I was on the mainland with family and unable to attend Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur services on Kauai.Sinai Temple, Springfield, MAFortunately, Carole and I were was able to attend Erev Yom Kippur Kol Nidre services here, a beautiful Reform temple. By a strange set of circumstances, the officiant was Rabbi Mark Shapiro! - obviously not the same person who lead our services on Kauai, but a colleague in the Reform movement.A Hitchhiker's Guide to Yom Kippur Kol Nidre 5770
I thoroughly enjoyed his Kol Nidre sermon and spoke to him about it afterward (while of course bringing greetings from our Rabbi Mark Shapiro on Kauai). I believe you will find it most enlightening too.Quotes from the sermon:
"...don't Jews and Jewish identity come in all shapes and sizes? One Jew's defining passion might be Torah Study. Another's Jewish passion might be Jewish fiction. Some Jews see Judaism as a call to social justice. Others love Israel above all else. Others speak Hebrew as their way of being Jewish. Some love Jewish food. And others tell Jewish jokes or laugh at them."
"It's important to note all these expressions of Jewish identity because, on a night when so many of us come together to form a Jewish community, I'm quite sure we aren't all on the same page when it comes to our Judaism."
"If you wonder about God's existence or if you wonder what a service is supposed to accomplish, you may wonder if you aren't a slight impostor sitting here among the faithful."
"Here's my secret. For many years, I suspected I might be the only rabbi who was uncomfortable with the all-powerful, all-knowing God in our prayer book. But this winter I learned something quite unexpected. I was invited to a rabbinic conference on the High Holiday prayer book. (It turns out that our Reform movement is actively planning to revise Gates of Repentance.)"
"What counts for right now, however, is what I heard around the table at the meeting. Lots of rabbis struggle with the imagery of God in the prayer book..."
If you find these thoughts intriguing and provocative I know you will enjoy the rest of this discourse (with permission).Let me know your thoughts by adding your comment here.