Even if Jewish community members aren’t regular – or even occasional – synagogue-goers, the High Holidays are the time when many Jews fill the pews. And with even-numbered years being election years, one challenge rabbis face when crafting High Holiday sermons is navigating political issues without making the bimah a political stage.
For months, rabbis have been following the news and listening to their congregants to determine what issues are impacting the community.
Many rabbis begin thinking about their sermons long before the holidays begin. Rabbi Aaron Weininger with Adath Jeshurun Congregation said that he thinks about the message he wants to share throughout the year.
“I’m always listening for the questions people are asking directly or more quietly, for what is swirling in any given moment, and for ways to bring comfort, challenge, and hope to the questions people are struggling with throughout the rest of the year,” Weininger said.
Weininger explained that news is part of the process. He said he is “always paying attention to the news cycle. Our tradition has always been in conversation with the world around us.”
While many rabbis follow politics, they believe it’s important not to address candidates or parties.
“I don’t stay away from politics. I stay away from partisanship,” said Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman of Temple Israel.
Zimmerman explained that her goal is to take an issue impacting the community and examine it through Jewish values and texts.
“If there’s a major event and it’s something that is really activating the Jewish community or the Minnesota community or the world community, to not address it is not being relevant,” said Zimmerman.
Weininger echoed this by saying, “Our Conservative movement provides helpful frameworks, as it has for decades, for how Torah comes to shape our understanding of a range of issues.”
Rabbi Alexander Davis of Beth El Synagogue echoed this statement.
“I want to be able to speak to the issues that people are thinking about that they care about,” he said. “It would be irresponsible not to be able to address things that people are thinking about.”
Rabbis know that addressing certain issues can cause some congregants to disengage, especially when political views vary.
“The goal is not to add more fire to the already very fiery view of the world outside, but to encourage people to consider perspectives beyond their own,” Zimmerman said.
Rabbi David Locketz of Bet Shalom Congregation explained that you have to be deliberate about how political issues are presented in order to reach everyone.
“I want to speak to the whole room, which means you have to be pretty delicate,” said Locketz.
Locketz explained that when congregants disagree with a message in the sermon, he invites them into conversation.
“I’ve always felt kind of honored that somebody would take the time to even tell me that they disagree with me,” said Locketz.
Davis explained that similarly, he welcomes conversation and takes it as an opportunity to learn.
“In the best circumstances, I receive [pushback] in a way that makes me think, that challenges my perspective and invites me to kind of wrestle further with it,” said Davis.
Something rabbis said congregants may not understand is how vulnerable giving a sermon can be.
“You stand up in front of all those people, and you just share your inner feelings and thoughts,” said Locketz. “It can be very vulnerable.”
Ultimately, the High Holiday sermons have become a balancing act. When crafting their sermons, rabbis acknowledge the political issues impacting the Jewish community without appearing partisan.
“My method is to do so in a way that is not speaking about politics directly, about candidates or about particular bills,” said Davis, “but about larger values-based issues.”
Very interesting and thought provoking. Very well written. Thank you
Whew … for a second there I was afraid that the article would include St. Paul clergy. But it’s a good representation of the rabbinate in Minneapolis.
An interesting article; I would have enjoyed even more, and especially from the rabbis in St. Paul.
The rabbis in the diaspora have with a few exception displayed enormous cowardice in the face of Israel committing genocide by their silence and complicity. Today’s rabbinate will be remembered as the German Clergy of the 1940’s.