Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Asset based community development

A few weeks ago, my union, the Rabbinical Assembly had a fascinating webinar. It was interesting way of understanding something I’ve grappled with for a long time. Synagogues are in trouble because we’re great with the 15% of those who enter our doors and mediocre with the 85% who are affiliated marginally or are completely indifferent. More and more, we are no longer one people speaking the same language and wanting to share similar experiences.
The 15% are, so to speak, “empowerment Jews.” They are self directed and they know what they want… But the 85% ... are “engagement Jews.” They have deep emotional and spiritual needs but they don’t know what they want. Today we spend 85% of our resources on the 15% and the 15% of money and staffing left is not sufficient to meet the needs of the 85% of the people who want the spirit of the Jewish community, but not in the traditional ways we’ve delivered our services.
Asset based community development was the theme of the webinar and a possible means to address our challenge. When we think about our resources the skills of our members and staff, the geography of our community, our financial resources and our social connections – we realize that we need to rethink the deployment of these resources. I really liked the facilitators use of the “Tipping Point,” by Malcolm Gladwell. We have people in our shuls who are connectors – who have a gift of touching others. Since our goal is not survival but transforming community – we have to use our skills to meet people where they are. What we do is not about programming – but about relationships. This is the center of synagogue life – providing opportunities for personal growth and community connection.
I think we’ve become so focused on institutional growth, that we’ve lost sight of the truth. Synagogue is where people come to meet friends and to experience the sacred. This does not have to be done within the walls of the synagogue. Community is wherever people meet and share and learn and experience the holiness of living Jewishly.
Today synagogues need to lower the boundaries which make accessing Judaism a challenge for so many. The challenges are geographic, social, economic and spiritual. Yet with the right people resources – connecting, being part of a group becomes spiritually desirable. People want to invest their time and energy of the contact is significant, the experience is meaningful and the group is fun and exciting.
Finally, I like this model of engagement because it says that it’s not all about the rabbi. I tend to be the idea person, the teacher and sometimes the inspirer. But I can’t do it all. In this model, the rabbi teaches 10 people who in turn teach 10 more people. Instead of 10 people learning, 100 people study together in their own groups – learning with and from each other, not just from the rabbi. I like this also because I don’t have a monopoly on truth and holiness. Engaging people to find their own meaning and celebration of Jewish life – has to be a plus for Judaism in the 21st Century.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Some things that drive me meshugina

SOME THINGS THAT DRIVE ME CRAZY

I heard that many people post this kind of thing on their blog, so…

It makes me a little crazy when I hear Shabbat nusach on weekday. Weekday melodies are simple and beautiful, they allow a fairly quick pace so that you can go to work or go home in the evening. To hear the fancier, slower Shabbat melodies during the week is like fingernails on a blackboard for me. And vice-versa I go crazy when someone treats Shabbat like weekday and zooms through a davening that to be shabbasdik - takes its time.
One of the way I personally distinguish between Shabbat and a weekday is music … and central to that is how the Shema is recited. I love singing V’Ahvta on Shabbat. It extends the meaning through the music of affirming God’s uniqueness and our love for God. Singing V’Ahvta on weekday makes me feel that it’s Shabbat and I want Shabbat to be Shabbat because I work so hard during the week.
One of the special nuschaot (melodies) of the weekly flow of Jewish music is Saturday Afternoon. It’s a light but kind of sad chant; that says it’s still Shabbat, but the end of the Shabbat is getting closer. Hearing Saturday afternoon melody any other time makes me think: hey, it’s not Saturday afternoon!
In our long Saturday morning service, I want the energy to be in the davening and hopefully in the question and answer. The idea of empty time except for reflection or meditation drives me crazy. There is such beauty in pageantry in the Torah procession and such joy in everyone kissing the Torah as we march around. And yet, I can’t understand that especially on returning the Torah to the Ark, why so many leaders can’t arrive at the Ark at the end of Mizmor L’David. That empty silence waiting for the Torah carrier to arrive to place the Torah in the ark – is a waste. It’s been a long time since I’ve taught it, but we stop on the solos during the procession only to enable the Bar/Bat Mitzvah to be not be distracted during their recitation. Otherwise, the only reason to stop to empower everyone who wants to kiss the Torah. On Saturday morning when we return the Torah to the Ark there’s no reason not have the Torah in the Ark so we can go right into Uvnucho Yomar and Atyz Hayim.
Last, Emails: I find that on a day like last Friday I probably spent 2 hours reading and cleaning up emails. There’s not enough time in the day to respond properly anymore to mail that truly requires thoughtful expression. Worse, and I struggle not to be guilt of this myself, some people are trying to conduct business by email. It’s great for sharing info. It’s wonderful to prep issues for discussion or decision making. But you can’t have a conversation my email, I'm trying to limit myself to answering email now only three times a day. Otherwise, I have no time to study and prepare and have energy for my classes and meetings where good people work to build sacred community.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Usurious interest

Several weeks ago, I attended a meeting with the head of the credit card division of a large national bank. As previous written, in our social justice work, we are concerned that interest rates are destroying the ability of the middle class to enjoy the prosperity we all seek. Usury is religiously prohibited in Western Religious Traditions because it devastates working people’s ability to leverage their work into home and property.
While I didn’t expect the bank to accept an ethical rationale for a cap on credit card interest rates, I was surprised at how dysfunctional the system really is. In normal times, the cost of credit card business is around 14%: 3% for cost of funds, 2% operating costs, 2% marketing, 5% write-downs and around 2% for profit. Today with defaults closer to 10%, it would take and interest rate of 19% to make a 2% profit.
How can this work? … by charging rates of 25-30% for some customers. How can anyone dig out of this kind of credit card balance, when they’ve missed a few payments, and their rate is raised to 29.99%!
And yet looking at this model: it’s not the only model. Not every college kid has to receive offers for credit cards. I don’t know why I receive at least one credit card solicitation by mail every week. Maybe credit cards should not be offered to everyone? I remember my first credit cards in the late '70s and early '80s had rates of 7-8%. Banks still made money in those days with a different model of making a legitimate profit. Maybe in the coming months a different model for bank profit will find its way to the public domain.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Amidah and God's (and our) freely given love

