Making the Old, New and the New, Holy

By Rabbi Maya Glasser, Congregation Ahavath Chesed (The Temple)

Our world continues to change and evolve quickly, and so too do Jewish experiences. What we are looking for now, in 2022, Cantor Barry, Rabbi Glasser and Cathy Winterfi eld observe Neilah at the beach. might not be the same as what we were looking for a decade ago, or even a few years ago before the pandemic. Yet, there are certain Jewish experiences that provide stability by remaining the same, no matter what: lighting the candles on Shabbat, B’nai Mitzvah chanting from the Torah, community members studying our texts and values to fi nd meaning in tradition.

As The Temple’s Rabbi, my mission is to facilitate Jewish experiences that allow us both to live fully in contemporary times and also to fi nd meaning through the framework of our heritage. In our modern world, it can be diffi cult to fi nd relevance in our tradition. But, our people’s history is not merely words in an old book, rather it is a living and breathing code of values and rituals that provide a treasure-trove of meaning for our lives today.

My goal for the Temple and our local community is, as our sages say, to make the old new and the new holy by demonstrating that there is much relevant richness in our religion. I want to empower all who seek meaning to fi nd it in tradition and to see themselves as part of a sacred community that spans from generation to generation. I endeavor to be a carrier of tradition so that every member of our community fi nds warm and welcoming access to living a Jewish life and sharing meaningful Jewish experiences.

The Temple welcomes all who wish to be a part of our community, no matter their background, demographic, or journey to this point. We support our community in accessing the beauty and wisdom of our people in ways that meet them where they are in life. We strive to create sacred space where each member can be fully present, share ideas, learn and pray and manifest divine gifts. Judaism can be a source of strength, comfort and consistency in a chaotic world. We must build community which allows each member to embrace this strength, comfort and consistency, and feel embraced by tradition in return. We are thrilled to be able to build this community in partnership with the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida.

There is always more to learn and experience as Jewish people, as we place ourselves at the intersection of past, present, and future. At The Temple, as Reform Jews, it is our passion, our obligation and our challenge to bring holiness to the world from our unique position of being inspired by, but not bound to, what came before. Please join us as we explore new ways to fi nd the intersection of tradition and contemporary living that is right for you.

The community participates in a service at the park

The Temple is a benefi ciary of the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida.

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