This past week, Rabbi Daniel Syme celebrated a milestone, his 65th birthday. In honor of the occasion, our President, David Handleman has asked me to say a few words about Danny, and so I decided I’d like to take a moment to let you to know just what kind of a man he is.
He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Michigan. While battling a serious illness, he asked his father to get him an application to the Hebrew Union College, and following his recovery, he decided to devote his life to God.
During his studies at Hebrew Union College, he won the Farband Hebrew Prize, the Sulzberger Award in Homiletics, and the Lazarus Prize for Academic Excellence. He also earned a masters degree and a doctorate in education from Columbia University Teachers College, and taught at the New York campus of the Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion. Plenty smart cookie!
Speaking of education, he was one of the first chairmen and a co-founder of CAJE, (the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education) which is still having a powerful impact on what and how we teach about Judaism.
He has authored or co-authored 28 books, on topics such as Jewish parenting, youth suicide prevention, Christian-Jewish relations, Jewish social action, ritual, theology and Jewish education. His books include: 100 Essential Books for Jewish Readers; Finding God; The Jewish Home-A Guide to Jewish Living (widely used in conversion classes, and in its second printing); Why I Am A Reform Jew; What Happens After I Die; Drugs, Sex and Integrity; The Jewish Wedding Book, and the Book of the Jewish Life.
Danny has been executive producer for seven UAHC television programs, and has produced concerts at Carnegie Hall, and yes, at Temple Beth El, too. He likes bringing new ideas and luminaries like Coretta Scott King and George McGovern, Peter, Paul and Mary and Cokie Roberts to the community.
He was a participant in one of President Clinton’s prayer breakfasts and was invited to a Hanukkah Party and chosen as one of a small group of rabbis to meet privately with President Bush. I am told that he was the only civilian chosen by Prime Minister Menachem Begin to visit the front lines of the first War in Lebanon and to share his perspective upon his return.
Since his arrival in Detroit, he has deepened relationships with Kirk in the Hills and St. Hugo’s of the Hills...both in Bloomfield Hills. He has also established close ties with many ministers and churches within the greater Detroit metropolitan area, and has continued the fine tradition of the Glazer Institute.
Last year, he became the first rabbi ever inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers of Morehouse College.
Great accomplishments, to be sure, but not the reason I value him. Frankly, most of these things nothing to do with how I know him.
Danny and I worked together on an almost daily basis for at least five years. Rather than merely e-mail, we spoke with each other nearly every day. We talked directly and honestly, always. I knew I could ask or speak to him about ANYTHING, and I did. Yet with all the talking, we never had words.
We shared a dream for this congregation. We shared dreams for our families and for ourselves.
During 24 board meetings and 24 executive meetings together, he was always at my side, always there, as I tried to be for him. I cannot tell you how demanding the job of a rabbi is...on duty whenever needed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and always in relation to the most difficult, painful or profoundly wonderful moments of the congregants’ lives. It is not enough to just be there, a rabbi has to be PRESENT. And Danny is. I remember him visiting me in the ICU as I recovered from cancer surgery.
We engaged in an envisioning process with the membership of TBE to engage them in charting a course for the temple’s future. We worked together on search committees that resulted in the engagement of Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz as our cantor and of Keren Alpert as Educator and later rabbinic associate.
He encourages the members of his senior staff to achieve all they are capable of, and he shares the bimah with them graciously "kvelling" and taking pride in their excellence. He was particularly gracious to me, allowing me to take an active role on Friday nights and even during the High Holidays...an honor and thrill I will always cherish.
Together, we decided to put together a TBE trip to take in the sights of Jewish New York with Danny as the group leader. Danny made it happen, as he makes all kinds of activities and events happen. What a great time we all had, and a tangible result was the "Listen In" program, that we first saw at Friday night services at Central Synagogue.
Did you know how much he loves music...vintage rock and roll and especially doo-wap? At a Brotherhood ‘50’s party a few years ago, he asked my wife, Mary, and me to sing the Everly Brothers "Dream" and "Do you Wanna Dance" with him. Speaking of which, have you seen him dance? He’s really good! He is pretty much an expert in fine wines, and he loves sports, especially basketball. And he loves Shakespeare.
And despite his great leadership skills, I know that he is actually pretty shy by nature and a rather private person. He adores his wife, Jill, and is totally devoted to her.
But the most important thing about Danny, the thread that runs through everything, is how much he values kindness. You hear him speak of kindness and compassion almost every time he takes to the pulpit. It is who he is; he is congruent. His love for people and his sweetness is real. It is at his core.
He truly believes that it is his solemn duty to be there on the bimah to officiate at all his congregants’ simchas and sorrows. And as many times as he has officiated at bar and bat mitzvahs, still each one is new. I remember him unable to speak, choked up and moved to tears when my wife, Mary, Cathy Deutchman and Margi Epstein celebrated their adult bat mitzvahs.
So on his 65th birthday, I wanted you all to know Rabbi Syme, my friend Danny, and encourage you to get to know him the way I know him...and I’d like all of you to join me in wishing him a very "Happy Birthday."