I was studying last week about the Amidah with a colleague. According to the rabbis, the patriarchs originated the three daily amidahs. That's one of the reasons the prayer begins with "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Yet, how could the patriarchs have established this prayer when the Torah was not even given until hundreds of years after their lives?
I read a new answer, credited to Rabbi Nosson Sterhartz, the recorder of the Bratzlaver Rebbe. Even before the Torah was revealed, there was divine hesed or love. This is the basis of the Torah and in fact, the basis of all creation. Abraham and Sarah prayed to God through this love - they served God in deed and word - experiencing God's love in their lives and reciprocating it with kindness and spirituality. The core of this "service" was 'chesed hinam' or freely given love, love without any thought of return.
This was the foundation of Abraham's life and his legacy to us today. Abraham welcomed strangers. Abraham refused reward for rescuing captives. Abraham tried to save the evil citizens of Sodom. Abraham brought others closer to God. Abraham was a blessing to the world - to people who he touched with his own piece of God's love. Abraham knew of "freely given love" even before the Torah was given. Since Abraham blessed the world with this aspect of the divine, we begin the Amidah with his name and his children's ... who continued this precious, holy legacy. We we rise to recite the Amidah, we, Abraham's children, invoke the source of our prayer: unconditioned, freely given love.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Cheshvan

It's the first day of Cheshvan - the only Hebrew month no holidays, major or minor in the year. Often this month is called: 'Mar' Cheshvan - some think this means, bitter (like Maror) because it has no holidays. Others say, mar (as in Modern Hebrew) means "sir/mister," a symbol of respect. As I wrote in my last post, after all the holidays it's time to breath and get back to normal.
This month makes us think about the resolutions we made during the High Holidays. Are we taking the thoughts and plans which we reflected upon and started to implement those sacred intentions? Have we taken all the energy we invested in seeking to transform our lives and actualized the activity we envisioned? This is the first part of turning the High Holidays into daily holiness.
What I enjoy most about this time though is finding the sacred in the daily mundane aspects of living. I like davening at home in the morning and at minyan in the evening. I enjoy having a little more time for study and more important for people who call or want to meet with me. I guess (and I have for a long time) I do believe in what Max Kadushin taught many years ago: we believe in "normal mysticism." Yes, God can be found in special holidays, wonders of nature and sacred moments of the cycle. But God is also found in every aspect of this world if we would just open our minds and hearts and souls to the wonder and the Presence.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Almost there ...

Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot ... one more big weekend to go. After the incredible crowds, the moving liturgy, the beauty of the Sukkah - the end days of the Fall holidays are weird. Shemini Atzeret, this Shabbat, is this strange day. No more lulav/etrog. Sukkah is optional. Instead we have Kohelet - the Book of Ecclesiastes, Yizkor - the Memorial Service and Geshem - the prayer for rain in Israel. It's kind of serious again, like Yom Kippur, but not so much about our sins - more about our values and our journey. It's a reflection on our quest for meaning in life, in the life of our loved ones and in the life of our community. The rabbis say: after all the pageantry and festivities of Sukkot - the 8th Day is quiet, just those who worship and God enjoying (in many communities) a last day of Fall Holidays.
But for traditional synagogues outside of Israel there is one final celebration: Simchat Torah. After nearly a month of holidays - we party! Finishing the Five Books of Moses and starting over again is for those who experience the cycle filled with joy. We have been privileged to study God's words and to infuse them into our life this past year. And now we will start again - the never ending cycle of listening to the Divine word, culling its values and practices, and living them ever day. It's good to sing and dance with the Torah celebrating our faith, our love and our truth. Hag Sameach...

Thursday, September 24, 2009

The Danger of Iran

In several cities around the country today there were rallies to mobilize and publicize about our concerns that Iran constructing nuclear weapons. Our government needs to act with other countries in preventing a clear and present danger.
The Iranian regime under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has become a growing threat to the security and stability of the Middle East and the world. Its support of terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and other similar organizations undermine efforts to achieve peaceful resolutions to local conflicts, and contribute to religious and factional violence that threaten American troops and Israel.
President Ahmadinejad vitriolic rhetoric of Holocaust Denial and affirming the need to destroy the State of Israel may seem ridiculous to many, but are still dangerous. Some may believe that his words are simply political leverage and propaganda - but too often words lead to hate, violence and death.
If these statements are true ... a nuclear capable Iran would be a threat to Israel and US troops and interests in the Middle East, but to the stability of the entire world. While there are disagreements over when they will achieve nuclear independence, there is little debate over their true objective. Whatever the time-line, efforts must be increased to stop Iran from successfully becoming a nuclear power.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

My Story Part 2 (From Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day Sermon)

I have learned from life experience that we are not only motivated by love and joy, but also by pain and sadness. In recent years I’ve come to understand my life journey as being connected with another experience in my adolescence – the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. I grew up in Westbury LI, from my perspective (right or wrong) an ideal integrated community. It was around 15% Jewish, 35% Italian and 25% African-American. We played in each other’s homes and went to each other’s churches and when I look at my Bar Mitzvah movies from 1965, I see an amazing mix of creed and color. In April 1968 though it ended when MLK was murdered. An African-American friend’s mother called early the next morning and said not to go to school that day because there was going to be trouble. There was that day and on other days. But what is most sad to me is that I never played at Gary Oliver’s house again, nor did he come to my home. I’ve always wondered who was out there trying; healing the pain and sealing the breach in our community. The pain of that loss of idealized community is a driving force in me to create a diverse and caring community in the three synagogues where I have served as spiritual leader. I know now, that the ecumenical and social justice work, which has always been a major focus of my ministry, is in a strange, but beautiful way driven by a vision of experiencing as a child the divine spark in every person regardless of religion or race.

Before I continue, I’ll ask you to reflect for a moment about similar experiences in your lives. What are the core moments that set you on the path you have lived? What was the moment of joy, which made you who you are? What is the experience of pain for which you cope and compensate?

My Story Part 1 (From Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day Sermon)

For most of my life, I told my story by remembering how I fell in love with the music of synagogue as a child, enjoying Junior Congregation and then the Adult Service. In 1966 I began attending Camp Ramah and in my second summer I had a life changing moment! One morning in July 1967 during morning prayers I felt the Shechinah … God’s Presence. We davened that summer, 170 campers plus staff, in the very large room which the previous summer had been the B side dining room. Inside, it was disgusting … with meals from food fights embedded in the ceiling, walls and windows. But that morning I felt something invisible float into the room. It entered from the windows to my right, surrounded me with what I can only describe as a cloud of unconditional love, stayed a few seconds and then I could sense it floating out the other windows, over the lake of the camp and then over the other hill – until I could sense it no more. 10 seconds that made me who I am. Being a rationalist I’ve always had my doubts about that moment. [Maybe I ate something bad the at dinner the night before) Years later I learned about the Shechinah – that God’s presence is like a mother’s love and that it can encompass you completely and flow through you… I strive to recreate that moment, it hasn’t happened in 42 years, but I keep myself open to the possibility. Despite all my questions and doubts, that moment lives inside me with a certitude that there is something out there that really does care, really wants things to be right and wants us to be partners in achieving those kind and just ends. I always knew I would be in some kind of helping profession (my sisters are too) but combining that with my love of Judaism has filled me with meaning and joy.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Back to Unataneh Tokef

