In first person: To fear or not to fear? Local rabbi switches his answer

Working with the singles group at Temple Emanu-El, I met Rabbi Alvin Fine when he first arrived in San Francisco. We always had a friendly relationship.

While attending the wedding of a friend, I heard Fine make a remark I disliked. During his sermon. he said in a stern voice, "In order to have a good Jewish life you must have the fear of God in your home."

Having seen me shake my head with a look of disdain on my face, Fine came over to me after the sermon and asked what had upset me. Because of our friendship, I felt comfortable telling him my thoughts: "Who ever loved anything they feared?"

Several months later I was at another wedding being officiated by Fine. During the ceremony, with a smile on his face and speaking gently, he said, "In order to have a good Jewish life, you must have the love of God in your home."

He then looked at me and, with a smile, gave a big wink.