May 11, 2012 ~ 19 Iyar 5772 (34th Day of the Omer)

Dear Friends,

After living in the South for five years, I am still amazed that football makes the front page of the paper year round. Unfortunately, the past few months have been depressing. The bounty scandal has been embarrassing and upsetting, and continues to ripple out well beyond New Orleans. Last week, the reasons for the NFL’s alarm about the bounty scandal resurfaced with the news of the suicide of 43-year-old Junior Seau. Seau tragically shot himself in the chest, perhaps in a last desperate moment of sanity, to preserve his brain so that it could be studied – a part of a larger outcry regarding the devastating effects of head injuries in the NFL. Incredibly, Seau became the eighth member of the 1994 Chargers, who lost Super Bowl XXIX to the 49ers, to die at a young age (for a variety of reasons).

But NFL fans got a breath of fresh air when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used their final roster spot to pick Eric LeGrand. LeGrand will never play in the NFL. He has used a wheelchair since Oct. 29, 2010, after he was paralyzed making a tackle in an Oct. 16, 2010, Rutgers home game. LeGrand was told by doctors he’d never walk again. But he’s made remarkable progress and his determination has helped him to stand and even walk a little with assistance. He is even on track to graduate from Rutgers this fall.

LeGrand’s former coach, Greg Schiano, is now the new head coach of Tampa Bay. Schiano said in a Bucs statement this past week: “Leading up to the draft, I couldn’t help but think that this should’ve been Eric’s draft class. This small gesture is the least we could do to recognize his character, spirit, and perseverance. The way Eric lives his life epitomizes what we are looking for in Buccaneer men.” Schiano sent LeGrand his #52 jersey and helmet, knowing full well he would never use them on the field. But the coach told the young man that he still had a role to play for the team. He said, “I want to make sure Eric is a part of what we do, somehow.”

While I am not a huge fan of the values of football, Coach Schiano’s actions are a standout example of something we can all be proud of and a value that as Jews we should point to and applaud.

Shabbat Shalom!

See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

P.S. Go Celtics!

May 4, 2012 ~ 12 Iyar 5772 (27th Day of the Omer)

Dear Friends,

While many flocked to Jazz Fest, this year, we took the kids to the Zurich Golf Classic. I’m not sure you can find two more opposite experiences! On the greens, everyone is hushed with each stoke and you would be out of place without khaki shorts, a polo shirt, and preferably, a sporty visor. There is a serenity in the air and lots of neatly manicured grass and trees. At the Fairgrounds, there is noise everywhere, coming at you in every direction. No two people look the same and there is commotion and constant stimulation all around. You don’t find yourself looking up or down at the scenery, but rather straight ahead, following the rush of the crowd and engaged with the music at hand.

The dance moves are a bit different too. Elyon found himself up against the ropes at the ninth hole as a drive shot bounced on and over the green and rolled quickly right at him. With good reflexes he did a split and the ball rolled right between his legs! At the Fest, I doubt you’d see too many ballet moves – more like lots of twists and grooving.

Obviously, both events are terrific and they embody two very different emotional and spiritual experiences. But perhaps what was most striking for me, was that this year, I could not go to Jazz Fest. On the Jewish calendar we are in the middle of the Sefirat HaOmer period, counting the days between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot (Today is day 27). Traditionally, much of the first 33 days is observed as a mourning period, remembering the sudden and tragic deaths of Rabbi Akiva’s thousands of students. One of the customs observed in this time is to refrain from live music concerts and dancing. This year, all seven days of Jazz Fest fell out during this period, so we chose to pass it up. (A number of years ago I actually created a “10-Year Jewish Jazz Fest Calendar” indicating which days of the festival each year fall out during a non-mourning period!)

But in choosing to pass up the Fest, we found the gift of a totally other kind of enriching experience. I am not yet a golfer. (My older colleagues keep telling me that I have to use the word “yet” in this sentence.) My brothers love the game, but I have tended to favor more team oriented sports. But, this past Sunday, I was able to appreciate the wonderful qualities of the quiet outdoors and the calming energy of being a golf spectator. It was a helpful attitude adjustment to appreciate that perhaps we don’t really miss out on life; we simply find ourselves with an opportunity to experience something else.

“There is a time for every season; a time for every experience under heaven…”

Shabbat Shalom!

See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

April 27, 2012 ~ 5 Iyar 5772 (20th Day of the Omer)

Dear Friends,

Today is the fifth day of the month of Iyar. On this day, 64 years ago, the State of Israel was declared and our people had a sovereign home for the first time in nearly 2,000 years. At our home last night, during our weekly parsha study, our friend Shula Fuchs shared with everyone a copy from the front page of the Israeli newspaper from that day in 1948. She was shivering with wonderful memories and recalled in particular when her mother took her into the streets to dance. Our daughter Adi, who is three years old, was also excited about Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) and did not want to go to sleep last. Apparently, she thought we were all wearing blue and white and celebrating because we were about to fly to Israel. (She, by the way, determined that it was OK for her to wear pink!) Somehow she got the wrong memo.

