Chicken Soup
|
On July 1, 2015, I launched Makom NY: A New Kind of Jewish Community. This sermon was the first sermon in our new community. The community was made up of people who understood the history of our new community and people who where coming to us for the very first time.
|
Rosh Hashanah 2015 / 5775
Makom NY: A New Kind of Jewish Community
With every holiday celebration in our home, there are certain foods that are always prepared. Some of these delicacies have even become staples throughout the year. We make meatballs, brisket, kugel, challah, matzah balls, and of course, chicken soup. In any case, each of these dishes is prepared precisely the same way, every single time.
Take chicken soup for example. We use the same huge pot, cover the Kosher chicken with water, add the kosher salt and boil. Once the water is boiling, we add chicken buyon cubes and Osem seasoning, and let it boil for thirty minutes. Then we add the vegetables, always the same ones, and let the whole pot simmer for at least two hours. Most importantly, at least according to my daughter Sophie, we pour the soup into large Tupperware containers and freeze them, so we can skim the fat off the top before eating. Behold, a delicious bowl of chicken soup appears.
I cannot tell you precisely why I make chicken soup this way, nor do I know what others might do differently to make their chicken soup. I am fairly certain my mom makes soup almost identical to mine, and I have taught my daughter and husband to do the same. I imagine, with modern-day gadgets, there are probably easier ways to make chicken soup, but I am rather comfortable with my well-tested recipe.
How many of us have family recipes that we follow simply because it is what we have always done? I imagine many of those recipes were even used in preparation for our Rosh Hashanah meals. Now think beyond recipes. How many of us have family rituals we observe, though we may not know why we do them, or from whence they came? How do you observe birthdays, or anniversaries, the first day of school each year or the occasion of losing a tooth? Perhaps you even have some Jewish rituals in your family. What foods do you always eat on certain holidays? What tablecloth do you use for the special holidays?
We live in a world of ritual and custom. It is a great thing… sometimes. Minhag, or custom, is good. Ritual most definitely has value. However, what we sometimes forget, in our strict adherence of that given ritual, is that the importance of the ritual is not always the ritual itself, but the meaning behind the act.
I would like to share with you this Rosh Hashanah morning some thoughts about Jewish community, as this is our first large gathering together of Makom NY: A New Kind of Jewish Community. For many of us, Jewish community is synonymous with the term synagogue. It is the equivalent of needing a good kosher chicken to make a great pot of chicken soup. We need one to have the other. It is what we have always done.
Many of us perceive the synagogue as an ancient entity that defines Jewish community. Yes, the idea of the synagogue comes from ancient times. It began when the great Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed for the second time, and Jews needed a place to gather and pray. The main purpose of the synagogue was to be a Beit Midrash, a house of study, a place to learn, debate and dialogue about Jewish text.
It is important to note as well that for most of Jewish history, the vast majority of synagogues were simple structures. The synagogue itself was not to be the recipient of lavish decor. Rather, what made the synagogue a holy place was the fact that it contained an Ark in which a Torah was held. For most of Jewish history, synagogues were primarily small, modest buildings, sometimes simple wooden structures, even the bottom floor of a rabbi’s house. It was only in the last few centuries that we have witnessed synagogues becoming large majestic structures built in communities with resources and desire. [1]
In some ways, the growth of the American synagogue has been miraculous. In a few short decades, the synagogue of America went from being a small shul to becoming a mega center for Jewish learning, worship and social engagement. Jews, and Americans for that matter, chose to belong. The suburban migration encouraged, almost forced Jews to gravitate to a local synagogue. The question was never “did” you belong to a synagogue, but rather, “where did you belong”. The individual movements were flourishing, Jewish summer camps had infiltrated the camping market, and Israel trips were great places for family vacations. Everyone belonged.
