For all of us, these blessings
challenge us to create a world in
which every person is free, and in
which every person can meet the
basic needs of his or her family. We
cannot simply thank God for open-
ing the eyes of the blind without
considering how we can make the
world more accessible to people
with physical limitations. And we
cannot thank God for giving us free-
dom without working to secure the
freedom of the estimated 12 million
people in the world who remain
enslaved. Rather than allow us to
retreat internally, prayer forces us
out into the world.
At the same time, prayer provides
a necessary check on the tendency
of social justice activists to try to
fix the world right now, no matter
the cost to them or to others. Prayer,
Shabbat and other rituals provide
spiritual nourishment, the feeling
that our work is connected to a
broader whole, and even a sense of
humility.
Social justice work famously
burns out many of the idealistic
young people who sign up after col-
lege to be organizers or campaign
workers. As for the longtime social
justice activists, some begin to feel
haunting ritual of Kol Nidre? Is
it the music? Surely. Is it also the
high drama of the occasion —
Torah scrolls dressed in white and
held stunningly in full view of
the congregation throughout the
chant? Yes, it is that as well. But it
is more.
All These Vows: Kol Nidre
(Jewish Lights, 2011) assembles
the thoughtful and moving answers
of more than 30 people — rabbis
and cantors, artists and thinkers
— the world over. My own view is
that Kol Nidre connects us with the
sacred.
Since the 19th century, we have
been on a road toward greater
secularity — not necessarily a bad
thing, if by "secular" we mean the
discovery that the world is devoid
of magical forces and that every-
thing runs by an immutable set of
scientific laws.
But we have paid a price.
Secularization is the process
of yanking at the curtain of the
universe and discovering there is
no wizard micromanaging it. But
a universe that operates by natu-
ral law can still have mystery. We
pilgrims on the yellow brick road
strive to be secular, scientific and
like the work is the only thing that
matters. In many cases, this leads to
long work hours and a never-ending
sense of urgency. In the worst cases,
some come to believe that the
relentless pursuit of the cause justi-
fies bad behavior toward others or
the tolerance of abusive work envi-
ronments.
Stopping to pray, to mark time or
even to take off 25 hours for Shabbat
is a means of acknowledging that
even if we work every minute of
every day, we're not going to fix
everything. This realization forces
us to see ourselves as participants
in a long-term struggle rather than
as heroes able to repair the world on
our own.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
may be days to sit in prayer and
contemplation. But this ritual does
not constitute a break from justice
work. Rather, these days should both
nourish our justice work and chal-
lenge us to recommit to these efforts
in the year ahead.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs is the executive
director of Rabbis for Human Rights-
North America. She has been selected
on your next order I
Offer valid on select products. Cannot be combined with
any other offers. Offer code must be used when
placing the order. Offer expires 12/31;11
Code BKWB1211
E d i b le
Fruit Experts
Since 1999
I
AKRANGt.M ✓ NT5
EdibleArrangements.com
What a Delicious Way to Celebrate!
6167 Haggerty Rd • West Bloomfield • (248) 960-5200
3766 12 Mile Rd • Berkley • (248) 547-7000
by Newsweek as one of the 50 most
influential rabbis in America.
savvy without giving up on God
and the certainty that life still mat-
ters.
On Kol Nidre eve, it is as if
nothing has eroded that certainty
because energy runs high, memo-
ries go deep and some things seem
not to have changed in a thousand
years or more.
People mistakenly think that
they cannot pray because they
cannot believe. The reverse is true.
Prayer compels belief, not the other
way around.
For a very brief moment, as Kol
Nidre is chanted, we are in touch
with the sacred and with our fini-
tude, with those we love and with
the broader human universe, with
our own better selves and with
the God we are not even sure we
believe in. El
Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman is a
professor of liturgy, worship and
ritual at Hebrew Union College-
Jewish Institute of Religion. He also
is a developer of Synagogue 3000, a
transdenominational project designed
to envision and implement the ideal
synagogue of the spirit for the 21st
century. His most recent book is "All
These Vows: Kol Nidre" (Jewish Lights).
Wishing our custo rs
a peaceful and
healthy new year!
Building Bloomfield's Favorite Sandwiches since 1992
Dine in • Carry out • Catering • Trays
r
1
NM I=
a- —, — — ...... man ma, ins and — — 9
I
248-540-7220
877 West Long Lake atTelegraph
Mon-sat 9-9
1
I
I
Holiday Savings
00
$
off
1
Any $25.00 I
or more on I
your total bill I
Expires 10/30/11 not good with any other offer
I. a . 1..
...
...
1..
...
.0 .. ..
.A.,
MN
MEN NM
a
SPOSITA'S
RISTORANTE
Fine Italian Dining in a
Casual Atmosphere
Sunday-Thursday
. funday-thriridiy
15%
OFF
15%
OFF
TOTAL FOOD BILL TOTAL FOOD BILL
off on Fri and Sat
10% off on Fri and Sat II
11 , 10%
Not good with any other offer
Not good with any other offer
I Good with coupon. Expires 9/29/1 1
i ll Good with coupon. Expires 9/29/11 iI
=7,
i
'
Mon-Thurs: 4pm-10pm • Fri: 11am-11pm
Sat: 4pm-11pm • Sun: 4pm-9pm
1.1
I OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!
(248) 538-8954
33210 W. 14 Mile Rd
In Simsbury Plaza, just east of Farmington Rd.
West Bloomfield
September 22 9 2011 105