tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-341505492024-03-13T23:01:00.005-04:00New Jewish EducationA collaborative resource for thoughtful (and possibly frustrated) folks
interested in trying to do things just a little better.Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-34449652702271479842020-11-02T10:23:00.004-05:002020-11-02T10:37:53.330-05:00The Story of the Rabbi and the Small Apartment<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">Hello my friends</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a little Jewish folktale...</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in a small apt
on the UWS of Manhattan, with his wife, and two children</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They were happy, but they felt their apartment was too small</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BanjcVbUoKA" width="320" youtube-src-id="BanjcVbUoKA"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So one day the man went to his rabbi and said, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rabbi, I love my family but our apartment is too small.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wish my wife and I didn’t have to use our bedroom as our
home office,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wish my children didn’t have to share a bedroom, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And I really wish we had a second bathroom.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It feels so crowded in our apartment – what can we do?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The rabbi nodded, and wisely said, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Take your child, who is in school, and have that child do
all of their schooling in your apartment via zoom. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, the UWS didn’t really know what to think about this
but said, ok, went home, and set up his child to do all of their schoolwork on
a laptop in their bedroom</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
Well, the apartment did NOT feel any bigger, so the UWS went back to the rabbi,
and said, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">Rabbi, our apartment still
feels pretty small – actually, it feels more crowded than when I came to you.
What should we do?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">The rabbi thought a moment,
and answered</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">Put your other child, who is
on school break, and keep that child in the apartment with you – and make sure
that that child doesn’t have any activities or playdates with friends outside
of the apartment. And come up with things for that child to do all day long. In
fact why don’t you share your phone with that child so that your child can be
entertained if you run out of books or art supplies or creative ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;"><br />
Well, the UWS didn’t see how this was going to make the apartment feel bigger,
but, he did exactly what the rabbi said, and now there was one child on a
laptop in the bedroom, doing schoolwork, and another on the man’s phone, playing
Duolingo and texting to friends, and doing whatever I guess it is kids do
online.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">But still the apartment felt
small. Now the rabbi didn’t want to meet with the UWS in person, so they set up
a zoom meeting. And on the zoom meeting, the man said, you know rabbi, my
apartment feels smaller than ever, are you sure that you understand what my
problem is?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">And the rabbi thought this
over for a moment, and then said, you know, why don’t you stop going into your
office at all, but spend your whole day in the apartment together with your
children, the one who is doing schoolwork and the one on Spring break. Well,
the UWS wasn’t sure how this was going to help, but he did as the rabbi suggested,
and started working entirely from home. And this involved learning a lot about
zoom meetings and also a lot of swapping around between who was on his laptop
and who was on his phone, and with both of the children there all day long the
apartment now really felt quite crowded. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">So the UWS decided to try to
zoom with the rabbi one more time, and said, what can I do? The apartment still
feels really small? And the rabbi said, well, why don’t you have your spouse
work from home too. And then why don’t you stay in your apartment together for,
oh, well certainly at least two weeks, and see how it feels? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;"><br />
Well, the UWS and his family were all now very crowded in the apartment. They
were in every available spot – they were even using the bathroom as a
workspace!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">But you know what, after …
some time had passed, they were all allowed to go back outside again, and to go
back to their offices to work again… and they said, you know, here we are – we
are healthy, we have each other, we spent a lot of time having real conversations
together, and on zoom with our family and friends – we are actually pretty
lucky.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in;">And they never ever thought
about their apartment being too small again.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 3.25in left 274.8pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></p>
<br />Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-91535305420449951412020-06-15T15:19:00.002-04:002020-06-15T15:19:37.266-04:00Where is God during the pandemic?In case you are still unsure what I do for a living, or why, here is your answer. These are students in the Religious School at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/school">Congregation Emanu-El</a> of the City of New York answering the question "where is God during the pandemic?"<br />
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<br />Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-44416559085817612012019-05-24T11:17:00.001-04:002019-05-24T11:17:07.793-04:00The Story about the Baby SharksI told a story about the ritual of counting the omer at Shabbat Services for Temple Emanu-El. It is based on a famous one about starfish that I learned as a kid in CRaFTY (the NYC region of NFTY, the Reform Jewish youth movement).<br />
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(Full transcript after the jump)<br />
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(Based on “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley)<br />
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There are fifty days between the festivals of Passover and Shavuot. And every evening of those fifty days, there’s a special Jewish ritual called “counting the Omer.” Starting at the second Seder, we say a special blessing, and then we count how many days it has been since Passover – from the Exodus from Egypt, when we all became free, to standing at Mt. Sinai, when we received the Torah. Tonight it is the 28th night.<br />
<br />
Counting the Omer is an unusual ritual, because you have to do it every single evening – if you miss even a single night, you aren’t supposed to say the prayer anymore. Why is it so important to count it every single night? Well, let me tell you a story.
Once upon a time there was a beloved and very hard working rabbi. Every day, the rabbi was busy from early in the morning until late at night, inspiring, comforting, and providing wise council.<br />
<br />
As Memorial Day weekend approached, his brilliant and talented wife said, why don’t we sneak away for the long weekend? Let’s rent a house on the beach, just the four of us, and relax.
So the rabbi and his family did exactly that. With great anticipation they headed to the airport with suitcases filled with swimsuits and sunscreen. The rabbi felt such a sense of liberation that he loosened his tie.<br />
<br />
But, as their flight began to descend for a landing, they noticed that the skies were gloomy and overcast. As they stopped at the supermarket to load up on food for the weekend, the rain began to fall harder. They arrived at the beach house just in time, racing through the doors under the deluge of an unexpected tropical storm.
Still, they made themselves a delicious Shabbat dinner, filled with much singing and many private jokes, and they didn’t forget to count the Omer. They all remarked on how happy they were just to have this free time together.<br />
<br />
As night fell, the storm grew stronger, and thunder crashed so close that the whole beach house shook. It was frankly a bit frightening – if you’ve been in a storm like that, you know what I mean. The whole family huddled together under a blanket on the couch. The rabbi whispered soft and comforting words, and sang soothing melodies, as each of his daughters fell asleep on his shoulders.<br />
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It was a restless night on the couch; every time there was a particularly loud crash of thunder, the rabbi’s younger daughter would squeeze his arm and wake him up. He would stroke her hair reassuringly, and they would all start to doze again, only to be awoken what felt like a few moments later.<br />
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When morning finally came, the family woke up on the couch to bright sunshine streaming through the windows. Yes, the storm had passed and it was a truly gorgeous beach day. They yelped with joy, pulled on swimsuits, grabbed their beach bags and raced outside.<br />
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On the beach, the terrible storm had left huge puddles everywhere. And as they looked more closely, they saw that in many of the puddles, washed up onto the shore were … baby sharks! All along the shoreline were tens, maybe hundreds of tiny hammerheads and tiger sharks, bull sharks and nurse sharks…<br />
<br />
… it actually would have been adorable, but the sharks had no way to return to the sea. The family knew that as low tide approached, the puddles would dry up, and the baby sharks would be stranded.
