening in Israel and Gaza – we do not all agree. How has this disagreement affected me personally? Has it changed the way I view my community?
3. Have I allowed the current divisive rhetoric so prevalent in the current US political climate to impact my relationships with people in my life who do not share my views?
4. Everywhere we look we see a rise in anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric.  How has this affected my relationship with my community?
5. When I am at synagogue, have I done all that I can to make others feel welcomed in the same way that I want to feel welcome?
6. When asked to help support the important institutions in my community, have I given as much as I could or should?
7. How often have I allowed myself to retreat into my own bubble when I could have participated in activities that connect me to others in my community?

These questions are in no way complete.  They are designed to help all of us to begin the process of looking deep within ourselves and our souls as we enter into the month of Elul.

We want to hear from you. If you have thoughts questions, or comments about anything we encourage you to let us know.

May we all utilize these and all of our questions to help gain a better understanding of our communal selves.

L’Shanah Tovah,

 

Rabbi Joseph R. Black

The Dangers of Selective Memory – Behaalotecha, 2024

Shabbat shalom!

In Numbers 11:4-6, we find the following:

4. And the mixed multitude that was among them had a strong craving; and the people of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us meat to eat?

5. We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic;

6. But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

It’s amazing to me how the Children of Israel could have such a selective memory…..  It hadn’t been all that long that they were slaves in Egypt.  And yet, the memory of the horrors of enslavement have begun to fade – all that they can remember is the fact that their bellies were full….

I think of this on this Shabbat because as we have learned so many times throughout history, the way that we remember the events that defined our past has a direct impact on our future.

·      80 years ago, on June 6 1944 – the Allied forces began an all out offensive against Germany that became known as D-Day

·      57 years ago, on June 10, 1967 – the 6 day war broke out in Israel

What ties these events together?

The fact that memory is selective.

So much of who we are and what we do is dependent upon who and how we remember the major events and individuals who made it possible for us to be here in the first place.

On June 6, 1944 – 80 years ago -- more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler’s crack troops.[i] 

57 years ago, the world held its collective breath as the Israel Defense forces prevented an all-out assault on the fragile Jewish State.  For 6 days, the IDF waged a bloody campaign that not only established the State of Israel as a modern, powerful nation, but, for the first time in over 2,000 years, the Holy City of Jerusalem was returned to Jewish Hands.  The territorial gains achieved by Israel were a mixed blessing, of course.  They provided the framework for a peace treaty with Egypt, but, at the same time, the policies of settlement and occupation created new frontiers of conflict and tension that resonate in the headlines to this very day.

Even though I was only 8 years old at the time, I have a visceral memory of the fear of those 6 days – when the news of Israel’s potential destruction at the hands of multiple Arab Armies sent tremors throughout the Jewish world.  I also remember the euphoria that replaced that fear when, after the dust had settled, the scope of the victories achieved by the IDF became known.

These two events are well documented.  They still resonate in our souls because of the fact that, had they not taken place, the world would look very different today than it does.  Had we not stood up to the Nazi Death Machine at Normandy – every freedom that we take for granted – our ability to live as Americans, as Jews, in a society that, despite our political differences, still values and believes in the goodness in all of humanity – would not exist.

Had Israel not prevailed during those 6 days in June, our Jewish identity would be radically different.

And yet – there are those in the world today who either can’t or won’t remember the realities of history.  There are those who deliberately manipulate the human capacity to shut out painful memories to further their own hateful propaganda.  Those who would deny the holocaust.  The fact that throughout Europe we are seeing a dramatic rise in Far Right political parties gaining power is terrifying.