Awkwardly, in the Orthodox world, there is great debate about how to celebrate this day. The debate isn’t about streamers, fireworks, and bandstands, but rather about the religious character of the day. The central question at hand is: Who has the authority in today’s world to establish a Jewish holiday? Keep in mind that we are in the middle of the Omer period, which is traditionally a mournful time recalling the loss of Rabbi Akiva’s many students who fell victim to infighting and insults in their messianic revolt against the Romans – so, on whose authority can we establish a day of joy to override this tradition period of mourning?

I grew up in a community which appreciated Yom Ha’atzmaut as a new religious national holiday, accepting its establishment from the authority of our newly founded country and many of its Religious Zionist leaders; where live music, blue & white dress, the Hallel prayers (with a beracha!), new haircuts, and festive meals were the norm. There are other communities who do not accept this same authority and have different opinions, ranging from those who share mournful sentiments about this day to those who express a genuinely thankful tone, albeit without imbuing this moment in history with any religious meaning.

One of the great misnomers people have about the Modern Orthodox movement is that it is somehow a more “lenient” orthodoxy. This is not true. Modern Orthodoxy is unique because of the particular values it espouses in contrast to many others in the Orthodox community. One of these values is that just as we continue to be creative interpreters of text, we can also continue to be inspired interpreters of history, seeing the hand of the Divine in past events. While some are uncomfortable with these sorts of expressions, we in the Modern Orthodox world proudly declare every Shabbat (and certainly on the 5th of Iyar!), in the prayer for the State of Israel, that we are witnessing “Reishit Tzimichat Geulateinu” – “the first flowering of the redemptive age.” So I join in with others in wishing you a Chag Sameach! Put on your blue and whites!

For a concise attempt to capture some of the other core values of Modern Orthodoxy, click here. Shabbat Shalom!

See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

April 20, 2012 ~ 28 Nissan 5772 (13th Day of the Omer)

Dear Friends,

This Shabbat, Jews around the world continue to suffer from Post-Traumatic Matzah Disorder. Take for example the abuse I received (lovingly) at Sasnak Farms while blackberry picking this past Sunday with other young families from the shul. As lunch time rolled around, I pulled out a box of matzah and cream cheese – enough to share with all. But, OY! – my kind gesture was met with such overwhelming groans! “Rabbi! It’s the day after Pesach! Matzah? Really?!” I was nearly ordered to put it away! But what was I to eat? After all, I hadn’t yet had time to run to the supermarket after the holiday, so my home was still chametz free.

The visceral reaction I received just at the sight of my matzah offering, reminded me of the challenges we face post-Pesach with indigestion, weight gain, and great puzzlement about the health value of our kosher traditions.

So this Shabbat, my morning derasha will feature a special guest speaker, with whom I hope to share with you some healthy practices for holy eating.

(See pic below of the kids at the farm.)

See you in shul!

- Rabbi Uri

April 12, 2012 ~ 20 Nissan 5772 (5th Day of the Omer)

Dear Friends,

I hope everyone is still enjoying their matzah – only 3 more days to go!

The last days of Pesach contain a variety of meaningful traditions, including plenty of wonderful synagogue time (see you in shul!), special rituals on the 7th day of Pesach (Friday) to commemorate the historical moment of crossing the Red Sea, a reading of the Song of Songs (Saturday morning), a concluding holiday meal with four cups of wine and lots of leftover matzah called a Baal Shem Tov Seudah (come one and all to our home!), as well as the Yizkor memorial prayers.

Specifically in terms of Yizkor, we share a communal moment of vulnerability – reminding us that we are a family, always more than just a social or religious collective. We join together in sorrow and joy, bound by a familial covenant of both laughter and tears.

On a personal level, Yizkor is not simply a passive oral exercise in memory and recollection. It is a moment not simply focused on the past but always also directed to the future. In Yizkor we engage in “constructive memory.” Indeed, in the act of remembering we commit ourselves to concrete actions and deeds, hoping to follow in the good footsteps of our late loved ones, or in order to bring their memory merit.

As we turn our attention to the end of this festive period and the recital of Yizkor, I invite you to pause and consider: What memories will you bring with you into synagogue this Shabbat? What constructive memories will move you and us towards greater kedusha (holiness), tzedakah (generous living/giving), and mitzvah? As your Rabbi, I would be especially honored if you took a moment to jot down your memories to share them with me… and perhaps others.

May our memories and actions redeem us all.

See you in shul! Chag Sameach!

Rabbi Uri

April 6, 2012 ~ 14 Nissan 5772

Dear Friends,

In the Talmud (Chagiga 6b), we are taught that there are three mitvot incumbent upon a person during the pilgrimage festival of Passover. The three mitzvot are actually defined as three different animal sacrifices with special names – the Re’iyah, the Chagiga, and the Simcha. Why the need for 3 sacrifices? And why these three in particular?

