Being Part of the Bigger Picture

Nitzavim-Vayelech 5777 / 16 September 2017

Good Shabbos.  Clearly there is a lot to unpack here in this, the shortest of double parshiot.

Nitzavim has Moses presenting to all the people of Israel – the choice to either follow God’s commandments or not to follow them.

And, Vayelech sets the scene for Moses’ last days on earth as God tells him he’s about to die; and he gathers the elders and officers of the tribes for one final song.

So yeah, there’s a lot to unpack here. And while there are many intriguing themes in Vayelech, such as why, if God already knows the people will become corrupt, and that he plans to turn his face away from them; and that he also knows he will eventually turn back to them –  why not prevent all of this and save the people from the pain and anguish of both becoming corrupt and having God turn his face from them?

But that is, as they say, a topic for another time.

Like Fraulein Maria says in the Sound of Music, “Let’s start at the very beginning…”

The parshah begins with Moses speaking to all of the people Israel – and it lists them – the tribal leaders, the elders, the officials, the men of Israel, the wives, even the stranger within the camp, the woodchopper and the waterdrawer (say that five times fast).

All the reading I did stressed the importance of this idea – that Moses gathered everyone – no one was left out to miss hearing the words and teachings of God.  Everyone was equally important. And everyone was part of the bigger picture.

It is similar to the directive in parsha Ki-Tisa – where every member of the “people Israel” who had been included in the census, was required to give half a shekel as an “atonement offering.”

No one was excluded…. the rich could not pay more, the poor could not pay less.  Everyone was equally important.  And everyone was part of the bigger picture.

This concept in both parshiot shows that all of us… are part of a greater whole… a community –

We have many communities to which we each belong – our synagogue community, our Jewish community, our family community, our friend community, our work community… our human community.  Each person has a part to play… everyone is a part of the bigger picture.

For those who don’t know, I am the marketing & communications director for a not-for-profit called Inglis – many still know our 140 year old institution as Inglis House.  Our mission is to enable people with physical disabilities – and those who care for them – to achieve their goals and live life to the fullest.  So, in support of that mission, I tell stories for a living… in words, and graphics… in video and audio.  And each story we tell – each person whose story will tell – is a part of a greater whole… a bigger picture.

I could tell you the story about my friend Eliot who is quadriplegic and only has limited movement in his neck, and controls his motorized wheelchair and his environment like heat, fan, television, etc. All by a series of inhalations and exhalations – we call it “sip n’ puff” – and who controls his computer system all by voice – and who is my webmaster, and does computer coding and website development, and assesses websites for accessibility features and there is much more…

And while hearing his story is great – impressive even — however, without hearing about all the physical, occupational and respiratory therapists who work with him daily to maintain the movement and capacity he has or about the staff who helped set up all his adapted technology or the countless nursing aides and clinical teams that come in and out of his life every day… without hearing all that… you do not get… cannot get the whole story… the bigger picture.

Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel is no different.

All members of the BZBI community, and BZBI itself, have their own unique stories.  Each story has many sides and many parts.  We cannot tell our story by sharing only one facet, this amazing gem of a synagogue has so very many – from our congregants to our clergy from our students to our staff, from our family to our friends and (when I ran out of alliteration) the three synagogue communities that came together to form BZBI. All must be visible to fully see the whole story. Our story… our bigger picture.

My personal story at BZBI began eleven years ago when I needed to find a place to say kaddish for my father – when we knew that time was approaching. I walked through the doors of this magnificent sanctuary and knew at once, I had not only found a place that felt comfortable to say kaddish, I found a place that felt like home.

After that specific need for BZBI had ended, my involvement was sporadic at best.  I sometimes came to shul on Friday nights, sometimes on Shabbat morning…but without any regularity.  I helped with projects here and there when asked…but I am sure few knew who I was and I know I only recognized faces…I did not know names.

I was not being an active part of BZBI’s story…and I was doing nothing to help the bigger picture.

With the announcement several years ago, that the synagogue was engaging in a second rabbi search, it hit me that I had missed the whole process of the first search….and I realized that I had a choice – stay on the periphery of the synagogue or step up, get involved and connect with a place that I knew could be central to my life.  And it has.

I became a regular attendee of Shabbat morning services and Sunday I – I began to truly connect with other members of the community – I played numerous games of Jewish geography and found countless connections to family, friends, Har Zion temple where I grew up, even work.

I helped form the Keshet Committee striving to make BZBI a more open and welcoming home for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & questioning Jews, I joined the ritual committee, I slowly began to see how my own story was already a part of the bigger picture here at BZBI.

As we approach this new year, think about stepping back – so you can see that whole picture and where each of you can fit in or fill in a gap to get engaged (or more engaged) with this hopeful, connected and committed community (Oh look! There’s the alliteration!).

There are so many opportunities here – what do you want to do?  How can you add to the bigger picture?  How can you help to make that bigger picture more complete?

Ask any of the board today at kiddush, or the rabbis or our amazing staff….we are all here to help you engage with BZBI more, but it has to begin with you.  Let us know how we can help you feel more a part of this wonderful synagogue story.

I am honored to serve on the board and help share all of our stories and by doing so, help assure that BZBI generates the financial support and resources to discover new stories, new members of our community and new ways we can continue to be the open and welcoming heart of conservative Judaism in center city.

At the end of parsha Nitzavim, Moses lays out a choice for the people Israel – a free choice between following God’s laws and to be on the side of life and good; or choosing to turn away from God’s teachings and selecting evil and death.

Granted the choice facing all of us is not so dire… but it is no less important.  For without the involvement, commitment and engagement of our whole community, our great story — no matter how wonderful it is now –  that bigger picture will never be as complete as it could be and hopefully, will be.

So now is the time.

Make a choice.

Make it a good one.

Shabbat shalom.