Review of the Week

Sunday we completed our formal opportunities for people to fill in a letter in our soon to be completed, brand-new, Torah. The experience of those who have signed has been inspired. The connection to God and to the past & the future has been felt by almost everyone. People have been brought to tears (of joy and of remembrance) by the moment... It has been difficult answering people's concern about working with the "provider" of our Torah Menachem Youlus. We are not buying a reputed Holocaust Torah. We are purchasing a new Torah that is being completed in Israel. While I am upset by the charges and counter-charges related to the Holocaust Torahs, I know that everyone who has signed their letter with Rabbi Youlus, has experienced a moment of sacred connection.
Monday we had a pretty good Board Meeting of the synagogue. Karen Klemow lead a wonderful ice-breaker where people got to know eat other a little better. And I was pleased with my 20 minutes on the sacred nature of serving on a synagogue board which is reflected on every level: governance, fiduciary responsibility, the Jewish values we reflect and the sacred respect and communication we provide as synagogue leaders.
Tuesday the highlight of a busy day was my time with the Active Retirees. In preparation for the High Holidays we reflected on who or what we are praying to during the Days of Awe. We looked at some classical sources which we use during the holidays: God in the blessing formula and the 13 Attributes. Also we looked at the three 'Uvechain Tayn' sections of the High Holiday Amidah which connect us with our fear, awe, joy and gladness of the sacred season. We are fearful of our future: for life and health. We are in awe of the diversity and complexity of life. Joy fills us through the blessings we enjoy. And gladness flows when we are supported by those who care about us. These are some of the emotions which enable us to connect with God. Also we looked briefly at the HH Confessional. The 44 lines of public admission of sin can be understood on one level as directing us to work on behaviors and thoughts which cut us off from God. When we are angry, scorning, lying, gossiping, egotistical and arrogant - there is no room for the Divine to flow in and around us. Healing one or two of the "missing the marks" on the list open us to again feeling connected both to loved ones and God.
Wednesday. I attend my first meeting of the Professional Advisory Group at Shady Grove Hospital. It supervises the Continuing Pastoral Education students at Shady Grove. Most of my own pastoral knowledge has been acquired by experience. I am fascinated as I assist with the supervision of students doing CPE by the process and levels of experience which can be supervised and refined. I appreciate Adventist Health Care's commitment to enhance the experience of those who are ill; as they teach future pastors the skills to assist with spiritual healing.
Thursday Night we had a wonderful meeting of the CE21 Task Force. We completed our congregational conversation with around 80 congregants in the Spring. We have refined our Visionary Description based on those conversation and created a more refined statement of our communities hopes for spiritual connection through learning and community in the near future. Last night's meeting was facilitated my Dr. Meredith Woocher from the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning. She taught us (for us to use ourselves) a model for moving from our Vision to Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Activities to implement our hopes and ideals. It was a good conversation with lots of different people participating and sharing our broad dreams and the steps needed to see them to fruition. It was energizing and filled us all with expanded hope that our hard work over the past year and half really will see success in a few years.