Without a second’s hesitation, the rabbi’s daughters grabbed their sand buckets and raced to the nearest puddle. Being careful not to let it snap at their fingers, they playfully cajoled one wriggling shark into the bucket and then together hauled it to the shoreline, where they released it into the ocean. They quickly refilled the pail with sea water and returned to repeat the process with another squirming baby shark.<br />
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“My daughters,” the puzzled rabbi exclaimed, “what are you doing?” Without looking up, the daughters replied “We’re saving the baby sharks!”
The rabbi looked sadly at his children, “But there are hundreds of baby sharks on the shore, and only the two of you. What difference can it possibly make?”
Holding another baby shark in their pail, they looked up at their father with surprise and exclaimed, “it makes a big difference to this one!”<br />
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Well, the rabbi couldn’t deny that she had a point, so he quickly ran back to the beach house, grabbed another bucket, and both parents joined their daughters in the baby shark wrangling. All morning, as other families one by one made their way down to the beach, they realized what was happening and joined in with buckets of their own. Before long, every one of those baby sharks had been safely returned to the ocean.<br />
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And I think there’s a lesson to be learned from those baby sharks about counting the Omer. Our tradition teaches us that every moment counts, that the things we do always matter, no matter how small. Every night we stay awake with our sleepless children, every act of kindness and justice, every rainy evening we spend with those we love, has the potential to be another baby shark.<br />
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Shabbat Shalom.
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com01 E 65th St, New York, NY 10065, USA40.7680923 -73.97001790000001615.246057799999999 -115.27861190000002 66.2901268 -32.661423900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-30422720986651280072019-02-27T10:31:00.000-05:002019-02-27T10:32:15.309-05:00The Story of the Rabbi's Daughter<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's me telling a story based on the classic tale about the Seer of Lublin, who as a child would go to the forest to pray. God is the same everywhere, but we are not. Enjoy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />(Full Transcript after the jump)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">THE STORY OF THE RABBI'S DAUGHTER</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">(based upon a tale told of the Seer of Lublin)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">Once upon a time there was a great rabbi, who had two wonderful daughters.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Everyone in community loved their rabbi and no one loved him more than his own children. </span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">The rabbi would proudly look out at the congregation during services, and see his daughters sitting in the front of the Sanctuary, singing along with the prayers – even the hard ones with a lot of Hebrew.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">But then one Shabbat, as the rabbi was giving the kind of sermon where everyone hung on his every word -- he noticed that his younger daughter had taken a seat way in the back of the congregation. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">This surprised him, but when the service ended, she was back with her sister in their usual row towards the front. So he shrugged his shoulders, and didn’t think anything more about it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">The next week, as the rabbi was leading services, he again spotted his younger daughter way way in the back of the balcony, actually, in the very last row of the balcony. He thought that perhaps he should say something to her, but then in the hubbub and excitement of the <i>Oneg Shabbat</i>, he forgot all about it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">But then, the following week, when the rabbi looked out at the congregation during his sermon, his daughter was nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t find her anywhere. This almost – almost – caused him to lose his place while giving the sermon. But at the end of the service – there she was, singing <i>Adon Olam</i> loudly and joyfully. </span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">After services, this time, the rabbi just had to ask. My daughter, he said, I’ve noticed that you weren’t in the Sanctuary during my sermon? Is everything ok? Oh yes, abba, she said, everything is great. Well, he asked, is it that you don’t like my sermons? Oh no, abba, I love your sermons. It is just that I had something so important that I just had to do. And she ran skipping off to play, as the rabbi stood there wondering…more important? What could be so important?</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Well, it went on like this for the next three weeks – the younger daughter disappearing and reappearing during services – until finally the rabbi’s curiosity became unbearable. So the next Shabbat, when it was the time when he usually delivered the sermon, the rabbi had his Director of Lifelong Learning tell a story instead. The rabbi snuck out the side door of the Sanctuary, where he spotted his daughter making her way to a large, wooded park not far from the synagogue. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">The rabbi followed his daughter into the park, being careful not to be observed. He watched her as she made her way to a secluded area amidst a small grove of trees, among beautiful flowers and bright green grass. The rabbi became a little bit worried, actually, because he knew that the park could be a dangerous place for a child to be on her own. He wondered, what could she be doing here in the park by herself?</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">As the rabbi watched, his daughter took out a prayerbook, and to his amazement, she began to sing the Shema with great intensity and passion. “Hear Oh Israel, Adonai our God, Adonai is One,” she prayed. </span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">The rabbi could hold back no longer. “My daughter,” he cried out “I hope you will not think it wrong of me, but I just have to know, what exactly is it that you are doing?!?”</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Abba, she said in a surprised voice, What does it look like I’m doing? To be honest, perhaps this was a little sassy of her. </span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Well, said the rabbi, it looks to me like you are saying the Shema, just like we say in the synagogue.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">That’s exactly what I’m doing, she replied. I came here to the park to talk to God. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">But my daughter, the rabbi said, don’t you know that the Shema is the prayer that teaches us that God is one? </span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Of course I know that, abba! She said. I’m in third grade!</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">But my daughter, don’t you know that if God is one, that means that God is the same everywhere? You can talk to God in the Sanctuary – you don’t have to come to the park.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Abba, she said, I know that I can talk to God anywhere. I know that God is the same everywhere. But abba, I’m not the same everywhere.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">And the rabbi looked around and saw all the trees, and flowers, and the children playing, and the rabbi asked, my daughter, do you come to the park to talk to God because it is so beautiful? Is that why you are different here?</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">And his daughter said, Abba, it is beautiful – and our Sanctuary is beautiful too. But, Abba, look at those children playing – do you see the woman napping on the bench next to them? that’s their mom, she’s been working all night and is heading to a second job soon. And you see that fellow sleeping on the grass? I don’t think he has a home, he’s here every time I come to the park. I come here to remember that God is everywhere, here with these people in the park just like God is with all of us in the Synagogue. When I am here, I remember how our God is the God for everyone.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">And I don’t know if the rabbi learned something new from his daughter that day, or maybe the rabbi already knew it. But one thing I do know is that we here at Temple Emanu-El, we know how right the rabbi’s daughter was.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Because we find God when we’re here in the Sanctuary, or when we’re at a family service in the Beth-El Chapel, or at the daily service in the Greenwald chapel. We find God in the religious school classrooms when we study the words of Torah with our dedicated teachers, and in the IM Wise Kitchen when we volunteer to make meals for the Sunday lunch program. We find God on our family and Streicker trips to Israel, whether we’re at the Western Wall or the Dead Sea. And we find God when we’re knitting the warm scarves and sweaters that this very evening, our teens will bring on their Midnight Run to cold and hungry people in our public parks. And And so I invite you to join with me, and say together the watchwords of our faith, the most important lesson of the Torah, the Shema, “Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad,” “Hear oh Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is one.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129;">Shabbat Shalom.</span><br />
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Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-69957236691723696162018-11-29T16:57:00.000-05:002019-02-27T09:56:14.031-05:00What do we mean by "lifelong learning?"A piece I wrote for Jewish Federation of North America's "Ideas in Jewish Education and Engagement" blog appeared on November 28. Entitled, "<a href="https://jewishfederations.org/education-and-engagement/ideas-in-jewish-education-and-engagement/what-do-we-mean-by">What do we mean by 'lifelong learning</a>,' I describe two of our most successful (and explicable) programs here at Emanu-El and the big ideas about Jewish education that underscore them.<br />
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Here's the tl;dr take-aways:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Our classes form a microcosm of Jewish community, where diverse opinions can be expressed and, through thoughtful reflection and mutual respect, our students learn to accept one another for who they are and what they believe, and empower one another to grow as individuals.</li>
<li>We study ancient wisdom in the context of intergenerational relationships.</li>
<li>Our teen leaders are role models, sharing their expertise and modeling their commitment to Jewish life.</li>
<li>The teens are proud of their growth as leaders and of the connections they make with the younger kids. Many describe their work as “giving back” to the community </li>
<li>We publicly acknowledge and celebrate students who go “above and beyond” school attendance. </li>
<li>Children play a crucial role in shaping the lives of the rest of their families.</li>
