ב"ה
11 Tishrei 5772 October 9, 2011
Turnaround While Welcomed Still Leaves Others Behind
In his Yom Kippur sermon yesterday, Rabbi Arnold B. Marans of the Sephardic Temple mentioned a drive he and Zipporah took along the majestic Pacific route while on a California
Of course, the appeal to do just that is most appropriate during a period of repentance and reconciliation --- for insensitivity in failing to call / visit a grieving widow, the wanton disregard of a departed congregational leader's wish to maintain an institutional connection with an estranged member, the ample examples of pettiness that poison relationships --- but it also jives charmingly with the altered editorial policy of The Jewish Star, as it has become more Jewish-nclusive, reporting on more than the goings on in the Orthodox segment of our community.
This morning, as I ascended the pulpit to assist in leading morning worship at Temple Hillel, I was taken by my recently-introduced friend Alan Jay Gerber's column, Aleinu --- The power of one word, in his popular The Kosher Bookworm column. The word is the subject of Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit's commentary and undergirds the Jews' theological affirmation in the Almighty's existence, oneness, and the eternal commitment of His People to the Decalogue received on Mt. Sinai
Alan's exposition, along with companion volumes The Practical Guide To Teshuvah by Rabbi Shaul Wagschal, and the latest HAKIRAH, The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought, volume 12, edited by Heshy Zelcer, should encourage us all to become more humble, eager to right a wrong with another single word, sorry! The effect can become electrifying, joining us in the common effort to foster greater comity, which can surely lead to new interpersonal insights, understanding, mutual respect, and eventual the longed-for unity in our fractious Five Towns.
The last point needs no elaboration, since The Five Towns Jewish Times, and its publisher/editor, remains leagues behind appreciating that no lasting success can accrue from discriminating against, or remaing indifferent and silent where the Sephardim (who are in the main Orthodox Jews) are concerned, or the sizable constituencies of the non-Orthodox. The Jewish Star can still improve coverage of the Sephardim, whose separate minyanim are increasingly embedded, and enriching, established Ashkenazi area synagogues.
Finally, here is a suggestion about bringing a unity in form, if not yet content, among our disparate Jewish groups: can we not all agree that in our public discourse, print or oral, to make the pronunciation of Israeli Hebrew the lingua franca? Thus, Succos, gut yom tov, gut Shabbos, emes, es, to take the next religious holiday, its greeting, along with the weekend blessing, with two common words will be rendered Succot, Moadim leSimha, Shabbat shalom, emet, et, you get the picture. In this manner we can feel even closer to Eretz Yisrael and to each other, a wonderful start to the New Year 5772, indeed! G-d not only permits u-turns, he welcomes, promotes, and requires them.
Sincerely, and with fraternal affection,
Asher
Prof. Asher J. Matathias
516-374-2958 Mobile
*THANK YOU!!! G.F.,New York
**Thanks, your comments, as always, mean a lot. Shanah tovah. Alan J.G., Cedarhurst, NY
*BS"D Dear Professor,
First of all, I would like to thank you for your acknowledgement of my new book on Aleinu in your enjoyable and interesting article on "U-turns". I was hoping that this treatise on the Aleinu Prayer would reach a wider audience of Jews and provide them with a greater appreciation of their magnificient heritage. I'm grateful that you read Alan Gerber's review and that you shared this with your audience. If you recieve further reactions to the book I would enjoy hearing about them. Alan sent me your biography and I found it very fascinating. I wish you and your family a "Shana Tova" filled with sweet things that last. If you find yourself inJerusalem
B'Chavod U'Vracha, Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit, Israel
*THANK YOU!!! G.F.,
**Thanks, your comments, as always, mean a lot. Shanah tovah. Alan J.G., Cedarhurst, NY
*BS"D Dear Professor,
First of all, I would like to thank you for your acknowledgement of my new book on Aleinu in your enjoyable and interesting article on "U-turns". I was hoping that this treatise on the Aleinu Prayer would reach a wider audience of Jews and provide them with a greater appreciation of their magnificient heritage. I'm grateful that you read Alan Gerber's review and that you shared this with your audience. If you recieve further reactions to the book I would enjoy hearing about them. Alan sent me your biography and I found it very fascinating. I wish you and your family a "Shana Tova" filled with sweet things that last. If you find yourself in
B'Chavod U'Vracha, Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit, Israel
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