President’s Column , April, 2012

Honoring Our Seniors…

Do not cast us off as we grow old;
Do not desert us as our energy wanes.

These words are taken from our Yom Kippur liturgy, specifically from the prayer of Shema Koleinu, Hear Our Voice, which is chanted each time during the Day of Atonement services when we close our prayers of forgiveness and prepare for our confession. So why am I thinking about Yom Kippur when Pesach is upon us?

Too often in a spiritual community, we are all guilty of making the assumption that we have invented ourselves and our surroundings; that we encountered a totally blank slate and created our synagogue world totally on our own. We tend to forget that many people worked hard to build the foundation and contribute to the subsequent evolution of our community. There were people before us who went to meetings, wrestled with challenging problems, spent hours on the phone (prior to e-mail!), and cared deeply about the life of the shul and its congregants.

Last month in this column, I praised the energy and passion of our Temple youth. It seems only fair to look back the other way this month, and acknowledge all of the people who have given so much to Emunah and are now taking a well-deserved respite from “active” synagogue leadership. When the Mormon Church opened in Belmont, I was one of thousands who toured it. At that time we were just beginning to plan the “new” addition (now 9 years old – not so new!), and I wanted to get some ideas from another spiritual space.

Among the many intriguing and beautiful spaces that I saw, was the Mormon “Sealing Room” in which marriage ceremonies are held. The Mormons define a marriage as a “sealing for time and eternity.” The Sealing Room is small and square, with mirrors on two sides. The impact of seeing infinite reflections to your left and to your right, is dramatic. Our guide told us that the room represents all the generations that have preceded the couple (on the left) and all of the generations that will follow them (on the right).

Join me in peering into the “left-side” mirrors of Temple Emunah – in tribute to those, as I like to say whenever I make a presentation at a Temple event, on whose shoulders I stand. There are too many people who populate those mirrors to name them all; I will share my personal recollections of some of those who made a lasting impression on me and on my family.

Recently, I asked my son Ben, who turns 25 this month, who were the people he remembered from his earliest days at Emunah. Disclaimer – I never mentioned the word “old” when asking him to name these important people from his Emunah life!

Without hesitation, he rattled off a list that included Barbara and Dick (“Moses”) Wissoker, Betsy and Joe Nissenbaum, Bess and Fred Ezekiel, Marcia and Mort Camac, Teddi and Larry Marin, Zelda and Ben (“Pharoah”) Cohen, Janet (z”l) and Lowell Bensky, Edith Paster, Phyllis and Sam Silverman, Barbara Newman, Morah Stephanie Bernstein, Billie and Rabbi Eisenman , Rabbi Morhaim, and Mike Rosenberg. All of these people played an important “elder” role in his life, since he was not lucky enough to have his grandparents close by.

I was struck by how readily Ben rattled off these names. He had a story for each one. Clearly, the older generation shapes and influences our youth. They also provided guidance to those of us who were beginning our journey as young Jewish families. I could add many names to those my son mentioned – among them the Kesslers, the Barons, the Docksers, the Stechlers, the Levys (Sandi and Ron), the Kosses, Elizabeth Pressman, and so many more who supported us, cared about us, and helped us in so many ways. Ed and I hope that in some small way, we fulfill that role for those families that have succeeded us; as we watch two or three younger generations now fill the Emunah hallways on bustling Shabbatot and Sunday mornings.

Read through this Bulletin -- there is so much life and energy in its pages, describing a community that pulses with activities, spirituality, and love. With our Passover Seders almost here, when we will once again follow the commandment to tell our children of the miracles of the Exodus, let’s also think about the words of the liturgist writing in Shema Koleinu from Yom Kippur. We need to remember, reach out, and celebrate those who came before us. Though your energy may (or may not!) be waning, your spiritual investment has returned many times its value – and for that, we thank you. You have not been cast off or deserted; you are very much honored and appreciated.

L’Shalom,
Marcy Lidman, President

To contact the President click here.

Click Here to read the President's Kol Nidre Address