<li>For parents, coming to school-based family activities normalizes the experience of participating in synagogue life, making it easier to prioritize it over other ways to spend their time and to consider coming to another activity even without their own children. </li>
</ol>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-73459290166271619972018-11-22T14:54:00.000-05:002018-11-22T20:59:30.447-05:00The Story of Honi and the Carob Tree<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's me telling the story of Honi and the Carob Tree at <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=144325708922286&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdK-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARC0NOPBlhpGQsNkEFtxrgDIFWfZLtxg5NBYTsSgmJfHSCnWvn49jjqvN38unwODIc6SOO5NuiGMrnqQ%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/emanuelnyc/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARC0NOPBlhpGQsNkEFtxrgDIFWfZLtxg5NBYTsSgmJfHSCnWvn49jjqvN38unwODIc6SOO5NuiGMrnqQ&fref=mentions&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDf9EHxa9nlDLNv1vU0J9ABTdlWSsfoVMlAcOyq4EADb6SI7tWO8IgvXDDfAIM7pxN7_JcDFjGyVIS_KJuYVB3ZpAYKQReMAEgIdSRH_4Qk9v2U9LTHhA03Yz5OFb1ZrMkaJLmV2ysoIcQRS7RR_1z6fRbMR0hOw2EGTg4t-40wmG_x-l61VlbOQLiCaSGM5a-keTLrwAw" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Temple Emanu-El</a> last Friday night... a classic tale of miracles, transgenerational ethics, and chocolate substitutes. Enjoy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />(Full Transcript after the jump)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">n.b. Unfortunate drumming noise was apparently caused by a steam pipe; while it was broadcast loudly on the livestream we couldn't hear it during the service itself.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">THE STORY OF HONI AND THE CAROB TREE</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">(based on a midrash in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ta’anit 23a)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A
long, long time ago</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">back
in the days of the Maccabees<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There
lived in the land of Israel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A
very wise man named Honi the Circle Maker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honi
was famous in those days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because
Honi knew special prayers <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">that
no one else knew<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But…despite
being so wise<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honi
was also extraordinarily impatient <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and
surprisingly selfish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One
time, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">when
it was the time of the rainy season<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">No
rain fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
ground was too hard for planting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
crops began to dry out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All
of the people began to worry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
they went to Honi the Circle Maker</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and
said, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please,
Mr. Circle-Maker, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Talk
to God, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ask
God to make it rain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why?
Said Honi the Circle Maker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
people answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If
there is no rain, how will we grow our food?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ach,
Said Honi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
have plenty of food in my cabinet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">HONI!
They said<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For
once think about someone else!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">FINE!
Said Honi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
Honi the circle maker <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">drew
a big circle on the ground <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">with
a piece of chalk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi stood in the middle of the circle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi shouted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
will not move from this circle <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">until
you make it rain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
nothing happened<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
Honi Said<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe
you didn’t hear me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
is me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honi
the Circle Maker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These
people need rain <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a
rain of blessing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">to
soften the earth <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and
bring food to the hungry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
know you are just and compassionate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
I’m not moving from this circle <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">until
you make it rain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
then there was thunder and lightning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And rain fell from the skies <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">in a tremendous downpour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
all the people cheered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Hurray
for Honi the circle maker”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
they all ran off to tend to their crops <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and
to plant their vegetables <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi said, Ach<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m
soaking wet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
a big prayer like that <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">really
makes me hungry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
he set off down the road <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">looking
for something to eat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi came upon an elderly woman<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">who
was planting a tree<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Excuse
me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He
said<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What
kind of tree are you planting?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
is a carob tree, she said<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Do
you know what carob is?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
is supposed to taste like chocolate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But
it doesn’t<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you’re staying for the family dinner tonight, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">you
can try some<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
you’ll see for yourself<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But,
they didn’t have any chocolate <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">in
ancient Israel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If
this were an ancient Aztec or Mayan story, maybe there would be chocolate in it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But
it’s a Jewish story, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">so
you get carob<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway,
Honi said to the gardener<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carob
huh<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How
long will it take the tree to bear fruit?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well,
she said,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
will take 70 years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">70
YEARS! Cried Honi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
mean, not to be rude or anything, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But
you’re not exactly a youngster<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Are
you certain you will live <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">another
seventy years <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">to
eat the fruit of this tree?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps
not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Said
the woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However,
when I was born into this world, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
found many beautiful carob trees <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">planted
by those who came before me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Just
as my ancestors planted trees for me, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
am planting trees <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">for
my children and grandchildren <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">so
they will have carob to eat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Seventy
years, Honi thought<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Just
the thought of it makes me sleepy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi lay down on the ground <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">next
to the carob tree<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi fell fast asleep<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Into
a deep deep sleep<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In
fact, Honi fell asleep for so long<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honi
slept for 70 years</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
when Honi awoke<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He
had grown a big long beard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi looked up <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and
saw an elderly woman <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">gathering
the fruit from the carob tree<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honi
asked her<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Are
you the same woman <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">who
planted this tree?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">No,
she replied, that was my grandmother. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Honi said, wow, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
must have been asleep for 70 years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That
is some shluff<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here,
said the woman<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have
some carob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
