Remarks by Dr. Howard Warner
on the occasion of
The Installation of Rabbi Micah Friedman
June 30, 2024
Temple Israel has a long history in the Binghamton area, as the oldest synagogue established in 1886 as the Sons of Israel, a traditionally orthodox shul. Since that time an affiliation with the conservative movement allowed an egalitarian transformation. Women are an essential component of our minyan today, including a female rabbi in the past. Our congregation is smaller but vibrant and forward looking in our present building. Today we still have a conservative orientation but have ended our affiliation with USCJ. This has allowed us to consider rabbi candidates with different training and semicha. We engaged Rabbi Micah Friedman as our full-time ritual leader and teacher. Though young in years he is wise, mature, and possesses the critical skills of a pulpit rabbi.
We have a connection with Hebrew College responsible for Rabbi Friedman’s ordination. I as others in our community have taken the Me’ah Program created by the Hebrew College. During those 100 hours of study, we examined ancient and Biblical Israelite history and religion, the Talmudic tradition and rabbinic Judaism, Jewish life during Medieval Era under Christian and Muslim rule, and modern life including the Haskalah and Zionist movements. Our Jewish Federation helped underwrite the cost of the program which was taught by Cornell and Binghamton University faculty. Today Hebrew College is 101 years young.
What is the purpose of an installation ceremony? A goal is to review the history of our synagogue and revive the spirit of Jewish community. Traditionally this event is held during the first year of a rabbi’s tenure. Well, we made it by a few days.
Literally the word “rabbi” means “master” or “teacher”. A teacher is a leader in the community. Rabbi Friedman assumed this role immediately by attending many meetings and energizing our adult and children’s education programs. During this year Temple Concord and Beth David have had their difficulties, so Micah has played a wider role within the community. We have had an abundance of funerals and hospitalizations, testing Micah’s pastoral skills. Micha has encouraged younger family’s participation in local Jewish life. While many Jews have assimilated within American life, Micah and Talia demonstrate how we can maintain our Jewish identity within a multi-denominational society.
We can follow the path of a sincere scholar. His classes are engaging. Micah delivers enlightening D’vrei Torah and reads Torah brilliantly. Moshe Rabbeinu taught us that a pious community will survive, but an assimilated one is vulnerable and needs a spiritual teacher who instructs and leads by example.
Our Tanach includes Micah, one of 12 minor prophets. Our prophets critiqued ancient societal faults. Micah prophesized during the period immediately before the fall of the northern Israeli nation Samaria to the Assyrians in 722 BCE. He warned of the threat to Jerusalem which came in 701 BCE. A prophet provides spiritual renewal, which may stabilize a community during stressful periods.
The attack by Hamas against Israel on Oct 7th opened wounds within the Jewish community. We are a diverse community with differing opinions concerning Israeli governance, citizenship rights among non-Jews, and its military response in Gaza. Rabbi Friedman held discussion groups to air feelings. When politics collide with religion, the intense opinions can divide friends and relatives. But Rabbi Friedman has managed to meld those differences through tolerance that allows us to remain a cooperative community.
Finally, I want to welcome Rabbi Friedman’s parents Cathy and Bob from the Tampa, Florida area and Rabbi Shoshana Rosenbaum from Hebrew College and her husband Aaron to our celebration. We also welcome Rabbi Talia Laster to our celebration, another Hebrew College graduate and Micah’s partner in life. We hope that Rabbi Micah will find our community a place for many years of discovery and domicile. Thank you for your attendance. On a personal note, though much older than Micah, I consider him a mentor and friend.