 | It's my two-year anniversary with Congregation Shir Ami. Anniversaries are opportunities to look back and look ahead, take stock and adjust. My clergy colleagues and I have been discussing what these two years have been like for us and the souls we serve. Like many of us, many of you have experienced some of the same dynamics impacting Jewish life here and around the world. Judaism's "three things" – the three pillars of Jewish spiritual life – are useful measures of how we're doing, and ever powerful ways to lift us all. |
By Rabbi David
June 30, 2025, marked two full years since my summer 2023 start at Shir Ami. Happy anniversary!
My rabbinic colleagues around the country have been discussing what these two years have been about for their pulpits and communities. Most have discussed the same things, and I suspect each of you has felt them over these last two years.
The attacks and aftermath of October 7, 2023, have loomed very large. With them have come so much complexity, phases of anxiety and respite, spikes in antisemitism, grief, fury, moral indignation and all the rest.
The 2024 presidential campaign, the election and its aftermath also have loomed very large. With them have come... well, much the same.
For thousands of years, amidst many tough times (and many far worse than now), Judaism's three central pillars have lifted, sustained and strengthened our people. These three pillars have remained largely unchanged (Pirkei Avot 1:2): Torah (learning), Avodah (prayer and spiritual practice), and Gemilut Hasadim (acts of loving kindness).
We can gauge Judaism's health, and truth to herself, by the vitality of those three pillars. We can do likewise for a community, a congregation and a rabbinate.
Now two years since I began with Shir Ami, I think a great deal about how Shir Ami is doing, and these three pillars are my metrics. Of course there are others (membership, finances, volunteerism, sustainable leadership, public footprint), but spiritually much stands on Torah, Avodah and Gemilut Hasadim.
Torah (Learning)
I'm proud of our diverse learning opportunities – Soul Spa on Shabbat, year-round courses, High Holy Day runways, Prayerbook Hebrew and Liturgy, Community Conversations and more. I confess to sometimes wishing that more folks would stop by to enrich, and be enriched by, our circles of warmth and sharing. If different times or subjects might appeal, I'm all ears. I've been trying to choose topics based on our fall 2023 community survey and what I see unfolding in community.
Next month we'll launch our 2025 High Holy Day runway series, "Seven Habits of Highly Evolved People" – seven weeks of seven mitzvot linked to our annual teshuvah journey. After the holidays, I'm thinking to offer a series on "Illness and Healing in Jewish Spiritual Tradition," which ranked high on the community survey. For spring 2026, depending on world events, I might offer a Land of Israel program linked to the spiritual history of places on a potential Shir Ami trip. There'll also be opportunities for learning liturgy, and an adult b'mitzvah program culminating in community celebrations!
Avodah (Prayer and Spiritual Practice)
To the annual holiday cycle we've added Sukkot at my home, Tu b'Shevat (wine and cheese!), and different approaches to Purim. As we continue to evolve together, expect these to continue evolving to reflect the Congregation's preferences.
This year we'll add Tisha b'Av in early August – traditionally a low ebb of the year, but also the entrance gate into the seven-week High Holy Day runway and the spiritual re-birthday of hope for a world that needs all our hope-mongering. Stay tuned for more about that, and meanwhile please hold the evening of Saturday, August 2.
This month I'll be starting my Institute for Jewish Spirituality program (delayed from January due to the Los Angeles wildfires). I look forward to bringing back spiritual tools rooted in ancient tradition and "pray-tested" by cutting-edge clergy across North America across and beyond the denominational spectrum.
I'm also interested to see Shir Ami invest in the personal spirituality that Judaism offers. We can do that in different ways, befitting our diversity as a community, so expect discussion and opportunities for that in the year ahead.
Gemilut Hasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness)
One of the first things I learned about Shir Ami is that our community "punches above its weight" on social advocacy and hands-on caring. Indeed we do. Many of us are involved in community organizations, one-on-one caring, and public advocacy. I was so proud to see photos of Shir Ami folks at a public gathering last week (especially because the ethics of my Judiciary role limits what I can be heard to say and do in those spaces).
That said, there's more I could be doing – and more I want to do. One of the benefits and opportunities of a "bespoke" congregation is that we can make our own way, meaningfully and impactfully. What if Shir Ami could declare, proudly, that every member participates in some community-inspired social justice and caring form of service, in whatever way we can? What if Shir Ami were known for sponsoring successful Mitzvah Days, planned reasonably far in advance, so that we could sponsor one or two major values-based volunteerism efforts annually? Especially now, let's aim our Judaism at impacting our world in tangible ways.
