Our Relevant Religion – Thoughts on the High Holy Days 5773

There is a tradition in Germany that is a bit difficult for both rabbis and cantors.  On Yom Kippur, after months of preparation, comes the big moment: an awe-filled day full of prayers, songs and important theological ideas.  Even though there are always some who attend the full day of services, the majority show up only for Yiskor – the memorial service on Yom Kippur afternoon.

Naturally this is a much-discussed phenomenon among rabbis.  Some even perceive the great demand for Yiskor as a sort of insult.  “I prepare so much, and then people only come for 15 minutes…”

It is, in fact, difficult for a rabbi to ask the question “Why?  Why Yiskor?” without sounding judgmental.  In my opinion, the answer is clear: people understand Yiskor.

Judaism isn’t easy.  In fact, it is often unbelievably complicated.  Our traditions not only stem from the five books of Moses, which alone are very rich, but also from 3,000 years of texts, discussions, poems and stories.  We pray in a language that is largely alien to us, and if one hasn’t grown up absorbing prayer practice with their mother’s milk it may seem as if we will never become fluent in praying “jewishly”.  And that’s only Shabbat… after that come the High Holy Days and things get more complicated.

Why Yiskor?  Because it is relevant.  The meaning is clear.  The emotions aren’t foreign to us: they are human and a part of our daily lives.  We can’t always understand teschuvah (turning, or repentance), but our memories of our loved ones are palpable.  We don’t always have enough time and energy to learn and discuss the many meanings of the High Holy Day pijutim (liturgical songs) such as “Uneh Taneh Tokev”.  The longing, however, to remember the relatives and friends who are no longer with us is strong and universal.  As a result, many people come to pray Yiskor.

The problem I am highlighting here presents a larger problem with our contemporary Judaism: relevance.  Before the haskalah, the Jewish Enlightenment, questions about relevance were rare.  Jews who were living a Jewish life, also lived a Jewish lifestyle.  There wasn’t a wide menu of lifestyle choices.  Now there is almost nothing but choices.  At that time, the synagogue was simply the centre of life.  Now the synagogue is only one of countless daily options.  There is no pressure to visit a synagogue and the list of reasons why not to visit weekly religious services is growing.  We need relevance.  We need a tangible relationship with our tradition.

Simply said: “relevant Judaism” is the challenge to find meaning in the everyday texts and symbols of our tradition, as well as the bigger challenge to build a relationship to the symbols and meanings of our High Holy Days.  This won’t come from a lecture by a highly respected academic, but instead through our wrestling with our texts and symbols.  Beyond this, even if it really is my job to say “Yom Kippur is important for Jews” followed by a talk about the meaning and beauty of this indispensible day, I can never force anyone to come to their own relationship with it.

Thus it is my mission as rabbi here in Duisburg, Mülheim an der Ruhr and Oberhausen to offer another perspective and to work with you to find relevance.  For years I have been observing that when Jews reject their Judaism, it comes from a place of fear, ignorance or rejection of a literal interpretation of the texts or rituals.  Even worse, sometimes a non-Jewish interpretation of something in our tradition is used to justify this rejection – an interpretation that was never part of our tradition in the first place.

“I can never accept such a wrathful G-d”

“The animal sacrifices in the Bible are unethical and have no meaning in the current day”

“The death penalty in the Tora is unacceptable to me – I could never embrace such a religion”

“I don’t believe in any G-d who could have let the Shoah happen”

And then there are the difficulties of finding meaning in participation in daily Jewish activities:

“Prayer is meaningless”

“The services are boring”

“The religious symbolism is old fashioned”

“Why are there so many repetitions?”

“I don’t understand a word of Hebrew – I can’t take part anyhow”

“No one can tell me what I can or cannot eat”

“How can I pray when I can’t believe in such a G-d?”

I am convinced that these statements and questions are the beginning of a new relationship – rather than the ending.  Judaism is struggling and discussion.  The pattern for how we understand G-d, regardless of what we understand G-d to be, is dialog.  Abraham obeyed G-d when He commanded him to leave his homeland.  But he also argued with G-d, when He began the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra.  His grandson Jakob grappled with an angel of G-d and was given his new name, Israel, “he who wrestles with G-d” afterward.

We are the heirs of these complicated ancestors.  We struggle together to find relevance and authenticity in their teachings.  But our tradition tells us that the single most important meaning of being a child of Israel is to struggle with G-d.

We will only find meaning in our Judaism if we actively engage with it.  It is a choice, not an a priori fact.  I am convinced that our resistance is usually due to not ever having experienced another perspective and therefore never having had the opportunity to struggle for our own interpretation.

Here in the Ruhrgebiet we have only just begun our relationship.  It will take a long time, but let us struggle with our tradition together to discover its relevance to our lives.  I am convinced that Judaism is relevant and current and contains transformational power.  But I alone cannot convince anyone: to do this, we need the community, our fellowship.  There is no shame in not an expert on all things Jewish.  More than anything it is an opportunity.  You cannot master it in a day: it takes time.  But the journey and the adventure of learning are more important than the destination.

So please come to our synagogue for Yiskor.  It is relevant and we will mourn together and support each other as we remember our loved ones.  But also come a little bit earlier and stay a little bit longer.  Let us find the relevance in our religion together, as a community.