Beloved Friends,
This week's Torah portion, Balak, contains one of the most beloved blessings in all of Jewish tradition; a blessing we recite as part of every morning worship service. Hired by the king of Moab, Balak, to curse the Israelites, the non-Israelite prophet Balaam instead finds himself moved to bless them:
Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael.
"How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel." (Numbers 24:5)
The rabbis teach that Balaam was struck not only by the beauty of the Israelite camp, but by the way it was arranged. The entrances of the tents did not face one another directly. Each family lived with a sense of dignity and privacy. The community was structured with care, sensitivity, and respect. People saw one another without intruding upon one another. They lived together while honoring the uniqueness and humanity of each individual.
The Mussar tradition would recognize in this image the middah (spiritual attribute) of kavod, honoring the dignity of every human being. The Israelites did not simply build a camp. They built a community organized around respect. Their tents were positioned in ways that protected one another's privacy and affirmed each person's worth. True community is not measured by how closely we stand together, but by how carefully we honor the humanity of those beside us. Every act of welcome, every effort at inclusion, every attempt to ensure that another person feels seen and valued is an expression of kavod.
As I reflect on my final days as your Senior Rabbi, I find myself returning again and again to Balaam's words.
Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael.
How beautiful are your tents. How beautiful are your dwelling places.
For twenty-six years, it has been my privilege to help nurture this sacred community. Together, we have worked to create a congregation where people feel welcomed, valued, and embraced. We have sought to build not only a building, but a spiritual home. A place where people of all ages, backgrounds, identities, abilities, and life experiences can enter and know that they belong.
One of the aspirations that has guided Temple Jeremiah throughout these years has been this very Mussar teaching of kavod. We have sought to create a congregation where dignity is not merely an ideal but a daily practice, where people are welcomed not despite their differences but with appreciation for the unique gifts and experiences they bring. Our commitment to inclusion has shaped our physical spaces, our worship, our educational programs, and our vision of what a congregation can be. We have tried to create a tent with many openings, wide enough to welcome all who seek meaning, connection, learning, comfort, and purpose.
Of course, no congregation is perfect. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, we continue to learn and grow. Yet I believe Balaam would recognize something familiar here. A community striving to see one another with compassion. A community seeking to honor the dignity of every person created b'tzelem Elohim, in the image of God.
As I prepare to conclude my service as Senior Rabbi and take on my new role as Rabbi Emeritus and Senior Scholar, I do so with a heart overflowing with gratitude.
While I have helped nurture Temple Jeremiah, the truth is that Temple Jeremiah has also nurtured me. This congregation embraced Cathy and me when we arrived twenty-six years ago with young children. You celebrated our family's joys, supported us through challenges and loss, and surrounded us with friendship, kindness, and love. The lives of our children were enriched by this community. My rabbinate was enriched by this community. My life was enriched by this community.
I am deeply blessed. I want to thank all of you for the great honor it has been to serve this sacred community for 26 years. I look forward to many meaningful years together in my new role.
And so, as I look back across these years, I find that the words of Balaam have become my own blessing for Temple Jeremiah:
Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael.
May this congregation continue to be a beautiful tent and a sacred dwelling place.
May all who enter feel seen.
May all who enter feel welcomed.
May all who enter know they belong.
May we never lose sight of the sacred work of kavod, honoring the dignity of every soul who enters our tent.
And may Temple Jeremiah continue to be a blessing to all who seek shelter beneath its sacred canopy for generations to come.
With abiding gratitude and love,
