Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Elias J. Lieberman was born in Baltimore, MD, in 1953. He attended Vassar College, where he earned his A.B. degree in Drama, cum laude, in 1975.
Rabbi Lieberman was ordained in 1984 from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. From 1984 to 1990 he served as Assistant, and then Associate, Rabbi of Temple Oheb Shalom in Baltimore, Maryland. In July, 1990 he accepted the call to serve the Falmouth Jewish Congregation.
Rabbi Lieberman has been actively involved in many social justice concerns during his rabbinate including freedom for Soviet Jewry, equal rights for gay, lesbian and transgender people, and furthering understanding between the Jewish and African-American communities. He is active in the effort to combat HIV/AIDS and is an eager participant in a variety of interfaith efforts. In December, 2005 he was appointed as an inaugural member of the Barnstable County Human Rights Commission.
Rabbi Lieberman has written:
“Judaism cannot be lived in isolation … to be a Jew is to be part of a community. Those Jews who actively affiliate with a synagogue are already making a significant statement about the importance, in their hearts and minds, of Jewish survival. Mine is the privilege, as rabbi, to encourage and counsel, to inspire, and be inspired by those whose lives intersect my own.”
“It is my fervent desire to see the Falmouth Jewish Congregation become a place where Judaism is enshrined as a vibrant force in our collective lives–a congregation eager to mine the riches of our tradition for inspiration; to fashion innovative interpretations of time-honored rituals to carry us into the future; to build bridges across chasms of alienation and despair; to create a legacy for our children which will nourish their aspirations; to try to find meaning in a world long on material comforts but short on the stuff of the spirit.”
To reach Rabbi Lieberman by e-mail: rebelias@comcast.net
RABBI'S THOUGHTS
Behind the mask…
“Masquerades disclose the reality of souls. As long as no one sees who we are, we can tell the most intimate details of our life. I sometimes muse over this sketch of a story about a man afflicted by one of those personal tragedies born of extreme shyness who one day, while wearing a mask I don’t know where, [...]
February is Jewish Disability Awareness Month
Jewish Disability Awareness Month (JDAM) is recognized each February to raise awareness and promote meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in all aspects of Jewish life. “The Mishnah tells us, [Al tistakeyl b’kan-kan; eleh b’ma sh’yaysh bo.]‘Don’t look at the flask, but at what it contains.” In teaching ourselves to see the inner sparks that light [...]
To give… and to receive
As the rabbi of this wonderful synagogue community, I often hear from members who tell me of the support they have received at challenging moments in their lives and how deeply appreciative they are of our kehillah–our community. That caring takes many forms: the beautiful blankets created by our Mitzvah Knitters, the meals cooked and delivered, the encouraging cards [...]
Pew, Pew, Pew!
Do you know this classic Jewish telegram? “Start worrying! [Stop.] “Details to follow.” About every ten years the American Jewish Community receives such a “telegram” in the form of a population study that delivers alarming statistics pointing to the demise of our community. Such surveys--Jewish populations studies--were released in 1990 and in 2000. Most recently, the Jewish world has [...]
Happy Thanksgivukah!
This year, the first day of Hanukkah coincides with Thanksgiving Day. (Chanukah begins Wednesday night, Nov. 27th.) Amazingly, this is only the second time it's happened since President Lincoln established Thanksgiving in 1863 (it happened in 1888) and it is also the last time it'll happen until the year 79,811! So let’s make the most of it with a [...]
Wear the purple ribbon!
Truth: Shalom bayit – domestic tranquility – is a central tenet of Judaism.Myth: Domestic violence is not a Jewish problem.Truth: Domestic violence is a community issue, not a private affair.Myth: Domestic violence is rare among Jewish families.Truth: Domestic abuse occurs in Jewish families at the same rate as in all families in our community – about 20% – regardless of [...]
Neither early nor late….
"The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." Do you recognize that quote? It’s attributed to Mark Twain...but he never said it. It’s a great quote, nonetheless. Here’s my attempt to birth a memorable quote: “The shortest summer I ever spent on Cape Cod was when Rosh Hashanah fell two days after Labor Day!” We’ve all [...]
Pyrotechnics….and memory
If asked to recall poignant Fourth of July memories, most people would probably summon up fireworks and cookouts, flag-bedecked houses and small-town parades. While I have certainly seen my share of Fourth of July pyrotechnics, my most enduring memory of the 4th is a bittersweet one....the first time I recall seeing my mother cry. I was seven years old, out [...]
The Return of the Snowbirds
I have never been an avid birder but I do enjoy listening to Vernon Laux, whose birding reports air regularly on WCAI/NAN (90.1 FM, the Cape & Islands NPR stations). His enthusiasm and encyclopedic knowledge of the birds of the area never fail to send my imagination soaring. Vern recently spoke of sightings of birds returning to their summer habitat [...]
The Meaning of “Meaning”
What gives meaning to your life? Or, to frame the question another way, “When did you last experience a truly meaning-filled moment?” Let me recount for you one such moment that I recently experienced. On Yom Ha-Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), during our congregation’s annual observance, we removed from the aron (ark) our Shoah scroll, the Torah that came from a [...]