The main focus of Judaism has always been the life of each individual and their home and family, living in a strong and mutually responsible community. [2] The primary focus of Judaism has never been on any building or structure. As Jews, we focus on doing mitzvot, on performing the commandments prescribed in Torah, at least the ones that are still relevant today, engaging in acts of kindness and helping to repair the world. Our mission as Jews, as a part of a Jewish community, is to find ways to keep Judaism alive, to embrace our past and find meaning today that will last until tomorrow and beyond.
For many years, synagogues accomplished just this. They were the focal points of any Jewish community, bringing Jews together in prayer, study and community engagement. Take for example the creation of the Jewish community in New York, particularly on Long Island. New York Jews began arriving from Spain and Portugal in the mid 17th century. By the 1760’s, some Jews had settled on Long Island, as well as in Westchester, but it was certainly not like what we have today. Within one century, by 1877, there were 53 congregations in the state of New York.
Many Jews continued to immigrate to the United States in the early 1900’s. Most of those Jews resided in the city, but in the 1950’s and 60’s, Jews began migrating in mass to the suburbs, and Long Island, particularly Nassau County, was a prime recipient for these large Jewish communities. As Jews moved to the suburbs, synagogues were built. Jews felt the pull to be a part of the established Jewish community, and so they joined their local synagogue. And they didn’t simply join them – they helped build them. They gave of their time, energy and money to be certain they could provide for their children and grandchildren the Jewish community their parents had only dreamed of. [3]
As time passed, with the increase of Jews in the suburbs, particularly on Long Island, we also witnessed an increase in Jewish agencies and organizations. JCC’s, Jewish Federations, Jewish summer camps, nursery schools, day schools and organizations were popping up everywhere. JNF, ORT, Hadassah, B’nai Brith and so many more Jewish organizations were vying for both attention and money from the Jewish community. As the Jews began to support the entire Jewish community, they became slightly less engaged with their synagogues. This was not a bad thing; it just changed the model. It meant the chicken soup recipe might need to be slightly altered.
By the late 20th and early 21st centuries, certainly in a heavily Jewish community like Long Island, synagogue membership was shrinking. This was not necessarily or solely because the programs offered didn’t meet the needs and interests of the Jews on Long Island, but because there were simply so many options for Jews, that Jews were spread out among all the synagogues, organizations and agencies.
So here we are today, finding our makom, our place with Makom. We commend the synagogues that are evolving as quickly as the Jewish community is changing. But we also acknowledge that it is hard to change an old recipe, because we are so used to the taste, the flavor, the texture.
Makom NY is creating an intentional spiritual community, as people like Sid Schwarz and others have come to call communities like ours. [4] We are taking steps to welcome everyone, and to be certain there are no barriers to keep people out. Though we embrace Bar and Bat Mitzvah, we do not perceive the coming of age ceremony at age 13 to be the focal point of Jewish life. There is much to be done both before and after becoming a teenager.
First, we say to all of you, welcome. In our minds, you are already chevrei Makom, friends of Makom, simply by attending one of our services. And we are truly glad you are here. Some of you are also bonim, or builders of Makom. You have gone one step beyond in helping to support Makom, by giving of your time, talents and financial support so that we can continue to expand and reach much of the unaffiliated and disconnected Jewish community. Some of you engage with Makom at the shorashim level, which means you are helping to plant roots so that Makom will be financially stable for the future. Whichever level you choose to engage, we welcome you, and we are glad you are here. We are thrilled that you have found a makom, a place with Makom.
Makom means place. It is also a name for God. And so our community is a combination of finding sacred space in many different places, the physical space, the programmatic space, and because Makom is also one of the many names for God, we also strive to find a spiritual space. For each of us, these spaces look different. Some of us love the outdoors, love finding a makom, a place outside in God’s creations. Some of us love the awe and splendor and grandeur of majestic space, and so we strive to create those awe-filled spaces as well. For some of us, the makom, the place is more about the people in the place, than the place itself.
For the rest of this sermon, please download below.
[1] Adapted from http://scheinerman.net/judaism/Synagogue/history.html.
[2] Gleaned from www.chabad.org
[3] Some facts taken from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/NewYork.html.
