Shabbat Shalom ~ Yitro 2026

Shalom WJC Family,

By now I imagine you have read the messages from Rabbi Dalton and WJC President Yale Zoland about Rabbi Dalton’s departure from WJC at the end of her current contract. I want to reflect on this change through Yitro, the namesake of this week’s Torah portion – High Priest of Midian, Moshe’s father-in-law, and a fascinating character in his own right. In fact, Yitro is one of the few characters in the Torah to have a whole weekly Torah portion named after him, joining Noah, Sara, Korach, Balak, and Pinchas. It is a disparate group, from the honored (the first Jewish woman) to the reviled (the worst rebel/traitor of the forty years in the desert.) So what is Yitro doing among them? What makes him so special? He lives and models a value we hold with high esteem in Judaism.

When Yitro hears of the fall of the Egyptians, the exodus of the Israelites, and the miracles performed in the plagues and at the Red Sea, he immediately packs up the family and heads out to meet Moses. When they meet and Moses regales him with the miraculous stories of the last year, “vayichad Yitro, Yitro rejoiced.” Now this might seem like a natural reaction, but remember who Yitro is.

This is the High priest of Midian and according to some midrashic stories, a former advisor to Pharaoh to boot. It must have been jarring and a little sad to realize the Truth (with a capital T) of the God of Israel, which ran counter to the work he had done as a High Priest of Midian. And yet, “Yitro rejoiced.” He was able to hold two emotions at once, his joy for the recognition of God and the successes of his son-in-law and his people, as well as whatever negative emotions he might be feeling based on his origin and former faith. This ability to hold two emotions at once and be sincere in both, that is a crucial skill and Yitro is demonstrating it perfectly.

I have been trying to live in that space since Rabbi Dalton told me of her plans this past week. I could not be happier for her as she embarks on this next stage of her journey. And I am sad to see my teacher, friend, and colleague move away. I am sure many of us share these conflicting emotions. I hope you will join me in following Yitro’s model – to rejoice for Rabbi Dalton and honor her for all the Torah, kindness, and wisdom she has shared with us over the years of her tenure here, and to recognize that we will miss her and are sad to see her go.

I am so grateful for all that Rabbi Dalton has brought to our clergy team with her unique perspectives and insights, as well as her partnership in serving our community. We will have opportunities to thank Rabbi Dalton for being our rabbi – I hope you will join me in doing so, and I am here to process the loss with you if you’d like to set up a time to speak. I hope we can channel Yitro in these months ahead as we say goodbye to Rabbi Dalton and prepare the way for our next rabbi.

See you in shul,

RJA