Rabbi's Chayva's Chat

Happy double leap day! In 2024, we have February 29, and in 5784, we have Adar II. What do we do with this extra time in both calendars? I am reminded of a quote by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel that hangs in the Am Tikvah front office: “A Jew is asked to take a leap of action rather a leap of faith.” Judaism contains many interpretations of faith, but consistently compels us to enact our traditions and to make the world a better place. (Also, if you want to dive deeply into Heschel’s understanding of the relationship between faith and action, I recommend this article by Rabbi Jakob Petuchowski.)

In addition to thinking about time, I have also found myself thinking about lineage. Torah recounts genealogy over and over; the name of the book of Exodus in Hebrew is Shemot, “names,” because it opens with a list of names. Tracing our genealogy provides a familial montage, connecting each story in our history to the next.

If we limit ourselves to the modern understanding of genealogy, tracing blood relatives and marital connections, we will find ourselves lost when it comes to Jewish genealogy. In every Amidah, we bless the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. Jews by Choice take Abraham and Sarah as ancestors in their Hebrew name. In the Passover seder, we recite the same passage that pilgrims to Jerusalem recited: “My father was a wandering Aramean…” Jewish genealogy reflects connection and communal belonging - an age-old model of chosen family.

Once part of the family, always part of the family. That’s the theme of this Shabbat, as Rabbi Danny Gottlieb and Ricki Weintraub return for the Emeritus Shabbaton. We’ll pray together, study Torah together, and have a Saturday night coffeehouse that will include a fireside chat on the most important issues we face today and unwinding by making music together. Whether you’re reconnecting or connecting anew, it will be a joy to all be together as one big Am Tikvah family, and I hope to see you there.