Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on September 25, 2022

I remember the first thing I ever heard about Rabbi Howard Jaffe. You only have to meet him once, a rabbi-friend told me when she heard we were considering joining Rabbi Jaffes synagogue. Hell remember your name, where youre from and anything else that comes up in conversation, even if youre in a crowded room and only talk for 10 seconds.

My friend was right, and we did join that synagogue 11 years ago. At the time, our son Ben was in a baby carriernow he is just over a year away from the rite of passage that will be his bar mitzvah. At the time, Rabbi Jaffe was the beloved rabbi of a vibrant congregation at Temple Isaiah in Lexington, Massachusettsnow he is preparing to retire after 22 years of service.

The synagogue is holding many events to celebrate and congratulate, to feel and process, and to move through this time of great transition as a community. After all, to everything there is a season, and as we read in our prayerbook every Friday night, This is an hour of change, and within it, we stand quietly on the border of light. At a time when every aspect of life feels like its in flux, the process of wishing Rabbi Jaffe well stands out even more than I suspect it would have in the pre-pandemic before times.

I have tried several times to write a letter to Rabbi Jaffe to express my thoughts and feelings, to make sure he knows how much he means to me and to my family. Its all come up short, which leaves me feeling grateful to have built such a multi-faceted and meaningful relationship, one thats so hard to neatly summarize.

Instead, Ive spent time surrounding myself with memories, learnings, inspirations, challenges and support that Rabbi Jaffe has given me over the years. To mention just two: there was the time he invited my son and me to talk about grief together after my father diedIll never forget how I felt watching him speak directly to Ben about his 8-year-old feelings and how much refuge I took in reflecting across the generations on the Jewish view of grief and loss.

Second, there was the powerful Friday night early in the pandemic in which, on Zoom, Rabbi Jaffe tearfully quoted a biblical verse that said, We will not abandon this house of God. He emphasized that we were not having a virtual service, but a real, true worship experience that was taking place thanks to the gifts of technology.

These are two mini-moments from a decade of connection, teaching and conversation. And now, as I wish Rabbi Jaffe well on his retirement, I think back to that comment my friend made before I ever met him.

You only have to meet him once for him to remember you, she said.

One thing is for sureI would be all the poorer had I only met him once. And as for remembering? I hope he carries with him some of the conversations weve had over the years. But I know for certain that I will never, ever forget him.

See the original post here:

The Inadequacy of Thank You to a Retiring Rabbi - Guideposts

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