Saturday, June 7, 2025

On this ordination anniversary June 6, 2025

On this ordination anniversary 

Two score and four years.
“Authorized and licensed
To perform all rabbinical functions
in the name of God 
and (the people) Israel.”
Years filled with 
Learning
Service
Growth 
Teaching
Growing others
Connecting within a community
Building bridges to other communities 
Fashioning new narratives 
And commentary 
Out of a humbly-received heritage. 
Partnering within family
And with leaders of all ages
To make memorable moments of meaning. 
Capturing images 
Of gatherings and celebrations
Facilitating the sharing of song
With talented vocalists 
and skilled instrumentalists
And, unexpectedly raising up from within myself
Personal expressions 
in the form of lyrics and melody 
Joining with fellow travelers 
On the road to acceptance and justice
To stand for freedom
And to face down unnecessary hatred
That sometimes resulted in tragedy
Calling for collective mourning 
And for the ongoing renewal of hope. 
And now
Learning, teaching, growing, serving, creating 
Continue in a steady flow
Founded upon a foundation of 
A tradition that calls on each of us 
Not to give up on love 
And not to stop searching for peace. 
May the One who keeps us alive, 
Sustains us, 
And brings us to this day, 
Be our companion 
As we walk forward 
Along this precious and holy path.


Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Bridge-builders (for Sarah Milgrim) - May 27, 2025

Facebook Live Daily Minyan 
The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Original reading
May 27, 2025
(Composed following the funeral for Sarah Milgrim) 

Creator and Sustainer of us all:
Sometimes we are inconsiderate. 
Help us to be generous in our spirit towards others. 
Sometimes we destroy what should be preserved. 
Lead us to pursue and promote restoration. 
Sometimes we sabotage once-strong and positive relationships.
Teach us to be bridge-builders, even across our divisions. 
Sometimes we miss all that we have in common. 
Shine a light on what unites us. 
Sometimes we fail to appreciate 
the past and present kindnesses that we have received. 
When we remember to be thankful, 
Guide us to show our gratitude. 
Sometimes our opinions become so narrow
That there is no possibility for us to be cooperative. 
Renew our openness towards new ideas
And return us to the ways of compromise
As a demonstration of our perseverance and strength. 
As You have given us wisdom in Your love,
May we show our love for You, Eternal One, 
With all of our heart and soul.

Monday, May 19, 2025

Guide us through Difficult Days - Daily Minyan Reading - May 19, 2025

Facebook Live Daily Minyan 

The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

Original reading

May 19, 2025


Creator of the Universe,

Sustainer of the cycles of nature, 

Companion along the path of our lives, 

Guide us through difficult days. 

Celebrate with us in moments of personal achievement. 

Stand by us when the narrow vision of the few 

undermines the well-being of the many. 

Inspire us to rise up when we recognize

An increasing lack of respect for 

The accumulation of knowledge

And the application of wisdom. 

Remind us that revelation can include 

Our ever-growing insight into the workings of creation

And deeper understanding of 

the mysteries and wonders of our very existence.

Open our hearts to discover the meanings

Embodied within our experiences 

As we seek to infuse every moment

With hope, with love, and with peace. 

Bless us all within Your Oneness

As we strive to be one. 




Friday, May 16, 2025

Choosing - May 13, 2025

I believe I am a member of a choosing people, not a chosen people.  My choice is to provide for  all people what my ancestors often did not experience:  acceptance, dignity, equality, and a possible place in whatever circle of salvation might exist.  This is not supremacy, by any means, at least, in my view and my practice.

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Invocation - Clay County MO commission meeting - May 15, 2025

Invocation
Clay County, MO Commission meeting 
May 15, 2025

Eternal One, 
Creator and Sustainer of us all, 
Source of wisdom,
Guide us as we consider our role
In fostering positive connections within our community.
Enable us to present our views with clarity
So that understanding will come with ease. 
Guide us to engage in productive discussion
And in effective decision-making 
That will lead to greater cooperation and progress. 
Enlarge our vision 
In a way that will enhance our ability 
to recognize and address the multi-faceted needs of citizens 
Beginning here in this county. 
Keep us mindful 
that we are part of a nation and a world
That beckons us to step forward
To offer help and hope
In times of uncertainty
And celebration 
In moments of shared success and achievement
And we say Amen.

Monday, May 12, 2025

Reflected in our eyes - Daily Minyan Reading - May 12, 2025

Facebook Live Daily Minyan 
The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Original reading
May 12, 2025

Eternal Presence,
Reflected in our eyes,
Suffusing our souls,
Flowing through all of creation,
Train us to be godly in the way we look at the world,
In our consideration of every creature and creation, 
And in the way we view our fellow human beings. 
Enable us to see that what is on the outside
Of citizens of this planet
conceals the essential equality 
That unites us as one family.
Restore our vision so that we will understand
That the deep connections that bind us together
Are the part of You that resides within us.
Remind us that our lives are a tribute to You,
And a testimony to Your Oneness 
That we must never deny or forget.  
And so, we declare You One, once again, .
In hope and in love.