for the rest of his days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honi
the Circle Maker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Helped
to plant carob trees<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
all the children and grandchildren <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">would
have plenty to eat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
if you go to the north of Israel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You
can still those carob trees today<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
parents and grandparents told this story <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">to
their children and grandchildren<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
now I’m telling this story to you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
you can tell this story <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">to
your children and to your grandchildren<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And remind them of what Honi learned<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That the way we show we are thankful <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">to those who came before us<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Is to make things better <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">for those who will come after us<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And there’s a bunch of people here
tonight <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">who know exactly what I’m talking about<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And I want to invite those people <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">onto the bimah for a blessing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So all of you here tonight who grew up <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">here at Temple Emanu-El <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and attended religious school or nursery school<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And now have children or grandchildren <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">religious school or nursery school</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2129;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; margin-top: 6px;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Come on up here <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And inspire us all with your example<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shabbat Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "bookmanitc lt bt" , serif; font-size: 24pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-73259439659677606752018-10-24T15:51:00.000-04:002018-11-09T08:48:12.902-05:00Talking with our children about tragic eventsThis is what I shared with the Religious School community at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/">Temple Emanu-El </a>after the events at Tree of Life Synagogue:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dear
School Families, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">During
Religious School on Sunday and Monday, we did not explicitly raise the tragic
events at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh with our students. We know that
every child is different, and each family must choose to handle the situation
in its own way. Yet, we also know that many of our children have questions and
fears that we, as their parents, want to address – not to mention our own,
adult concerns. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I want <span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">to share with you the guidance I gave our faculty, which holds for
parents as well:</span>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
the children bring up the topic, don’t shut it down. Listen attentively to
what they have to say -- their concerns and their questions, their
thoughts and feelings -- and let that drive the conversation.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Try
to answer questions factually without adding unnecessary details. Don’t
assume that your questions and concerns are theirs. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Reassure
the children that Temple Emanu-El is a safe place; we are a sanctuary for
all people seeking comfort and support. Here at Emanu-El, there are many
adults who are looking out for them and who know exactly what to do to
prevent emergencies of all types from happening. A good example is that
when there is a fire drill, we all are trained to respond quickly and
safely. There are other things that the kids don’t know about that we, the
adults, are doing to keep them safe.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let
them know that an important part of what it means to be Jewish is that
when we hear about tragedy, we want to respond. That is why Emanu-El is
participating in city-wide vigils (both to express our emotions and to
demonstrate our solidarity) and why our Philanthropic Committee and
Student Council are already talking about what we can do to help the
people of the Tree of Life Community. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remind
them that there are always many more people trying to be good than to do
harm, of all religions, backgrounds, and nationalities. Unfortunately, it
is so much easier to be destructive than to build, and bad news always gets
the headlines – but remember, although there are some dangerous people in
the world, nearly everyone you meet is a kind, generous, loving person
like yourself.</span></li>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
you are looking for additional guidance for talking with your children, I
recommend all of the following excellent resources:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B099UjTql7LndHNBYVpVM3pxZTIwcWtGbDVlM2hGMjlLVGU4/view">Talking
to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers</a>, National
Association of School Psychologists</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://pjlibrary.org/beyond-books/pjblog/february-2017/how-to-talk-to-children-about-anti-semitism">How
to Talk to Children About Anti-Semitism</a>, PJ Library</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://childmind.org/article/helping-children-cope-frightening-news/">Helping
Children Cope With Frightening News</a>, Child Mind Institute</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/news/talking.html">Talking
with Kids About News: Strategies for Talking and Listening</a>, PBS</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://urj.org/blog/2018/10/27/wake-tragedy-resources-coping-after-pittsburgh-synagogue-shootings">A
List of Resources for Coping with Tragedy</a>, Union for Reform Judaism </span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally,
our Parent Association member Zibby Owens published an <a href="https://www.kveller.com/at-a-bat-mitzvah-the-night-of-the-pittsburgh-shootings-celebration-mixed-with-sorrow/">essay
on Kveller</a> about going to a bat mitzvah on Saturday night and being
reminded of all the good in life, not just this terror. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
love for our Emanu-El family, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Saul</span></div>
</blockquote>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-7369077463193614692018-03-01T08:28:00.000-05:002018-11-09T08:50:44.401-05:00The Golden Age of Religious School Education<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]-->I wrote this article for the March-April 2018 edition of the <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/">Temple Emanu-El </a>Bulletin.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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The challenges of Jewish education are largely the same as
they were more than a century ago, when the first generations of American Jews began
attending supplementary schools. Forced by these challenges to be inventive and
resourceful, the best educators integrated innovative approaches and
cutting-edge practices. And yet, because we are in an era of unprecedented
collaboration, I believe we are now in a “Golden Age” for religious schools.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a name='more'></a>American Jews in the 19<sup>th</sup> century often employed
private tutors (such as a rabbi or a scholar) to provide private or small-group
classes for their children’s (that is to say, their sons’) Jewish education.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
Sunday School initially was developed for families, including immigrant
families, that could not afford to pay both synagogue dues and the salary for a
private tutor. By the second half of the 19<sup>th</sup> century, the majority
of Reform congregations in the United States ran “Sabbath Schools” that met on
Saturday afternoons, Sunday mornings or both. By the beginning of the 20<sup>th</sup>
century, however, Sunday schools were attended most often by the children of
increasingly affluent synagogue members.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_edn2" name="_ednref2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
And, by the late 1960s, “parents relied mainly or almost entirely on the
religious school for the Jewish upbringing of their children.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_edn3" name="_ednref3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Even today, many schools are, unfortunately, dull places
where students spend their days memorizing facts about ancient texts and
historical events. Yet, even a century ago a spirit of experimentation and
creativity characterized the best supplementary schools. They incorporated
drama, music, games and self-paced Hebrew instruction. These programs sought to
teach <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">practical skills </span>for
leading an engaged Jewish life, to build community among the students and to
provide educational experiences for the entire family. As an example, the
Jewish Home Institute, established by Hemdah Miller and active throughout the
mid-to-late 1920s, developed a series of home-based learning materials,
including recipes, stories, craft projects (accompanied by such supplies as
modeling clay and cutouts), and phonograph records supplemented with sheet
music. One enduring legacy is the song <a href="https://youtu.be/i-KDpWZvWRI"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Dreidl</i>,</a> which remains among the
most popular Chanukah songs to this day<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_edn4" name="_ednref4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
(As Cantor Mo Glazman sang with our choir <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/:%20https:/youtu.be/i-KDpWZvWRI">this past December</a>).</div>
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<br /></div>
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Even a century ago, such programs honored the diverse interests
and backgrounds of students and their families. They provided both the means
and motivation <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">to create
thoughtful, caring members of </span>intergenerational and international Jewish
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">communities. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yet,</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">if there ever has been a “Golden Age” for synagogue education, it is
right now.</b> A pervasive spirit of cooperation imbues the work of