Likewise, in the aftermath of October 7^th, the constant anti-Zionist rhetoric we see coming from both the left and the Right ends of the Political spectrum – particularly in the oft-repeated canard that Israel is an Apartheid state, charges of genocide, colonialism and the legitimzation of Hamas propaganda, the fact that Israel is an occupying power in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has far overshadowed the historical reality of the fact that these territories were gained – not for the purpose of territorial expansion, but for self-protection in the first place. It is easy to look at the torment of the Palestinian population in Gaza and blame Israel for the fact that they were defenseless civilians targeted by a powerful occupying power.  It takes perspective and a will to dig deep to learn about the fact that Hamas deliberately places civilians in harm’s way when they place their rockets, ammunition depots, leadership and terror-tunnels in heavily populated neighborhoods – knowing full well that the images of women and children killed by Israeli missiles serve the purpose of gaining sympathy around the world. Nobody asks why Hamas made the decision to use 70% of the relief monies it receives from the United States, Qatar and other funders – not to improve the lives of its population, but rather to buy missiles, and build tunnels with the sole purpose of invading Israel and killing as many Jews as possible. Nobody takes the time to read the Hamas charter and see the blatant anti-Jewish rhetoric that was taken directly from the notorious 19^th century forgery, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion – rhetoric that claims that Jews control the banks, the media, and were responsible for all of the world’s ills. The brutality of the attack on October 7^th and the fate of the hostages of the hostages still in captivity in Gaza are overshadowed by the prevailing narrative in multiple circles that Israel somehow deserved to be attacked.

The past months of anti-Zionist morphing into Anti-Semetic rhetoric and actual violence against Jews on college campuses, in the streets and subways of major cities and in pro-Hamas demonstrations in America and throughout Europe is yet another reminder of the insidious nature of those who would reject, deflect or blatantly retell history in the pursuit of a hateful agenda is being played out on Social Media and the streets of cities around the world.

Like the children of Israel in our parasha – there are those who don’t want to remember.  There are those who cannot see past themselves and their own warped sense of reality.

·      This past June 12^th – Would have been Anne Frank’s 95^th  birthday

These past months have taught us to remember – to be vigilant- to realize that there is still so much work to be done if we are to be able to remember the vision of a 12 year old girl who wrote the following in her diary:

It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet, I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever-approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again. 

The Israelites, in our parsha, were not able to focus on the truth of their enslavement and subsequent liberation. They focused only on their fears and desires for creature comfort. It is much easier to click on a link that spreads falsehoods and bigotry, than to try to learn how to see the holiness that is just beneath the surface – and that emerges with a little bit of digging. Our task is to do all that we can to educate, illuminate and illustrate the potential for goodness – even when we are living in the midst of falsehoods. Ultimately, I believe that truth wins out – whenever or wherever it is stifled, silenced or voted down by those in power.

As we move into the future, let us pray that we will remember and learn from the past.

Shabbat Shalom

---

[i] http://www.army.mil/d-day/

 

Invocation for the Mizel Museum Annual Dinner honoring Payton Manning

 

Our God and God of all people:

We live in divided times. Everywhere we look we see forces that demonize the weak; aggrandize the bleak; and lionize cheap speak.  Sometimes it feels like everything we thought we knew in the past has been on its head and the voice of morality is replaced with the talking points of terror and hatred.

We need You, O God – in times like these- to hold us accountable to our souls and the moral core that you have bequeathed to us. We need individuals and organizations that share a vision for a better world – free from hatred, terror and propaganda.

Tonight we come together to recognize the contributions of the Mizel Institute and its mission of combating extremism and promoting a vision for a world where equality and morality are the cornerstones of society.

We also have come to pay tribute to Payton Manning – a man whose athletic achievements are only a small part of the legacy of leadership, community service and national pride that he has continually shared with our city and nation.

God – help us to find common ground in these times of division and fragmentation. May we work together to build upon the values that we celebrate this evening and help repair your broken world.

