Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

Over the past couple of days, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker has been interviewed on various news programs. Remarkably, he has appeared articulate, calm, and dedicated. To his training and to his credit, he initiated the escape of himself and two others from within his congregation. Needless to say, while I do not know him personally, I admire his courage and leadership, as we all do.

In this week's Torah portion, Moses truly becomes "Moshe Rabeinu - Moses our Rabbi," when he receives the Torah at Mount Sinai. Interestingly, his training as a teacher and leader began with confronting Pharaoh and Amalek. Throughout his leadership, he had to deal with all kinds of threats to himself and the Children of Israel.

In my own U.S. military training as a chaplain some thirty plus years ago, my colleagues and I received some rudimentary training for such kinds of crises. Fortunately, I never had to lean on this education in practice. When the tragedy took place at Tree of Life congregation in Pittsburgh a few years ago, our local Jewish Federation met with our synagogue and many others to go over security procedures and how to manage potential terrorist threats. I might suggest that all synagogues might benefit from renewed education in this area.

On Saturday night, over Facebook, I spent much of the night, while watching the news, reading, hearing, and participating in emotional conversations with more colleagues than I had ever seen in a very long time. One lesson gleaned from Saturday night is that I and all of my colleagues love being rabbis. Neither the events of Pittsburgh nor Colleyville will ever deter us from our mission and calling as rabbis. 

While acts of terror in synagogues and the ongoing pandemic have challenged the maintenance and growth of many congregations including our own, I enthusiastically encourage all of us to wear our badge of Jewishness proudly and to remain actively involved at Beth Emeth. we dare not allow Anti-Semites, terrorists, and haters of the Jewish people to damage our pride and commitment in being Jews.

Ever since Moses received the Torah at Mount Sinai almost four thousand years ago, we have continued to perpetuate our wondrous legacy, notwithstanding that in every generation there are those who rise to annihilate us (a passage in the Haggadah).

I am proud to serve as Rabbi of Beth Emeth over the last twenty-one plus years, and I hope that you will continue to join with me and the community at large in representing the joy and commitment of Beth Emeth and the entire Jewish people.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison