As I sat in Rosh Hashanah services this year, memories of services I have attended in the past came to mind. One was as a teen, when my synagogue friends and I sat in the way back at Temple Isaiah and sort of paid attention to the service as we talked and caught up. The service when my oldest, upon seeing our rabbi and cantor on the bima, shouted out “Babbi!” And without missing a beat, the Rabbi said, “Yes… I am the Rabbi, and this is our Cantor… and now we continue on page….”

These are cherished memories that always come to mind at this time of year. Over the years, my appreciation for the services has increased, especially when it comes to hearing the sermons. As the days draw near, I try to imagine what the rabbi will focus on this year. Knowing our community’s clergy, I know they spend months deciding what to speak about this year, let alone coming up with the exact words and perspectives they want to share.

Their words often teach us or remind us of Judaism’s perspective on how people are supposed to live their lives. It is through these teachings and perspectives that we gain insight and are encouraged to contemplate their message. When I taught Sunday School, my goal each week was to give my students information that might puzzle them or leave them a little confused. I believed that, in doing so, I forced them to think more about the lesson as they left the classroom, trying to figure it out for themselves.

Since I am pretty sure not everyone has had a chance to hear what several of our community’s rabbis shared in their Rosh Hashanah sermons this year, below are links to the videos of their sermons. I highly encourage you to take some time this week and listen to their messages and teachings.

Please note that because of the quick turnaround after this weekend’s services, not everyone was able to share the links to their services with us. As such, we will share the remaining ones in a subsequent message or email.

Rabbi Ira Rosenfeld (Temple Beth David)
Erev Rosh Hashanah (begins at the 52:20 mark)

Rosh Hashanah (begins at the 1:33:45 mark)

Rabbi Jonathan Kupetz (Temple Beth Israel of Pomona)
Erev Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah

Rabbi Stephen Epstein (Temple Sholom of Ontario)
Erev Rosh Hashanah

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One final, unrelated note…. I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight the fact that on this date, September 15, 1935, the infamous Nuremberg Laws were enacted during a Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg, Germany. The laws were aimed at institutionalizing racial discrimination against Jews and stripping away their German citizenship, along with their basic rights. I also think it is important to remember that these laws were heavily influenced by the Jim Crow laws here in the US.