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As your new rabbi here in the Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community, I want to tell you how excited I am about the year ahead. As you no doubt know, Judaism is not about set, rigid dogmas and beliefs, but instead offers us limitless opportunities for enriching life.Our tradition challenges us to take mere existence and transform it into a life filled with meaning and value, with celebration and genuine connection. This year, we intend to answer that challenge here in the SYVJC as never before. |
Shalom! This will be a year of Jewish learning, for adults, for children, and for adults and children together. In our Sunday School, we will build on the wonderful foundation laid last year, adding regular music and dance sessions to our kids’ Sunday mornings.
Students in grade 4 and older (our “Ariot” class) will be learning to read Hebrew, as well as exploring other areas of Jewish life. I will be in the classrooms teaching, as well as leading music, on my monthly visits, and I’ll be working with our Hebrew students between visits as well. I’ll also be working with our teachers and Youth Education Committee to continue to develop exciting, innovative programs that will make Jewish learning interesting and fun for our children.
Every other month, parents and their children will have the opportunity to learn together during the first hour of class, through our new Family Education Program. Our first session will be on Sunday, Sept. 7, the first day of school, and will focus on preparing for the High Holy Days. Parents are then invited to stay for our music session, to learn the songs we’ll be singing at services and celebrations throughout the year, right along with their children.
But Jewish learning isn’t just kids’ stuff. During each of my weekends here, I’ll be offering an opportunity for adults to learn together as well. Sometimes we’ll be looking at texts, ancient and modern, that can bring us new insights. Sometimes we’ll be taking up a particular topic in an effort to better understand the issues at stake. Our first Adult Learning Program of the year will focus on “Gay Marriage: A Jewish View”, a timely (and controversial) subject, especially with Prop. 8 on the November ballot. Join us on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 7pm at D Ranch.
This will be a year of coming together for social and cultural events, opportunities to truly connect with one another, person to person, and build a sense of genuine community together. Our Community Picnic on Saturday, Sept. 6, 11am-2pm at Riverview Park in Buellton, is the first of many such opportunities I hope you’ll take advantage of throughout the year.
And this will be a year of coming together in Jewish prayer. For me, services are times to be inspired, and challenged, to be joyful and still. They offer us a quiet time to look deep within and renew ourselves, and to think beyond ourselves and renew our resolve to make a difference in the world. They bring us times of holiday celebration as well, as we shake the lulav at Sukkot, light the Chanukiah at Chanukah, go a little meshuggeh at Purim. They are filled with music that moves us and words that matter. Jewish prayer requires no theological litmus test - I believe that our services should hold meaning and value for those of traditional conviction, and those who bring the “courage of their confusions” alike. We begin our year of prayer together on Friday evening, Sept. 5, 7pm, at Fireside Hall.
While, sadly, a previous commitment makes it impossible for me to be with you for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I are delighted that Rabbi Glenn Ettman and Cantorial Soloist Iris Malkin will be leading our community in worship for the holy days. Rabbi Ettman, Iris and I have already begun working together in preparation for the High Holy Days, and I know that SYVJC will enjoy services filled with genuine meaning and beauty.
I am very much looking forward to being with you to begin the High Holy Days season, though. On Saturday evening, September 20, at 9pm, we will share a brief, beautiful service known as Selichot. Selichot invites us to begin the process of introspection, of really looking at who we are and what we are doing with our lives, that is at the heart of the High Holy Days. The later hour (some congregations convene near midnight!) brings us together when the noisy day is well behind us, that we might better experience moments of quiet reflection as we prepare for the coming of a new year. Our Selichot service will be in Fireside Hall - I hope to see you there.
I would love to hear your ideas for adult education programs, activities for kids, cultural and social action programs...anything that you would like to see as part of our SYVJC program for the coming year. I’m also available for personal consultations during my weekends in the Santa Ynez Valley, or anytime you’d like to talk.
Our tradition teaches that, with the coming of every New Year, we turn over a new page in our Book of Life. This year, we turn the page in our communal Book of Life to find a whole new chapter in the life of the Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community opening before us. It promises to be a rich, vibrant time, a time filled with Jewish worship, learning, celebration and sharing. I hope you’ll be an active part as we write that new chapter together.
My very best wishes to you and your family for a year of sweetness and fulfillment in 5769.
Rabbi Jerry Brown
To read more about Rabbi Brown click HERE or to The Valley Journal article HERE.
