I just got home from the first day of Rosh Hashanah services. Once again, I am a wandering Jew, taking advantage of my sister's kindness of an extra ticket to her synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. (It's my second year back in NYC and I still haven't found a synagogue I feel comfortable joining just yet.) I should preface this diary (my first, so be gentle) by saying that I usually find the sermons during the High Holidays to be hit or miss. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the two Jewish holidays that really draw the crowds, so some Rabbis are known to be long-winded and a little self-important (though, that could just be the rabbis from my hometown).
Today, however, was not long-winded (even at 45 minutes, give or take), nor was the sermon self-important. The rabbi started off by saying that he was going to be talking politics from the pulpit, though he hastened to add that he wasn't going to be partisan. Meaning, he wasn't going to tell the congregation who to vote for, he was just going to talk about issues that were important to Jews and then implored us to use that information when making our decision.
More below...
He listed the issues that he felt were important to Jews, including Social Security, healthcare, the poor, education and the economy. He reminded people that the election should be based on those issues rather than ideas of false patriotism (flag drama) or who had the odd name.
He rarely used names in his sermon, with the important exception of calling out the race-baiters who were targeting Jews for their anti-Obama garbage. He pointed out that Michelle and Barack Obama really are the personification of the American dream. Both came from humble beginnings and rose to the top of their fields. He also mentioned that he thought his congregation was beyond judging people by the color of their skin, but the more he talked to people during the primaries and beyond, he found that wasn't the case. He implored people to look at the issues and use those as the qualifier. He also suggested that we shouldn't be swayed by Obama's middle name and reminded us that Barack is a biblical name (he was the head of Deborah's Army) and there's a Rabbi in his family (Michelle's side). He joked that it's quite possible that like other politicians, he might turn out to be part Jewish.
He spoke about Iran, acknowledging that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a scary man and it's frightening when his shouts that Israel should be wiped off the map are met with cheers by the people of Iran. He said, Jews need to take such threats seriously, but there were different ways to deal with Iran. And, there's always a place for diplomacy.
The Rabbi's sermon wasn't for everyone. Even he admitted as much. I'm personally not crazy about politics from the pulpit, particularly since by the time it hits the mainstream news, it usually has something to do with people who believe that Jews are merely a gateway to fulfilling the means for Armageddon. Or, preachers who claim that Christians should emulate the Israelites, cause we're good with money. However, I want to reiterate (as he did), that he wasn't being partisan. If I were a McCain supporter, it's possible that hearing today's sermon would merely solidify my rightward leanings. But, for today, it made me proud to be a Progressive. And, it also reminded me that I need to make sure my dad is going to vote in Florida, lest it does come down to a bunch of elderly (he's 65, not quite elderly, but still) Jews in the Boca Raton area.
I can't remember everything he said, as it was in the middle of the morning service and I always get verklempt during the shofar blowing, so I'm sure I forgot a bunch of cool points. He mentioned that he puts his sermons online, but I just checked and it's not there yet. If it appears in a timely fashion, I'll add it.