I've been reciting "Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die...," but "repentance, prayer and good deeds..." with some intention for 40 or so years, certainly at least the 28 years I've been ordained as a rabbi. Yet I've never noticed the last sentence of the prayer: "And you have linked our name with Yours."
The soon-to-be released Conservative Mahzor adds a commentary: "Which name of God is alluded to here? ... Some say this alludes to the thirteen attributes of God's graciousness. More likely it refers to the unpronounceable four-letter name of God YHWH. The ending of the word Israel is another name for God, El... By being linked to God's name, Israel become the 'eternal people,' and partakes of God's timeless nature."
The half of this prayer encourages us to change before it's too late, before our time is up and that God is waiting for us to return. When I think about immortality - I have confidence in physical, genetic immortality. That through my son - I will live on (someday but not too soon, I hope). I also do believe in a kind of spiritual immortality. I believe that the goodness of my life is a guarantor of continued life - not be me personally, but through the effects of touching others, especially loved ones and friends. That's kind of like Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, who says "eat your bread in gladness and drink your wine in joy, for your action was long ago approved by God." Breaking bread, sharing good times with good people, does live on - it gets (I hope) passed on generation to generation.
Finally, also at the end Ecclesiastes, but clearly here at the end of Unataneh Tokef: linking ourselves to God - by listening to God's teachings and living them - connects us to the Power that Cannot Die. We are finite - but our connection to God is everlasting through God's eternality. There is a part of God in all of us - our spirit, our minds, our souls. Through it we do on occasion connect with the Spirit of the Universe. The last line is a final reminder: we are finite, but we also transcend death through the way we live our lives and connect with God.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Iran - Threat of Nuclear Capability

I attended the first half of the "National Jewish Advocacy Day on Iran" this morning in DC. We had briefings from Congressional leadership, from the Administration, and from some of the leaders and experts in the Jewish community. The central theme, which has also appeared in the news, was the frightening threat which a nuclear capable Iran would represent to Israel, to the Middle East, to the US and to the World.
As we think about the regime in Iran we know a country that sponsors terrorism (Hezbollah), that denies human rights (treatment of its own citizens), and that promulgates the worst vitriolic anti-Semitic statements (denying the Holocaust and openly articulating the destruction of Israel). To imagine such a state possessing nuclear weapons is a clear and present danger. Even if these weapons were never used - the mere capability would change the dynamics of the the Persian Gulf and the world. More frightening, on some level, is the truth, as we have learned from history, that genocidal ideas are too often implemented.
The administration has been trying to engage the Iranians without success. There are bills in process in both houses of Congress to increase sanctions in conjunction with the international community. Perhaps a stick or a carrot can change their path. We know that the clock is ticking - we need to support our government together with other countries in doing the negotiations and the pressure [and whatever is necessary] to prevent Iran's possession of nuclear bombs.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Transforming the Severity of Life

Last week I participated in a teleconference from my professional union, the Rabbinical Assembly, about the new mahzor (high holiday prayerbook) which will be out next year but has drafts for us. I am going to compose a series of short blogs based on some of the teachings we shared in the new volume.
I've always been moved by Unataneh Tokef ("Who shall live and who shall die') with its metaphor of the "Book of Life." I've always felt the hope of the keynote line "but teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah maaveerin et roa hagezayrah." But repentance, prayer and righteousness can avert the severity of the decree.
The new machzor modified the second part of the translation to: "have the power to transform the harshness of our destiny." We don't have the power to prevent or change the accidents that occur in life. What befalls us through the power of nature or the mistakes of other human beings is not in our control. Yet our ability to change our selves, to reflect and dream, and to do acts of goodness and kindness - can make a difference. Our attitude regarding what happens to us is part of our coping mechanism. Our ability to hope in the face of pain and despair is in large measure in our control. And our gifts of love and kindness are often reciprocated by others so that we are surrounded by devotion when we are in sorrow or pain.
The power to cope and the wonder of transformation are the gifts of the life of the spirit which we articulate powerfully during the High Holidays.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Awesome Love of the High Holidays (Bulletin article)

The keynote prayer of the Musaf Amidah on the High Holidays is Unataneh Tokef. Written according to tradition by Rabbi Amnon of Mayence on his deathbed, it depicts us standing in the heavenly court – awaiting judgment: who will live and who will die!? Over the years I/we have grappled with the fatalistic nature of the prayer. Is our physical fate really sealed by the past and our repentance process during the Days of Awe?
In the past I understood the prayer as a metaphor for consequential living. The past does impact the present and the future. The quality and the quantity of our lives are certainly determined by the choices we make: taking care of our selves, how we treat others, and our quest for intellectual and spiritual sustenance.
After 9/11 we spoke about how this prayer articulates for us all the things that are not in our control. What happens to us through nature and the actions of others (and maybe God) is not determined by us. We have the ability to accept, cope and heal from the pain and suffering which is found in our world – but we have little power over what actually happens to us. Only, our spiritual responses to life: repentance, prayer, righteousness - are in our control.
As I study this year for the holidays, I want to expand the metaphor of God sitting in judgment over us. I still find this theme powerful as a tool to personal transformation. Yet the idea of heavenly tribunal should not only be viewed in terms of “punishment.” A tribunal is also, often for moments of meaningful joy, such as a conversion.
This is an equally powerful image to one of justice and punishment. Conversion is a transformational moment. Filled with awe and love a person becomes a Jew-by-choice. This is true today in our time and place for all Jews – living Jewishly is a personal choice. The rituals of conversion are a moment filled with love for Jewish life and hope for a future filled with God’s presence. The Beit Din (Rabbinic Court) for a conversion is rite of welcome to community. Having completed the process of study and rituals of Jewish citizenship – the convert celebrates their new status and affirms their identity. The tears of someone who is named with his/her Jewish name as part of the ritual – are tears filled with joy and God’s love. Maybe that’s the feeling we should experience in synagogue during this High Holiday season. We stand as Jews by choice in front of God who welcomes us in love to share the joys of Jewish spirituality. I pray we will feel that Presence during the holy days and in the coming year.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Rabbi/Dr. Joseph Lukinsky

