Good evening, Ner Tamid!
Sometime in the late 18th century, President John Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail.
“I must study politics and war,” he wrote, “that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.”
Adams was a wise man with a broad vision. He understood how his actions would pave the way for his children to accomplish more than he did, and their children to accomplish even more.
It is too easy to pat ourselves on the back and say, “Wow, Ner Tamid of 2025 is doing so well thanks to an incredible team of volunteers, thanks to a bold leadership. We are the reason this shul is flourishing.” That’s a small-minded mistake.
The only reason we are flourishing is because we had generations of people who became before us who invested tirelessly and selflessly to make this shul the amazing place it is today. The first generation built, the next generation maintained, and we have the luxury, the inherited luxury to prosper.
Tonight, we acknowledge and thank those people who became before us. To the volunteers throughout these seventy years, to the members of the board throughout those seventy years, to the people who filled the pews throughout those seventy years, we thank you. The merit of all the Tefilah, the Torah, the Chesed that takes place in these walls and through this community is yours for all of eternity. Thank you.
People asked me how we did so well on our campaign. We set out to raise a certain amount and by the end of the campaign, we raised almost double that amount. How did that happen? We turned to our shul community to contribute, but over 700 people from all over took part. Why?
The simple answer is that people recognize that Ner Tamid is burning bright. They see the many people from all walks of life who feel like they have a spiritual and social home, and they want to support that. They see the many people who have a sense of belonging, who would otherwise not have a connection to a Jewish community, and they want to support that. They see the programs and the classes that are unique to this shul, addressing current events, elevating Torah scholarship for women, focusing on Israel, and they want to support that. That’s all true.
But there’s another reason that I’d like to share with you; something a little more mystical.
There is a Gemara in Meseches Shabbos that tells us that every Shabbos, we receive a Neshama Yeseira, an extra soul. Hard to know exactly what that means but it gets even stranger. Rashi comments that because we have an extra soul, we are able to eat more food on Shabbos.
Now Rashi is not a comedian. He is a very serious scholar. What in the world is he talking about that because we have an extra spiritual soul that allows me to have more kugel, more cholent, more turkey salad? What does that mean?
What he means is that G-d created the world with an equilibrium of spirituality and physicality. When there is more spirituality brought into the world, G-d blesses us with more physicality. So yes, when we have a greater soul, we do have a greater capacity to eat.
Over the past two years, in addition to inspiring programming for all ages, in addition to being the most welcoming shul around, there has been a spiritual revolution in this community. The amount of Talmud Torah, the hundreds of people who are learning daily, who are connecting to their heritage throughout their week, attendance in daily minyan, and the amount of chesed performed weekly, all of that has grown exponentially. And I believe that our success in fundraising is a direct outgrowth of this spiritual success. Our shul’s Neshama, our shul’s soul, has expanded, and so too its material fortune.
And with that in mind, I’d like to make an announcement. You see, the shul did not raise $186,000. While we were engaging in fundraising, a group of visionaries in the shul realized that it’s time to invest in the material future of the shul. Like President Adams, they saw more broadly than the present and decided to build for the future. Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of Debrah Dopkin and Rachel Groner, an endowment fund was set up two weeks ago. In that time, a number of extremely generous people came forward, people I’d like to mention by name – Michael and Janet Scherr, Dr. David Maine and Dr. Rachelle Smith Maine, Rachel Groner, and some anonymous donors, and together they dedicated an additional $115,000 to seed our endowment fund. Thank you!
We have a representative from Merril Lynch who will be available during the second half of tonight’s program, who will be happy to discuss the many ways that you can invest in Ner Tamid’s future. I encourage you to speak to him, or speak to me, and help us build a shul that will last for at least another 70 years. Can I count on you?
Now, if my extra soul and extra material theory is correct, this is not just an announcement, this is a charge. If we are now investing materially into our future materially, that means we must invest more seriously into our spiritual future as well. For those who started attending a weekly class over the past two years, is it time to start learning every day? For those who started learning daily, can you squeeze a little more into your schedule to learn just a little more, or a little more deeply? For those who haven’t joined in the daily learning, or who did and then ran out of steam, maybe it’s time to reconsider? For those attending shul weekly, maybe it’s time to attend a day or two during the week? For those, of course, responding to needs as they arise, maybe it’s time to carve some proactive chesed into your daily or weekly schedule?
Our friends from Merril Lynch can’t help you this, but I encourage you to speak to me as soon as you can, we’ll find a time to talk, and we can strategize how to bring more spirituality into your life. Not only for yourself, but to invest in Ner Tamid and the Jewish People’s future.
Can I count on you?
There is a Halacha brought in the Shulchan Aruch that you are supposed to stand up for someone who is 70 years old. After 70 years of experience, after 70 years of Mitzvos, one becomes holy – there is a lot to respect and give honor to.
If you are part of this kehillah, you are holy. You are part of a holy, authentic, growth-driven community. It is an absolute honor to stand on the shoulders of the giants and visionaries who came before us to be the rabbi of this shul as we start this new chapter. A chapter of material growth, a chapter of continued membership growth, and a chapter of holiness. CAN I COUNT ON YOU?
Good. Let’s do this.
I look forward to speaking with every one of you in the near future, not only about the material endowment but the spiritual one, as we pave the way for the future.