March 20, 2010 | 5 Nisan 5770

Think about the Torah stories you know.  In fact, think about everything you know in the Torah. Now, tell me, what is your image of power in the Torah?  What part captures it? ….Those answers are the ones we would expect. Action – High drama – the kind Cecil B. DeMille captured.

In the Book of Shemot, the Torah begins to project a different image of power.

In Parshat Terumah, all of the Israelites are invited to bring gifts in order to build the Tabernacle, and the result will be “Veshachanti b’tocham.” The people’s gifts will lead to a renewed awareness of God’s presence among the Israelites. That’s powerful group action!

By the end of Shemot, we see the power that a single individual may wield. Betzalel, the chief artisan of the Tabernacle, takes the different gifts and fashions them into holy objects. Now we learn – “uch’vod Adonai maleh et hamishkan” – “God’s presence filled the Tabernacle.” That’s powerful individual action!

Today, as we begin to read the Book of Vayikra, narrative is absent, but the theme of individual power continues.

Now power lies not only in skilled individuals like Betzalel, but in every single member of the community.

That is evident from the sacrifices described in our parasha. Every Israelite was obligated or invited to bring a sacrifice at the appropriate time… and God accepted all of these sacrifices on behalf of the individual. That was individual power across the entire community!

We may no longer offer sacrifices to God, but the empowering truth embedded in the system of sacrifices remains just as valid today. Every single individual has the power to act in ways that evoke God and a recognition of God’s presence.

That power and its effect is certainly true of three programs for which our congregation received two Solomon Schechter Awards at the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism Biennial Convention.

The first award was in the area of “worship and ritual.” Our winning application included two worship programs for youth.

The first program was our very creative High Holiday children’s program that our Educational Director, Marcia Lindner, put together with Ann Alperin. We are grateful to both of them.

The second worship program is our monthly Shabbat evening family service – AAbsolutely 4Kids.

For the success of that program, we thank Marcia, Rabbi Rosenthal, and others who Rabbi Rosenthal will speak about now.

The Rabbis tell us, “Im ein kemach, ein Torah.”     Teaching Torah requires financial support. We are very appreciative of the support that the Paradies family – Dan, Jimmy, Gregg, and Beth – has given to this program.

Mazal Tov to all who have been involved in these programs that have been a lot of fun and have made God more accessible to our children. Individuals have acted in powerful ways…to shape High Holiday and Shabbat experiences for our young families and to reshape the public image of our congregation.

The second Solomon Schechter Award we received was for strategic planning.

Nancy Levine, our immediate past-president, had the vision to initiate this planning. Our co-chairs, Marianne Garber and Jack Balser, prodded and guided us. Jackie Sherman, our professional consultant, helped all who were involved in this planning process.

And “all” was a significant number of you. In large measure that is why the strategic plan has enjoyed much success to date. The process engaged a number of our congregants and empowered them to work toward creating a congregation that functions more efficiently and effectively. 

We are grateful to Nancy, Jackie, Marianne, and Jack for their leadership.

As we continue to implement this plan, we are not just making our congregation more relevant and more efficient in its operations. We are creating hiddur – beauty – in what we do together and in the relationships we create and nurture.

God is here…and that is powerful!

Finally today we recognize the many people who worked individually and collectively to assure the success of our recent “L’Chaim: To Life” concert in memory of Dr. Sam Schatten, of blessed memory.

Under the leadership of Sheila Adelman and Nancy Levine, individuals’ activities came together in powerful ways…. to share an enjoyable evening; to bring us a sense of Sam’s presence again; to bring a measure of healing perhaps to the Schatten family; and, yes, to welcome God.

The programs I have highlighted today ought to become a paradigm for our congregation’s ongoing life.

As more of you and others in our congregation work on a project or program, you will form new friendships here and deepen established ones. Our congregation will make a greater difference in people’s lives, and God will be very present.

Isn’t that powerful?  Doesn’t that capture the transformative potential of congregational life today?

May growing numbers among us carry out these actions that will contribute mightily to our congregation and help us to recognize God in our midst.

Amen.