Get Lost Delta, I need To Get To Shule for Rosh Hashanah

Why I need to be in a synagogue and not on line for the High Holy Days.

Before the pandemic I was going to movie theatres, but truth be told not nearly as much as in previous years. I now had many alternatives to going to the movies. Why pay $20 to $30 dollars a couple for a mediocre movie? I had HBO and Netflix for that. But when a really good movie came out, or an action-packed major Hollywood blockbuster debuted, I want to see it the way movies were designed to be experienced. I wanted the big screen, the loud but amazing sound, the roar of the crowd sharing a moment, a cheer, a scream or a tear together, and of course I wanted the smell of popcorn that only a movie theatre is able to produce.

I wanted the 20 minutes of trailers so I could haughtily declare how that was another movie I had no interest in seeing and even better was a preview so enticing I would lean over and say, “I can’t wait for that to come out”.

If we went with friends, it was a social evening that culminated with going out for coffee, cake, and schmoozing. It was good to get out from our cave and see people that we liked without being on a phone to do so. And I remind you this was all pre-covid.

When I left Florida in May I was really looking forward to returning to that life. I had a real hope that as we progressed in vaccinations, even my wife would become more comfortable in letting her guard down and we could resume that social life.

Even more I was really looking forward to coming back to a packed shule filled with people praying out loud, who came to enjoy the “Blockbuster” we call the High Holy Days. Maybe the only blockbuster that wasn’t from Marvel or didn’t star, Duane the Roc Johnson.

I didn’t want to be at home in Pajamas, with a cup of coffee, and watch some other high end shule put on a multi- camera, heavily produced show, oops, I mean service.

I want live theatre, with the participants and the audience wearing respectful clothes and a room filled with friendly faces; all of us together meeting with our God for judgement.

This experience calls for even more than a 60 inch tv in my living room. I need majesty. I need holiness. I need a sacred space surrounded by others who appreciate that majesty, and holiness, when they engage in dialogue with “ Avinu Malkeinu, Our Parent , Our Sovereign”.

I want to be dressed as suits that moment of engagement, that befits the presence of the Divine, and not dress like I was attending the Wednesday night poker game or awakening to watch Meet the Press on a sleep-in Sunday morning.

I want to touch the Torah, not just see it on the screen. I want to hear the shofar live, and be present in that moment. I want to say, “Yasher koach “to a congregant who just had an Aliyah as she passes by, as opposed to, “Please pass me another cup of coffee”.

I want to see the Rabbi live and from head to toe, (no jokes about me looking in the mirror) and be able to see the off camera look of concern if not outright terror when the usher comes by with some message for the Rabbi.

I want to see the smile of joy from something or someone, and maybe observe the hug of one or two shule friends who haven’t seen each other since the last High Holydays, or 2.

And yes, I want to yenta a little as well. I too want to hug someone I may have not seen since before Covid.

I want to share lunch with friends who just experienced the same service with me.

I want to see the children who grew up in the shule and are now visiting their parents along with their growing children who often remind me of their parents at Bar Mitzvah age.

I want to see the joy on the new Bubbies and Zaydies or Poppies and Nannas whose grandchildren were not even born when last we worshipped together.

Many of us don’t have a lot of our relatives living near by and for me at least I don’t need to see them all the time, but that only makes it more special when we do gather at special events and holy days and vacations. That is how I feel about my shule “relatives”, so when I do see them on the High Holy Days it is a special time.

I have been asked to speak on the second day of Rosh Hashana, and I look forward to speaking live, Rabbi emeritus to emeritus congregants.

But now we come to the 800-pound gorilla in the room, Covid Delta strain. What will happen?

I hope that most if not all the congregation is vaccinated. As such the death penalty is off the table. I think we will probably all wear masks. Mass spreading should now be off the table. If so, we have minimized the risk significantly enough that all the wonderful things I have written about move the risk benefit ratio in favor of attending. All of this is, as I see it today, August 11 2021, the 3rd day of Elul. I hope when Elul turns to Tishrei we indeed will all be together.