Comments on: And the Results Are…Your Suggestions for High Holy Day Sermon Topics

By: Rabbi Hayim Herring

Rabbi Hayim Herring — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:19:43 +0000

Anonymous–all that I can say is that I agree that we need to raise and keep the bar high when it comes to helping people reach the goals you’ve described. The people in the pews are hungry and bright and Judaism is an unlimited, rich wellspring that can feed the heart and the head. I know of other congregations, outside of NY and L.A., where rabbis aspire toward these goals, so don’t give up hope. If you have friends who are willing to also share their views, please encourage them to comment. And, I would encourage you to speak with your rabbi or any rabbi and let them know what you’re looking for.

Shanah Tovah!

Rabbi Herring

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:27:39 +0000

Thanks, all, for the warm reception.

Maybe I’m the only young-ish Jew who feels this way (probably not), but when I walk into a shul, I’m looking to do two things simultaneously: to connect with G-d and to find my place in thirty centuries of Jewish history. I look to the chazzan to help me connect with G-d (rather than put on a pretty one-wo/man show), and I look to a rabbi to help me find my place in Jewish history. I’m sorely disappointed when there’s barely an effort made in that direction.

I find it slightly insulting when the rabbi’s sermon of all sermons seems to assume that I’m not actually interested in going deeper … that I’m just there to score some Jew points for the year, or say hello to Susie over the apples and honey. I wonder if my fellow pew-sitters feel the same way.

My humblest advice to the rabbis who read this blog is to cater your sermon to our souls, and to try, even feebly so, to grab hold of the pintele yid that we’re so skilled at neglecting. I’m not sure precisely what that looks like, but I’ve witnessed it before … at IKAR in LA and at BJ in NYC.

Surely these aren’t the only two places in the Diaspora where young Jews are getting excited about Judaism.

By: Rose

Rose — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:32:46 +0000

A note of caution to rabbis: Before speaking on social justice and access to health care from the pulpit, PLEASE look within your own synagogue organization to see if your custodians, your secretaries, your teachers all have health care… or have they been priced out of coverage, or given only slightly too few hours to qualify for health coverage. Administrators and Boards have a way of not telling rabbis, and rabbis often look the other way. You don’t want to walk into your office next Monday to an incredulous WORK FORCE!

By: hherring

hherring — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:02:40 +0000

The more I think about it, the more perplexed I am. Why should it be so hard for clergy of any kind to connect with congregants through real life experience? That doesn’t mean that they have to affirm whatever people do and be content with where they are spiritually, educationally, etc. But it does mean that they can begin with the person and then work forward to connect them with their religious traditions.

Rabbi Herring

By: Jordan Goodman

Jordan Goodman — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:26:46 +0000

Shalom All,

Anonymous wrote: “Help me answer the question “why be Jewish,” help me think about the right “way of walking,” and maybe I’ll come back the following week for the morning minyan …”

Bingo!!! And it’s because this is not done with regularity and clarity that as Anonymous also wrote, “the average non-Orthodox synagogue is unable to fill its pews for the rest of the year” The “bimah” teachers at the megachurches about which I’ve written are expert at finding relevant, topical, practical and action oriented answers to the analogous question “why be a Christian” or “why do Christianity,” as well as showing a wiser “way of walking” as Anonymous put it. As the Reverend Billy Graham once said: “The test of a preacher is that his/her congregation goes away saying NOT ‘What a lovely sermon!’ but ‘I will do something.’” Thanks Anonymous for speaking up.

What’s especially important about Anonymous’ comments is the demographic (s)he represents. It’s the same one as that of my sons and it’s one that will/does not respond to nostalgia or the rabbi’s opinion of current events. They will respond to authentic opportunities for community based upon relevant, application oriented Jewish teaching about the real life situations in which they find themselves and with which they have to deal. As Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church and author of the most popular book in the world other than the Bible, “A Purpose Driven Life,” has said, “Effective Biblical preaching is life related and produces a changed lifestyle. It doesn’t just inform; it transforms.” I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I really wish I could quote current Jewish teachers but alas I’ve haven’t found any that talk about these matters. Of course, I welcome any suggestions that will show me otherwise.

@Rabbi Hayim. Your sermon topic checklist is a great start. I would clarify that the “issues” dealt with ought to be about real life as it lived and experienced in the 21rst century by those in the congregation.