Our Rabbis teach that the Re’iyah was a sacrifice handed over to the Kohen and burned up entirely. The action of bringing a Rey’iyah was simply a statement that you showed up for the festival, hence it’s name “Re’iyah“, meaning, “being seen.” Whereas the Chagiga was a more ritual sacrifice. The animal was divided and eaten between the family bringing it and the Kohanim who offered it. Thus, in bringing the Chagiga, one did more than just show up – he/she engaged in the rituals of the day. The third sacrifice was the Simcha - literally, “the joy.” Bringing this sacrifice demonstrated that the person was going beyond the letter of the law – he/she was not just showing up and going through the motions of the service, but was committed to finding meaning and joy in the experience as well.

These three mitzvot teach us a great deal about how we engage with all Jewish rituals, and in particular, tonight, at the Pesach Seder. Are we just showing up but disengaged from the ritual process? Are we engaged in the rituals, but disconnected from its meaning? Or are we able to tap into all three levels of the mitzvah and seek out meaning and joy in the intricacies of the holiday? Sometimes, this last level requires a little effort, perhaps even asking a few questions to enlighten and enrichen the experience – what better night to wonder, “why is this night different than all other nights?!”

Chag Kasher v’Sameach and Happy Pesach to all!

See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

March 30, 2012 ~ 7 Nissan 5772

Dear Friends,

We are one week away from the holiday that celebrates the incredible – nearly unimaginable moment, when a nation of slaves transformed themselves into a free people.

The Chassidic Master, Rabbi Mordechai YosefLeiner of Ishbitza, imagines that the Red Sea itself is awed by the Israelites and their ability to change. In their honor, the Sea chooses to transform its very nature from a free flowing body of water into a solid wall – standing upright with respect to allow the Children of Israel to pass right on through where it once flowed.

“Why is this night different than all other nights?”  The answer we give our children is that tonight we remember that people can change. That the impossible transformations might just be possible.

Slaves can go free. The hungry can be fed. Oppression can end. Addictions can be overcome. We can build a society where our doors are always open, where strangers are nourished, and where redemption is just around the corner.

At our Passover seders, we are planting the seeds in our children’s minds, that one day, they too can “split the sea” of today’s most difficult challenges.

Shabbat Shalom! See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

March 23, 2012 ~ 29 Adar 5772

Dear Friends,

Dahlia and I have just arrived home from a few days vacation at the Grand Canyon in celebration of our upcoming 10th Wedding Anniversary. It was a beautiful trip, and we even managed to catch a freakish blizzard that blanketed the Red Rocks of Sedona and the upper layers of the Canyon with beautiful white snow. We have returned now from being at an elevation of 7,000 feet, to our humble home at 3 feet below sea level in Metairie.

While our trip was incredibly relaxing and refreshing, our spirits were dashed when we heard about the news of the brutal terrorist attack in Toulouse, France. In addition to the cold blooded shooting of 3 paratroopers, the terrorist also opened fire outside the Ozar HaTorah School, killing Rabbi Yonatan Sandler, a 30-year-old teacher from Jerusalem; his two children Aryeh, 6, and Gavriel, 3; and 8-year-old Miriam Monstango, the daughter of the school’s principle. Several others were also wounded gravely.

Our vacation in the Grand Canyon and the news of the murders could not represent more polar opposite realities. Standing on the rim of the Canyon, we witnessed the vast openness of our world, the grandeur of our universe, the expanse of our Divine space. While in France, a murderer demonstrated the close-mindedness of his world, the smallness of his universe, and his pathetically narrow understanding of the Divine.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families this Shabbat, and we pray for a world in which all of its citizens can be humbled by the awesomeness of the created world and the incredible diversity of life and land that fills it with blessing. Shabbat Shalom.

See you in shul,

Rabbi Uri

March 16, 2012 ~ 22 Adar 5772

Dear Friends,

This Shabbat we will bless the new month of Nissan, celebrating the historic month of our national birth and pretending not to notice that it’s time to start cleaning and shopping for Pesach!

As the Jewish people prepared to leave Egypt and a lifetime of slavery, they were given their first mitzvah – to establish a calendar with the month of their redemption at its head. Nissan, as it was later to be called, was our new first month and symbolized the importance of a free people taking ownership of their own time. (Today, we effectively celebrate three New Years – at Rosh Hashanah, the birthday of the world, at Pesach, the birthday of our people, and at Tu Bshvat, the birthday of the trees.)

This past week, I have watched, once again, as our brothers and sisters have tragically become slaves to time. If you live in Israel within 10 miles of Gaza, you have 15 seconds. 20 miles? Then you might have 30 seconds. At 40 miles, there is a whopping 60 seconds to find cover before the missiles land.

