Zeh Hayom Adonai, Nagilah V’nismacha Bo.
This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Mizmor shir chanukat habayit.
A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the House.
I extol You, Adonai, my God,
for You have lifted me up,
and not let my enemies rejoice over me.
Adonai, This is Your house, a house of books, a library, a sacred space
A place where great futures are made.
Where we come to read
To dream and explore
To Learn and to teach, to teach and to learn.
May this space, Your holy space be filled
With quietness and noise,
May it be filled with books and computers
Questions and answers,
Knowledge and Wonder,
Safety and security,
Laughter and joy.
May it be filled with children and staff.
May it be filled with love.
Your love
And the love of staff for children and children for staff.
May those children learn that books are fun.
They are magical. They inspire. Transform. Transport.
Books offer hope.
That reading is “fundamental.”
That reading is essential.
That reading helps us understand the mystery of the universe
Filling us with knowledge of the world.
Bless this library and all who enter it with Your peace.
Amen
Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein
Congregation Kneseth Israel
Yesterday I was asked to dedicate the library of the Boys and Girls Club in South Elgin. It is the 5000th club house in the country. I was honored to participate. The new club sparkles. It is filled with light, springtime sun streaming in. It is bright, airy, filled with warmth and love. It is spotless. I’m ready to move in!
Jews are known as the “People of the Book,” and as the daughter of booksellers, it was thrilling to dedicate this inviting space. We are used to dedicating houses. We place mezuzot on our homes, our synagogues, sometimes our businesses. There are mezuzot on the gates of Jerusalem. These dedications are based on the verse from Deuteronomy that tells us to inscribe these words on our doorposts and on our gates.
“You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your everything. Teach them diligently to your children. Speak of them in your homes and on your way. When you lie down, When you rise up. Bind them as a sign upon your hand and as a symbol before your eyes. Inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.” (Deut. 6:5-9)
I often tell kids that talking about G-d and Judaism and spirituality can happen anywhere. At home, at Torah School, on the soccer field or the car pool, swinging through the fast food drive through to grab a quick dinner. And the Boys and Girls Club.
I’ve never been asked to dedicate a library before. I figured someone must have done this and that there would be words, prayers, already written. I found a couple of Catholic ones that didn’t seem quite appropriate so I wrote my own. I wonder whether in a non-sectarian organization it is even appropriate to gather clergy together and pray publicly. However, if the organization is doing so then it feels important to be included. My theology may not completely align with all of those present. However, there was enough that did that I could enthusiastically respond amen to most of the others prayers.
We all hope that these children feel safe, feel love, be inspired, grow into confident adults. As the Boys and Girls Club website says “It means an hour of help with homework to ace a test. It means a warm, nutritious meal – maybe the only one of the day. It means time with a caring adult to build confidence.” We all want that. We all believe that every child and every adult is created “b’tzelem elohim, in the image of G-d.” We want these kids, all kids to thrive.
Great futures begin here.
We want the staff to be kind, compassionate, caring and full of patience.
The whole experience reminded me of two stories.
When my daughter, who now works for the Boys and Girls Club of Martin County, Florida as their training specialist, learned to read, at age four, we hosted a party for her. We invited her friends on a Saturday evening, gave each kid a book and our daughter her first library card. It was a magical evening.
When she was five and just starting school, my father, a retired medical school professor and bookseller, sent her a magical present. It was a beautifully wrapped box. And inside the box was another box and inside that there was another box and finally a zip locked plastic bag. It was his collection of refrigerator magnets. Both the English alphabet and the Hebrew alef bet and a note: “Herein is contained all the ancient Jewish wisdom plus all that accumulated in American/English tradition all reduced, of course, to the essential components” It is our job to reassemble those letters and make meaning.
That’s what I imagine the kids at the Boys and Girls Club will do in this library. They will read or be read to. They will ask questions and find answers. They will veg out and dream. They may even sleep. They will find a safe respite in their day. They will find caring adult who care about them.
This is indeed the day that Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha’olam shehechianu v’kiyimanu v’higianu lazman hazeh. Blessed are You, Lord our G-d Ruler of the Universe who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this moment.