Don’t you think it’s crazy that after more than 3,000 years of Jewish history, it’s only been 50 years since the first ordination of a female cantor in America?

With all the water that has flowed under the bridge of our history, perhaps Barbara Ostfeld’s ordination seems almost insignificant. But it’s not for me, or for Reform Judaism at least.

Tonight we have a lot to celebrate!

We are living in very challenging times for the Jewish people, perhaps we feel that certain things have not changed much since we fled from Pharaoh.

Many Jews are afraid to show themselves to the world with the levels of anti-Semitism being so high.

But this Parasha teaches us something beautiful. Our people are fleeing and the most powerful army in the world is after them. Many are beginning to panic, it seems impossible to cross the sea between the waters. Even when witnessing one of the greatest miracles of the Torah, terror and despair anguished hearts.

It was then Miriam, Moshe’s sister, who began to sing, to sow courage. “Can’t you see? We are witnessing a miracle! We are alive! Let’s sing, let’s dance!”

The message seems to be “when we are afraid, let’s sing. When we feel threatened, let beautiful melodies come from our lips. When they point at us with their fingers, let’s sing the wonders that have saved us for millennia.”

And this is what we will do tonight. On this Shabbat we will celebrate Miriam’s voice. There are those who take the voice of women as a taboo, there are those who still want to silence it.

On a personal level, I take pride in being one of the first women to achieve the degree as a Cantor in Latin America, and to serve at Shaaray Tefila representing the American Conference of Cantors.

In addition, at home the voice of another little woman can be heard babbling as she crawls among toys and books on the floor. My husband and I will be waiting for you at the end of the service to celebrate the first birthday of our daughter, Ludmila, with a very special Oneg in the JHC.

See you tonight!

Shabbat Shalom