Entire families are sleeping together in cramped bomb shelters in the basements of their homes. Children are not going to schools. The playgrounds are empty. The terrorists are controlling our time.

As we freely stop work for this Shabbat and proclaim ownership of our own time, we pray that our brothers and sisters in Israel will know peace and can be blessed to fulfill the very first of our mitzvot, the basis of our freedom – the ability to be in control of one’s own time.

See you in shul. Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Uri

Purim Pictures!

March 2, 2012 ~ 8 Adar 5772

Dear Friends,

As I prepare for the joys of Purim, I was thankful to receive the following news tip yesterday that will help us all enjoy the festivities ahead in safety:

To stay safe in the world today:

· Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20 % of all fatal accidents.

· Do not stay at home because 17 percent of all accidents occur in the home. (that’s 37 % already)

· Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14 percent of all accidents occur to pedestrians.(now that’s 51%)

· Avoid traveling by air, trains or buses, 16 percent of accidents involve these forms of transportation. (that’s 67%)

· Of the remaining 33 percent, 32 percent of all deaths occur in hospitals. Above all else avoid hospitals.

You will be pleased to learn that only 0.01 % of all deaths occur in a synagogue, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is in Synagogue!

Furthermore, despite the singular Talmudic story of a Rabbi who was accidentally slaughtered by another drunken Rabbi at a Purim feast, studies show that the number of total deaths at Purim feasts throughout the centuries are statistically too small to even register. Thus, spending Purim at the Rabbi’s seudah feast is possibly the safest of all places to be come this Thursday!

Shabbat Shalom! SEE YOU IN SHUL!

Rabbi Uri

February 24, 2012 ~ Rosh Chodesh Adar 5772

Dear Friends,

Elyon’s journal entry for school this week read, “I went to a great parade and caught lots of toilets, plungers, and two stuffed animals.”

I think it’s time to shift focus and get us back on track… :)

In this week’s Torah reading, there is also a shift of focus as we move away from Sinai and into the minutiae of Tabernacle building. The details of this temporary Temple creation take up 15x more space in the Torah than that of a far more significant creation story – the creation of the world! What messages are we meant to learn from the amount of energy invested into a construction project that was not even designed to endure?

Thinking back to our people’s origins, we remember that when the Israelites entered Egypt they were a single extended family. But by the time they left they had become a large nation composed of many tribes. What united them was a shared past. But to succeed as a nation, they would also need to share a future. This is perhaps why the Torah invests so much time in the details of building the Tabernacle. One read of our story indicates that while the people often complained during their desert trek about food, water, etc., there is never a single complaint recorded in all the discussions related to the building of the Tabernacle. What all the signs and wonders failed to do, the construction project succeeded in accomplishing. The joint task gave them a sense of shared responsibility and identity and was therefore the key to birthing our nation – thus worthy of taking up a ton of space in the Torah.

May this Shabbat bring us clarity on the keys to forging a united community and what can be accomplished when every member of the tribe is valued equally, not just for who they are, but also for what they are capable of bringing to the table.

Shabbat Shalom. See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

*Please welcome back Rabbi Ethan Katz and NCSY high school students from the Kushner Academy in New Jersey.

February 17, 2012 ~ 24 Shevat 5772

Dear Friends,

Sunday the Rabbi went to the Racetrack. And I took my kids.

Alexander Barkoff, renowned horse photographer, who was my guide for this first time experience, was afraid he’d be corrupting our family. But no bets were placed and no deals were made. Instead, the kids fed mints to the horses, got to stroke their manes, and were awed by their speed, strength and beauty. I was most intrigued by the people along the rails and in the grandstand. They represented every type of New Orleanian, and here they were, side by side, enjoying the experience.

This time of year, as Mardi Gras rolls around, I often find myself explaining to old friends and family in the North how I’ve come to live in New Orleans and how I justify the debauchery this town is famous for. Of course, I can’t justify the lewdness when it rears its unholy face in isolated places, but most of us know that overall we’ve been given a bad rap for a culture that has a lot to teach the nation. This town, through its revelry, finds a way to bounce back from disappointment and tragedy. Built into our calendar of festivals is a self-healing cycle that reaps great rewards – economically, emotionally, and spiritually. But most of all, a quick glance around any Mardi Gras parade, JazzFest stage, or any other Po-boy/Creole/Tomato/Zydeco/Oyster/Strawberry/Wine/Literary/Voodoo/White Linen festival, shows a mass of people all across the generational, religious, ethnic, and social class spectrum celebrating together as one people with a common love.

This Shabbat is Parshat Shekalim, when we begin reading the first of four special Maftir/Haftorah readings. Shekalim is a meant to remind us of the half-shekel annual contribution expected from every Israelite – no more or less for every member of the tribe. Obviously, we are not meant to create a society where everyone lives the same lifestyle and has the same checkbook. But the half-shekel teaches us that we are meant to open our doors, like Abraham and Sarah’s tent, and recognize the humanity we all share as beings equally created in the image of God.