supplementary Jewish education. I see among my fellow educators a sense of
shared endeavor and mutual responsibility for the education of the next
generation. We are witnessing a blossoming of innovation and collaboration and,
consequently, an improvement in the quality of religious schools throughout the
nation. Temple Emanu-El is at the center of many of these initiatives, and this
is no surprise: As one of the first Reform congregations in the country, we
have enormous experience pioneering approaches and sharing our wisdom and
resources with others.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over
the past 10 years, Emanu-El has hosted three “Hebrew Technology Round Tables,”
day-long conferences for educators to share best practices for and obstacles to
the implementation of online learning. Through these candid conversations, </span>we
were able to develop and successfully implement our <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hebrew Enrichment Program</b>, through which our teachers provide weekly,
one-on-one tutoring sessions over the internet (included as part of school
tuition). Each year, more than two dozen of our students participate in this
program.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In the summer of 2016, we brought together the leadership
from <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10 congregational
schools that have adapted our <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/tefilah"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tefilah</i></b> </a>(Worship) curriculum. Each
school varies the specific methods it employs to fit the needs of its
institution, but all share an approach that prioritizes close examination of
the words of the Hebrew prayers and robust discussions of students’
interpretations of those words. These educators continue to support each other
through an active Facebook discussion group where we raise questions and share
ideas for specific lessons.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our Seventh-Grade
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mitzvah Corps </b>and Eighth-Grade <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tzedek League</b> have been publicized widely
as models for service learning in a Jewish setting. These programs teach Jewish
values through direct action and groupwide reflection. Our </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llJLGT1tKtc"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tribes</span></b></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> program, run by our teens for
students in third-grade through fifth-grade on Sunday mornings, has set the
standard for engaging young adults as Jewish role models and for building </span>friendships
that extend beyond the walls of the school<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Over this past winter break, on a ski slope in Colorado,
one parent in our school observed his son chatting with an older kid he didn’t
recognize. When asked how they knew each other, the boy answered, “We’re on the
same Tribe at Sunday School.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our Religious School is seen as a paradigm for providing
flexible scheduling while maintaining the utmost expectations for
participation. Because we know our students are as busy as any other New Yorker,
they may attend our school either on Sunday mornings or Monday afternoons, and they
may switch back and forth as needed. Outside of school hours, we host activities
ranging from a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Student Council</b> that
decides which organizations will be the beneficiaries of our <a href="http://emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/ed_relig_tzedakah">school <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tzedakah </i>collection</a> to pajama
parties for our youngest students, to international travel programs for our
teens. We recognize and celebrate our students’ achievements for this “extra”
participation by awarding <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/ed_rshonors">Religious School with Honors</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The time commitment and energy demanded to prepare
activities that are engaging, instructive and fun cannot be overstated. Our
faculty (both adult and teen) undergo rigorous training and evaluation, and they
hold each other accountable to high standards of excellence. Perhaps it is for
these reasons that many of our teachers return each year—some of them now
teaching the children of students from their classes during the 1960s and ’70s.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We also play a critical role in training the next generation
of educational leadership: I personally teach a mandatory, year-long graduate
course in education for all students enrolled in the rabbinical and cantorial
programs at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (including
three members of Emanu-El’s religious school faculty). And, in partnership with
HUC-JIR, I also teach here at Emanu-El a <a href="http://m12.u4g.com/?p=146310">one-semester
version of this course</a> for religious school teachers from seven
congregations (including another three of our own faculty).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reform Jewish leaders, and the educational leaders of its
best supplementary schools, always have predicated our efforts on
simultaneously respecting and challenging established ways of doing things. At
Emanu-El, we call ourselves the “Department of Lifelong Learning” because we
know that Jewish education doesn’t start and stop with your time in a religious
school. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No matter what your age, I hope you will challenge yourself
to try something new or to recommit to keeping Jewish traditions alive. In the
coming weeks, we would be delighted to see you at our <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Purim Shpiel and Carnival</b> on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">March
4</b>, our <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Elsie Adler Holocaust
Memorial Program</b> on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">April 8 and 9</b>,
or our Confirmation Ceremony as part of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Congregational Shavuot Services</b> on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">May 20</b>. Come help us meet the challenge of building an
intergenerational community among our family of families.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: endnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
Richman, Julia. (1900). <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IlopAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA563&lpg=PA563&dq=the+jewish+sunday+school+movement+in+the+United+States&source=bl&ots=tKv86899Pm&sig=3n4JgTEmLWt__O95tyuL90ormjo&hl=en&ei=wpKmSoikIs6y8QawxcHmCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#v=onepage&q=the%20jewish%20sunday%20school%20movement%20in%20the%20United%20States&f=false">“The
Jewish Sunday School Movement in the United States.”</a> Abrahams, Israel and
Claude Goldsmid Montefiore., eds. <i>The Jewish Quarterly Review. Vol. 12</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. No. 48, July 1900</i>. 563-601. New York:
MacMillan Company, 573-592.</div>
</div>
<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_ednref2" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
Kaplan, Mordecai M. and Bernard Cronson. (1949). “Report of Committee on Jewish
Education of The Kehillah (Jewish Community) Presented at its First Annual
Convention, New York, February 27, 1910.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journal
of Jewish Education,</i> Vol. 20, No. 3:113-116. Network for Research in Jewish
Education.</div>
</div>
<div id="edn3" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_ednref3" name="_edn3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
Sklare, Marshall, Joseph Greenblum and Benjamin B. Ringer. (1969). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Not Quite at Home: How an American Jewish
Community Lives With Itself and Its Neighbors. </i>New York: Institute of Human
Relations Press</div>
</div>
<div id="edn4" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=34150549#_ednref4" name="_edn4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
Krasner, Jonathan B. (2011). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Benderly
Boys & American Jewish Education</i>. Lebanon, NH: Brandeis University
Press. 95, 231-235, 245. </div>
</div>
</div>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-65569285059155612712017-09-18T08:38:00.000-04:002018-11-09T08:51:06.035-05:00Where have all the Teachers Gone? A Collaborative Community ResponseThis article about the course I will be teaching this semester, authored by <a href="http://huc.edu/directory/evie-rotstein">Dr. Evie Levy Rotstein</a>, appeared in <a href="http://www.ejewishphilanthropy.com/">eJewishPhilanthropy</a> on <a href="https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/where-have-all-the-teachers-gone-a-collaborative-community-response/">September 14, 2017</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Each year the challenge seems to grow. Jewish educators are
frantically searching for qualified teachers to fill open positions in
their religious schools. Research for many years has indicated that
there is a shortage of well-trained teachers in Jewish settings,
exacerbated by the challenge of retaining strong teachers for these
part-time positions. (Westheimer, 2007). This past summer, though, the
problem was particularly striking: I received more requests than ever
for graduate students to fill multiple empty positions in the New York
metropolitan area. Is this problem intractable, or can something be
done? </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Last winter, a group of seasoned NYC educators that form a peer
network group hosted by the Jewish Education Project in Manhattan began
to explore this very issue. They discussed how they might collaborate to
offer high level professional learning to encourage current religious
school teachers to become teacher leaders. One of the educators, Saul
Kaiserman, teaches our “Laboratory in Teaching in Learning” course to
rabbinic, cantorial and Masters in Religious Education students at
HUC-JIR New York School of Education. What would happen if these
educators could offer their faculty members such a course for graduate
credit at a highly subsidized tuition fee? What if the congregations
themselves paid for the course and then offered the teachers a salary
bonus upon the completion of the course? Might avocational teachers
begin to consider a career in Jewish education? There was significant
back and forth as the group hammered out what they would want in such a
course, whether their teachers would realistically attend such a course,
how many transferable credits it would be, and ultimately if the
finances would be feasible. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And behold a strategy for change was born. HUC-JIR made the bold
decision to offer students enrollment at an incredibly subsidized rate,
similar in cost to the introductory course for the Executive Master’s
Program. The professor offered to teach the course gratis, Congregation
Emanu-El of the City of New York agreed to host the course, and all of
the congregations were willing to provide the funding for the tuition.