Last week one of the unique souls it has been my pleasure to know in life passed away. Joe Lukinsky was a mentor, a teacher, an inspiration. I first met him while in high school where he served as an advisor in Camp Ramah. Later, he was one of my advisers while working on my M.A. in Jewish Education. Through my college years, grad school, and rabbinic studies, Joe was a Professor of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was one of the most compassionate and brilliant people I ever have known.
A wonderful aside. My great tangential memory of him was baseball. Joe Lukinsky (I was told actually) had a try-out with the Chicago Cubs. And apparently could have played minor league ball. I'm glad he became a rabbi and educator. But I always remember that once or twice a summer he would play in Camp Ramah in the Shabbat afternoon pick up game. All the outfielders would start to back up. And at least once a summer Joe would crush one - over the dining room or over the Bet Am (Main Rec Hall) - kind of like a Mickey Mantle or home run derby shot - unbelievable. He would just flick his wrists and it was gone. And he was always so modest, when everyone else was totally 'wow'ed.
But I really cherish my memories of his warmth, his compassion and his mentschlikeit. He had this wonderful way of offering constructive criticism. [He was so brilliant that when he taught he could share 3 brilliant ideas at the same time confusing us often.] Yet, when evaluating your programs in camp or lessons in a class - he would bubble with different ways of teaching the same material - and then help you figure out which way would work best for you. He'd look at you with that wonderful warm smile and you knew he wanted you to do your best for yourself, for those you taught, and in service of God. You were never intimidated by his intellectual gifts. His modesty and kindness and willingness to share those talents, inspired you to be like him - a teacher in Israel.
Zichron Zaddik L'vracha - the memory of this righteous soul will always be a source of blessing.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Death and Life and Love

It has been, as often the case, an interesting series of days.
This weekend we had one of the most joyous aufrufs and weddings that it has been my honor and pleasure to officiate. Without naming names, our President's oldest son was married to a lovely young woman who studied with me for many months to become a Jew-by-choice. The aufruf was fantastic on Shabbat morning. Lots of participation and the joy of the moment was visible to all. When it came time for the special blessing for the bride and groom preceding the impending wedding - everyone surrounded our center bimah, waited for the completion of the benediction and the wished them sweetness in life by gently pelting them with candy. So much love and so much joy.
The wedding itself was equally wondrous. I don't often officiate at a traditional tish (groom's table) and bedekin (veiling of the bride), but that was the plan at Adas Israel in DC. One hall was reserved for the tish - where there was plenty of drinking, a traditional dvar torah (sermonette) with interruptions, some pretty good singing; a really loving celebration of the groom to relax him before the ceremony (and signing the ketubah - the marriage contract). In one of the chapels the bride awaited the groom's party - we danced in, regaled the bride a little, and then veiled her in front of all the guests.
The huppah (service under the 'bridal canopy') was filled with beauty and meaning: beautiful singing from Hazzan Komard and Cantor Judson, lighting a yahrzeit candle for loved ones present in spirit, but most of all just two amazing young people so in love, so filled with joy, sharing the moment with everyone. Then there was a fun reception - great time, great music, good food - being able to part of two extended families knowing what's really important - being in a sacred weekend of love, family and community.
Yesterday, I received a call mid-day from a member that her mother was dying any minute. So I raced over to the Nursing Home. We talked for a moment or two, I spoke with the 82 year old woman who was in extremis. It was clear from her breathing that the end was very close. After a few Psalms we recited Vidui - Final Confession. It's a powerful prayer that prays for a miracle - but if not that death will be forgiveness. Then a prayer for the family of the person and ends with Shema Yisrael and a few other lines affirming our faith. I've said Vidui many times and been at a death bed several times - but I've never recited it before and then in only ten more minutes watched a loving, stubborn and strong soul take her last breath. I then stayed another hour to help make plans for the funeral out-of-town. Having known the woman who passed away for a decade - it's always sad and strange to watch a life come to an end. And yet, as a remembered her joy at her granddaughter's birth and naming, the bnai mitzvah of her two grandsons, her coming to Active Retirees meetings in healthy days - I know she enjoyed a good, long life - not without it's pain and sadness - but met with incredible determination and great devotion. Her memory is a source of blessing.
I feel very alive this week in the face of love and death. I have felt the Presence of God in the holiness of a series of moments - of seeing souls alive with love, bidding farewell with a contemporary to the wellspring of her life, and a being truly present for the final neshama - the final breath of life. Just being wide open to these moments enables me to feel a connection to something more than myself.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Back from Vacation and Tisha B'Av

Vacation was wonderful. Loved the beach in Lewes, DE - lots of bike riding, walking around in Lewes, great beach, lovely weather. Relaxed, exercised, read - perfect for recharging my spiritual batteries. Florida last week with my parents went fine - today actually is their 59th Anniversary. Got a lot done to help out a little.
Tisha B'Av begins in a few hours. I have such powerful memories of this day from years of Camp Ramah observance. To commemorate with ritual communal destruction and death was and is truly powerful. We have holidays for joys of life and relationship with God, for historical celebration, for serious reflection and introspection, for finally for sadness and loss. Judaism truly is a "way of life" in the way that it ritualizes the range of spiritual experience. Remembering our loss of central sanctuary and other tragedies of Jewish history is not unique to our community, but it part of Judaism's uniqueness.
I am always ambivalent about how to fast on this day. With the reality of a Jewish state in my lifetime - I wonder with many others whether it is appropriate to fast for the full day. In reality, I normally fast until the mid-afternoon when just the experience of the summer heat, work ,and the drop in my blood sugar make eating a healthy choice. I've always found it much harder than Yom Kippur when although I work harder - I am distracted from my hunger and totally focused on the rituals and words of the day.
What am I thinking about for Tisha b'Av this year? Tisha B'Av is about loss. Loss of the Temple and sacred community. Most of all its about the sense of the absence of God - often experienced in tragedy. With so much suffering, illness and death this past year - I have been feeling the 'eclipse of God.' Maybe going through the losses is the only way to come out the other side. If God is everywhere and in everything - then God must also be experienced in sadness and passing. I know this is true - for so often I have experienced the certainty of connection in moments of visiting the sick and in comforting the grieving. Maybe it is in God's love in those moments that the spiritual flow of the universe is truly known.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Ready for my vacation

Today is my last day at work before I take four weeks off. It seems like it never slows down anymore. Over the past couple of days four different member's parents have entered into their last days of life and another parent passed away... It's been a rough year: with the economy, with Diane's surgery and with all the illnesses and deaths in our community. I'm not only ready for a break, I really need it.
What am I doing for vacation? We'll be a week at Lewes, DE. We had been at Rehoboth Beach last summer and what we saw of Lewes: quaint, quiet, nice little shops and access to the beach, is what we like. There's not a lot to do - but we'll certainly go to the Outlets in Rehoboth and take the ferry over to Cape May, NJ. Later in the month, I'm also going to spend a long weekend with my parents in Boca. In between, I'd just like to read and exercise. If I can get my body in a little better shape and recharge my mental/spiritual batteries - it will be a great month.
If I read something interesting - I'll blog. Mostly I'm planning to read shlock (Clive Cussler, etc.).
Wishing everyone a restful and rejuvenating July...