Shabbat Shalom. See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

*Please welcome back our Rabbinic Intern, Aaron Potek, who will be with us this Shabbat.

February 10, 2012 ~ 17 Shevat 5772

Dear Friends,

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Israel was a guided tour of the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem. The museum opened its doors in 1992 and is the only museum in the world dedicated to the history of the biblical period in the ancient lands of the Bible. At the museum entrance, there is a large inscription capturing the vision of its founder, Dr. Elie Borowski, which reads: “The future of mankind has its roots in the past; only through understanding our history we can build a better future.”

This Sunday, our congregation will bid farewell for the last time to our old sanctuary at 7000 Canal Blvd. When we decided to have a final minyan there and unlock its doors one last time for our community to share its memories, several people felt it was unnecessary to open up old wounds. After all, we have moved on and are already watching with great anticipation the new building rise along West Esplanade (the windows went in yesterday!).

But a people with 3000 years of shared history have learned the value of bridging past and future. A community is inspired and energized by its future, but also strengthened and fortified by its memory. A healthy community is an intergenerational community – L’dor V’dor. The fallacy of this principle is that it works best when one generation steps aside to make room for the next. In fact, the truth is just the opposite. A vibrant community is represented by generations that stand side by side seeking to learn from each other; each equally invested in the well being of the other; each appreciating that institutional memory and youthful energy are both vital for a sound future. How often do those with the memory not know who are the youth, or the youth not know those with the memory?

Dr. Borowski’s vision is complemented by the Biblical figure Malkitzedek, King of Shalem, who presented Abraham a gift of bread and wine in recognition of his leadership (Gen. 14:18). Bread is better fresh and wine is better aged. But together, they make a fine meal.

Shabbat Shalom. See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

**This Shabbat we welcome back Rabbi Etan Katz and an NCSY group from the Maayanot Girls Yeshiva in New Jersey. Join us for some extra spirited davening throughout Shabbat and a lively Seudah Shlishit!

February 3, 2012 ~ 10 Shevat 5772

Dear Friends,

Having just returned from my trip to Israel hours before Shabbat, I thought I would just share one quick story with you. Last Friday night, I went to the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem, to relish in a spirited Kabbalat Shabbat. It was raining, so everyone packed inside the covered section of the Kotel. Because the inside area is considerably smaller than the outside plaza, I found myself pressed up against Jews of all stripes, pushed and pulled beyond my control deeper into the interior. Finally, I found some breathing room and opened my siddur to begin the prayers. I listened to find my place. To my immediate left, a group of young religious Zionist Yeshiva guys dressed in untucked white shirts were passionately singing and dancing to random Shabbat songs in preparation for the service. As one song would die down, another yeshiva bachur would shout out and start a new one. As I learned in towards them, I was distracted by a group of Chassidic men behind me who had just begun to chant an unfamiliar tune to Lecha Dodi. These men were intensely shuckling, their peyot and fur streimels swaying back and forth. There was beautiful power in their kavannah. My eyes, feet, and song shifted back and forth between these two groups for a while when suddenly, to my right, a large group of young boys from a Chabad community had gathered and began singing aloud, in their high pitched voices. They had launched into an old, complex niggun – a song without words that rose and fell at irregular intervals. As I looked around, smiling, I found myself appreciating the three minyanim that were thriving inside this compact space – a space that probably could fit within the walls of our little synagogue here in New Orleans. Each minyan was singing beautiful tunes, and while they all sang proudly, none was trying to outdo the other. To top it off, squirming between the Chabadniks, the Chassidim, and the yeshiva boys, were dozens of out of place tourists with their wide eyed faces trying to soak in the experience. This was a wonderful shared space, albeit for lots of different types.

As I walked away elated, I stopped to introduce myself to Rabbi Sheinberger, a famous Rabbi from whom many seek blessings. He asked me where I was from, and I replied, “New Orleans.” He had a puzzled look on his face, but before I could say more, one of his followers leaned over and said, “It is next to Texas!” That got me a big smile from the Rabbi who had just lumped me and all proud New Orleanians in with Texas. So much for being different and unique! But that’s OK – a healthy humbling is also good for Shabbat!

Shabbat Shalom.

See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

I invite you to join me this Shabbat morning as I share some of my experiences from my trip to Israel. I have entitled my talk, “A Split Personality Within a Split Sea.”

January 20, 2012 ~ 25 Tevet 5772

Dear Friends,

Almost 50 years ago, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel walked arm and arm with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in the third attempt to march peacefully from Selma to Montgomery for Civil Rights. Rabbi Heschel later wrote, “When I marched in Selma, my feet were praying.”

