Rabbi's Message

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Read about the Rabbi
June 2007

Shavuot and Listening for Torah

Festival of Shavuot will be over and we will be focused on graduation, the annual meeting, our first-ever retreat and all the end-of-year excitement June brings. Yet I am hesitant to move into June without taking some time to reflect on the deep meaning of this holy day – a holy day that often flies right by us in the rush toward summer.

Shavuot really could make a claim to be our MOST IMPORTANT HOLY DAY! After all, this is the day that marks and celebrates the receiving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. This singular act, the act of accepting upon ourselves a relationship with God and the responsibilities that relationship entails, is the very thing that makes us Jews who we are. Without Torah, without a sense of brit (covenant) we are simply an ethnic group who likes salty fish. Torah is what sets us apart and provides us the potential to become a holy people.

How often are we aware of that unique relationship to God and to each other that Torah grants us? And, more importantly, how often do we recognize that ultimately, in this day and age, being in that relationship is for most of us, a choice?

In recent decades, Shavuot has become an opportunity to note and celebrate an individual’s attachment to Torah: The Reform movement holds tenth grade confirmation on this holiday; many converts receive their names on this day; we read the book of Ruth, the story of the first Jew by Choice, on Shavuot. All these things have in common the choice or the affirmation of commitment – entered into willingly and with full knowledge of its implications.

The paradox of Shavuot is that most of us who were born as Jews and raised as Jews really never made such a choice. Yes – at some level we do – every time we come into the synagogue or engage in a Jewish ritual we are affirming our Jewish identity and claim it as our own. But for most of us – I know for myself – I really can’t imagine being anything else. I am Jewish primarily because of a fact of birth. Don’t get me wrong – I am proud of it, I think it makes my life more meaningful and I truly love the traditions. But I never really considered anything else.

I find myself in awe of–maybe a little envious of-- those who choose Judaism through conversion. This year alone, I have had the honor of helping three members of our community claim a full Jewish identity through conversion. Over the course of my time here at Agudas Achim, I have walked with 11 individuals as they became part of our people through conversion. And I have met countless others who joined our people before and have honored me by sharing their stories with me.

I am constantly amazed, in awe and grateful for the example of those in our community who have sought to become part of the Jewish people. Their reflections, commitments and certainty are inspiring.

Every Jew-by-choice I have met has a different path and journey. The reasons they give for conversion are many and varied. But a common thread runs throughout their stories. At some point, each one of them has become absolutely sure that this is where they belong – that they are, without a doubt, a part of the covenant created at Sinai. And also, they have come to this conclusion not through thunder and lightening bolts, big pronouncements from heaven nor sudden epiphanies – but rather though a silent, careful, deep internal listening to a still, small voice within.

The Torah that Jews-by-Choice take on—and the Torah we should celebrate at Shavuot—is not necessarily the glorious narrative at Sinai – but rather our own internal listening within. I am grateful to have learned so much from those who have shared a part of their journey toward Judaism with me – may we all follow their example of listening for Torah.

Have a wonderful and renewing summer!

B’Shalom
Rabbi Elyse

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