Be well and Shabbat Shalom to all of us,

Biv’racha,
Jordan

By: hherring

hherring — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:18:18 +0000

This has been a terrific discussion thread! And I’m very appreciative of our Anonymous commentator–hope you’ll share your thoughts again, too. I’ve heard both sides of the argument–I’ve heard long-time members of a congregation say that over the course of a 25-30 year membership, they’ve heard too many sermons on ritual, prayer, kashrut, etc. I’ve also heard the complaint of people who don’t want what they feel is political reporting on contemporary issues, which they are intelligent enough to understand without the rabbi’s help. My criteria for whether or not a topic makes the cut is if you can answer some of these questions positively:
1. Have I given congregants a new, distinctive Jewish lens through which they can consider an issue?

2. Do my words move them to some kind of increased, ongoing Jewish action/behavior? Does it start them on a spiritual, ritual, educational, etc. path?

3. Does the topic advance the mission of the congregation?

4. Does it have the potential to shape feelings or attitudes on a critical issue?

It’s not so much the topic as its potential “Jewish” impact that it has.

Rabbi Herring

By: Kerry Olitzky

Kerry Olitzky — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:04:01 +0000

A little clarification. what i am trying to suggest is that rabbis too often use the holidays to speak their mind about contemporary issues because it is the only time that they have a “full house.” Should rabbis speak out in reference to health care reform, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict etc? Absolutely. I just dont think that the bima on the high holidays is the place and time for such discussion. i think that it is time to return to the synagogue as a place for spiritual renewal to meet the needs of folks who yearn for it. Let the synagogue fulfill its role as a house of assembly or a house of study at a different time./

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:17:05 +0000

Forgive my skepticism, but this list sounds awfully insipid. Could this be why the average non-Orthodox synagogue is unable to fill its pews for the rest of the year? As Heschel said, “I know from personal experience how different the situation is when the rabbi is concerned with prayer instead of with how many people attend the service; the difference in a service in which the rabbi comes prepared to respond to thirty centuries of Jewish experience and one in which he comes to review the book of the month or the news of the day.”

What if rabbis used this well-attended event to inspire their fellow Jews to re-embrace Jewish prayer, to commit to finding a chevruta to study with over the course of the coming year, or to incorporate one new Jewish ritual into their daily lives? (Perhaps saying the Modeh Ani upon rising, or lighting candles every Shabbat and saying the blessing over their children … or visiting an elderly relative to read them Psalms once a month?)

Speaking as a youngish person (I’m 27), I don’t find the typical hand-wringing about the Jewish future or the politicking from the bimah all that compelling. I have my own very strong opinions on health care reform, but I didn’t pay an arm and a leg for HH tickets to hear the rabbi’s opinion on the topic! Help me answer the question “why be Jewish,” help me think about the right “way of walking,” and maybe I’ll come back the following week for the morning minyan …

By: Hayim Herring

Hayim Herring — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:15:27 +0000

Jordan–as a footnote, while I was unable to make the call, I also understand that the President quoted Jewish texts/liturgy, perhaps even the one you quoted. So yes–he understood that this is a religious values issue. This opportunity to speak with rabbis was not lost on him!

By: Jordan Goodman

Jordan Goodman — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:38:33 +0000

Shalom All,

Last week I heard from a Rabbi friend of mine that President Obama, had a conference call very recently that was open to all rabbis from the non orthodox wings of Judaism. The President called for the rabbis to help him in getting his healthcare initiative passed by seeing this as a moral issue and not a political issue. Obviously the President realizes the unique opportunity presented by the High Holidays to reach more Jews in the pews than otherwise seen the rest of the year. So it’s now obvious to me that at least one High Holiday sermon this year in many if not most non orthodox synagogues likely will be on this topic.

And this topic won’t have any carryover value for the rest of the year in terms of inspiring involvement in the synagogue nor in “doing” Judaism.

President Obama and his team better understand the importance of this unique opportunity to reach the Jews in the pews with his vision for healthcare than we do with our vision for the synagogue and non orthodox Judaism!?!!??!! What a shame!!!

In the High Holiday liturgy we find “B’rosh hashana yikateivun, u’v’yom tsom kippur, yeixateimun, mi yixyeh umi yamut…” On Rosh haShanah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed; who shall live and who shall die…..

So the question is “will the synagogue and non orthodox Judaism be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for the coming year?” God only knows and it doesn’t seem like we’re doing m uch to help Her/Him out with the decision.
What is the necessary redefinition of “t’shuvah, t’fillah, u’ts’daqah” needed to “avert the severe decree” i.e., to change the fate of the synagogue and non-orthodox Judaism?

Biv’racha,
Jordan Goodman