In the spirit of those protests, communities around the country host marches to commemorate Dr. King’s legacy on his birthday weekend. This past Monday, my family joined with others from the Jewish Day School, the Jewish Federation, and Touro Synagogue, in a small group of about 30 people, in New Orleans’ city-sponsored march (see pic below). While it was a wonderful experience for my family, I was also surprised to see that we were the only predominately white organizations marching. In fact, I do not think I would be exaggerating if I were to say that our group doubled the numbers of white people anywhere in the parade. And I’m not proud of those numbers, especially since these Jewish organizations have only been marching for the past two years of this annual event.

In Mayor Landrieu’s opening speech at Congo Square, he focused on crime and violence in the city. His message was important as violence has been spiraling out of control lately, and it certainly seemed to resonate amongst the overwhelmingly Black crowd, whom themselves have been most impacted by this culture of violence. Yet, I couldn’t help see the irony in it all on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, wondering where the white community was to stand with our Black neighbors and friends. As he focused on Black violence, did the Mayor recognize the segregated nature of the event which itself was the particular issue of Dr. King’s activism? In so many ways, the march felt just as it did 50 years ago: a black march, with a few white folks that had the courage to stand with them. But of course, it took no courage to march on this Monday. It should have been the normal thing to do in our generation. The civil rights marches weren’t just about ethnic equality; they were also about building a community that is stronger because of the sum of all its parts.

Shabbat Shalom. See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

January 13, 2012

Dear Friends,

Nine year old Christina Taylor Green was shot and killed in a Tuscon, Arizona shopping center one year ago this week. Christina had recently been elected to her school’s student council and was taken by a neighbor to meet her Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords. There, a gunman opened fire on the crowd assembled and killed 5 other people with Christina and wounded thirteen others, including the Congresswoman.

Christina was born on September 11, 2001 and was featured in a book entitled, “Faces of Hope,” that included the pictures of 50 babies born on that horrific day. Christina would show the book off and say, “See, I was born that day. Some good things did happen that day.” Even on the day she died, Christina gave hope to others by donating her organs. Her untimely death has enabled three other people to live and Christina has also given three children the gift of eyesight through corneal and retinal implants.

President Obama, who spoke in Tuscon after the attacks, had this to say about young Christina: “Imagine: here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that someday she too might play a part in shaping her nation’s future. She had been elected to her student council; she saw public service as something exciting, something hopeful. She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model. She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted. I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. I want America to be as good as she imagined. All of us – we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children’s expectations.”

May this Shabbat give us pause, after a month of loud Republican debates, and partisan sparring, to think of Christina and aspire to build community and country to be as good as she imagined it.

Shabbat Shalom! See you in shul,

Rabbi Uri

Click here to read more about Christina and the foundation her family established in her memory.

January 6, 2012 ~ 11 Tevet 5772

Dear Friends,

This past Monday morning, January 2, my son Itai woke up and was so excited to finally begin 1st grade! We were a bit confused, because after a two week break, he was simply heading back to the Jewish Day School for the second half of his kindergarten school year. When his brother broke the news to him, Itai was in hysterics and it was a rough back-to-school morning.

My children are my teachers, and Itai’s little confusion mirrored so many other experiences I’ve had when misinterpreting the bigger cards. How many times does a blessing turn out to be a curse, and a curse actually a blessing?

Rabbi Dov Linzer, the Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah where I was ordained, comments on the blessings that Yaakov gives to his hot-headed sons Shimon and Levi. Yaakov says, “Cursed be their wrath, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.” (49:7) This blessing, delivered on his death bed, appears to be much more of a curse. And indeed it is the curse that befalls Shimon, who is not given any tribal land to live in Israel. However, Levi hears it as a blessing, and while he too is excluded from receiving a tribal land, Levi’s descendants find a holy way to be scattered. They live in Jerusalem, servicing the Temple, and they dwell in special cities of refuge throughout the land, where they will care for fugitives, who themselves were perhaps a bit hot-headed in life. A blessing can be a curse. And a curse can be a blessing.

The Chassidic Master, Reb Simcha Bunim of Pesishcha, claims that the same twist of curse = blessing can be seen in the expulsion from Eden. The antagonist – the snake, appears to have received a blessing, not a curse at all! Now that he loses his legs and is forced to his belly, food will always be at his lips and easy to find. Whereas Adam and Eve’s curses of labor seem most severe. Yet, Reb Simcha says that the snake is truly cursed because it will never have to rely on another for help, but man and woman will always seek the support of others due to their hardships. That need for support will lead to beautiful deep relationships, including one with God – the greatest blessing of all.

This Shabbat, may we find the strength to overcome the curses in our blessings, as well as the insight to reveal the blessings in the curses that come our way. Even if it means another half a year of Kindergarten!

Shabbat Shalom. See you in shul!