[4] From http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/from-synagogue-centers-to-intentional-spiritual- communities/
Makom NY: A New Kind of Jewish Community
With every holiday celebration in our home, there are certain foods that are always prepared. Some of these delicacies have even become staples throughout the year. We make meatballs, brisket, kugel, challah, matzah balls, and of course, chicken soup. In any case, each of these dishes is prepared precisely the same way, every single time.
Take chicken soup for example. We use the same huge pot, cover the Kosher chicken with water, add the kosher salt and boil. Once the water is boiling, we add chicken buyon cubes and Osem seasoning, and let it boil for thirty minutes. Then we add the vegetables, always the same ones, and let the whole pot simmer for at least two hours. Most importantly, at least according to my daughter Sophie, we pour the soup into large Tupperware containers and freeze them, so we can skim the fat off the top before eating. Behold, a delicious bowl of chicken soup appears.
I cannot tell you precisely why I make chicken soup this way, nor do I know what others might do differently to make their chicken soup. I am fairly certain my mom makes soup almost identical to mine, and I have taught my daughter and husband to do the same. I imagine, with modern-day gadgets, there are probably easier ways to make chicken soup, but I am rather comfortable with my well-tested recipe.
How many of us have family recipes that we follow simply because it is what we have always done? I imagine many of those recipes were even used in preparation for our Rosh Hashanah meals. Now think beyond recipes. How many of us have family rituals we observe, though we may not know why we do them, or from whence they came? How do you observe birthdays, or anniversaries, the first day of school each year or the occasion of losing a tooth? Perhaps you even have some Jewish rituals in your family. What foods do you always eat on certain holidays? What tablecloth do you use for the special holidays?
We live in a world of ritual and custom. It is a great thing… sometimes. Minhag, or custom, is good. Ritual most definitely has value. However, what we sometimes forget, in our strict adherence of that given ritual, is that the importance of the ritual is not always the ritual itself, but the meaning behind the act.
I would like to share with you this Rosh Hashanah morning some thoughts about Jewish community, as this is our first large gathering together of Makom NY: A New Kind of Jewish Community. For many of us, Jewish community is synonymous with the term synagogue. It is the equivalent of needing a good kosher chicken to make a great pot of chicken soup. We need one to have the other. It is what we have always done.
Many of us perceive the synagogue as an ancient entity that defines Jewish community. Yes, the idea of the synagogue comes from ancient times. It began when the great Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed for the second time, and Jews needed a place to gather and pray. The main purpose of the synagogue was to be a Beit Midrash, a house of study, a place to learn, debate and dialogue about Jewish text.
It is important to note as well that for most of Jewish history, the vast majority of synagogues were simple structures. The synagogue itself was not to be the recipient of lavish decor. Rather, what made the synagogue a holy place was the fact that it contained an Ark in which a Torah was held. For most of Jewish history, synagogues were primarily small, modest buildings, sometimes simple wooden structures, even the bottom floor of a rabbi’s house. It was only in the last few centuries that we have witnessed synagogues becoming large majestic structures built in communities with resources and desire. [1]
In some ways, the growth of the American synagogue has been miraculous. In a few short decades, the synagogue of America went from being a small shul to becoming a mega center for Jewish learning, worship and social engagement. Jews, and Americans for that matter, chose to belong. The suburban migration encouraged, almost forced Jews to gravitate to a local synagogue. The question was never “did” you belong to a synagogue, but rather, “where did you belong”. The individual movements were flourishing, Jewish summer camps had infiltrated the camping market, and Israel trips were great places for family vacations. Everyone belonged.
The main focus of Judaism has always been the life of each individual and their home and family, living in a strong and mutually responsible community. [2] The primary focus of Judaism has never been on any building or structure. As Jews, we focus on doing mitzvot, on performing the commandments prescribed in Torah, at least the ones that are still relevant today, engaging in acts of kindness and helping to repair the world. Our mission as Jews, as a part of a Jewish community, is to find ways to keep Judaism alive, to embrace our past and find meaning today that will last until tomorrow and beyond.
