Oct 30th 2009, 00:00

We’ve all heard the cliché expression, “Wishing you were here.” Typically, it’s written on a postcard that we either send to or receive from a friend or family member. What’s so important about “being there?” Whether it’s a sporting event, a theatrical production, or a musical performance, we all know that the best seat in the house is in your living room. Every year, millions of people across the world watch the Tournament of Roses Parade on television, yet that does not deter thousands from lining the streets of Pasadena to see it first hand. Clearly there is something about “being there,” wherever “there” happens to be, even if it’s here. In our Torah portion this week, Abraham is called to “Lech l’cha!,” to go forth and to begin his historic journey that will set in motion what will ultimately become the story of the Jewish people, Judaism itself, and what we today know as western civilization. Abraham lives in Mesopotamia, but his destiny is somewhere else. God wants him to go somewhere else, to expand his horizons, to get up and get out, and to go and settle somewhere else. What does that Hebrew phrase mean? Over the centuries many, many commentators have interpreted this text. Some say it means, “Go to yourself,” that is, to your roots, to find your potential. Others say that is means, “Go by yourself.” This view teaches that Abraham must become a stranger in the world to view it clearly and to find his place in it. Of course, Abraham is not his own man. Abraham belongs to God, and by extension to all humanity. Abraham is not one person, but an archetype. Abraham’s story and experience resembles the solitude and aloneness of many religious seekers, and more than that he symbolizes the historic solitude of the Jewish people. For centuries we have wandered to and from nearly every corner of the earth. Some of those journeys we took by choice, others were forced upon us. Mostly we traveled as a group, and yet each journey was unique. Millions came from Europe into Ellis Island. If you think about that period of time, the names and faces all blur together; and yet each name and each face had a unique story. Each had a personality. Each had hopes, dreams, and aspirations, just as each of us do today. Abraham’s call and journey are our call and journey. Each of us is called to do something, and to go somewhere. The journey may be long or short but the message is clear: in order to grow as a person, we have to be constantly moving, constantly learning, constantly experiencing the world anew. Speaking of “going,” Miriam, Lila Pesner, Howard Brass and myself will be traveling next week to Toronto, Canada to attend the Union for Reform Judaism National Biennial Convention. So, I'll be here this weekend, but next Shabbat, I'll be with 3,000 of my closest fellow Reform Jews. Tonight at Temple, our Shabbat Service is at 7:30 PM. Though it’s not the same as being here, as always, if you cannot be here in person, you can watch the service live on the Internet at www.templebethtikvah.com (click on Live Services). Tomorrow, we have Torah Study and religious school at 9:00 AM and the Shabbat morning service at 10:00 AM. Religious school students are reminded to come in their pajamas for Pajama Day! Have a great weekend and if you are out and about tomorrow night, please be careful.