Week of Rosh Hashanah

[dlgood]

I've been attending the same synagogue for the bulk of my life, even though there are perfectly good Conservative synagogues close to where I live. The reason's pretty simple: my Rabbi kicks ass. He's a wonderfully learned and wise man, whom I greatly respect. And he's funny. Sometime's his schtick is a bit too "Shecky Pohl", but it works. Like a good barber -- if you find a rabbi you like, you stick with it.

It's amazing to see our temple undergo the transformation it has, beginning with a ramshackle little building so many years ago. This was the first year they'll be holding all of the High Holidays in our building. After years of expansion, we don't have to use the local high school anymore. Even if it does mean we had to do the afternoon services in shifts.

I'm not always the most spiritual of people, and I do not always lead the most spiritual of lives. But the high holidays are a particularly special time of the year for me, a time to draw inward and do a little bit more analysis of my self, and to refocus on what I need to do to be a better jew, a better citizen, a better man, and a better person overall. Really, it's the sort of thing one ought to be doing all the time -- but I lack the discipline so this time of year always brings it into perspective. And it's times like these when I'm reminded of how important it is to have people like Rabbi Pohl in our lives.

Not because he knows doctrine and dogma better than I, and can tell me which things are Kosher for Passover and which are not. Although that's helpful. I'm a grown man, and for the most part, I ought to be able to handle the bulk of what goes on in life. But one never truly outgrows the need to learn, nor is there a time when good teachers are no longer useful to us. There have been many occaisions when he's been a source of comfort and advice to my family. I cannot say that everything I ever needed to know, I learned in kindergarten, from my parents, from scripture, from my Rabbi, or specifically from any one source or another. They've all been sources. There will be more that go unnamed.

I've never held a conversation with my Rabbi, from which I did not emerge having gained just by speaking with him. We should all be so lucky to have someone we can genuinely respect and whom we can feel that way about.

Comments

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that's always nice when you find someone like this. The last Catholic priest my parents had before the nice if old and alcoholic one they have now, was very good and actually liked to compare religions to show how much they're alike to try and decrease intolerance...but got washed out in the heat of the anti-gay lash back from the pedophilia epidemic in the church (which never mind are not the same thing)

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

The last Catholic priest my parents had before the nice if old and alcoholic one they have now, was very good and actually liked to compare religions to show how much they're alike to try and decrease intolerance

My rabbi's been very good on this score. On explaining what the ethic/moral/religious teachings are, what the similarities are and how religions are different. And what the value is... obviously, he's a rabbi so there's certainly weight on the "this is why Judaism matters" but he's fair. You want to convince people honestly. And he's been very strong on emphasizing the "a good Jew/person should work to educate themselves".

but got washed out in the heat of the anti-gay lash back from the pedophilia epidemic in the church

I'm sorry to hear that. What were the particulars, if you don't mind me asking?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

My rabbi's been very good on this score.

That's cool too. It's not that my other priests were BAD about it, it just never entered their minds to discuss it and that was too myopic for me (though most of organized religion seems that way to me)


I'm sorry to hear that. What were the particulars, if you don't mind me asking?

I have NO idea. There's a don't ask, don't tell thing going on but any hint of scandal and out they went (I'm thinking it wasn't with a kid because he never seemed to care much for kids, wasn't active with them)

[mshepnj.livejournal.com]

I've been attending the same synagogue for the bulk of my life, even though there are perfectly good Conservative synagogues close to where I live. The reason's pretty simple: my Rabbi kicks ass. He's a wonderfully learned and wise man, whom I greatly respect. And he's funny. Sometime's his schtick is a bit too "Shecky Pohl", but it works. Like a good barber -- if you find a rabbi you like, you stick with it.


I understand this. My dad's a semi-retired Episcopal priest, so I'm comfortable with his brand of preachin'. Moving to a new area was hard because it's a 45 minute drive to the church he sometimes preaches in. I finally found a church fairly nearby with a priest who gives sermons that are reminiscent of my dad's (except his jokes are better). But it's honestly very hard to find that. If you find someone who can make a real impact, I can absolutely understand why you'd keep going back to see him.

I've never held a conversation with my Rabbi, from which I did not emerge having gained just by speaking with him. We should all be so lucky to have someone we can genuinely respect and whom we can feel that way about.

He sounds like very inspiring man.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

But it's honestly very hard to find that. If you find someone who can make a real impact, I can absolutely understand why you'd keep going back to see him.

I've found that applies to hair care professionals as well...

He sounds like very inspiring man.

Yup. An all around good guy.