Last Sunday we began our educational programs for celebrating the creation of our brand new Torah. It was a wonderful day. Rabbi Menachem Youlus did a wonderful presentation to prepare everyone for the significance of what we're doing. The letters of the Torah provide a personal pathway for every one to connect with God. It was clear that everyone who participated felt this spirituality. It was sublime. When people came up it was clear that they were: realizing the holiness of the Torah and its history, sincerely praying in the moment for whatever flowed into their hearts, and knew that this scroll will last more than 200 years ... you could see it in everyone's faces - this was a sacred time of connection. And more than 100 people attended.
During the formal program we had five individuals (supported by their spouses and/or families) come up to the table to write a letter on the parchment. The letters were already outlined and you learned how to ink the quill and dab the ink onto the letters. Each person represented a different decade in the history of our sacred community. It was clear that everyone was in the moment and moved by the seriousness and holiness of filling in a letter in the Torah for themselves and as representatives of the entire community.
After a great fleshig lunch, we had two hours of those who had arranged to ink their letter. If you'd like to participate in writing your own Torah by writing a letter in our Torah - contact the office. I don't expect future programs to be as well attended as the first one - but I am confident that we will provide 7-8 opportunities in the coming months to energize individuals and our community through this mitzvah. On September 26th, we will complete the Torah, dedicate it and use on the holiday of Sukkot - hold the date - for a very, very special sacred time.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The "B" page of the Amidah at Kehilat Shalom
Around 10 years ago when we switched from the "old" Sim Shalom Siddur to the newer "Slim" Shalom Prayerbook we had several months of discussions at Kehilat Shalom about utilizing the "B" page which includes the Imahot (the Matriarchs). At the time, I had indicated that I had no problem with adding words into the paragraphs, but that I was opposed to changing the benediction at the end of first blessing of the Amidah.
I've changed my mind, for two reasons. First, I've been reciting the "egalitarian" page frequently for the past six months and I've become comfortable with the words we add. More important though, in studying sources about the Amidah and the fixing of its wording, the evidence indicates to me that these words are not "biblical" in origin or time creation (as I had previously believed.) I still believe the words are divinely inspired, but not literally. They are not prophetic in origin, I believe from the time of the Pharisees or the Men of the Great Assembly. Therefore the possibility of changing the words is true of both the paragraphs as well as the chatimot (the closing blessing formulas).
After discussions with the Ritual Committee and the Board of Directors, we will be implementing use of the "B" page in the Musaf Amidah ONLY. We will retain the "A" page in all other services at Kehilat Shalom. I believe this affirms two other fundamental values: respect for tradition and pluralism. Using the A page affirms our devotion to our heritage. Using the B page in this fashion says that both versions of the Amidah are 'kosher' - there are legitimate liturgical variations in different communities and even within communities. We also have regulars at our services who will not wish to recite the egalitarian version of the Amidah and making the change in this way enables their desire to recite the A page for themselves.
I still know we have a serious issue regarding transition and being comfortable with change. In the coming weeks, the hazzan will be reviewing the Amidah with the new words. I will also use Q&A time on Shabbat mornings to take questions. If you have any questions regarding this - please feel free to contact me.
I've changed my mind, for two reasons. First, I've been reciting the "egalitarian" page frequently for the past six months and I've become comfortable with the words we add. More important though, in studying sources about the Amidah and the fixing of its wording, the evidence indicates to me that these words are not "biblical" in origin or time creation (as I had previously believed.) I still believe the words are divinely inspired, but not literally. They are not prophetic in origin, I believe from the time of the Pharisees or the Men of the Great Assembly. Therefore the possibility of changing the words is true of both the paragraphs as well as the chatimot (the closing blessing formulas).
After discussions with the Ritual Committee and the Board of Directors, we will be implementing use of the "B" page in the Musaf Amidah ONLY. We will retain the "A" page in all other services at Kehilat Shalom. I believe this affirms two other fundamental values: respect for tradition and pluralism. Using the A page affirms our devotion to our heritage. Using the B page in this fashion says that both versions of the Amidah are 'kosher' - there are legitimate liturgical variations in different communities and even within communities. We also have regulars at our services who will not wish to recite the egalitarian version of the Amidah and making the change in this way enables their desire to recite the A page for themselves.
I still know we have a serious issue regarding transition and being comfortable with change. In the coming weeks, the hazzan will be reviewing the Amidah with the new words. I will also use Q&A time on Shabbat mornings to take questions. If you have any questions regarding this - please feel free to contact me.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tu B'Shevat
Sorry for being off line on the blog for a while - it's been more than a little much with pastoral emergencies and some wonderful programming.
This past Sunday we had an amazing Tu B'Shevat Seder. 16 tables of students and parents celebrated the holiday of the trees and "Torah as our Tree of Life." We ate different fruits, drank different colors of juice, told stories like Honi, the Jewish Rip-Van-Winkle and reflected on the meaning of Torah. From the Seder:
Our Torah is called Aytz Chaim, the Tree of Life. Jews in every community plant seeds for future generations by passing on traditions and learning from parents to children, as we do here today.
Over 3000 years ago at Mount Sinai our ancestors heard the Ten Commandments and received the Torah. Since that time we have tried to understand God’s words and use them as a guide to live our lives. It teaches us how to live with others and how to respect our world. Especially on Tu B’Shevat we think about nature and our environment and to follow God’s teachings to enjoy our good world.
Another meaning: we remember when God gave the Torah at Mount Sinai out of fire. There’s a famous legend that that the Torah is black fire written on white fire. The Torah has black letters – the dark fire. But the spaces between the letters are white. We read the black words but the white reminds us that the meaning surrounds and flows with the words and also inside of us.
Torah is our tree of life because it helps us find our way to good deeds and wisdom. In the same way we mix the juices, we are a mix of ability and sometimes mistakes. We study Torah throughout our lives as we seek to live a life of love and goodness. Study is a means to an end: to be a good person. One of the early rabbis said the goal of Torah is: to refine our personality for goodness and build a community of peace and justice.
If you'd like a copy of the Seder as a pdf or rtf - please contact me.
This past Sunday we had an amazing Tu B'Shevat Seder. 16 tables of students and parents celebrated the holiday of the trees and "Torah as our Tree of Life." We ate different fruits, drank different colors of juice, told stories like Honi, the Jewish Rip-Van-Winkle and reflected on the meaning of Torah. From the Seder:
Our Torah is called Aytz Chaim, the Tree of Life. Jews in every community plant seeds for future generations by passing on traditions and learning from parents to children, as we do here today.
Over 3000 years ago at Mount Sinai our ancestors heard the Ten Commandments and received the Torah. Since that time we have tried to understand God’s words and use them as a guide to live our lives. It teaches us how to live with others and how to respect our world. Especially on Tu B’Shevat we think about nature and our environment and to follow God’s teachings to enjoy our good world.
Another meaning: we remember when God gave the Torah at Mount Sinai out of fire. There’s a famous legend that that the Torah is black fire written on white fire. The Torah has black letters – the dark fire. But the spaces between the letters are white. We read the black words but the white reminds us that the meaning surrounds and flows with the words and also inside of us.
Torah is our tree of life because it helps us find our way to good deeds and wisdom. In the same way we mix the juices, we are a mix of ability and sometimes mistakes. We study Torah throughout our lives as we seek to live a life of love and goodness. Study is a means to an end: to be a good person. One of the early rabbis said the goal of Torah is: to refine our personality for goodness and build a community of peace and justice.
If you'd like a copy of the Seder as a pdf or rtf - please contact me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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