A MESSAGE FROM RABBI YOSSI FRIEDMAN
A year two student approached me with a question that was troubling her. "Does G-d have hands, mouth, eyes and feet?" I took a moment before responding. "Not exactly the same as us", I replied and then bent down to explain to her how G-d can still hear what we say and see what we do.
I must admit that I was deeply touched by this young girl's sincerity. In our digital age where so many of our youth are fixated with iPhones, iPads, iPods and other gadgets, it was truly refreshing that this little girl really wanted to understand G-d and how He interacts with humanity.
It is these conversations that I have, which occur weekly, that make me so proud to be Rabbi of Mount Sinai College. Because it shows me that our students are intrigued with Judaism and have developed a love of learning that will only serve them well -in whatever they put their minds to - throughout their lives.
It is these conversations that I have, which occur weekly, that make me so proud to be Rabbi of Mount Sinai College.
The late Elie Wiesel OBM once said: "Man raises himself toward God by the questions he asks Him". You see, asking questions is what Judaism is all about. To ask a question takes a certain level of humility and courage. It means that a person is willing to acknowledge that they don't know something and are willing to take a step forward in order to grow.
We have something very special at Mount Sinai. Our very name attests to that. Mount Sinai was that place back in history where the Jewish people became a nation through receiving our precious Torah directly from G-d. Today, we too have that special place in our midst. Inside our school, our teachers and management have successfully developed a warm, embracing, inspiring and all-inclusive culture that in truth, feels more like a family than a rigid school environment. It is here that our students study and embrace the wisdom of our Torah and identify with what it means to be Jewish.
Every week, I look forward to visiting our students in their classrooms to take their questions and learn what is on their minds. I love being approached by kids on the playground who try and outsmart me with a certain moral dilemma or scenario. I feel truly privileged to oversee the religious and spiritual development of our students and I aim to continuously spark their curiosity and instil within them a love for Judaism.
It is here that our students study and embrace the wisdom of our Torah and identify with what it means to be Jewish.
Please feel free to contact me for any further information or feedback about Jewish life at our College.
Shalom!
Rabbi Yossi Friedman