At the time of writing, teachers representing congregations across NYC
have applied for a spot in this course </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This is a story of community collaboration and the desire to address
the challenges of the teacher shortage and retention. We as leaders in
the field of Jewish education must continue to find ways to recognize
and validate the fact that our teachers need to continue their own
growth and learning to keep them from leaving the field. We know from
the data, that teachers who do not participate in ongoing professional
development are less effective in the classroom and less likely to meet
the emerging needs of students, administrators, and the field of Jewish
education. Our hope is that this course may be the catalyst for teachers
to seek a graduate degree and ultimately a full time career in Jewish
education. We also need to think about the future of Jewish education
leadership. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If you are interested in learning more about the course please <a href="http://huc.edu/application-teaching-and-learning-soe-400">follow this link</a> or contact Dr. Evie Rotstein at erotstein@huc.edu.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-45362665584960510732016-11-16T15:51:00.001-05:002016-11-17T10:45:55.914-05:00Talking with our Students about the ElectionI want to share with you the email that I sent to our school faculty at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/">Temple Emanu-El</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear
School Faculty, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Several
of you have spoken this week with either Jackie or me about the outcome of our
presidential election. You have expressed a particular challenge it poses to us
as Jewish educators. The question I’m hearing is something along the lines of,
“how can we teach our children what it means to be a good and morally righteous
leader, if I think the president-elect is a terrible role model?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clearly,
that is not how all of our congregants, or faculty, or even a great many of
those who voted in this election feel. Yet, we do know that throughout his
campaign, Donald Trump used hurtful language in an unprecedented fashion, with
rhetoric that was explicitly racist, misogynistic, and just plan mean-spirited.
How do we explain to our students that it is unacceptable for them to use such
language, if our president does?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As
Jews, we believe the Torah can be a guide <span style="color: #1f497d;">for </span>our
behavior. When we study the stories of our ancestors, we see how their actions
serve as examples for us today. And yet, even our greatest leaders were
imperfect. Side by-side with their hospitality, compassion, and righteousness
we find selfishness, arrogance, and even cruelty. In truth, from their stories
we not only learn what to do, but also what NOT to do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It
is our responsibility to help our students (and their parents) decide for
themselves which values lead to a loving, just and peaceful world and then together build a community in which they can act upon those values -- even when they are
in opposition to those values espoused by our leaders. We need to be able to
stand up to oppression wherever we encounter it. And most importantly, we need
our school to be a place of sanctuary for all of our students and families, in
which all feel safe to be wholly themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While
we always encourage those who have made mistakes to seek forgiveness and
improve upon their past actions, we should not excuse or minimize bad behavior,
no matter how prestigious the person engaging in it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As
always, both Jackie and I make it our top priority to help you think about your
teaching and your individual students. Please don’t be shy about reaching out
to us to think an issue through – on this topic, or for any other reason. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We
are strong, getting stronger, getting strength from each other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
Saul</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
For more reading on this topic, I recommend the op-ed by Emily Bazelon in today's New York Times, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/16/opinion/bullying-in-the-age-of-trump.html">Bullying in the Age of Trump</a>. And here is a <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VprheADDYQJQclPhUUKjAmY0OuTXOFQpwe9p5myH-N0/edit?ts=582a3700">great set of resources</a> from <a href="http://www.bordercrossers.org/">Border Crossers</a>.Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-17195017572621978092016-11-07T09:30:00.000-05:002016-11-16T18:56:11.591-05:00Moving Past Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Here's something that I wrote back in 2008, together with Rachel Brumberg, Danny Mishkin, and David Wolkin for the "<a href="http://www.leader-institute.org/mentor_voice_archive.html">Mentor's Voice</a>" column of the (now defunct) <a href="http://www.leader-institute.org/">Leadership Institute for Congregational Educators</a>. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="bodytext" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyone
who has been involved in a change initiative has probably encountered the
phrase “low hanging fruit,” those targets or goals which are easily achievable
and which do not require a lot of effort. There are any number of reasons why
it is advantageous to focus change efforts on low hanging fruit at the
outset. But what then? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bodytext" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At
Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, in a series of departmental
retreats, we identified new challenges that arise as low-hanging fruit is
picked, and how we might respond to those challenges. Here is a summary of the thoughts of our
Department of Lifelong Learning full-time staff:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. What do we mean by “low-hanging
fruit?”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Things
that require little work and can be done easily</li>
<li>Things
that can be successful more quickly (even if a lot of work)</li>
<li>Things
for which it is obvious what success would look like</li>
<li>Things
that may not require systemic change – can stand alone, can be handled
departmentally and autonomously, are perhaps less threatening or
non-threatening</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Why focus on low-hanging
fruit at the start?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>To
build confidence and trust in leadership & change process though early
successes</li>
<li>To
respond to the hunger for change and for deliverables – start with a bang!</li>
<li>To
create buy-in and to build trust among stakeholders – people want to see
results!</li>
<li>To
build the morale of the team</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. What new challenges
arise as low-hanging fruit is picked?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When
the low hanging fruit is used up – what
then? How will we know what to tackle
next? How can we prepare for future
challenges? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>There
is the possibility of addressing symptoms but not causes. As a result, the
changes we make may only be superficial and the solutions may only work for a
limited duration. </li>
<li>Any
new interventions or program changes require systems, structures, and staffing
that must be coordinated, managed, and supervised -- they don’t run themselves! Managing the increased workload resulting
from new initiatives, and developing new systems and procedures, can become so
time consuming that no further initiatives can be developed.</li>
<li>We
don’t necessarily learn the skills (or help others learn the skills) that will
enable us to tackle more challenging problems or projects.</li>
<li>Because
this work doesn’t require people to get out of their comfort zones, it does not
require us to create an environment in which conflict and debate is effectively
managed and resolved.</li>
<li>The
expectation can be developed that we will continue making positive change at the
same pace, even though further changes would be more challenging to institute.</li>
<li>If all the work done is done internally and departmentally,
it does not build a collaborative environment or shared sense of
accountability. Therefore, changes may
not develop the deep roots that enable them to endure beyond the efforts of the
change-makers.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. What should we do to
respond to these challenges?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Be
willing to <u style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">shake the tree</u><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">! Take
risks!</span></li>
<li><u style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Climb the tree</u><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">: Think strategically and long-term. Set
priorities that will have deep impact and stick to them. Build consensus and shared accountability
around these priorities. Be strong and resolute in face of opposition. Learn to
say “no” by sticking to our priorities.</span></li>
<li>Focus
on infrastructure and build systems. Use
what we have learned so far to develop procedures and routines to handle
day-to-day tasks – especially high urgency, low importance and low priority
items.</li>
<li>Broaden
and deepen our relationships with members of the community (including families,
faculty, and staff in other departments).
