From the Rabbi
Rabbi Robert L. Wolkoff
Previous Messages
“Invocation for Independence”
On July 2, I was asked to deliver an invocation at the Village of Orient’s observance of Heritage Day. In planning my remarks to the villagers and guests, I was reminded that only a few years previous, I had the distinct honor to share that spot with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor. This time it was Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, and Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski. Below is the text of my invocation this year:
We often find ourselves lamenting the lack of unity. A few years ago, I stood in this very spot with Justice Sotomayor, and in an unplanned moment, we both spoke about the Imperfect Union. Perhaps our approach to creating a perfect union is flawed. The clue lies in God’s message that He will speak to us from between the two cherubs atop the Holy Ark. This signifies that He will speak to us through the conversations we have with one another. Our oneness can be realized only through the breath of God, which is our own breath.
It all comes down to conversation. Naturally, we will disagree. As the Talmud states, just as people have different faces, they have different opinions. We will never achieve complete agreement. The only thing we can strive for is healthy discourse.
Maintaining a healthy discourse becomes particularly challenging when it involves matters of land or other tangible desires that both parties share. When it becomes an all-or-nothing situation, conflicts arise – and Cain kills his brother Abel. However, if we make room for diverse voices and options, we create space for God and His voice through us. In fact, one of the names for God is HaMakom, meaning “the space.” By doing so, we prevent destruction, and we are not able to kill.
Interestingly, the Hebrew word for Messiah, “Mashiach,” is a homonym that also means “conversation.” This implies that our redemption will not come from agreeing with each other, but rather from how we conduct our discourse. This is the true heritage.
We must remember that the world did not start with us and (hopefully) will not end with us. When God gave the Torah to Israel on Mount Sinai, He didn’t bestow upon them a private inheritance; He gave them a heritage. The difference is that an inheritance can be kept for oneself, while a heritage is meant to be preserved and passed on. America and the Second Vatican Council have provided a space for the Greenport Ecumenical Ministries, where individuals from various denominations come together as friends.
“Even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My alter; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:7) At the conclusion of Aleinu Leshabeach, the ending of every Jewish prayer, we say: “The Lord will be Ruler over the whole Earth, and on that day, God will be One, and God’s name will be One.”
On this 247th birthday of America, let us celebrate the greatest conversation on Earth.
—Rabbi Gadi Capela
“Transitions”
As her three-year term as the president of our beloved CTI closes, I want to thank Judy Weiner, and express my deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation for her outstanding leadership and unwavering dedication throughout the time. Her steadfast commitment to the growth and prosperity of our synagogue have helped propel it into the future, especially during the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic. From the moment the pandemic struck, she swiftly pushed to implement necessary measures to ensure the continuity of our spiritual and communal life — adapting our services to virtual platforms, organizing online gatherings and programs, and providing support.
On behalf of the entire congregation, I extend our heartfelt gratitude for her exceptional service and leadership. Judy, as you transition to the next chapter, which will probably involve more free time, please know that your legacy will forever be etched in the fabric of our synagogue’s history. The positive impact of your leadership will be felt for years to come.
Also transitioning are Alan Garmise, who has kept a stable hand on the treasury for a decade, and Madelyn Rothman, who for many years and in varied positions served as a dedicated member of the board. And of course, Sara Bloom, the incoming president, who for many years has obligingly supported our members, visitors, activities and events. To all who serve the shul community, I would like to offer this blessing from our Siddur:
“May God who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, bless this holy congregation, together with all others who unite to establish synagogues for prayer, and those who enter them to pray, and those who give funds for heat and light, and wine for Kiddush and Havdalah, bread for the wayfarer and charity for the poor; and all those devotedly involved themselves with the needs of this community and the Land of Israel. May the Holy One reward them, remove sickness from them, heal them, and forgive their sins. May God bless them by making all their worthy endeavors prosper, as well as those of the entire people Israel, and let us say: Amen.”
May we all have a continued blessed journey.
—Rabbi Gadi Capela
“Extend A Hand For Peace”
Over the past few decades, a new initiative toward peace has emerged — Jewish-Christian interfaith pilgrimages to the Holy Land. These inclusive visits to sites holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims lay the groundwork for understanding and acceptance among the travelers and, in a way, serve as test cases for peace in a controlled environment. Pilgrims extending their hands to others can help to turn swords into plowshares.
The Catholic Church’s Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) acknowledged its role in spreading antisemitic rhetoric that may have fueled the resulting Holocaust. The ratification of the “Nostra Aetate” document was the church’s way of extending its hand in peace to Judaism. This resulted in a spirit of reconciliation between Jews and Catholics around the world. The message that emerged from the Catholic leadership in Rome spread to other Christian denominations in communities around the world, including the Evangelical Movement here in America.
As Vatican II was wrapping up in Rome, America was dealing with its own racial soul searching. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who locked arms with Dr. King, was asked upon his return from Selma whether he had found much time to pray. He responded, “I prayed with my feet.” Being an active pilgrim in a common march, Heschel believed, was the most important prayer of all.
To extend a hand or to walk together — each is an expansion of the mind, from narrow to wide, opening oneself to learning from others and respecting them. To illustrate, consider the first step in a pilgrimage: agreeing on the itinerary — deciding which Christian sites to visit, which Jewish and which Muslim. In doing so, we begin to discover that we share more than we thought, and we learn from our debates.
Christians occupy an essential place in the Middle East. But it is challenging to transfer the cooperation between Christians and Jews in America into interfaith relations with Christians in the Holy Land, largely because Christians in the Holy Land are Arab Palestinian. However, I see an opening here, a way to start a conversation — to extend a hand. In the Middle East, many Christian clergy have a privileged freedom to circulate where average citizens cannot. Traveling with these clerics grants access to otherwise restricted sites — holy sites — that reveal other cultures.
The ongoing conflicts in the Middle East show that the pursuit of peace remains elusive and a most compelling issue. In fact, in an effort to change the paradigm of discussion, my own Project Genesis Interfaith group presented a peace proposal in New York and Jerusalem, in 2019 and 2020. We believed then as we do now that to attain peace in the Middle East, there must first be peace among the religions. Holy sites should remain open and accessible, serving as quiet sanctuaries and religious embassies.
In the face of continuing Middle Eastern strife, this effort may seem like grasping at straws. But it is essential to recognize that some important perspectives often are excluded from the mainstream conversation and, in some cases, are consciously ignored. By offering an alternative — extending a hand — we give peace another chance.
A happy and peaceful Shavuot to all…
—Rabbi Gadi Capela
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