Keeping spirits alive

Deirdre Newman

As Americans continue to struggle with the “why� behind last

year’s terrorist attacks, Jewish Americans in Newport-Mesa turned to

their religious leaders with questions about the existence of God

during their holiest day of the year on Monday.

Across the area, Jews visited local synagogues to reflect on the

collective national healing of the past year and uncertainty about

the future, and to ask forgiveness for misdeeds in their lives on Yom

Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement.

At Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach, during a special memorial

service called a Yizkor, Rabbi Marc Rubenstein exhorted his synagogue

members to look within themselves for salvation and integrate Judaism

more fully into their lives.

“God will forgive me this morning that I have to explain the

existence of God,� Rubenstein said. “The struggle with your life is

not that there is a God, but that God demands we serve him in evil

and in war.�

Rubenstein admitted frustration in trying to spread God’s message

in a time of painful recovery from last year’s terrorist attacks and

threats of a potential war with Iraq.

“This is a very tough year for rabbis to preach,� Rubenstein said.

“There is no solution to what is happening in our world.�

To assuage the concerns of those who are anticipating another war,

Rubenstein read a poem in praise of America that described war as a

last resort to alleviate conditions that may lead to human suffering.

Rubenstein also stressed the importance of observing Jewish

practices more than a few times a year on holidays. He postulated

that the trend of less Jews coming to temple was not because of

intermarriage or assimilation. To inspire a sense of community among

members of the synagogue, he read form a teenage girl’s Bat Mitzvah

speech she wrote for her special coming-of-age ceremony.

“A community is a group of people who should love and protect the

people around them,� Rubenstein quoted. “Being Jewish means to

appreciate all the people around us. And that means to lead a Jewish

life.�

In order to save Judaism from dying out, Rubenstein encouraged

members to live “viable and creative Jewish lives.�

He then urged them to spread the message of Judaism throughout

their neighborhoods to keep the Jewish spirit alive.

“If we don’t get more people to understand who terrorists really

are and what Israel is, these words of a teenager will be the last,�

Rubenstein said.

Rubenstein’s exhortations resonated with three generations of the

Katz family who attended Yom Kippur services -- Sylvan, Randy and

Warren Katz.

“It’s probably the most important day of a Jewish person’s life,�

said Sylvan, who is in his 70s. “I usually don’t take time to

recognize that. Today I did. I want to pass it through the

generations.�

Sylvan’s grandson, Warren, 13, said he was moved by the Bat

Mitzvah speech Rubenstein read.

‘It made me feel kind of sad,� Warren said.

Flory Van Beek, who started the temple with her husband 27 years

ago, said she was focusing on her pride in America on Monday.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected].