“Help me help you.” Sports agent Jerry Maguire, played by Tom Cruise in the movie of the same title, offers these words as a plea to his sole client as Jerry strives to secure him a lucrative contract.

Jerry represents disgruntled wide receiver Rod Tidwell (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) to the best of his abilities; his success would mean a big payday for the football player and a sizable cut for the agent, but Rod isn’t making it easy. Jerry needs Rod to play the game with a better attitude—for the fans and the media—in order to seal the deal. “Help me help you,” Jerry pleads in the face of a stiff-knecked and prideful Rod.

As your shaliach, or agent, this coming high holiday season, I want to represent you as best I can. And I want to see you bring your best. I want your compensation to be your name signed and sealed for a lucrative reward. Of course there is something in it for me as well. But in order for us both to get what we want and deserve, I need you to help me. Help me help you!

It’s not easy for rabbis, year after year, to ascertain what their constituents want and need from them on the few days they have the chance to speak to a large portion of the congregation. There are plenty of self-righteous voices out there telling us what we should be speaking about and what we should be saying on those matters! But they don’t know us; and they don’t know you. Your particulars aren’t even necessarily the same as those of the others on your congregational team whom I represent. Moreover, given the fact that this world is placing so many stumbling blocks in our path, it’s nearly impossible for me to know which of those blocks you find the most difficult to evade. 

It’s game on. The horn sounded with the shrill of the opening shofar blasts this morning. We are four weeks away from the opening of the signing period, and I want to do right by you. I can help you best to navigate this path if you tell me what it is that you need to hear from me. Please note: I’m not asking what you think others need to hear; I’m asking what topics you need to hear your rabbi—as your representative and representative of our tradition—address for you and your betterment in the new year.

Email me at Rabbi.scheff@theojc.org with up to 3 questions or ideas about which you would like to hear what our Judaism offers. There are so many topics I’d love to address throughout our holy days. Help me narrow them down to your specific needs. Help me help you!

Rabbi Craig Scheff