Provide volunteers with real responsibilities, an active voice, and the
ability to directly impact the program. Continue to build and deepen buy-in
among our stakeholders, not merely as lip service, but because we see their
participation as critical to the long-term success of the endeavor.</li>
<li>Clarify
our expectations (for participation, achievement, and so on) and publicize them
widely. Where our language is vague,
clarify what we really mean. Establish a
culture of commitment and responsibility.</li>
<li>Think
about our legacy – what do we want things to look like once we are gone, and
how can we make our changes stick?</li>
</ul>
<br />Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-82945921988016400382016-11-05T13:57:00.002-04:002016-11-05T14:09:31.415-04:00Aspiring to "Failure" (from the Jewish Futures Conference, 2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With the next <a href="http://jewishfutures.org/">Jewish Futures Conference</a> just around the corner, I realized I had never posted this video of my presentation from the <a href="http://jewishfutures.org/blog/jewish-futures-conference-2015-radical-empathy">2015 Conference</a>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The theme was "radical empathy," and my presentation, "Failure," was on my experience as a teacher at the <a href="https://www.sssm.org/">Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan</a>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gJ6IUN12lv4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gJ6IUN12lv4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
Here's the punch-line: "If I'm a better teacher now, it's because what I've learned is that being a great teacher...isn't about being a great teacher. It's about helping the kids to be great students."Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-16221392809104880512016-02-24T17:09:00.000-05:002016-02-24T17:09:29.431-05:00How do we know when Jewish education is successful?For the past several years, I have been writing about the philosophy underlying my work in congregational education in annual cover-articles for the Temple Emanu-El bulletin. This is what I wrote for Vol. 88, No. 5. As always, I'd love your feedback and thoughts in the comments below.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>When Rabbi Mordechai died, his son, Rabbi Noah, took his place as leader. Many of his followers found that in several matters he did not act as his father had, and they asked him about it. “I act,” he said, “Exactly as my father did. He never imitated others, and neither do I!”
— </i>Martin Buber, Tales of the Hasidim </blockquote>
At <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/school">Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York</a>, we employ two complementary approaches to engage our students in their cultural heritage: <b><i>instruction </i></b>and <b><i>enculturation</i></b>. While we often emphasize <b><i>instruction </i></b>— deliberate and systematic skill building, training and sharing of knowledge — equally important is <b><i>enculturation </i></b>— providing our students with a sense of belonging within our community. Our program must show our students what it means to behave as a member of our synagogue and of our people. These values are not only taught explicitly; they also are embodied in our architecture, our music, how we dress, how we treat one another and many other subtle ways.<br />
<br />
As adults, we want our synagogue’s youngest members to feel a part of the same vibrant community that is such an important part of our lives. The distinctive elements that distinguish Jewish culture must motivate them to stay engaged with Jewish life. The values that guide us are ones that we hope to share with our children: for example, to be generous in our philanthropy, curious and inquisitive in our study, active in our service to the community at large, and moved by the words of prayer.<br />
<br />
These values are reflected in our commitment as adults, respectively, to the Philanthropic Committee, to the Temple Emanu-El Skirball Center, to <i>tikkun olam</i> and to our sanctuary worship. Similarly, the education of our children embodies these values in our weekly collection of <i>tzedakah</i>, our Religious School classes, Mitzvah Corps and other service-oriented programs, and in our <i>tefilah </i>and Shabbat Kodesh services. All of these activities, and many more like them, seek to reinforce to our children the things that truly matter to us as adults. The Jewish lifestyle that we model is just as important as the content of the lesson.<br />
<br />
For Reform Jews, however, authenticity can’t be judged by how much our opinions or actions resemble those of the people who came before us. Core to the ideology of our movement is that we not merely replicate the past but that we also renew our rituals and traditions to make them meaningful and relevant to the present generation. We therefore face a particular challenge: Because effective teaching can’t be measured by how much our students believe and behave like their parents and grandparents, how do we know when our efforts are successful?<br />
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Further complicating the picture is the fact that our parent body is composed of a beautiful and complex conglomeration of people of varied geographic origins and native languages, religious backgrounds and family structures, among many other differences. In previous issues of this bulletin, I have argued that, to respond to this dilemma, the school curriculum must be a collaborative effort between our faculty, clergy and parents. We must create a course of study that reflects the many ways in which we ourselves have been inspired — one that enables our students to make sense of their multifaceted inheritance, to relate it to their own lives, and to join together as a community with others who see the synagogue as their home. We need to think deeply about what it means to live a meaningful Jewish life and then participate side-by-side with those who have reached different (and potentially not entirely compatible) conclusions. Our task is not to convince one another to try to fit into our way of doing things but to build a sense of unity while celebrating our differences.<br />
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Amidst our diversity, we must acknowledge that there is no single thing as a Jewish “culture” that can be known or learned, for our culture is always in a constant state of flux, being made and remade anew. As Reform Jews, we recognize that for Jewish values and practices to be sustainable over time, they must remain relevant and meaningful to each new generation. Cultural continuity derives not only from its stability but also from its adaptability. As members of a Jewish community, we constantly are redefining the boundaries of what we recognize as acceptable and appropriate. We are like the followers of Rabbi Noah, who continued to call him “rabbi,” despite the ways his practices differed from those of his father.<br />
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If we wish for our children to remain engaged by Jewish life, then we must both guide them with the varied perspectives of the adult members of the community and support them in developing new ways of making their Jewish experiences meaningful. At the same time, if we wish for their innovations to affect others, then they must learn how to explain effectively how they are grounded in Jewish tradition. And, we must teach them how to articulate their beliefs in a sophisticated way that is comprehensible to the adult community as identifiably Jewish.<br />
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The audacity that Reform Jewish synagogue life demands from us is to recognize ourselves as intrinsically bound with those with whom we disagree, even when they are our own children. This only can work, however, when we all feel responsible for the perpetuation of the community. In large part, our community survives because we would rather be together with one another, despite the compromises this requires of us. But our community only thrives when we obligate ourselves to take responsibility for its upkeep and health.<br />
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For this reason, we cultivate from an early age the future leadership of the congregation and, even more ambitiously, of our people. In the Religious School, the members of our student council decide who will be the beneficiaries of our <i>tzedakah </i>collection. Teens in all of our high school-aged programs have genuine leadership obligations, whether as members of the youth group board, the Teen Philanthropic or Teen Benefit committees, or as assistant teachers in the Religious School on the A-TEEM. In providing our students with the tools and the responsibility to shape their synagogue experience, we demonstrate to them how valuable a part of the community they are. We know that our educational efforts are successful when our children choose to take on that responsibility and when they share with us the aspiration to pass it along to future generations.Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-42365906017485532562015-05-29T09:52:00.000-04:002015-05-29T10:52:46.369-04:00A Joke with a Yiddish Punchline<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This past March, the <a href="http://emanuelskirballnyc.org/">Emanu-El Skirball Center</a> hosted a book release party for "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Burns-Kotsk-Hasidism-Kingdom/dp/0814338135">A Fire Burns in Kotsk</a>," a translation by Jonathan Boyarin of <i>Pshishke in Kotzk</i>, written in Yiddish by my grandfather, Menashe Unger. My brother Mark (who is named for my zeidi) and I told stories of his life, and Jonathan read excerpts from the book. In this video, from the Q&A, I share one of his jokes. </div>
