Midway Jewish Center
Going Strong Since 1953
THE CYBERSHUL

We’re Paperless On Purpose—Go Green!

This CyberShul has been dedicated by:

This Week’s Torah Reading

Hayyei Sarah

HaYEI SaRAH—meaning "The Life of Sarah." Oddly enough, the parashah begins with Sarah's death. Abraham secures a burial place for his wife through the purchase of the Cave of Machpelah, which can be visited today in the West Bank city, Hebron. Abraham must then find a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham’s servant succeeds in finding the perfect mate, Rebeccah. Isaac and Rebecca marry. Rebeccah is blessed by her brother, Laban, and father with words of a blessing we use even today for brides: O sister—may you grow into thousands and even myriads! Sadly, Abraham dies at the end of this parashah.

A Shabbat Thought

If you don’t control your mind, someone else will.

~~ John Alston ~~

Web Of The Week

http://www.ou.org/shabbat_shalom/article/brian_mailman_pleasant_pheasant/

A couple of kosher faux recipes faux a kosher Thanksgiving!   

Aural Torah

Keep The Faith

Click on the link to hear the CyberShul!

Honor or Memorialize Loved Ones

DEDICATE A CYBERSHUL IN THEIR NAME!!
For a Few Dollars You can Touch Someone in a Beautiful Way
A CyberShul Dedication—Only:

$125

Send your name, location, and a $125 check made payable to:

Midway Jewish Center
330 South Oyster Bay Road
Syosset, NY 11791

Send CyberShul to All Your Friends!

GOTTA QUESTION?
THE CYBER RAV HAS AN ANSWER AND GOOD NEWS--
THE CYBER RAV IS ALWAYS IN
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO rafirank@mjc.org
YOUR IDENTITY WILL NOT BE REVEALED
CONFIDENTIALITY IS ASSURED

HOW BASIC IS BELIEF IN GOD?

Dear CyberRav,

Does the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement insist that faith in God is basis of the Movement? Does the Conservative Movement state that faith in God is the basis of the movement? Personally, I believe that faith in God should be the start of the mission statement of MJC or any other Conservative synagogue. If not, why should anyone attend services at any Conservative temples? Am I missing something by attending MJC on Shabbat and any other holidays?

The Conservative Movement was founded in large part as a response to reforms within the Jewish world that some Jews--rabbinic and lay--found too extreme. Unlike some people who have taken issue with the term "Conservative" Judaism, I love it precisely because it expresses the need to "conserve" Judaism. That is one of the fundamental issues facing Jewry today--how do we strengthen the identity of Jews who belong and how do we attract the Jews who don't. We want Jews to be more Hebraically literate, more Halakhically observant, more socially sensitive, and in short, more Jewish.

Serious Jews should be worried about all Jews and not just the ones who hold the right beliefs.

I don't think the Rabbinical Assembly or the Conservative Movement "insists" that faith in God is the basis of the movement. To the extent that we are Jews, and Jews are a complicated and variegated lot, some of us believe and some of us don't. Given the emphasis in Conservative Judaism on prayer and Jewish ritual, I think that Jews who are atheistic would have a harder time in our synagogues. But atheists do belong and I think that they can be called Conservative Jews, even if they do not subscribe to a principle as fundamental as belief in God. Their belonging to a Conservative synagogue itself would go a long way toward legitimately identifying them as Conservative. Atheists are not asked to leave our synagogues, and if I belonged to a synagogue that asked atheists to leave, I would summarily drop my membership, and I suspect you would too.

Moreover, I don't think the Rabbinical Assembly or the Conservative Movement state that faith in God is the basis of the movement. As I wrote above, the movement was founded in large part as a response to reforms within the Jewish world, so welcoming into our ranks someone whose belief in God is either tenuous or non-existent is completely consistent with who we are as a movement. Then again, if we failed to move such a person from atheism to belief, we would not ask such a person to leave. If we did, I think God would be pretty upset with us, humiliating one of His chosen by kicking him/her out of the club. Belief in God is important, but it is not the basis of the movement. The movement was founded for different reasons.

As for why Jews would come to our synagogue, I'll tell you why--because this is a place for prayer, Torah study, and companionship. It is a place where we celebrate happy occasions together and support each other in times of sorrow. It is a place where people can safely discuss issues of grave importance and where we can differ with each other like menschen. It is a place for all Jewish people and a place that takes seriously the issue of Jewish peoplehood. It is a place where God can be found, if you're searching, and where God won't be forced upon you, if you're not. It is a place that is accepting of others and where we leave the judging to God. Conservative Judaism stands for a lot, but doesn't sit on anyone. We respect the individual's right to make his or her decisions, even when we uphold or even sanctify the standards set by the community. That's why people come to Midway and that's why they will continue to come to Midway.

As for whether or not you are missing something by coming to Midway on Shabbat and the Yom Tovim, that's a good question, but one that I cannot answer. That's a question you have to answer, and if it's not an imposition, I would love to know your thoughts on the matter.

Be well and shalom--

Rabbi Rafi Rank
CyberRav

Shabbat Shalom Everyone!!

 To get added to the subscription list, or to be removed, or to change your email address,
click here - cybershul_subscriptions