It is written in the Talmud that the house of Shammai, in response to an argument made
by Rav Abba in the name of Samuel, stated that “he who forces time is pushed back by time; he
who yields to time finds time on his side.” Eruvin 13b. As I think back on all the time I have
spent dealing with Beth Israel matters, during the last two years as President and during the three
years before that as Executive Vice President, I wonder, did I force myself to make time for Beth
Israel, or did I yield my time to Beth Israel.
My service to Beth Israel has been, like my prior service as President of the Jewish
Community Center, a labor of love. Many friends have asked me where I found the time to
devote to the Presidency of Beth Israel. Perhaps God does indeed make time for worthy causes.
I have never felt like I had to make a choice between time spent for the synagogue and time
spent elsewhere. Max, Ilana, and Annie may argue otherwise, but as time goes by, they will
realize how committed I am to the success and well-being of Beth Israel Congregation as an
institution. I plan to be here, and fully expect this congregation to be here, in 2016 to celebrate
our centennial and hope my great grandchildren will be here to celebrate the bicentennial of Beth
Israel Congregation in 2116. L’dor v’dor – a synagogue is not only built and maintained for our
generation, but for our children and their children.
You may recall when at Kol Nidre almost two years ago, I asked each of you to devote
eighteen additional hours a year to Beth Israel Congregation. As I leave the presidency, I ask
you to think about what you have done for Beth Israel. Are you satisfied that you have done all
you can to ensure that Beth Israel will be here for our children and our grandchildren. If you
have, todah rabbah. If you have not, it is never too late. You do have the time; yield the time to
Beth Israel and you will find that time is on your side.
The quote about time is preceded in the Talmud by the line “he who humbles himself, the
Holy One, blessed be He, raises up, and he who exalts himself, the Holy One, blessed be He,
humbles; from him who seeks greatness, greatness flees, but he who flees from greatness,
greatness follows.” Like my many predecessors, including most recently Carol Finerman and Ed
D’Angelo, and like my successor, Jeff Bernstein, I did not seek to be President of Beth Israel and
I will soon return to the role of a humble congregant. Perhaps we have been blessed with a great
and wonderful congregation and spiritual family because the membership and leadership of Beth
Israel Congregation is humble, exudes menschkeit, and fosters a haimish welcoming
environment.
It has been a great privilege to have served you and this wonderful congregation as
President. Todah rabah. It is traditional upon entering a synagogue to recite the Ma Tovu. I
leave you hoping that you will remember these words every time you enter Beth Israel and you
will strive to make sure they always apply to our spiritual home in Ann Arbor:
Ma tovu ohalekha Ya'akov, mishk'notekha Yisra'el.
Va'ani b'rov hasd'kha, avo veytekha.
“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!
And I, with Your great loving-kindness, shall enter Your House.”