Friday, June 26, 2009

Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett

It both amazing and weird that two of the great icons of my college and grad school years, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett passed away yesterday. Their impact on popular culture of the 70s and 80s - was incalculable. Although I never owned the famous Fawcett poster - I certainly watched for several years Charlie's Angels. It's good to remember her growth as a serious actress and also her courageous battle with the cancer that took her life. I don't know enough to even begin to offer a eulogy, but it seems appropriate to realize that she was a real , complex person: sex xymbol, a life of difficult relationships, great success, and painful, prolonged illness. May her memory be a source of blessing.
Michael Jackson was one of the greatest musical and performing talents of my lifetime. His voice, his dancing, and his choreography were wondrous. In good days, his generosity was equal to his talent and sadly his strangeness was just as great. One of my favorite comedians is Lewis Black who has this funny shtick: that Michael Jackson is a punch line. All you had to do was say the name: and people laugh. While that is true for many ... I'd prefer to remember the singing and the dancing. At his best, Michael Jackson filled us with a joy - of the ability of the human soul to create beautiful music and movement - to celebrate the fears and joy of life and to expand the imagination in videos of sublime storytelling. That's what I choose to remember.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Catching Up and Common-wealth

Sorry been off for a while. Was in Florida two weeks ago visiting my parents. Will be on vacation soon for the month of July.
Next Monday I'll be in NYC for the afternoon at a National Gathering of the Industrial Areas Foundation. IAF is the parent organization of Action in Montgomery (AIM). As I had written a few weeks ago, one of the issues which concerns us all is the economy, but also the culture which encouraged and permitted the abuses which lead to the recent economic downturn. This meeting in part will be strategizing what can we do to represent the average person in the national conversation about re-creating a healthy and equitable economy for the benefit of all.
One of the interesting conversations around this theme which has fascinated me is the idea of COMMONWEALTH. When I look back over much of the past two or so decades - I've done OK financially. But I look at the frightening gap growing between have and have nots. In recent years, a very few have become fantastically rich, while the poor remain poor and the middle class has not grown individually or collectively. We have created pockets of wonderful prosperity, but only for a few. We have not invested in the infrastructure which creates wealth across broad spectrums of society. I was blown away in Israel by quality and speed of cellphone and wifi service. It creates wealth. When I hear about high speed trains, high speed wifi and cellphone service in "Third World" countries - I wonder why we don't have or have to pay so much for these vital, 21st Century "basic" services.
Maybe it's time for our country - private and public to invest in the kind of services and infrastructure that are communal wealth and spread productivity throughout our society. That's what commonwealth is about. Having the roads - physical highways and communication pathways to be able to make and get products in order to generate economic well-being for vast sectors of our country. I don't know how to do this - but I'd like to be part of conversation about achieving ethical prosperity.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Staying Positive In Hard Times

One of the hardest things as we observe people losing their jobs, watch as the markets wipe out years of retirement savings, and see our vital institutions hamstrung by falling membership and contributions - is to see the positive despite the negatives.
How do I keep my spirits buoyed? First, it is observing all the willingness of people to help those in real need. There has been so much generosity in my Jewish community and in the larger community from those who care ... to those in trouble. I have not lost my faith that God acts through the hands and checkbooks of good people. Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, especially in hard times, is primarily achieved through regular people doing the right thing, kindness and justice - personally, communally and politically.
When I see what's happening in the larger community and certainly in the Jewish professionally community, with the terrifying loss of parnassah (income sustenance) - it's good to realize that personally it's not so bad. In fact, it really is good. I have my health (as it is). I have a wonderful job. All the members of my family are doing as well as they have in a pretty good while. In the scheme of things that really count - I'm lucky and feel a true sense of gratitude for all the blessings that I enjoy. That appreciation energizes me to help those who don't have all the things that fortunately I do.
If anything of what I've just said makes sense, then for me the last step is to be proactive, to take responsibility for what's happening, and choose as an act of will not to be despondent. To pararphrase the "Serenity Prayer," I may not have control over what happens to me, but I do have control over my response to my circumstance. I can wallow in self-pity and anxiety or I can find help and work with others to make things a little better. I can respond to the pain of others with help and hope. As a Jew I am eternally optimistic - that with God's help, which is experienced when we help - things will be OK. In the end I really do have bitachon, confidence in God's love and power. I know that everything is not always going to be OK, but ultimately I have sublime faith in God's goodness for me, my family, my community, and our world.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Usury and The Financial Crisis

While Judaism encourages hard work and wants people to be wealthy - Judaism places limits on the dangers of exorbitant wealth. The law in Bible mandated for landowners and tenants to tithe, to leaves dropping, corners and the forgotten produce, and to give second tithe to the poor directly twice every seven years. In Rabbinic and Medieval periods, a communal chest was almost universally established in communities with standards of contribution and distribution to protect the well-being of the poor. Additionally, subsistence loans according the Torah were prohibited from charging interest. Later Hillel's prosbul permitted the "legal fiction" of paying back commercial loans to the court, so the loaner could be repaid. It is still a practice in the Orthodox world than rather than give a loan to a fellow Jew, that a partnership with shared risk and reward is executed.
We've all been tightening our belts and prioritizing our finances. As we slowly, I pray, begin to recover from our economic crisis - it's crucial to pause and reflect upon the factors which lead to this painful reality for so many: not just lost of wealth and retirement investments, but loss of job and home and the ability of many to provide for their loves ones. There's nothing wrong with wanting more and working to get it. Greed though is excessive striving for acquisition of personal wealth. There's something perverse about our culture that idolizes athletes, entertainers and leaders of the business community to earn tens of millions annually, while those who educate our children and protect our communities in many towns can't afford to live in the community they work. The anticipated changes to our regulatory mechanism will hopefully do much more to prevent illegal financial dealings.
I've been upset also reading about the 'Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights' Legislation moving through the House to the Senate this week. It does some necessary and wonderful changes to protect card holders from exorbitant fees. Yet Judaism, Christianity and Islam all forbid usury. I remember when credit card rates were capped by States. Those requirements were undone by Federal legislation 25 years ago. I don't know what rate is usury - but when people are being charged 25% and 30% on their credit card balances - this is not about return on a loan - it's an immoral burden - pauperizing the least able and enriching a few. I haven't heard much about this issue in the public forum.
What should we do? Minimally we should shop around for credit cards that charge reasonable non-usurious rates and switch our balances if we can to them. Second, we need to put this issue in the public square - contacting our elected officials and reminding them that usury is wrong. This crisis is an opportunity for constructive and ethical changes - I pray that this will be one focus where change for the common good will occur.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Yom Hazikaron

