From the Rabbi
Dear Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community,
After living in Santa Barbara for over 25 years, June gloom still surprises me - and now we have June rain. As we head past Spring and into Summer, I look forward to the sun, the flowers that the rain brings, and getting together with all of you.
If you are a long-time member, or someone who has been around for a while, or someone who has just begun tiptoeing into the community, or perhaps you just got on the email list and have not made it to an event, I would like to welcome you to join us for any or all our Spring and Summer events.
First on the calendar this month was our annual fund-raising event last weekend, Bel Canto by Candlelight, at Sunstone Winery. What an amazing event – the food, fun and music was indescribable. If you were able to attend, you know how wonderful it was. If you missed it for some reason, I look forward to seeing you next year.
Next up, June is Pride month. Members of the SYVJC will be marching in solidarity with other like-minded individuals of conscience in Solvang’s Second Annual Pride Parade and Festival on June 24th. This year, we have a banner (picture below) proclaiming our community a welcoming and safe place for those that identify themselves as belonging to this marginalized community. This is the time when the LGBTQ community throughout the world reflects on its struggle for equality, and both the successes and the obstacles we still need to overcome. The SYVJC, and the Reform movement, have always and will always stand for full LGBTQ equality. Join us! We have the use of a truck for those who would prefer to ride.
On June 25th, we will host our Annual Meeting. This is a time to come together and renew the commitment we share with each other and with the entire Jewish community. We will install our Board members, who work so hard on behalf of this community. In Judaism, you cannot be Jewish alone. For example, there are prayers in the liturgy that you cannot say unless there is a Minyan (a quorum of 10 Jews); the one you may know is the Mourners’ Kaddish. Together, we are the SYVJC, people who celebrate together and grieve together. The Rabbis believed that individuals who are experiencing their lowest moments of personal despair needed to be surrounded by community. How wise they were!
This community is yours; I am proud to serve as your Shaliach Tzibbur (the messenger of the congregation at times of public prayer) and your Rabbi…AND this is your community. What do you want to see? What do you want it to look like? Let’s talk about it.
You may remember something called Covid – I do not intend for my words to appear as though I take this lightly, I do not – but when I first began my time with you, we could not even have a simple “meet- and- greet” because we were all staying away from each other. On August 26th, we will host a “meet the Rabbi”, Although I would guess that most of us have met, I want to give you the opportunity to ask me questions and really “meet” me. I hope to be the Rabbi for the whole of our community, not only the Rabbi for some. The Board, and Director Eric Lane specifically, put it very well in our most recent iteration of the Mission Statement and Values of the SYVJC.
Our mission is to foster a community the Santa Ynez Valley rooted in Jewish culture and values, open to all, and provide the community with the opportunity to worship, celebrate, learn, discover, collaborate, share and flourish.
Our values, based on the idea of B’Tzelem Elohim (we are created in the image of G-d) are: respect for all, the pursuit of justice, empathy for those who need help, the repair of the world, openness to differing perspectives, collaboration with those who share or wish to share our values.
Have a great summer and see you soon!
Rabbi Debi Lewis