Rabbi Uri

December 23, 2011 – 27 Kislev 5772

Dear Friends,

Lighting Chanukah candles in our home doesn’t always lead to that blissful holiday moment you might imagine. I like to think that our experience the last several nights is one that is shared by many young families. Chanukah is, at times, an event with several children aggressively vying for their place in front of the chanukiyot; where at least one or two of the menorahs get knocked over and crack in pieces each year; where two parents become acutely aware how outnumbered they are as they try to create a safe atmosphere in the presence of a dozen teetering lit candles; where the songs die quickly as presents are spotted and a maniacal frenzy of gift opening begins; where “it’s not fair” and “I hate my present” vastly overwhelm the thank yous and smiles; where dinner is lost in a sea of chocolate coins and jelly donuts; and where some parents wish we had just one night of presents like other lucky families!

Don’t get me wrong, we are good parents! We establish rules for safety and work on manners and values of sharing. We spend lots of time preparing healthy dinners and managing the flow of presents from double sets of grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins, and neighbors. We carve out time to light candles with our kids and even bring out the guitar to make the ritual meaningful and memorable. Yet, somehow, every year, well before each night’s little candles burn down, we are completely burnt out!

If you can’t tell, writing this brief message is cathartic for me. So thank you for giving me the veiled impression that I have a caring, listening friend on the other side of this email. I feel better already! But even as I write this, it is hard to ignore how fortunate we truly are. After all, my children are blessed to have two parents, healthy lives, siblings to play with, extended family to love them, a financially stable home, food on the table, and exposure to a beautiful religious tradition that I can tell is already touching their souls.

A teacher of mine once pointed out that Chanukah is celebrated nine months before Rosh Hashanah and can be likened to a spiritual moment of conception – symbolized by the spark of the candle flames that we pray will bear beautiful fruit by the time the next year rolls around. Meaning, this is a time to recognize potential, to think optimistically, and dream for our future. For myself, I am not ashamed to wish for calmer Chanukah nights, but I can also pause and imagine more broadly about all the wonderful things that lay ahead for our highly engaged children. Perhaps we can each benefit from a dose of “future perspective” and use these nights to conceive of the hopes we each wish for in the years to come, for our families, our professional lives, our spiritual pursuits, and all our varied goals.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanukah!

Rabbi Uri

December 16, 2011 ~ 20 Kislev 5772

See you in shul!

December 9, 2011 ~ 13 Kislev 5772

See you in shul!

December 2, 2011 ~ 6 Kislev 5772

November 18, 2011 ~ 21 Cheshvan 5772

Dear Friends,

Mrs. Radosh says to the rabbi, “My husband keeps shrinking! When we married he was five foot eight, and now he’s five foot four. Can you say a blessing for him?” “Of course,” said the Rabbi, “May he live to be four foot ten!”

I came across this little joke in an article in last week’s New York Magazine entitled, “What Do a Bunch of Old Jews Know About Living Forever?” The article highlights a scientific gene study of hundreds of elderly Ashkenazi Jews in New York managing to live long lives. The scientists hope to uncover the “secrets of the alter kockers,” with the goal of producing drugs to enhance longevity. Medical advancements have already led the National Institute on Aging to predict that the number of centenarians (those living beyond 100) will grow from the 37,000 counted in 1990 to as many as 4.2 million by 2050. The new Ashkenazi study could uncover new secrets that drastically increase that number! (The big revelation so far is that the top correlate for longevity is one that requires no blood test to discover: having a centenarian in your family already!)

The article makes this following point: “Even with the miraculous enhancements sure to come in the next decades, longevity is a mixed blessing. For Jews, who are enjoined by their faith and history and meddling grandmothers to be healthy and live long, and to have children who will do the same, it can become such an obsession as to make the time gained seem unworth the worry.”

At his checkup, Schwartz asks the doctor, “Do you think I’ll live to 100? I don’t smoke or drink or eat rich food or date loose women.”

“So why do you want to live to 100?”

This Shabbat, we read in the Torah portion about the death of our matriarch Sarah at the age of 127. The Torah writes her lifespan as “100 years, and 20 years and 7 years.” This particular division of her years points to a message, and the commentator Rashi quotes the explanation of the sages: “At the age of 100, Sara was still as pure of soul as a 20 year old, and at the age of 20, Sara was as beautiful as a child of 7.”

While Sarah may have been unique, the Torah’s contemporary message about longevity could be restated as follows: may we live each day of our lives with the innocence of a 7-year-old, with the strength and idealism of a 20-year-old, and yet with the humility that most of us have not achieved the life experience of a 100-year-old.

 Shabbat Shalom!

See you in shul,

Rabbi Uri

 Click here to see a one minute video of our new foundation slab being poured… Remember, it’s never too late to make your capital campaign gift!