Friday, May 9, 2025

To my senator - May 2, 2025

My note sent this morning (5/2/2025) - hopefully not words cast to the wind:   
Dear Senator Marshall, 
     I served as Rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom in Topeka in 1984-2006, and served as Kansas Holocaust Commission chair in 1995-2006.  My wife and I moved back to Kansas in 2021 after I served other congregations and retired.
     I am concerned about an apparent stance on your part regarding the Antisemitism Awareness bill, in that you support an exception that refrains from identifying as antisemitism the charge that Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.  
     Perhaps you are not aware of the centuries-long history of attacks on Jewish communities, often during Holy Week, because people were stirred up by sermons by clergy on the passion narrative in the New Testament that highlighted the deicide accusation.   
     Perhaps you are not aware that it is possible to read the New Testament passages differently than literally presented, such as:
1) the “crowd” that was gathered may not have been several hundred, but as few as 15, making it hardly representative of the contemporary population. 
2) Pontius Pilate was known in historical memory as a ruthless ruler, not benevolent, but language portraying him in a negative light may have disappeared before the canonization of the New Testament. 
3) The words “his blood be upon us and upon our children” in Matthew 27 likely do not reflect how Jews of the First Century under Roman rule  would talk about a fellow Jew.   I might add that those words were dropped in the subtitles for the film, “The Passion of the Christ,” but that phrase remained in the Aramaic dialogue. 
    All of this means that a conversation with you is not only warranted, but necessary, as your Jewish constituents are concerned that you would enable Kansans and citizens of other states to, once again, engage in unwarranted name-calling of Jews based on an accusation that has caused much grief.   Rather than combating antisemitism, your position might enable it in ways you do not expect.  
Rabbi Lawrence Karol 
Overland Park, KS

Monday, May 5, 2025

Fashioner of Worlds - Daily Minyan Reading - May 5, 2025

Facebook Live Daily Minyan 

The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

Original reading

May 5, 2025



Soul of the Universe, 

Fashioner of worlds,

Designer of building blocks of our very lives, 

Sustainer of our well-being, 

As we observe the wonders around us, 

Inspire us to act in ways
That will preserve the earth 

Maintain lakes, seas, rivers and oceans 

in a pristine state

Protect the cleanliness of the air we breathe

Safeguard habitats for animals

And improve the human condition 

For people throughout the world 

So that everyone will have food, shelter

And security. 

Teach us that there is an inherent equality 

That runs through all that You have made

So that we will see You wherever we look 

And know that it is our responsibility 

To act as if we are Your assistants, Your stewards

Making our planet a place that offers us all

Abundance, hope and peace. 


Monday, April 21, 2025

Your light in our midst - Daily Minyan Reading - April 21, 2025 (on the day of the death of Pope Francis)


Facebook Live Daily Minyan 
The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Original reading
April 21, 2025 (on the day of the death of Pope Francis) 


Author of Liberty, 
Source of Peace, 
Wellspring of Hope, 
Creator of all life, 
Guide us to infuse every day
With a touch of kindness, 
An act of compassion, 
An expression of support,
A wish for healing, 
A lesson based in truth and honesty,
A call for integrity and justice, 
A reflection of Your light in our midst, 
And a revelation of Your love 
Within each of us 
And between all of us. 
Bless us with the knowledge
That Your grace and mercy 
Will enlighten our minds and souls 
As we walk together
Within Your unending Oneness. 

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Longing for a future. - April 16, 2025

 I recently received, from my cousin Paul, a family photo of an aunt and two uncles in their early childhood.  

Their parents had immigrated  to the United States from a small shtetl in Lithuania. 

They lived in a small river town in Kansas where their father was a tailor.  


The three of them look  innocent and hopeful.


A number of decades later, 

My family shared time and milestones

With all three of them. 

I attended the funerals for two of them.

The other, a long time member of 

the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.,  took me to lunch at the Club in his later years  when I was in the city for a conference.  

As of several days ago, all of their children have passed,  leaving a legacy that has been passed on to new generations. 

I wonder what would have happened if the rampant anti-immigrant sentiment in this country that began to spread in the decades after this photo was taken had started much earlier. Would they have come? 

Would my mother, the youngest sibling in this family, 

have been born? 

Would my father's parents have immigrated to the United States, found each other, and married? 

Sometimes, in the present, there are those who think they know so much, who are looking for easy answers, such as their claim that most any newcomer, seeking opportunity and security, wants to destroy our country. 

THAT IS NOT THE CASE. 

We do have room for immigrants today, but some people have no room in their hearts to be welcoming. 

They fail to realize how their narrow attitude of suspicion and disdain towards newly-arrived immigrants would have affected the previous generations of their family, brave souls who took a chance in coming here.  

