What do we do now? After the Tree of Life synagogue shooting

God of our lives,

Binder of our communities,

Consoler of the hurting and the bereaved

Be with us at this difficult time.

We know that, if we look for answers

to the question “why?”

We may not find them.

But we know

That the answers to the question “What do we do now?”

Come from You,

For you have put them within us.

What will we do?

We will write.

We will speak

We will comfort.

We will connect.

We will cry.

We will stand tall.

We will confidently declare our pride in who we are.

We will love. 

We will show compassion that might ultimately dispel hatred.

We will pray.

We will hope.

We will remember.

We will move forward.  

God of our lives,

Binder of our communities,

Consoler of the hurting and the bereaved,

We can feel You

As You can feel us

Close

And Present

In the Oneness

That is You. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I See Strangers Coming - Parashat Vayera (Genesis 18) - October 26, 2018

Eternal God, 

When I see strangers coming

Remind me that they are potential guests

Rather than probable enemies

When I see strangers coming

Help me to prepare to be a good host

To provide food, drink, warmth and a respite

For these travelers who might be weary 

When I see strangers coming

Enable me to see them as possessing wisdom

From which I may grow

And stories of their varied experiences

That might teach me lessons for my own life. 

When I see strangers coming

Do not allow me to automatically cower in fear 

And put up impenetrable defenses

But give me the patience 

To speak directly with them

To gain an understanding of who they are

And what they might need

In order to continue on their journey. 

Or, if they want to remain among us,

May I be free with suggestions and assistance

That will facilitate their transition to a new home

And a new life. 

When I see strangers coming

Who approach without hostility

Whose hearts are open

And whose hands may be empty 

Due to oppression in the land they have left behind

Open my heart and guide my hands to reach out to them

To lift them up in their time of need

For they are not an emergency to be met with force

But, instead, bearers of a chance

For me to show 

That my people’s  history 

As strangers 

Will lead me to be

Warm and welcoming 

And to give them what my ancestors would have wanted

Upon their arrival to this new land:  

Care, hospitality, love, and hope.  

Blessed are You, Eternal One,  who gives me the opportunity

To extend my hand to the stranger 

Who, like me, is created in the image of God.  

To Step into Future Times - Invocation for Temple Beth-El Las Cruces Board Meeting - October 18, 2018

Invocation - Temple Beth-El Las Cruces Board meeting 

October 18, 2018

Eternal God, 

The Voice who calls us to traverse a new path;

The Guide who shines a light on the road ahead;

As we continue along our journey,

Be with us as we walk in the footsteps of Abraham and Sarah,

Who left their parents’ homes to blaze a trail for their many descendants

Ever mindful that You accompanied them with every step they took. 

Stand by our side as we lay down to sleep each night

Stirring us, when we rise, to share Jacob’s realization

That our highest aspirations are always within our reach

With You as our strength to muster the confidence and courage

To ascend the ladder towards our dreams and hopes. 

When we find ourselves in deep despair, 

With few reasons to look at life with optimism, 

Grant us the insight of Joseph to ultimately recognize our own significance 

So that we will step forward with resolve, sharing and applying our abilities and our wisdom. 

And when we are faced with challenges to our well-being,

And to our very lives, 

Make us like Moses, a shepherd of a flock who became a leader of a people,

Taking them from slavery to freedom 

Like Aaron, who articulated with powerful words a belief in the self-worth and  right to life and liberty of  every human being; 

And like Miriam, who shaped words and melody into an expression of individual and collective spirit that ever connects us back to You. 

May we, in our own time, 

continue along this path begun by Abram and Sarai, 

Adding to their story

Our own experiences, our own memories, our own family histories, 

And our own legacies

As we leave the comfort of this moment

To step into future times and unknown places of growth and promise

That patiently await our arrival and our enriching presence. 

Amen. 

The Bible directs us to a life of justice and fairness - Las Cruces Bulletin - October 5, 2018

    On Sunday, October 7, the NMSU Theater Department will present “Memories: A Temple in Las Cruces,” based on oral history interviews conducted with congregants of Temple Beth-El of Las Cruces.   This program will chronicle the development of the congregation and the participation of the Jewish community in Las Cruces life. 

    The presentation makes clear that ritual, study and prayer are central to living Jewishly.  

     We just completed the observance of the High Holy Days, beginning with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and, ten days later, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. 

     One of the readings in our new prayerbook for the holidays, Mishkan Hanefesh (a Tabernacle of the Soul), caught my eye this year.  The meditation that precedes prayers of confession on Yom Kippur in our previous prayerbook, Gates of Repentance, made this declaration: “Our God...grant that our prayers may reach You.  Do not be deaf to our pleas, for we are NOT so arrogant and stiff-necked as to say before you...that we are perfect and have not sinned; rather do we confess: we have gone astray.”  

    The statement in the new prayerbook is more direct, and eliminates the word “not.”  It now declares,  “We are arrogant and stubborn, claiming to be blameless and free of sin, but in truth we have stumbled and strayed.”  It is a stark admission. 

      We are, at times, reluctant to confess to ourselves when we have done something wrong in order to avoid confronting our own failures.  We may be afraid to apologize for an action which we know we committed and for which we know we have let ourselves down, not to mention adversely affecting someone else’s life.   

      Fairness, and justice, however, dictate that we step forward and take responsibility for our actions. 

     At a recent session with our middle school/high school class at Temple, we explored passages from the Bible about justice and fairness.   I first had the students identify actions that they see people commit which they believe to be wrong.  They listed stealing, hurting, lying, cheating and bullying. 

     We then reviewed rules in the Bible that list actions that we should do as well as those we should avoid. Chapter 23 of the book of Exodus directs us not to spread false rumors, not to support those who are guilty by lying in order to frame someone who is innocent, to approach people with fairness whether they are rich or poor, and to avoid offering or taking bribes that can undermine justice at its foundation. 

    Chapter 19 of the book of Leviticus directs people not to steal or be deceitful with each other. Business should be conducted based on honesty.  Decisions between people involved in disputes should be made wisely and fairly. We should not bear grudges or take vengeance, but we should love other people as we love ourselves, and extend that love to strangers.  

    Congregants who work in the court and legal system will be coming to speak to the students about how biblical values might relate to real-life cases they face on a regular basis. 

     So are we so arrogant to say that we never do wrong? Or do we realize that we might make mistakes from time to time?  Through study and through prayers that address how we can strive for perfection, we will reach our best potential to be responsible human beings who will make a positive difference in the world. 

    

     

    

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