Shanah Tovah!  Happy New Year!

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Friends, as we begin the new Jewish year of 5787, much is on the collective mind of our Jewish community.  Times like these provide more questions than answers, more uncertainty than truth, more chaos than stability.

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In my 4-1/2 months serving Joliet Jewish Congregation, I have been asked a lot of questions by our members and by our Joliet neighbors.  Some of these questions are easily answered, like “What time do we light candles this Shabbat?” (available on the front page of our Bulletin!) or “Where can we get kosher corned beef and pastrami?” (Highland Park or West Rogers Park).

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In dialogue with congregants and clergy from our neighboring churches, sometimes the questions demand more in-depth answers.  One recently asked me, “Rabbi, do you Jews still feel you are the Chosen People?”

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My immediate response to the questioner was, “Yes, we were tasked by G-d with the mission of bringing certain truths to civilization for the rest of eternity.”  “What truths?”, he asked.

To answer this one, I have consulted with my mentor Rabbi Jeff Salkin.  In his Rosh Hashanah sermon, he outlined some “radical” ideas that our Torah carries to the civilized world.  Before Torah, only the king was created in the Divine image.  In Torah, we are ALL created in the Divine image.  In the Torah, individual rights are enjoyed not just by the rich or the elite, but by the water carrier, the woodcutter and even the slave.

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Most important, carrying our Torah throughout history requires us to BE different, to not follow the mainstream, to not “fit in”, to have the freedom to be unique in our mission, our story, our place in our society.  We still function as an “Ohr lagoyim”, “a light unto all other peoples.”

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I also want to recognize the tremendous support and respect neighboring faith communities.  I have met with several other church groups and leaders.  They have all expressed support for us, and concern about the increase in anti-Jewish hate speech and actions, especially in the U.S. and Canada.

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They are all in favor of resurrecting the Joliet Interfaith Council, so we can work together in many ways and on many projects that will help all of our Joliet community.  We are looking forward to staging a community-wide Thanksgiving service. 

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It is so important to be talking with our neighboring churches and mosques, and getting to know each other better. Please let us know if you are interested in helping me represent Joliet Jewish Congregation at some of the Interfaith meetings. 

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Renana and I would like to wish all of you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Shanah Tovah!

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Rabbi Brian Serle