Good yontif and Shabbat Shalom. I'd like to share a story with you. A man and his friend were returning home on the subway in Brooklyn recently. They stumbled upon an Orthodox Jewish woman who was struggling to carry her infant and stroller up to street level. One of the men stopped, helped the woman, and his friend was puzzled and asked why he would pause to help someone, a stranger from such a different community. The man said that the Jewish people are helping me, so I'm going to help them. That man is my friend and coming home partner, Peter Eneke, who you'll meet in a short time. Let's recognize that that simple act of kindness came during a most difficult and tumultuous time for us as Jews.

I'm a better person because of my friendship with Peter, and he truly practices Teshuvah. I've learned from Peter about kindness and compassion, about how to set goals and achieve them even when the odds are stacked against you, and I've also learned from him about simple human decency. After 25 years inside, Peter is now employed full-time, has stable long-term housing, and was recently selected for his Crown Heights Community Board.

Re-entering society is fraught with challenges. Our brothers and sisters are frequently met with stigma, barriers to employment and housing, fractured family relationships, and a legal system that continues to penalize them long after their sentences are complete. Our tradition calls on us to do more. Teshuvah, the theme of this holy day, isn't just a personal journey, it's communal, and it's embodied in the social justice programs at Central Synagogue. It's our duty to help others on the path of Teshuvah, to assist them to a return to dignity, purpose, and wholeness in their lives.

The essence of Teshuvah is the belief, and we heard this from Rabbi Buckdahl yesterday, that we can always change, that no one is beyond redemption. So if we believe this for ourselves, we must believe it for those who have served time in prison. Helping formerly incarcerated individuals return is a profound expression of Teshuvah. It's a way to participate in their return, to give them a hand instead of a hurdle. And we in this community can do so much. We can provide job opportunities, mentorship, emotional support, but most importantly, acceptance. We can become the community that recognizes their humanity rather than their mistakes.

Let us remove the stumbling blocks. Let us embrace the path of Teshuvah for ourselves, for our community, and for all who seek to return.

Good Afternoon and good day to everyone. My name is Peter Anekwe and it is an honor to speak to you all.

There is no better example of “removing the stumbling block” than what I have experienced.

I am what the criminal justice system labeled a career criminal. Having had several brushes with the law as a young man, my last in 1998, I was sentenced and served 25 years and 2 days. I have long realized that this “career” would not provide me with a retirement fund. My mind was, and still is deathly determined not to fail. And, never to go back to prison again! But, for a long time, how I was going to achieve my success was not clear.

When I first came home, my beloved cousin Lisa Greenwald introduced me to Central Synagogue. The community at Central embraced me with all my follies, shortcomings, faults, tears and weaknesses. Through the Central Teshuvah Fellowship and the Coming Home Program, I met my brother Tom Kuhn here, an ear that I can bounce ideas off of, giving me forever fruitful advice.

I am still trying to wrap my mind around all that has happened since I came home. I was released blind. But, you lived the scriptures of Leviticus, allowing no blinders to be put before my eyes, supporting me along a road laden with obstacles. You made sure that my lack of familiarity with and knowledge about this new modern society was not abused. 1998 looked a lot different than 2023.

When I came home I was a perfect target for online scammers. I have almost fallen for several. One disabled my computer for 72 hours. Central’s IT Department cleared my computer and installed new security software.

Through your constant support you eased my transition home, helped me clear the roadblocks and hurdles in my path.

Thus, my time in Central has been one in which my Teshuvah, my return, has been truly welcomed, nurtured, and embraced. I don't think that the English language provides enough to capture the extent of gratitude I have for Central’s support, for welcoming me into your homes and hearts. Thank you for making my transition easier by seeing to it that no one took advantage of my ignorance, for being here, pushing and prodding me to become my best self. I stand before you today a proud brother, uncle, friend, House Manager at The Doe Fund and an appointed Civil Servant. That’s right, I am an appointed member of my Community Board.

Teshuvah is possible, but only when we all work together to remove the stumbling blocks for people coming home from prison.

Every Yom Kippur, we get a chance to do better, be better. Whatever obstacles lay in our path are cleared away, the slate is wiped clean.  

But those released from prison, who atoned and sought forgiveness, are never really forgiven. It’s as if their sentences never end. My friend Larry Williams made amends, earned degrees, serves his community, and is a role model to so many. And he got a terrific job offer after being told he was the best candidate. Larry disclosed his criminal history, but the offer was rescinded solely because of a background check. 

Imagine never being forgiven. What would our lives be if we were forever judged by our worst actions instead of the sum total of our lives.

One summer, I interned in the local Probation office. I was asked to interview 2 brothers 8 and 9 yrs old who broke into a gun store. Living in a transient area, gun stores and liquor stores were their neighbors. They told me they liked school but it was hard to keep up because they moved so much. When I asked why they stole the guns they began to cry and said they needed money to buy new clean clothes because their clothes were torn and dirty and the kids in their new school called them “poor”.  

Not even 10 yrs old and the stumbling blocks in their paths were enormous. I saw myself in their story. I was born into a family with little money. Without the support of family, friends, and a synagogue community, the obstacles in my path could easily have overwhelmed me and the trajectory of my life would have been vastly different. Almost 50 years later, thinking about those two little boys still makes me cry and continues to motivate me to try and ease the burdens others face. I am honored to participate in the Coming Home Program where Central members support returning citizens as they rebuild their lives. 
 
So as Neilah begins, and we pray that when the symbolic gates close God will seal our fates for a good year, let us open our hearts to those who have spent so much time behind literal locked gates and, when physically released, still feel the pain of insurmountable obstacles. Let us fulfill our covenant with God and live our Jewish values and do something to remove the obstacles in their path. In this new year, may we strive to see the holiness in others. May we strive to forgive and to be forgiven.

Good afternoon.

Like many others, I have felt like the blind man in Leviticus, facing stumbling blocks or obstacles at every turn. These obstacles can be systemic, deeply rooted in our society, and often invisible to those who do not face them daily. For some, these barriers are not just physical, but also social and economic in nature.

Growing up in poverty with limited opportunities, I made choices that led me to a 20-year prison sentence for a low-level drug offense. However, during my time there, I fought to change my life. I possess degrees in business administration, in philosophy, I have a paralegal certificate, and I have credentials in mitigation and in restorative practices, just to name a few. Despite these achievements, I continue to face discrimination because of my past.

Imagine, the verse from Leviticus included the passerby, people who either chose to help their neighbors along the path or decided to continue their way as others struggled to get by. This is where you come in. Maybe you have propped someone up along the way, and maybe you have resources, hiring power, and skills to support others who are stumbling. Justice is not just about punishment or even recognizing the obstacles in the way, but to actively work to remove barriers.

Justice involves creating avenues for those who have been denied so many opportunities and advocating for systemic change. This is not just a matter of charity, but of a collective transformation. True community grows when you build intimate connections with people who come from all walks of life, engaging deeply with one another to understand each other's struggles and work alongside one another to create lasting change. It means moving beyond unconscious bias and seeing the potential in every individual.

I urge you to take a deeper look at the barriers that exist within our society and within your own perceptions. Challenge yourself to move beyond these biases and to see the humanity and potential in everyone. By doing so, you can help create a more just and equitable society.

Yom Kippur reminds us that repentance, return, and growth are continuous processes. As we enter the new year, let us reflect on how we can support one another as we navigate life's obstacles. Let us be a community of teshuvah, a community that not only recognizes the barriers and systemic stumbling blocks, but a community that commits to removing them, thereby creating a path for all to walk freely and unobstructed.

G'mar Chatimah Tovah. Thank you.