For many years, synagogues accomplished just this. They were the focal points of any Jewish community, bringing Jews together in prayer, study and community engagement. Take for example the creation of the Jewish community in New York, particularly on Long Island. New York Jews began arriving from Spain and Portugal in the mid 17th century. By the 1760’s, some Jews had settled on Long Island, as well as in Westchester, but it was certainly not like what we have today. Within one century, by 1877, there were 53 congregations in the state of New York.
Many Jews continued to immigrate to the United States in the early 1900’s. Most of those Jews resided in the city, but in the 1950’s and 60’s, Jews began migrating in mass to the suburbs, and Long Island, particularly Nassau County, was a prime recipient for these large Jewish communities. As Jews moved to the suburbs, synagogues were built. Jews felt the pull to be a part of the established Jewish community, and so they joined their local synagogue. And they didn’t simply join them – they helped build them. They gave of their time, energy and money to be certain they could provide for their children and grandchildren the Jewish community their parents had only dreamed of. [3]
As time passed, with the increase of Jews in the suburbs, particularly on Long Island, we also witnessed an increase in Jewish agencies and organizations. JCC’s, Jewish Federations, Jewish summer camps, nursery schools, day schools and organizations were popping up everywhere. JNF, ORT, Hadassah, B’nai Brith and so many more Jewish organizations were vying for both attention and money from the Jewish community. As the Jews began to support the entire Jewish community, they became slightly less engaged with their synagogues. This was not a bad thing; it just changed the model. It meant the chicken soup recipe might need to be slightly altered.
By the late 20th and early 21st centuries, certainly in a heavily Jewish community like Long Island, synagogue membership was shrinking. This was not necessarily or solely because the programs offered didn’t meet the needs and interests of the Jews on Long Island, but because there were simply so many options for Jews, that Jews were spread out among all the synagogues, organizations and agencies.
So here we are today, finding our makom, our place with Makom. We commend the synagogues that are evolving as quickly as the Jewish community is changing. But we also acknowledge that it is hard to change an old recipe, because we are so used to the taste, the flavor, the texture.
Makom NY is creating an intentional spiritual community, as people like Sid Schwarz and others have come to call communities like ours. [4] We are taking steps to welcome everyone, and to be certain there are no barriers to keep people out. Though we embrace Bar and Bat Mitzvah, we do not perceive the coming of age ceremony at age 13 to be the focal point of Jewish life. There is much to be done both before and after becoming a teenager.
First, we say to all of you, welcome. In our minds, you are already chevrei Makom, friends of Makom, simply by attending one of our services. And we are truly glad you are here. Some of you are also bonim, or builders of Makom. You have gone one step beyond in helping to support Makom, by giving of your time, talents and financial support so that we can continue to expand and reach much of the unaffiliated and disconnected Jewish community. Some of you engage with Makom at the shorashim level, which means you are helping to plant roots so that Makom will be financially stable for the future. Whichever level you choose to engage, we welcome you, and we are glad you are here. We are thrilled that you have found a makom, a place with Makom.
Makom means place. It is also a name for God. And so our community is a combination of finding sacred space in many different places, the physical space, the programmatic space, and because Makom is also one of the many names for God, we also strive to find a spiritual space. For each of us, these spaces look different. Some of us love the outdoors, love finding a makom, a place outside in God’s creations. Some of us love the awe and splendor and grandeur of majestic space, and so we strive to create those awe-filled spaces as well. For some of us, the makom, the place is more about the people in the place, than the place itself.
For the rest of this sermon, please download below.
[1] Adapted from http://scheinerman.net/judaism/Synagogue/history.html.
[2] Gleaned from www.chabad.org
[3] Some facts taken from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/NewYork.html.
[4] From http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/from-synagogue-centers-to-intentional-spiritual- communities/
| chicken_soup_and_the_jewish_community.pdf |
