D'var Torah

Dear friends,

The past few days have been ones of high emotions and tensions for our whole country and community, and today we accept the results of our presidential election- some of us with pain, some of us with uncertainty, and some of us with hope. Our URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs shared this morning, “We must remain steadfast in our dedication to supporting one another in fostering compassion, resilience, and understanding within our communities. Together, we will confront…challenges by promoting dialogue, embracing diversity, and advocating for a society rooted in justice and respect for all…The strength of our movement has always been in the community that we are, standing alongside each other in moments of joy and moments of challenge. We will care for the orphan, the widow, and the stranger. We will remain firm in our values and bring them to bear in the public square. We will speak truth to power.” (Click here to read Rabbi Jacobs’ entire letter.) 

Temple Rodef Shalom is a space for Jewish traditions and Jewish values to thrive both inside and outside of our building.  We are proud to stand as a beacon of hope and light through our diverse and inclusive community, and come together when we need support, when we are joyful, when we are challenged, and when we need purpose and direction. We draw strength from each other and from thousands of years of Jewish wisdom designed to help us meet any moment. We also affirm our congregation’s dedication to working for justice. We hope you will continue to join us in doing so in these coming days, weeks, and months, no matter what you are carrying. 

We will gather, as we always do, for Shabbat services on November 8^th at 6:30 PM, and continue to observe our regular calendar of prayer, study, and Tikkun Olam, as we reaffirm the values of Reform Judaism that we hold so dear.  We also hope you will join us for a special program on December 8^th, where we will hear from journalists and experts from our own community about this election and its aftermath. 

Please join us in continuing to strengthen all that is good and just at Temple Rodef Shalom.