One of my most powerful memories from my first time in Israel for my Junior year of college in 1972-3 was Yom Hazikaron, Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day. It is the day before Israel Independence Day (Yom Haatzmaut). I remember being in a cafe near Kikar Tzion in the middle of Jerusalem, unaware what was to happen. The siren sounded and the commercial center of Jerusalem (and the country) stopped. The waiters stopped. Everyone stopped.
Israel is such a small country - not only physically, but also in population. As many people experience, it's like extended family. I believe there is no one who does not know someone who was wounded or died defending the State of Israel. When everything stopped it was clear on the faces that everyone was thinking about friends and loved ones.
Through the years I've been to Arlington National Cemetery, to many communal Memorial Day services, and lead many prayers in synagogues on Memorial Weekend remembering those who defended the USA. But I have never experienced a moment like my first Yom Hazikaron - it is etched in the sacred recesses of my memory as a pure and holy moment of remembrance and tribute and hope for peace.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Birkat Hachama - Blessing of the Sun

I finished my studies and materials this morning to teach Massechet Hachama this Wednesday morning as part of Siyyum Bechorim - the Fast of the First Born. A couple of my colleagues created some wonderful source materials related to this short ceremony and various teachings from the tradition about the sun. We'll study this for a few minutes around 7 am and then take 5-10 minutes to do the ceremony, before we eat hametz for the last time until after Passover.
The last time this benediction was recited was during my last year of Rabbinical School. After davening that morning - we went over to Riverside Park, recited the Psalms, prayers and the blessing for God's Wondrous Creative Power. It was a sublime moment then and again this year.

This blessing, according to the tradition, celebrates the return of the sun to the exact place it was when it was created on the Fourth Day of Creation. Whether this is factually true or not, it is spiritually significant that we pause and appreciate the miracle of the sun. It is the source of life in our solar system. It is the primary source of energy for our planet. It impacts our lives every day in ways which we are not even aware. It's a chance to acknowledge some of the gifts we take for granted. And it occurs formally, Jewishly only once every 28 years.

My colleague Mark Greenspan summarized five truths about this rite:
1) God is our creator even if we can't discern the process
2) The sun is a gift which gives us life each day - life is impossible without it
3) We have a responsibility to celebrate these gifts and ALSO to be their custodians
4) God's gifts belong to everyone and we must learn to share them
5) Because something is always there - doesn't make it less of a miracle

So whether you join us in shul this Wednesday morning after early minyan (6:30 am) or just go outside anytime after sunrise until around 9 am - your can just recite the blessing ( ... oseh maaseh brayshit - ... who makes the work of creation) or check on-line for any of the fuller ceremonies - think about our world, its dependence and interconnection with the sun, and experience the wonder and maybe even God's Presence in the star that gives us life.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Rethinking Song of Songs as Passover approaches

Had a great class yesterday at the Washington Board of Rabbis with Dr. Erica Brown (Director of Adult Education at the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning), looking in a new way at Shir Hashirim. We know that the underlying affect of Passover and the Seder is God's love for Israel. Considering Song of Songs as an allegory is the rabbinic answer to including this incredible eroticism in the Biblical Scripture.
Using a couple of artists renderings of a few verses from the Song, the first powerful insight which I had not fully realized in the love poem is the degree of tension between whoever the lovers are in the poem. There is the repeated theme of distancing, of approach and disappearance, a kind of back and forth of passion and presence. It appears that characters in the underlying story are sometimes on different wave lengths, that not everyone is ready for the consummating, peak moment at the same time. (I'll return to this in a moment)
Dr. Brown then connected this with art in general and teaching. When we approach a painting or a piece of literature or a sacred text, we first experience the words. There's this initial interaction, visual ... which can be positive, makes us feel good, or sometimes negative. Then we start to really look at the object of inquiry and experience it's nuances - words, colors, characters, language, symbols, ideas. But to stay in this experience, we then need to bring information and cognition to greater appreciate the painting or the text. When we combine the activity/observation with the emotional reaction, and then combine that with our knowledge and past experience - we are fully, spiritually immersed in the moment. This is a kind of deep, spiritual experience which we seek and too often miss. But in truth, so often: We're not fully present to experience art or prayer or Jewish learning even when the opportunity is present.
Part of this is the responsibility of the teacher. Providing opportunities for this kind of learning is crucial. But as I think of my own sublime moments, it was often the case that months of learning suddenly made sense in a particular time and place. Some of the highs of my life - were experienced only by me - although there were dozens of others present. When I climbed Jebel Musa - "The Mountain of Moses" in the Sinai many years ago, and looked out to the Mediterranean, the Suez, and the Red Sea - wow! Maybe Moses really was here! This is the place where the Ten Commandments were given! Some us of felt this, some just felt the geography, others only felt exhaustion of the climb.
If there is anything that I am beginning to understand in recent years about the Jewish way - it is that all our learning and behaviors - create an awareness, a mindfulness of life. We don't take life for granted. We pause to reflect on our life journey frequently several times a day. We study to add meaning, connection and perspective on living life fully. We structure moments to be aware of doing the right thing and to feel the holiness of life constantly. If it took Ten Plagues before our ancestors had the self awareness to be redeemed from Egypt - then maybe for us too, it requires the investment of time and experiences to be ready for the sacred moments of love and the miraculous in our lives.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

My Aunt Shirl

Yesterday morning, my little sister, Amy, called me to tell my that my Aunt Shirl, my father's only (older) sister had passed away. I find all my thoughts, when I'm not busy, are focused on her (and my father).
Shirley Bernheim was a character in more ways than one. During the second half of her life she was an accomplished actress. She had numerous Broadway (ex. Grease), off-Broadway, touring company roles, TV shows (an amazing, short part as a Holocaust survivor on Law & Order), and numerous commercials. She didn't like to be typecast; yet she was great a playing a little old lady, but happiest when the part allowed her full expression including profanity. She loved the dramatic - both on stage and in her own life. Happiness and pain flowed from her freely. Her neuroses and her flair were legendary. But she loved her friends who performed with her or came to watch with a wonderous devotion.
Two really funny stories: one from even before I was born; wicked sense of humor. My aunt served my grandfather dog food - claiming that it was stew. Apparently he liked it - until he found out what it was.
Also, during one of the few times as a child that my parents went away on vacation and my grandparents didn't take care of us - we stayed at my aunt & uncle's. Shirl wanted to make us something that we would enjoy - hamburgers.... BUT, with her amazing panache, she made for us lamb burgers with mint. None of us could eat them... But it's been a great story to remember over the years.
My few memories of recent years are so ambivalent. She's been a resident of The Lillian Booth Actors' Home of The Actors Fund in Englewood, New Jersey for about half a dozen years. Visiting her the few times I was able were a mixed bag. Most of the time she was still herself , caring and generous. But after various treatments, her mind could only be there for a short while. She was always glad to see "MARCUS AURELIUS, the noblest of the Romans,'" but it was difficult to sometimes not be recognized and for her to be unable to complete a thought. I am lucky my sisters were there for her - making sure she was OK, taking care of every need. She got excellent care there and we are grateful to the great nurses and aides for their kindness, as well as the circle of friends who were devoted to her.
I know my whole family owes her a great thank you. After her ex-husband, my Uncle Eddie, passed away, her generosity was typical. Not needing much for her own pleasures, she authorized a nice chunk of his estate be given to the Raphaels. The income from that investment enabled me to enjoy some great times with my immediate family.
I guess I feel blessed to have know this good, amazing soul. We're going to really miss her now. And we pray that she is now at peace.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Mishnah Yomit