BCS/SUGAR BOWL RAFFLE TICKETS: Tickets are now available for our 2012 Chanukah Raffle, for which the Grand Prize is two (2) Loge tickets to the BCS Game (Bowl Championship Series) on January 9, 2012  and 2nd Prize is two (2) Loge tickets to the Sugar Bowl on January 3, 2012.  You will not only have a chance to help Beth Israel, but you may find yourself in some of the very best seats in the Dome at a great game!  The winning tickets will be drawn on December 25, 2012.   Single raffle tickets are $25, and we have a real deal, for five (5) tickets for $100.  Contact Rabbi David in the synagogue office to buy your tickets.

November 11, 2011 ~ 14 Cheshvan 5772

Dear Friends,

Just a few days ago, we marked the anniversary of Kristallnacht – the Night of the Broken Glass, recalling those horrific evenings in 1938, on November 9 and 10, when mobs rampaged through Germany and other German territories in a government-sanctioned reprisal against the Jews. At least 96 Jews were killed and hundreds more injured, over 7,000 Jewish businesses, and more than a 1,000 synagogues had been ransacked or destroyed. Jewish cemeteries and schools were vandalized, and 30,000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps.

As a child, one of my most powerful Jewish experiences took place during an annual Kristallnacht commemoration at our synagogue. I remember being a part of painting a beautiful mural of Jewish life onto a glass panel with my classmates, and then witnessing as it was shattered during the program and reduced to shards in several large cardboard boxes. Carefully, at the end of the evening, a group of adults had taken the glass pieces and re-constructed an image of Jewish life reborn.

For me, it recalls the quote from Rebbe Nachman that I have grown fond of here in New Orleans – “Im Ata Ma’amin SheYicholin LiKalkel, Ma’amin SheYicholin LiTakein” – “If you believe in the ability to destroy, then you can believe in the ability to rebuild.”

While there can be no comparisons to the Holocaust, I still am struck that 73 years to the day after Kristallnacht, when so many synagogues were burnt to their foundations, we at Beth Israel, here in New Orleans, witnessed the whole concrete slab being poured on our new synagogue (pic below). The parallel was moving for me.

Of course, we are not rebuilding the communities lost in the Shoah. We can hardly imagine all that was lost, and in such brutality. Yet, we are a part of the incredible dedication and continuity of our people who, throughout the millennia, have continued to face destruction in the eye, and build anew the next day.

May we draw strength from our collective memory, but also from our shared drive to build for our future. L’dor v’dor.

Shabbat Shalom! See you in shul,

Rabbi Uri

Thank You to Alexander Barkoff who woke up before the crack of dawn on November 10, 2011 to take these pictures!

***THIS SHABBAT BEGINS EARLY FRIDAY NIGHT DAVENING: Please remember that today’s Friday Mincha will be at 4:45PM, followed by a class with Rabbi Uri and then Kabbalat Shabbat at 5:30PM. We will continue with this schedule for the next few months.

Shabbat Schedule Parshat Vayeira:

4:45PM Friday Night Services (Candle Lighting at 4:49PM.)

9:00AM Shabbat Morning Davening followed by GALA Kiddush Luncheon sponsored this week by the JWV Jules Lazard Post 580.

5:00PM Seudah Shlishit at the Rabbi’s home (Shabbat ends not before 5:44PM.)

***JWV SHABBAT: In commemoration of Veterans Day, our congregation will be welcoming members of our local Jewish War Veterans post this Shabbat. Rabbi Uri will be delivering a special Shabbat morning derasha entitled, “The Meaning of a Jew in America.” Services will conclude with a presentation by a color guard made up of our Jewish War Veterans, and a few remarks by the Post Commander, Judge Sol Gothard. A gala kiddush lunch will follow. All are welcome! This Shabbat, we also welcome again Aaron Potek, our YCT Rabbinic Intern.

November 4, 2011 – 7 Cheshvan 5772

Dear Friends,

Dahlia and I went in for parent teacher conferences this week and noticed that on a chalkboard outside our son’s classroom it was written: “Word of the Week: Stereotype.” The teacher explained that the word was chosen in reaction to an incident that took place during a field trip that week to see a production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” The play touches upon issues of interfaith marriages and conflicts between different cultures and ethnicities. On top of that, one of the students, during the show, noticed a young girl wearing a hijab head covering sitting a few rows away. The teacher shared that this second grade student shrunk down in the seat saying, “There’s an Arab girl. I don’t want her to see me because the Arabs hate the Jews.” From the teacher’s perspective, this was an extremely unfortunate response, but also a perfect opportunity to begin a new “Thanksgiving Unit” on negative stereotyping, as well as healthy ethnic pride.

I am thankful that our children are being exposed to these ideas, but also so sad that we live in a world in which seven year olds experience not-so-subtle ethnic discrimination, hatred, and distrust – whether real or imagined.

In this week’s Torah reading, I find it instructive that before we launch into the story of Avraham and the foundations of our people, the immediate pre-text offered is the Tower of Babel. “The whole land was of one language and one purpose…And God dispersed them from there over the face of the whole land.” The take away message is clear: God demands diversity.

Shabbat Shalom! See you in shul,

Rabbi Uri