My friend, Rabbi Jon

My best friend in Ridgefield is the town’s rabbi. My first day as Rector of St. Stephen’s, waiting on my desk, I found a hand written letter from Jon Haddon. It wasn’t the kind of pro forma letter that dignitaries greet each other with. It was an honest welcome to the community from someone who had lived here for two decades. Later the next week, Rabbi Jon and I had lunch together and the meal sealed the relationship. Countless community dinners, Shabbat services, Seder meals and coffee hours have followed along.

We have done plenty of work together. Jon sang the Isaiah 6 passage at my service of new ministry in Hebrew before reading it in English. I was present for both the ground breaking and first service in the new Temple Shearith Israel. We have publicly witnessed together for affordable housing and for protections for immigrants who are in the country without papers. I was privileged to give the dedicatory speech when Jon received the town’s Martin Luther King, Jr. award last January and to keynote at his retirement gala.

More important to me than all those acts of ministry are the deep laughter and occasional tears we have shared together. The final hymn at my service of new ministry was Alleluia, Sing to Jesus. Jon was well ahead of me in the retiring procession. When I got to the back of the church I found Jon singing at the top of his lungs. “Are you supposed to do that?” I shyly whispered. Rabbi Jon, clearly enjoying the music smiled: “Why, is there something wrong with my tenor?” Jon has helped me not to take myself too seriously, but he has also prodded me to be more assertive in a community where affluence can blind the consciences of faithful people. I’m glad Jon’s retired now. There are still a few restaurants in town and more than a few laughs we haven’t yet shared.