* * *
I look to Year Three together with eager anticipation, a listening ear and an open heart. I look forward to what's next, and to hearing from you what would best serve you in heart, mind and spirit.
June 30, 2025, marked two full years since my summer 2023 start at Shir Ami. Happy anniversary!
My rabbinic colleagues around the country have been discussing what these two years have been about for their pulpits and communities. Most have discussed the same things, and I suspect each of you has felt them over these last two years.
The attacks and aftermath of October 7, 2023, have loomed very large. With them have come so much complexity, phases of anxiety and respite, spikes in antisemitism, grief, fury, moral indignation and all the rest.
The 2024 presidential campaign, the election and its aftermath also have loomed very large. With them have come... well, much the same.
For thousands of years, amidst many tough times (and many far worse than now), Judaism's three central pillars have lifted, sustained and strengthened our people. These three pillars have remained largely unchanged (Pirkei Avot 1:2): Torah (learning), Avodah (prayer and spiritual practice), and Gemilut Hasadim (acts of loving kindness).
We can gauge Judaism's health, and truth to herself, by the vitality of those three pillars. We can do likewise for a community, a congregation and a rabbinate.
Now two years since I began with Shir Ami, I think a great deal about how Shir Ami is doing, and these three pillars are my metrics. Of course there are others (membership, finances, volunteerism, sustainable leadership, public footprint), but spiritually much stands on Torah, Avodah and Gemilut Hasadim.
Torah (Learning)
I'm proud of our diverse learning opportunities – Soul Spa on Shabbat, year-round courses, High Holy Day runways, Prayerbook Hebrew and Liturgy, Community Conversations and more. I confess to sometimes wishing that more folks would stop by to enrich, and be enriched by, our circles of warmth and sharing. If different times or subjects might appeal, I'm all ears. I've been trying to choose topics based on our fall 2023 community survey and what I see unfolding in community.
Next month we'll launch our 2025 High Holy Day runway series, "Seven Habits of Highly Evolved People" – seven weeks of seven mitzvot linked to our annual teshuvah journey. After the holidays, I'm thinking to offer a series on "Illness and Healing in Jewish Spiritual Tradition," which ranked high on the community survey. For spring 2026, depending on world events, I might offer a Land of Israel program linked to the spiritual history of places on a potential Shir Ami trip. There'll also be opportunities for learning liturgy, and an adult b'mitzvah program culminating in community celebrations!
Avodah (Prayer and Spiritual Practice)
To the annual holiday cycle we've added Sukkot at my home, Tu b'Shevat (wine and cheese!), and different approaches to Purim. As we continue to evolve together, expect these to continue evolving to reflect the Congregation's preferences.
This year we'll add Tisha b'Av in early August – traditionally a low ebb of the year, but also the entrance gate into the seven-week High Holy Day runway and the spiritual re-birthday of hope for a world that needs all our hope-mongering. Stay tuned for more about that, and meanwhile please hold the evening of Saturday, August 2.
This month I'll be starting my Institute for Jewish Spirituality program (delayed from January due to the Los Angeles wildfires). I look forward to bringing back spiritual tools rooted in ancient tradition and "pray-tested" by cutting-edge clergy across North America across and beyond the denominational spectrum.
I'm also interested to see Shir Ami invest in the personal spirituality that Judaism offers. We can do that in different ways, befitting our diversity as a community, so expect discussion and opportunities for that in the year ahead.
Gemilut Hasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness)
One of the first things I learned about Shir Ami is that our community "punches above its weight" on social advocacy and hands-on caring. Indeed we do. Many of us are involved in community organizations, one-on-one caring, and public advocacy. I was so proud to see photos of Shir Ami folks at a public gathering last week (especially because the ethics of my Judiciary role limits what I can be heard to say and do in those spaces).
That said, there's more I could be doing – and more I want to do. One of the benefits and opportunities of a "bespoke" congregation is that we can make our own way, meaningfully and impactfully. What if Shir Ami could declare, proudly, that every member participates in some community-inspired social justice and caring form of service, in whatever way we can? What if Shir Ami were known for sponsoring successful Mitzvah Days, planned reasonably far in advance, so that we could sponsor one or two major values-based volunteerism efforts annually? Especially now, let's aim our Judaism at impacting our world in tangible ways.
* * *
I look to Year Three together with eager anticipation, a listening ear and an open heart. I look forward to what's next, and to hearing from you what would best serve you in heart, mind and spirit.
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