Rabbi's Blog

This last Shabbat about 30 guests from the Boulder Islamic Center joined our community for a Kiddush lunch.  It was truly inspiring to watch the interactions and conversations as we engaged in a loving, human endeavor of getting to know each other and learn from one another.  The fear and suspicion that pervades our culture and tries to make us enemies did not find its way into Bonai Shalom on Shabbat and I feel proud of these growing connections.  At one point Eve Ilsen (Rebbetzin of our beloved Reb Zalman) turned to me and said “Reb Zalman would have loved this!”  And so he would, as one of his oft quoted mantras was “the only way to get it together is together!”  I want to thank all of the families and individuals who helped organize this event and who helped to sponsor Kiddush and to everyone who showed up!

It felt appropriate and significant that this celebration and coming together of two communities was on the Shabbat of MLK weekend, as we honor Reverend King’s legacy by seeing the Image of the Divine in every human form; the multiple faces of humanity are reflections of God’s face.

On this MLK Day, I invite us to remember that there is still so, so much work to do in this country for the prophetic dream of Martin Luther King Junior to become reality and that each of us a part to play in that destiny.

I have loved watching this inspiring video of Jewish and Black acapella groups getting it together together, which I mentioned in my Shabbat sermon. Enjoy!