Temple Sinai Board of
Trustees Meeting
10-22-14
Noah
My Hebrew name is Noah. Many of the
Board members know I usually do my annual d'var Torah in December
around my birthday about Joseph. I was quite surprised to get Jenny's
email saying I had 2 weeks to do a d'var torah about my namesake.
The story of Noah comes near the
beginning of Genesis and shortly after the High Holy Days. It is
widely accepted that the High Holy Days is about renewal. I often
wondered whether the Flood may be a continuation of that theme.
Granted, the Flood may have been an overly extreme way for G-d to
tell us to start anew. G-d also promised that s/he would never again
do anything as drastic as the Flood. Nevertheless the Flood did give
us the chance to rebuild ourselves.
I spent most of my career in the
private sector in the Information Technology field, I quickly learned
that while systems should be updated and maintained, there comes a
point that all systems should be retired and replaced by new ones. I
admire companies like Apple that are not afraid to re-invent
themselves and develop new products that make their old products
obsolete. My all-time favorite prayer is the one that asks whether we
would like to live forever if we knew there would never again be
babies or first loves or new ideas etc. This prayer reminds us of the
importance of letting go of yesterday to make room for tomorrow.
I've spent the last couple of years
developing and promoting CareerACCESS. The Career ACCESS Program
will be created by changes in federal policy aimed at significantly
increasing the employment rate of people with disabilities by
expecting young adults with disabilities ages 18 through 30 to work.
CareerACCESS will provide required support and services recognizing
that disability benefits are offsets to the high cost of disability
rather than subsidies for the inability to work. Like the Flood, a
new program like CareerACCESS has to happen The government has to
stop asking young adults with disabilities to prove they cannot work
in order to receive disability benefits,and then wonder why they
don't go to work. The government has to stop telling young adults
with disabilities that if they go to work they will no longer afford
goods and services they need to manage their disabilities. The
government must stop insisting that people with disabilities not
accrue assets but plan to always live in poverty. We must stop giving
lip-service to the idea that people with disabilities can work and
start insisting that they do work. This week CareerACCESS is being
presented to the URJ RAC Social Action Committee meeting in Atlanta
Georgia. We're hoping they will adopt CareerACCESS as one of the
RAC's official projects.
Like the Flood and like CareerACCESS, I
feel that our Board, our Temple, and indeed the entire Reform
Movement are about ready to re-invent ourselves. Unlike the Flood, I
don't think we all need to perish in order for the next phase to
occur. After Rabbi Mates-Muchin inspiring sermon erev Rosh Hashanah,
I truly feel we have the desire, the talent and the gusto it takes to
move to the next level. I look forward to the next phase, to see what
lies ahead, and to be part of tomorrow.
Thank you and Go! Go! Go!
By the way, if anyone knows someone on
the RAC Social Action Committee, please put in a good word for
CareerACCESS.
