Jun 13th 2008, 00:00

This past week marked the thirteenth anniversary of my ordination as a rabbi. Every year at this time, I recall that very special and incredibly emotional moment when Dr. Gottschalk, then-President of the Hebrew Union College placed his hands upon my shoulders and proclaimed me to be a “teacher in Israel.” That had been a moment I had dreamed about and longed for for many years, and it had finally happened. Now, thirteen years have passed, four children have been born, I have served several congregations, and of course, I am a few years older.

That this week’s anniversary of my ordination would coincide with the festival of Shavu’ot is very significant. Shavu’ot commemorates the giving, and more importantly, the receiving of the Torah by Moses and the People of Israel. As I became a rabbi on June 10, 1995, I also accepted upon myself certain burdens and responsibilities, just as the Israelites did when they accepted that very special gift from God.

This time of years is very special for many people. We celebrate graduations from elementary school, high school, college, graduate school, and even rabbinic school. Many people also choose this month to get married. Given the recent California Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage, the media is reporting that next week there will be a flurry of activity at county clerk offices throughout the state and those who cater to couples getting married are seeing a boom in business.

All of these events are special and meaningful because they are moments of transition. They signify an immediate and drastic change in a person’s life. After such an experience, we are transformed and not the same person we were the day before. This can apply to happy events such as a graduation, marriage, or birth of a child, or a sad event such as a divorce or death in the family.

I believe that these moments of transition are best celebrated or marked within a religious framework. Religion gives us the scaffolding around which to build our lives, and being a part of a congregation gives us a community to share our lives, the good times and the bad. Like our ancestors in the Torah who were transformed by their experiences, so too are we. Abraham was called to embark on his journey, Isaac wrestled with an angel, and Moses met God at the Burning Bush. Each of these moments of transition, among many others, was symbolized by a change, either physical or emblematic. Our moments of transition are marked in like manner.

Mazal tov to all of our graduates, from elementary to graduate school! I wish you all much success in all future endeavors. Tonight at temple we will be honoring our outgoing board members and installing our new board for the coming year. Services begin at 6:00 PM and we are honored to have with us Rabbi Alan Henkin, Director of the URJ Pacific Southwest Council. Tomorrow we have Torah Study and Shabbat morning service as usual. Happy Father’s Day to all dads, and “Go Lakers!”