Confident Contemplation - Daily Minyan Reading - July 25, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah 

July 25, 2023

Creator of the Universe, 

Giver of Light to the world, 

Source of insight and wisdom, 

Open our eyes to see that the coming of night

Always yields the beginning of a new day

And that darkness, in all of its forms,

Need not be a cause for fear, 

But, instead, an opportunity for confident contemplation. 

Teach us how we can illuminate the corners of our existence

Where closed hearts and minds

Obscure the brightness that love, understanding and acceptance

Can bring to every human soul. 

May Your spirit guide us to seek unity for the many, 

Not power for a select few, 

And walk with us as we foster connections 

That will enable us to bask in Your resplendent Oneness, 

In the days, weeks, and years to come. 

In my small town - July 22, 2023

I have lived in communities with a population of just over 100,000 for much of my life (37 years).  

I can say this with authority out of personal experience. 

In my small town

People have a chance to get to know each other

Across differences

Beyond divisions 

Because they forge common ground

Through sharing stories

Through working together 

Through caring. 

In my small town

People know what it is 

To do justly

To act with compassion towards people in need

To show kindness 

And to walk humbly.

In my small town

People become leaders 

Who understand that they must value

Responsibility over power

In order to maintain the welfare and well-being of all citizens, 

And residents, 

Viewing them as neighbors 

Whose presence is welcome and valued. 

In my small town

It is true that no one is above the law

And that it also must be true

That laws promote equality for all 

and not privilege for a select few

And to apply disciple in a way that 

Makes positive growth possible. 

In my small town 

People of different faiths and philosophies

Talk to each other with respect 

In order to promote a level of understanding 

that directs them to continue their conversations indefinitely. 

In my small town, 

Children learn about who they are

And who their peers are 

So that everyone can be who they are

With pride and without fear

So that they will become adults who truly fathom

What it means to be human. 

Is my small town a dream? 

No. 

 It is simply up to us 

To make it real.

Shelter and Shade, Support and Hope - Daily Minyan Reading - July 17, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah 

July 17, 2023

Eternal One, 

Creator of the Universe, 

We look to you for shelter from storms and challenges,  

For shade from heat and conflict. 

There are times when light directs our path. 

At other times, flashes of illumination

That accompany foreboding clouds

Overwhelm us.  

We are often reminded of how the natural world 

And its seen and unseen forces

Impose their own control, 

Yet we also know that we have it in us 

To discover ways to cope with unexpected changes

That may come our way, 

Especially through reaching out to one another

In knowledge, wisdom and fortitude 

So that we will remain as partners with our neighbors

And with You.  

The command to love our neighbors as ourselves

Leads us to offer support and hope

To move forward to days where the brightness 

That suffuses the earth and our souls

Will continue to represent the oneness that binds us together

And the Oneness that holds us close within Your eternal love.

The Ideal of Liberty - Daily Minyan Reading - July 3, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah 

July 3, 2023

Eternal One, 

Be with us in our pursuit of light, love, and freedom. 

On this night, 

The eve of the celebration of our nation’s independence,

How can the ideal of liberty be a beacon for our personal and national well-being? 

May it always lead us towards 

• Extending our helping hands to our neighbors
• Being open to new ideas
• Understanding our  many and varied views and beliefs that exist side-by-side
• Accepting every individual in a way that encourages participation in the betterment of our communities
• Engendering an enduring unity that will withstand attempts to sow division and discord
• Fostering hope and optimism even in the face of challenge. 

May this grand national experiment sustain our moral growth, 

Maintain our capacity for joy, 

And increase our sense of prosperity in our search for meaning every day of our lives. 

May we always remember that, “out of many, one” 

Can encompass us all not only here, 

but throughout the entire world.