Sernovitz, founder of Nafshenu, lives the call to service and justice
If Rabbi Larry Sernovitz wasn’t so occupied with the pressing concerns of his community and the causes of social justice, he could probably write this profile himself.
“I would have never thought in a million years that I’d be here in this market. I was planning to go to law school, possibly being a journalist with a background in English writing. But that was not the path,” he said. “I started out as a public school teacher in Cheltenham School District, taught fourth grade for five years while working with a local Hebrew school and finding ways to work and getting people to find their own voice.”
Sernovitz, one of three township residents to have been honored with the Camden County MLK Freedom Medal on Jan. 23, is the founder of the Nafshenu community in Cherry Hill. He focuses on areas in his rabbinate that include education, interfaith matters, prayer and spirituality. Married to Rebecca with three children — Sam, Daniella and Eden — he envisions a future where his children are nourished spiritually and grow up with a sense of morality beyond the enclave he created.
“Our community was founded two years ago, and it was created specifically to address the unaffiliated congregations. Sixty percent of the Jewish community in South Jersey is unaffiliated with organized Jewish life. (Nafshenu) is spiritual, it is musical, centered in the rabbinic mindset of social justice. We don’t just talk about it, we really do it. The third piece is to educate our kids, not in a lecture style but in an experiential, learning way. The kids are immersed in what it means to live a Jewish life. We’re accepting a lot of families, and we know we have a voice. And to use that voice to seek justice in our world.”
Following the Pittsburgh shooting, he worked with the Camden County freeholders to organize a vigil at the Boathouse, where more than 300 people from all parts of the county came out to not just support the Jewish community, but stand for humanity. The murder of 11 people at Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27 struck a chord spiritually and personally.
“I had a typical Jewish upbringing. I was sort of in a bubble, living in the northern Philadelphia suburbs. I didn’t see the anti-Semitism, hatred and bigotry. But right from the first week of school (at the University of Pittsburgh), I was exposed to some ugly anti-Semitism. Freshman week, a couple of guys from Carlisle, Pa., made some nasty jokes,” Sernovitz revealed.
“It’s not surprising later, that you see a white nationalist walk into a synagogue and kill Jews. It was an attack on humanity. The challenge is how do we confront it, and how do we prevent being exposed to it. The problem is, not a lot of people know or care, until it affects them.”
Sernovitz also serves on the statewide Clergy Caucus of Faith in New Jersey, and serves as a chaplain for the Cherry Hill Police Department. In April 2016, he received the Ambassador Award from the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma.
Prior to coming to Cherry Hill, Sernovitz served Old York Road Temple-Beth Am in Abington, Pa., where he was vice-chair of the Montgomery County Advisory Council of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. He received its Trailblazer Award in 2013 at the annual Civil Rights Luncheon.
“My justice work is centered around these issues, partnering with the immigrant community, black community, Muslim community to advocate for justice: racial justice, economic justice. It’s not about one day of service. Dr. King would have said ‘wait a minute, what are you doing the rest of the year?’ It’s not just going to rallies, but it’s about talking to legislators about real issues in our community. That’s really what we need — systemic change in this country. The society that we really want, that is full of opportunity for all,” he said.
A common theme among all medal recipients is their complete shock when informed of the honor. Sernovitz was no exception. He expressed how humbled he was in knowing the medal is named after Dr. King and the revolutionary work he performed.
Sernovitz likened his calling and that of King to the prophetic tradition of Judaism, where the prophets did their work because they knew the meaning of speaking truth to power against the status quo. If he can come close to accomplishing that level of work, recognizing the sacrifices Dr. King and the prophets made for the ideals they held true, he said, it is a tremendous honor to be included.
“I didn’t realize all this would take me down a path of advocacy, to inspire people to live lives more fully even in the times we find the world in today,” he said.
