We are gifts
and we are blessings, we are history in song
We are hope
and we are healing, we are learning to be strong
We are words
and we are stories, we are pictures of the past
We are
carriers of wisdom, not the first and not the last
L'dor vador nagid
godlecha
L'dor
vador... we protect this chain
From
generation to generation
L'dor vador,
we will praise Your name
Looking back
on the journey that we carry in our heart
From the
shadow of the mountain to the waters that would part
We are
blessed and we are holy, we are children of Your way
And the
words that bring us meaning, we will have the strength to say
L'dor vador
nagid godlecha
L'dor
vador... we protect this chain
From
generation to generationE
L'dor vador,
we will praise Your name
(Josh Nelson)
When we
thought about honoring our nonagenarians this evening, it struck me that we are
indeed blessed to have so many individuals in our midst who are in their
90’s. They are individuals who have seen
life’s ups and downs, developed marvelous senses of humor, exhibited kindness
and compassion, and proved that noble human traits can flourish even when life
becomes challenging. But then I began to
think, we also have individuals who are in their 80’s who exhibit great
fortitude daily, understand the true meaning of community, and share their
wisdom with us. But then I thought,
those in their 70’s have also contributed greatly to our lives. They have learned what it means to live life
at its best, to focus on relationships, to find happiness in sharing of
themselves. But then I thought about our
60 year olds, 50 year olds, 40 year
olds, 30 year olds, 20 year olds, and children.
Each group prides itself on gaining new skills, learning new ideas, and
reaching out to others. We could not be
a congregation as small as we are and still as vital as we are without the
contributions of each and every individual in our midst. It is my hope that we can take time this
Shabbat to share our personal stories with one another. Sadly, we live at a time when we often forget
to slow down and just reconnect with one another. Shabbat Toldot, should give us
such an opportunity.
To
paraphrase a prayer written by Rabbi Sydney Greenberg, that I read recently, May G-d
help us keep our minds alive with new learning, help us keep our hearts alive
with compassion and friendship, help us keep our spirits alive knowing that
every age has its unique joys and satisfactions, and help us keep our faith
alive with the knowledge that even when we no longer physically exist, our connection
with those we love will still exist.
“Whether our years be few or many, help us to
link our lives to the life of our people and to our eternal faith.” Let us be
part of the unbroken chain that has remained strong for so many years.
Amen.
I do pay
tribute to all who are here tonight, but since it is our evening to pay special
honor to our nonagenarians, let me say a few extra words about this unique
group of individuals. They have come
from many different worlds of origin….Nebraska, Illinois, Egypt, and
Poland….yet they are united through their strong sense of belonging to klal
Yisrael. Each has suffered great
personal losses yet shown great resiliency….spouses, children, significant
others, entire families, and close friends have left warm spots in their hearts. Each possesses a treasury of stories and
remembrances that could fill volumes relating what the world was like during
the “old days”. Each continues to
support the work of this Jewish community and maintains hopes for its
future. I believe each one of our
nonagenarians should reap the satisfaction of knowing that he/she has lived a
life of good deeds. We are joyful
tonight, because these fine individuals have exemplified the understanding that
what really counts is not how many days one accumulates in life, but how one
makes every day that accumulates count.
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