At almost every function I attend, a wedding, kid's birthday party or communal gathering, someone comes up to me and says, "Rabbi, do you know why I don't go to synagogue...."
Maybe people want your blessing for not going, Rabbi. Maybe they want to hear, "Well then don't go!"
It is hard to connect to a weekly thing and when you start going, ANYTHING gets tedious. Friends ask where you were and you feel commitmentphobia kicking in.
I didn't floss unless I needed to for years because hygenists nagged me the whole time I was laying in the dental chair. I even avoided seeing dentists for this reason. One day a MALE hygenist simply said that if I flossed one day a week that it would make a difference. Then he told me some funny stories and I relaxed. I immediately started flossing every day and I go back to see the dentist every six months. (My teeth thank me!)
I think the weekly commitment seems overwhelming to people. Especially since we have the equivalent of Thangsgiving dinner every Shabbos! Someone who wants to swim doesn't start swimming laps-- they start out slow. I suggest you tell them to try schul once a month and see if they like it.
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