Something pretty amazing happened - Wednesday April 25.
My Mishnah Yomit group finished Seder Zeraim!
The Mishnah, the great code of Jewish Law edited by Rabbi Judah the Prince in 200 CE, has six sederim, six major divisions. They deal with civil/criminal law, Jewish holidays, marriage/divorce, sacrifices, purity, and agricultural laws. Much of it is no longer observed but there is always something to learn, which has application in other aspects of life. Also, sometimes this is 'torah lishma" learning, study simply for the sake of learning with no practical application.
Seven years ago the Conservative Movement started it's process of learning Mishnah. Doing one Mishnah every day since April 19, 2002 we have just completed our fourth of the six seders. While none of us has actually read one mishnah a day - in our group of 4 everyone does seem to catch up at least for/at the monthly review sessions. It's a great honor to prepare and study with my fellow learners. And it's a really incredible commitment to Torah!
In my job I do study Torah every day. The commitment to Mishnah for all these years though is special. It's not only learning to prepare for teaching a class, which is so much of my learning. It's exploring the depths of Torah for its own sake - to learn what our tradition and God asks of us in order to be Jewish and to be fully human. I look forward to completing the Mishnah with by "group" in around three more years...

Finding the Balance

No funerals for a month - helps a lot...
I still find myself thinking constantly about all those who are grievously ill in our community - but at least I feel I have the balance again.
Grandparents Shabbat was great - just watching generations interact and share - is truly a joy. We also had a Simchat Habat (Celebration of a Daughter) this Saturday and I do love baby namings. We even had an incredible Healing Service Sunday Night - great sharing, incredible energy, and abysmal turnout. I have another Simchat Habat this weekend and one more planned for May after the April birth.
I learned as child that death and sickness are a part of life. How we cope with the sadness and pain of life says a lot about who we are as human beings. But we do need to find the balance - to see the light in the middle of all the darkness and clouds.
At the Healing Service I taught a piece from Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer about clouds. Last Shabbat's Torah portion, Vayahkel-Pikuday, has the cloud traveling with Israel and descending on the Tabernacle. God is "inside" the cloud and yet there is a kind of uncertainty about the Presence. That's true also in the clouds of life - the uncertainty. We're not sure what tomorrow will bring - it may be better, it could be worse. Are we moving into greater darkness, frozen in limbo or moving toward the light? I like this metaphor of clouds. There are days when there is overcast. There are days when the light peaks through. And there are days when the sun shines brilliantly. But most days have at least some cloudiness. That's life.
Even in the cloud though - God's Presence can be experienced. Sometimes that's almost impossible to do. But God is even in the cloud - and in hard times, it is good to remember that not only is God everywhere - but God's light and love can be experienced any time.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Appreciating and honoring

Sunday night our local United Synagogue Region ("Seaboard") honored its young leaders. It's the second year for this wonderful program. Last year we honored Laura Wallace and this year Marcie Lerner. The future of our synagogues is not only our children, but also the young committed adults who are the present and future leadership of our sacred communities. It is one of the best things United Synagogue does.
There's so much in the press last week about the tensions between United Synagogue and the other arms of the Conservative movement. A new Executive Director is being hired as the movement changes its top leadership at the Seminary, Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ, in just a few years. Unlike the Reform Movement, the center of our movement historically has not been the synagogue (UAHC now called URJ). The Jewish Theological Seminary was the wellspring of Conservative Judaism and as it trained rabbis, educators and knowledgeable lay leaders - was the fulcrum of creativity, economics and therefore the ability to act. Although the hiring process of the new Exec Director was not inclusive of the broader movement, the person hired is a rabbi. More important, even Sunday night, the Regional President of Seaboard USCJ collared me for a minute... we know how crucial it is that we work together. Only by combining the resources of our community: lay, rabbinic, cantorial, educational and administrative professionals - together seriously debate and implement plans together for the spirituality of our community can we be successful. We are filled with concern for many years that Conservative Judaism is shrinking. The changes of leadership and the quest for dynamic answers to serve our constiuency fill us with hope. I still believe that Conservative Judaism is existentially correct. Judaism is about tradition and change - while we have always evolved, Judaism has survived because we have also always remained true to the essentials of Jewish life.
Finally Sunday night reminded me of how important it is to acknolwedge and thank. I am not always good with this. Often, it's not enought to just say privately or publicly thank you. Sometimes I don't take the time to write the notes that so need to be written to express my gratitude. Appreciation is a core spiritual value. That's why the last three blessings of the Amidah every day, three times a day weekday - are about gratitude: for God's Presence, for the daily miracles and for the peace we do enjoy. In the face of all the pain and suffering in the world and in our community this year - it's good to pause and realize all the blessings we do enjoy - personally, in our families and in our community.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Thank God It's Almost Shabbat

Not a bad week but I'm ready for Shabbat.
Purim was wonderful this week. I had enough to drink to get through both services. The little ones had a great time and only a few were terrified by my "Yoda" costume. The full reading had a nice turnout - a dozen more than previous years and the reading itself was very good. It was really enjoyable to just relax, tell the story, and celebrate in face of all the tzurus this year ... being alive, relatively healthy, and being able to enjoy a happy day.
Action in Mongtomery had a good 550 people meeting Tuesday night with the County Exec. We've come a long way in 9 years. We were given a lot of respect by Ike Leggett, an agreement to work with us on Affordable Housing, saving Social Services in this hard time, and working toward availability of college monies and programs so all eligible HS graduates in our county could attend Montogomery Community College or the Maryland State System. The last is a long way off - but would really be the kind of Social Justice investment that Congregation Based Community Organizing is fundamentally about. I feel out of the loop with AIM and we had an abysmall turnout for Kehilat Shalom - but my energies are much more directed to Pastoral needs and CE 21 at this time.
I was really saddened by the death of Hazzan Komrad's father this week. He had joined us many times for High Holiday meals and on occasion for Passover Seder. I'll miss his warmth, his wit, his poney-tail, and even his jokes and stories.
Spend over half an hour on the phone last night with my sisters. They take of our aunt, my father's older sister, Shirley. She's in the hospital temporarily, from the S.A.G. Nursing home in New Jersey where she's lived for a number of years. They're treating an infection and have done all kinds of tests. Sadly my aunt's mind has been pretty much gone for a number of years and looking through her legal documents (Living Will and Health Care Proxy) - we see that she 's receiving treatment she would not have desired. We pretty much decided to implement following her wishes. Stop the invasive tests and let's get her back where she's comfortable and at home - and put in place (we hope) a system to guarantee that she's comfortable and without pain and stress. It's not easy to do even though we know it's what she wants and what's right for her. When the next infection hits - we all know what this means. We also know that this will not be good for my father, he already misses visiting his sister and the loss to him will be exceedingly painful if and when it happens.
Finally it's been nice having Tali around this week ... he'll be home May, June, July and part of August - so we miss him for two months and enjoy his company soon.
Shabbat Shalom,

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Seeing me on You Tube

I was at a funeral today and as part of the eulogy the family used a recording of their loved one to hear his voice (and if they had the technology in the room I assume we could have seen the video). So I was thinking about where you could see me on video and checking You Tube today I found that there are two recordings of me.

