Elul 7 5781

 Elul 7, 5781/August 15, 2021

Rabbi Stephen Wise

We have heard the word resiliency used a lot this past year, the ability to adapt to new circumstances and then go back to where we were, like a giant elastic band.  This might have been more helpful had the pandemic lasted a few weeks or months.  But a year and a half later, we are not likely to go back to March 2020.  We are in a new world, and it is time to examine how we have adapted to the new reality and that this is the new normal.  We might always be more aware of our health and how it affects others and actually stay home when sick.  We might always mask in public places and keep more physical distance.  But what about our new Jewish reality? We found new ways to pray and learn with community online, zooming to Jewish places we never thought we could see, studying with incredible teachers all over the world, and praying among rows of digital faces. But nothing replicates being together with people for the spiritual highs of our life.  Moses had incredibly powerful moments alone – think about him floating down the river as a baby alone, facing the Egyptian taskmaster alone, standing before the burning bush alone and encountering the divine.  But eventually he used all those experiences to build up towards the greatest communal moment in the history of the Jewish people – when we all stood together shoulder to shoulder to receive Torah at Mount Sinai.  I hope and pray we can find that balance in our new world, health and happiness, alone and together time, doing Jewish virtually and also praying, celebrating and living Judaism in the flesh, side by side, united as one community.