Anita and I have always been into do-it-yourself Judaism. Whether it’s settling on a family kashrut standard or finding the right Torah verses to put in our Haggadah, we love the idea of studying, debating, and finding what is most meaningful for us. So when we heard that Kerry Baker was building a congregation based on doing that as a group, it was a challenge we couldn’t turn down.
The next few years were an adventure of learning about Judaism from Rabbi Baker. We didn’t just pray. We thought about what the prayers meant, and how they fit with the modern world. We didn’t just send our kids to Sunday School. We helped craft lessons. We sang, and we learned to chant Torah. Under Rabbi Baker’s guidance, we came to understand Judaism, and appreciate Judaism, in a way that wasn’t possible in any other congregation.
Rabbi Baker wanted me to call him “Kerry”, but despite our friendship I never could. He was, and always will be, רבי My teacher. My rav.
–Lorenzo Sadun
