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Congregation Bonai Shalom will host a viewing party at noon Monday, July 20th to watch the streaming video of the White House ceremony honoring Rabbi Marc Soloway and eleven other faith leaders from all over the country who are “Champions of Change.” The White House will recognize twelve people of faith as “Champions of Change” for their efforts in protecting our environment and communities from the effects of climate change. One of these twelve is Rabbi Marc Soloway of Boulder’s Congregation Bonai Shalom.
The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities. Read the original story here.
Be sure to come by Bonai Shalom’s social hall on Monday at noon to join the community in celebrating Rabbi Marc’s honor.
I hope many readers got a chance to watch this impressive- and hopefully impactful- ceremony and panel, and the special honor accrued to Rabbi Marc- the only Jewish clergy person on this panel where people of all faiths used their words to connect theology to activism. To me it was so timely, especially in light of the Torah portion introducing the book of the Torah called Devarim, meaning WORDS. This fifth book is considered a bridge writing between the written Torah and the oral Torah- a kind of bridge between heaven and earth. Words themselves are bridges between ideas and vision, and manifestation. In addition, this time of year before Tisha B'av places an emphasis on using words in a positive, rather than negative way. We are urged to use words to support and heal and not to hurt and tear down. I am reminded of the powerful saying- 'Before you speak, think about if your words will improve the silence.' Words alone are certainly not enough, but if they can serve to bring people together for a common constructive cause, they can indeed move mountains, and transform the earth to- as so many of the clergy folk expressed- the way G-d intended to be a home for both the Creator and his beautiful creation. Yasher Koach to Rabbi Marc for bringing such an important Jewish voice to this vital issue of global survival.