Rabbi's Messages

on Thursday, 20 February 2014.

RABBI'S MESSAGE FOR MARCH 2014

Last High Holy Days, I gave a sermon in which I argued that our congregation should be prepared to embrace intermarried families for who they are, and to welcome them into the community. Afterwards, I was absolutely overwhelmed by the response from the congregation: many of you came up to me to affirm the message, to tell stories about your own journey and your own evolution in thinking.
Right now is an exciting but uncertain time in Jewish history. In some ways, everything is changing. Today, Jews are more welcomed and better accepted than in any other moment in history. Today, we are part of the fabric of society. Intermarriage, which historically frightens the Jewish community, is actually a by-product of these positive developments. To quote Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Reform Movement, in his December Biennial address: “[Intermarriage] is a result of the open society that no one here wants to close. In North America today, being "against" intermarriage is like being "against" gravity.”
We have two choices. We can circle the wagons, or we can open our doors, embrace interfaith couples, and give them the tools to raise Jewish families. To quote Rabbi Jacobs again: “We practice outreach because it is good for the Jewish people. Interfaith couples can raise phenomenally committed Jewish families.”
It is clear to me that Kol Ami has chosen the path of openness and acceptance. It is time for us now to begin to discuss what that means. At its last meeting, our Board of Directors voted to appoint a new Interfaith & Outreach Task Force, whose mandate is to explore the programmatic and policy matters surrounding interfaith families: How can we be most welcoming? How can we include non-Jewish spouses in congregational life in authentic yet comfortable ways? What kind of presence should our congregation and clergy have at the life cycle events of intermarried members? These are crucial questions that will influence the nature our congregational life for generations to come.
I invite you to join us on this important journey. If you are interested in being part of the Task Force or would like to provide input, please email me or call the office at 905-709-2620.
L’shalom,
Rabbi Micah Streiffer