November-December 2010 Bulletin Message
by Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro

For Your Consideration
Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro

Someone gave me a wonderful present a few weeks ago. Or perhaps it wasn’t so much a present for me as it turns out to have been a present for her adult child. Let me explain.

One of our congregants came to see me to talk about her son. He grew up here at Sinai, became a Bar Mitzvah here, and was confirmed. Life then moved along so that, in his late 20’s, our congregant’s son married a woman where he lived in a small New England town. Together, they had a baby boy.

However, Mom didn’t come to see me just to share the good news. Mom visited with me to share her concern about the Jewish future of her son and grandson because her daughter in law is not Jewish and their choice about religious identity for their family is not decided.

We had a long conversation, the details of which I won’t share. What matters most is that I asked if it was OK for me to contact her son and talk. Permission granted. I made the call. Her son (my former student) and I talked. Again, the details of the conversation don’t matter as much as what I was able to say at one point as the young man and I talked.

After we had discussed lots about life I commented, “Steven (fictional name), we don’t need to come up with any decisions today. You don’t need to do anything that you and Barbara (fictional name) don’t have lots of time to consider. I just want you to know that if you want to talk more in one week or one year or three years I am here. I’m here for you forever because I am your rabbi for as long as you want a rabbi.”

That was the gift to me!

I was able to let this Jewish boy who grew up at Sinai know that no matter where he was or how many years ago he was at Sinai I would be there for him. That was a gift because it allowed me to be someone’s rabbi in a very sincere way. I think it may have been a gift to this young man because it allowed him to hear that the doors to Sinai and Judaism are always open. Once we form the bond, the bond stays.

Here’s a final note: If this situation sounds at all familiar to you, give me a present. Get in touch, let’s talk, let me be in touch with your child or you so that I can affirm our cov- enant: I am your rabbi and that’s a commitment for life.

Prior Bulletin Messages from the Rabbi are available on this site.