The first was piece recorded and edited by the Jewish Funds for Justice at the 2nd Jewish Community Organizing Conference in California a few years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw7c5kRS1y8
I think it's a nicely edited articulation of my passion for social justice and the spirituality I find in the work I do with Action in Montgomery and the Industrial Areas Foundation.

The 2nd I only discovered today was edited by the Holzels: is me talking to Eli Holzel at World Wipe Wrap two years ago - showing him how to complete doing the hand tefillin and some of the spiritual meaning of putting them on daily. You can't see me except my hands - but it's a cute and thoughtful piece...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO4Qq1pIG5E

Shalom...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

My Teleconference Yesterday

Yesterday I was on the phone for 80 minutes with other Regional President of the Rabbinical Assembly (the union and support network for Conservative Rabbis around the world). A few things stand out.
First, the Conservative Movement is almost done creating a new mahzor (High Holiday Prayerbook). It will be ready not this year, but for High Holidays 2010. I hope it will be a significant upgrade to the Harlow prayerbook. I like Harlow for my personal use - it's clear print, all the basics and some good translations and supplemental readings. But I hope there will be more transliterations and supplemental readings along with the full confessionalsand options for some of the piyyutim (medieval poems) that were in the old Silverman book ,but removed from the present mahzor.
Second, we heard a lot about the recent convention in Israel. I wish I had the money to go. The big center of tension was a resolution which passed - to encourage aliyah from Conservative Jews in the US to Israel. At a time of economic and spiritual stress, it seems a good risk to reconnect ourseles to Klal Yisrsael (The Larger Community of Israel) and to the Land of Israel - for the benefit of all the Jewish people. It was also interesting to hear about planning for next year's RA Convention which is still up in the air because of costs.
Last, an maybe most exciting: the RA is looking into technological solutions to time and distance. With today's technology we should really be able to study together - not only to listen to each other over the phone, but to have text displayed on our computer screens and the teacher on a camera live over the net. To be able to dialogue and learn with and from our colleagues and teachers not just a conventions or training institutes ... would be a spiritual and professional enhancement to our sacred work.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Getting Ready for Purim

When Adar begins does joy really increase? In a strange way, as I start to prepare for Purim, things seem a little better. I don't see any change in the reality of sickness and dying in my community. But there's something about assigning, making CDs, and preparing parts in the Megillah reading, of thinking about costume, and looking for the jokes to break between the Chapters ... that just puts everything in better perspective. Yes - sometimes life stinks and it's not in our control. On occasion something happens that turns our entire world upside down. But Purim reminds us beautifully that we are not alone ... we are part of a caring community of souls and God's Presence that can help us cope. And finally (and I really am looking forward to it this year) it's healthy just to let our hair down and celebrate being alive. Wishing everyone a wonderful month of Adar.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Random thoughts from AJ Heschel class today

Just some random thoughts from my small class today on Abraham Joshua Heschel.
My own background was pretty rationalistic. And yet some of my fundamental experiences are spiritual. Especially my Camp Ramah years, volunteering and davening, were filled with moments of connecting with something much bigger than myself. Especially as a camper in the 60s, we were exposed to Heschel and it energized all of the social action activities which we engaged.
I think his teachings still energize me for the Social Justice endeavors in which I work. We are God's partners in the on going work of creation. I was struck today my Heschel's comments on evil. We can use our scienitific knowledge to increasing ease the suffering caused by the natural order. But the challenge of the pain that human beings cause each other is best met with holiness. Each mitzvah of tzedakah and gemilut hesed are pathways to repairing the world; of experiencing God's Presence and Love. Although we will probably not be privileged to complete the task - knowing we are participants in God's sacred work, evaluating our actions in the light of our sacred teachings - fills our life with meaning and goodness.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Thinking about my own rabbi

Last Thursday I flew down to Florida to attend the funeral of my own rabbi, Melvin Kieffer. We had joined Westbury Hebrew Congregation in 1959 when it was in its old home on Ellison Avenue. My parents selected that shul because of the rabbi - a decision we never regretted.
Personally as a child growing up, I like all kids, was terrified of Rabbi Kieffer. Dignified, immaculate, stern and expecting a dignity to the service that did not allow for the noise or distractions of children. But one year when my parents were away for the first night of Pesach, we were forced, terrified though we were, to accept the rabbi's invitation to Seder. It was wonderful. Rabbi and Mrs. Kieffer were not only gracious but warm. Questions were entertained, insights were shared, the liturgy and meal were filled with joy and love. It was another side of a gifted rabbi which we had never imagined. We all knew of his kindness as pastor, his intelligence as preacher and his gifts leading a community. But we had to intimately experience the joy and light that flowed from his soul to really know the mentsch.
I also learned from him during a dark day of my life of how to be truly present for another soul - listening, counseling, advising me to move from sorrow and pain to light and life.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Pastoral overload and CE21

I don't know how everyone else is doing, but between the economy, sickness, and death, it's been a rough end of 2008 and little has improved in 2009. The level of stress we're experiencing now feels to me greater than anytime in the past. It gets a little scary when you feel so overloaded that you can't even use your normal re-chargers - no time to exercise and too tired to read for myself.

In larger measure that why I'm enjoying our workshops and sessions so far for CE21 (Congregational Education in the 21st Century.) Kehilat Shalom is part of 8 congregations in the DC area working with the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning to create new models of Jewish learning for all ages. Thinking about where we are in learning for all ages, figuring out what's not working, what is successful & inspiring, and then bringing all ages and constituencies into the conversation about what do we do to engage and energize learners is pretty exciting! It's time to dialogue and then think outside the box. When I think back at my experiences through the years: Junior Congregation, Camp Ramah, studies and travels in Israel, sublime moments in nature and in worship - I think these are the kinds of learning experiences which last a life-time and which we need to create consistently. This is my light for now in the middle of the dark spirituality of this year's winter months.

Kol tuv,
Rabbi Mark R. Raphael