Baruch Ahtah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha-Olam, She-hechianu, V’Kiimany, V’higianu Laz’man Hazeh

We praise You, Eternal God, Ruler of the Universe, who gives us life, sustains us, and brings us together for holy moments. AMEN

My Words At the Rally Celebrating Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom Petition "Turn In Day"

Today was a vitally important day in the struggle to ensure Abortion Care for all in Colorado. Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom is a coalition of faith leaders, community activists and concerned citizens who have been working to ensure that Reproductive Health Care will be affordable and available to all citizens of our State.  I was asked to speak last January at the kickoff rally for the initiative to gather signatures to enshrine this right in our State Constitution and place it on the ballot in November,  Today, I spoke at the rally celebrating the successful completion of this initiative.  These are my words:

My name is Rabbi Joseph Black.  I serve as Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Denver. I stand here today to celebrate the fact that we have gathered enough signatures to ensure that the voters of our state will be able to enshrine abortion access in the Colorado State Constitution this coming November. I have come to speak because, in addition to strongly supporting the right for all to have access to health care, this is also personal.  When my wife and I decided to get married 35 years ago, we looked forward to raising our children in a home filled with love and Jewish tradition.   As a rabbi, I had worked with many couples in preparation for marriage and I knew that since both of us were Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews, there was a slight possibility that one or both of us might carry the gene for Tay-Sachs – a rare, incurable genetic disorder that results in a painful and gruesome death - usually within five years of birth.  Both my wife, Sue, and I discovered that we were carriers of Tay-Sachs. Thankfully, 33 years ago, in 1991, we were blessed by the birth of our healthy daughter. 

Our luck changed with our second pregnancy, however. To hear from our doctor that the embryo that we so desperately wanted to bring to term had a fatal disease was devastating.  Thankfully, at that time, abortion was legal and safe.  As difficult as it was to say goodbye to the hopes and dreams of a second baby, the thought of having to care for and eventually bury a suffering child was unpalatable.  Termination of the pregnancy was the obvious choice. I thank God and modern medicine that we have two healthy children and a beautiful 9-month old grandchild.

I stand here today in support of this initiative because I believe strongly that government should never put itself in a position to legislate how people can care for their own bodies. Abortion care is health care.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 30, verse 19, we find the following text that is often used against abortion rights. It reads as follows:

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life, that you and your descendants may live! 

The words, “choose life” are quite powerful.  But they also can be spun and defined in a variety of ways. They can used to motivate us to live to our highest potential – choosing God’s loftiest ideals for our daily living and the choices we make, or they can be used as a weapon to narrowly define an agenda of intolerance.

There are too many individuals and organizations who want to impose their own fundamentalist and draconian definition of when life begins – For those who oppose Abortion Care, this means that the government has both the ability and responsibility to legislate individual’s bodies without regard to personal freedom, physical or mental health, abuse, rape, or economic hardship.

For me – the words, “Choose Life” mean that as humans blessed with the precious gift of life, we have a responsibility to live our lives in ways that affirm the highest aspirations of humanity.  It does not mean imposing our narrow understandings of life’s questions, traumas, and values on others – nor does it disavow us from disagreeing on the many complex paradoxes with which we are confronted on a daily basis.

The passions that inflame anti-Abortion advocates cross the line of healthy disagreement and enter dangerous authoritarian oppression of some of the most vulnerable in our midst. My wife and I, due to our outspoken support of Abortion rights have been targeted by activists with vile threats and condemnation of our personal choices.

To choose to terminate a pregnancy is not easy – but there are times when it is absolutely the correct thing to do. It is essential that such a decision should be made by individual people – who may or may not choose to consult with family (whenever possible), or clergy, or counselors or even God. But we have no right to legislate their personal and painful choices. WE also must ensure that the current ban on State funds covering the costs of abortion care is eliminated. Everyone should have access to health care.  Proposition 89will ensure that abortion will be safe, legal, accessible and affordable to all. Enshrining Abortion care in the Colorado State Constitution will help to ensure that every citizen of our state will have the right to make medical decisions free from government interference into the most intimate aspects of our lives. Anything else is antithetical to the foundation of the separation of religion and state upon which our nation was founded and for which too many have died.

Thank you.