If those immediate ancestors would have encountered prejudice, non-acceptance and harassment, they might have left in disappointment and sadness.   


As for me, my arms and heart are still open wide for those who are seeking what my grandparents hoped to find in this country. 

Did they find it?  

For now, I will say...perhaps. 

And I will do what I can to transform "perhaps' to "yes."  

And during the Jewish High Holy Days, I visit the cemetery where my parents are buried to pay memorial tribute to them. 

And then, I go to the graves of two of the three siblings in the photo above, because  I am one of many who preserves their stories and memories. 

They deserve nothing less.

    

Monday, April 14, 2025

Aspirations - Daily Minyan Reading - April 14, 2025

(After reading the special prayer before the plague recitation in the CCAR Haggadah of 1974/1975, I was inspired to create this casting of those declarations in the positive)

Facebook Live Daily Minyan 
The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah
Original reading
April 14, 2025

Creator of the Universe, 
Watchful Guardian of all generations, 
As You spread the waters to fashion 
A path of escape from tyrants, 
Grant us the courage to stand up 
For the essence of the teachings of our heritage.
May we turn afflictions of the past and present 
into aspirations for the future
So that all humanity will work to 
Engender peace
Combat hatred 
Preserve nature’s bounty
Pursue justice and fairness
Teach honesty in all pursuits
Care for people seeking support
Build cooperation and unity across the world 
Encourage new vistas of respect and understanding
Sustain our desire for knowledge to promote healing, expertise, and exploration 
And maintain liberty of expression and action that will enable everyone to grow and thrive. 
May we, like the Israelites, always see the promised land before us
With our journey guided by love and a sense of hope
Emanating, always, from Your Oneness and Your Presence.

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Passover 5785 - April 12, 2025

I thought that we had crossed the sea
And celebrated our freedom.
I thought that we had left Pharaoh 
And his cruelty, oppression, and hatred
behind us. 
I thought that we had left lands 
that had once welcomed us
or tolerated us
but turned on us 
To one that would grant us true freedom
and full equality. 
I thought that there were increasing opportunities
Not just for me
But for many other people,
But who, by virtue of how they define themselves
or are identified by others,
face erasure from society. 
I thought that we could take care of ourselves
And I was right
Because the protection that is offered to us
Sometimes comes with a catch and a cost. 
So we will once again sit at our tables 
Proclaiming our march out of a land of slavery, 
Asking questions, raising new queries, 
Hoping that others will share new vistas of liberty 
Through our concerted care and compassion. 
This year
Next year
And the year following
May we all be free.  

Monday, April 7, 2025

To Persist and Persevere. - Daily Minyan Reading - April 7, 2025

Facebook Live Daily Minyan 

The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

Original reading

April 7, 2025


Creator of the Universe,

Author of Freedom, 

Wellspring of salvation, 

When we find ourselves

Living in the midst of challenges,

Give us strength to persevere.

When we recognize acts of cruelty 

Around us,

Inspire us to respond with kindness.

When we are overwhelmed by

The spread of hearts that are closed, 

Guide us to offer a welcoming embrace

To those who need support. 

When we encounter minds 

that have become narrow, 

Provide us with persistence 

In teaching the wide-ranging knowledge

That has been passed down to us
And that we can transmit to future generations. 

Lift our spirits 

As we move forward, one day to the next,

Kindling anew, 

Within our souls,

The lights of love and hope. 

Thursday, April 3, 2025

To Feel That We Belong - New song lyrics and video!

To Feel That We Belong (Larry Karol)

Based on a passage from the Passover Haggadah 

We’re present, but unwanted

We’re vocal, not yet silenced

Our eyes can see all they try to hide

We won’t let them take our memories

We will rise up from the ruins

We will tread together, side by side

From oppression to liberation

From despair to celebration 

Darkness to light - from wrong to right

We won’t let go of love that we believe in

We won’t stop building a world we want to live in

We won’t lose hope to feel that we belong

We won’t lose hope to feel that we belong

We’re forgotten, but remembered

We’re discounted, but we’re valued

Our lives matter more than they understand

We are strangers, but we’re neighbors

We can feel an enduring Presence

Calling for justice to spread to every land

From oppression to liberation

From despair to celebration 

Darkness to light

From wrong to right 

We won’t let go of love that we believe in

We won’t stop building a world we want to live in

We won’t lose hope to feel that we belong

We won’t lose hope to feel that we belong

What will we do to preserve our future? 

Will we recall who we’ve come to be?

Will we choose trust and compassion 

And continue on our journey to be free? 

We won’t let go of love that we believe in

We won’t stop building a world we want to live in

We won’t lose hope to feel that we belong

We won’t lose hope to feel that we belong

We won’t lose hope to feel that we belong


To Feel That We Belong 04032025 Live Temple B’nai Jehudah OP Kansas