by Rabbi Lori Schneide,
Spiritual Leader of Temple Shalom of the South Bay

“We have two bases of our religion, apart from the Bible. One - which precedes it - is the foundation of reason; the other - which is later - is the source of tradition.”

Take a moment to consider the above quote. It asks of us to consider three worlds – the world before the Bible – the world of reason; the world of the Bible – the world of our written tradition; and the world following the Bible – the source of tradition which continues to be defined today. These three worlds together lay the foundation for the Jewish people.

Now ask yourself: When was this quote written? Who wrote it? And where?

Judaism has gone through many evolutions – and as time passes, patterns emerge. We seem to be a people moving from trends of mysticism to trends of rationalism and back again; Fundamentalism is preceded and followed by Secularism. Yet, in the face of assimilation, annihilation, miscegenation, and forced conversion – Jews are still here.

As a Reconstructionist Rabbi, my training is not to tell my congregants what to think, but to teach them how to think. Like a great meal, knowledge is best savored rather than gorged. In Proverbs, wisdom has “prepared the feast, mixed the wine, and set the table.” Through this Jewish feast, we must allow ourselves to once again use our minds and bodies, as knowledge requires all faculties of observation in order to learn. Through this feast, Judaism becomes the fuel by which we experience life. As an emerging rabbi, my commitment to my congregation is not to answer questions, but aspire to be the most dynamic chef of Jewish cuisine – a fusion creation serving up Jewish intellectual and spiritual delights – and entice your hungers.

Reconstructionist Judaism is founded on these delicacies. Reconstructionists view Judaism as “the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people.” We view Judaism as a dynamic. We seek God and holiness through our study of the Torah and our experiences in the natural world. We wrestle with our texts, find holiness in our communities, and challenge our minds - like that first Apple did to Eve and Adam - to Think Different.

Thoroughly modern in its commitment to rationalism, the above quote might be understood as representing modern Jewish thought. However, it originates in 9th century Baghdad. Saadya Gaon, a 9th century Jewish philosopher, wrote these devotional words as a student of Jewish thought influenced by Islamic thinkers of his day. Saadya’s philosophical works challenge both the rational as well as fundamentalist trends in society. Sound familiar? Saadya’s devotional work is filled with sophisticated methods of reasoning, while at the same time saturated with sentiments of absolute faith. His writings are just another example of the complexity, sophistication and the power of our great inheritance.

May we all continue to feed our spiritual hungers with the fruits of our tradition. B’tai’avon!