SAJ 100 Years Kick Off, Opening Words

The Psalmist says: “Zeh HaYom Asah Adonai. Nagila V’nism’cha Bo: This is the day that The One Made, Rejoice and Celebrate on it!” (Psalm 118)

100 years! 100 years!

100 years of prayers in this very room, no matter which way the ark was placed and which direction the congregation faced.

100 years of significant, challenging, reverently irreverent conversations about the future of Judaism; about Torah and the morals and ethics of the times.

100 years of children and teens learning that to actualize your Judaism means that you have to wrestle with the Torah and believe you have a seat at the table.

100 years of tears of sadness at funerals and shivas for beloved community members;

100 years of tears of joy at baby namings, B*mitzvahs, aufrufs, weddings, anniversaries, rituals of affirmation and conversion, and more.

100 years of hearts being opened, healed, and made whole.

100 years is a nes gadol- a big/significant miracle.

But following in the footsteps of Kaplan, we know it is not a miracle made on High. It is a miracle constructed piece by piece, day after day, conversation after conversation, commitment after commitment.

For every single person across the last century that made this possible, and for the holy work of building community, and for the flowering of an intellectually honest, passionate progressive Judaism in the world that started right here, and for so much more: we give thanks and blessing!

Hodu LaDonai Ki Tov! Ki L’olam Hasdo: Give thanks to the Source, for that Source is good. Divinity’s lovingkindness is eternal!