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If you enjoyed this, go ahead and watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz6SBYLGiDg">full video of the event</a>.</div>
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Let me add, my zeidi wasn't the only one to tell jokes in English with Yiddish punchlines. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGoSSNLACc">Here's another</a> (perhaps funnier?) one.</div>
<br />Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-77812358664164474612015-03-15T10:00:00.000-04:002015-03-16T18:13:49.050-04:00Studying our history to build a Jewish futureIn May of 2014, I posted a <a href="http://newjewisheducation.blogspot.com/2014/05/my-statement-of-jewish-educational.html">personal vision statement for Jewish education</a>. Previously, I offered two examples of this vision how we have implemented these ideas in our work at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/school">Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York</a>: In our curricula for <a href="http://newjewisheducation.blogspot.com/2014/06/tzedakah-building-culture-of-equity.html"><i><b>tzedakah</b></i></a> (which I will here translate loosely as "social justice") and <a href="http://newjewisheducation.blogspot.com/2014/06/tefilah-empowering-prayer-communities.html"><i><b>tefilah</b></i></a> ("prayer"). This week, I wish to share with you a little of how we have organized our history curriculum for grades 3-6. In so doing, I want to once again emphasize that collaboration is the cornerstone of our methodology, and I am reporting on the intersection between my philosophy and the work we do, not taking credit for our achievements. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts, your feedback, and your critique.<br />
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The most important thing you can do for your children, <a href="http://www.greatertalent.com/speaker-news/bruce-feiler-the-new-york-times-the-stories-that-bind-us/">writes</a> New York Times columnist Bruce Feiler, is to tell them true stories about your own family. The more children know about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem, and the greater their resilience in the face of stress. By sharing our childhood memories and the stories of our parents and grandparents, we teach our children that they are part of something larger than themselves, something intergenerational and ongoing. As our children discover that they, too, can be story-tellers, they learn how to make sense of the confusing and sometimes unpredictable world around them.
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Stories of redemption -- family narratives that tell of overcoming setbacks and recovering from failures -- are the most beneficial, according to psychologist <a href="http://www.redemptiveself.northwestern.edu/mcadams/">Dan McAdams</a>. We help our children to be courageous in the face of adversity when we let them know that although we have had both good and bad times, we have always persevered. Telling stories about the times when we endured hardship without losing hope gives our children confidence in themselves and their capacity to succeed. Further, McAdams’ research shows that those who have both this sense of personal agency as well as intimate, caring relationships are most likely to demonstrate a concern for and commitment to promoting the well-being of future generations.
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<a name='more'></a>At Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, our religious school history curriculum asks our students to see themselves as part of a great Jewish family whose origins stretch back thousands of years. We call ourselves “b’nai Yisrael,” the children of Israel, the great-great-great-great…grandchildren of Jacob and Rebecca. When our third and fourth graders study the Bible, they learn of the challenges faced by their ancestors and the decisions they made to respond to them, their triumphs along with their mistakes and missed opportunities. We explore the values and beliefs that shaped their actions, and think about whether or not we would make similar decisions ourselves.
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I know some of you may be saying to yourselves, but wait, the Bible stories aren’t actually, true, they didn’t really happen. Those may be good stories, but they are just stories. Well, as I’ve gotten older, and started telling stories of my family to my own children, I’ve come to believe that there really isn’t so much difference between those stories of Jacob and Rebecca and those I tell my kids. How well do I really remember that story that my mother told me about my great-grandfather? Did it really happen the way I’m telling it? How much of it am I just making up? Actually, even the stories I tell my children from my own childhood aren’t entirely accurate, shaped as they are by failures in memory and a fair bit of prudent self-censorship. If I extrapolate the process back seventy generations, no doubt there’s been a fair bit of creativity involved in the story telling, but it doesn’t really matter. The point is, here’s a story about your great-great-great…grandparents, that we believe is worth telling again.
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In the fifth grade, we explore the amazing journey of the Jewish people from ancient times to the modern era. We follow the ups and downs of the Jewish people, learning how our ancestors continually re-invented themselves and our religion in the face of ever-changing circumstances. We see how Judaism was reformed after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, from a religion primarily centered on sacrificial worship, to one of ideas and literature. We contemplate key moments and turning points in our people’s story, not only the peaks of achievement and success, but also the dark times, such as the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition. We ask, how is it that Jews and Judaism have continued to thrive over all these centuries? How have we adapted to changing circumstances and simultaneously maintained a sense of unity and peoplehood -- despite our diversity?
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Our sixth grade curriculum takes a close look at how three dynamics of the last century have shaped Jewish identity and set the parameters for Judaism in the 21st century. First, our students investigate why the United States became the largest Jewish population in the world. Then, we explore the rise of Nazism in Europe, acknowledging with honesty not merely the terrible crimes committed against humanity but more importantly the stories of courage and resistance that enabled the Jewish people to triumph in the face of evil. Finally, we study how the modern state of Israel came into being and what it means for both a diverse population and for Jews around the world to call it home.
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For most of our history, Jews have lived under the authority of those with different beliefs and values than our own. We learned to flourish under constantly changing circumstances, and this adaptability has prepared us well for an uncertain future. We learned to be collaborators, innovators, and iconoclasts, scientists who challenge long-held assumptions and dreamers who create worlds of imagination. By seeing the stories of those who came before us as our own, by identifying as part of a supportive collective with a strong sense of community, our children learn that they too can and will make a difference. At the same time it is because we share a common set of stories that we have remained a cohesive, international people, even amidst our diverse ways of living as Jews.
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Reform Judaism is about transformation: Personal, communal, and global. We seek to make ourselves into better people and the world into a better place. When we teach our children that we have a heritage both of glorious achievements and of thriving despite adversity, they learn that they, too, can grow up to be confident, capable and caring Jewish adults. Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-10151291108712166372014-10-13T10:05:00.000-04:002014-10-15T10:08:12.501-04:00From "Repentance" to "Recovery" - a rare NYC performance of Freedom SongMy friends,<br />
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The performance of<a href="http://www.beittshuvah.org/music-and-arts/freedom-song/"> Freedom Song</a> that we’re hosting this Sunday at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/">Emanu-El</a> rises to such a high level, in my estimation, that I feel I need to share it with as many people as I can – and especially, to my friends who are parents of teens, or who work with teens.
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I’m pasting the email I sent to the Emanu-El community below. If you are unfamiliar with the work of <a href="http://www.beittshuvah.org/">Beit T’Shuvah</a>, I think you will be amazed to learn about it. Please help me spread the word about this program, and perhaps I will even see you (and your family?) there. Tickets can be purchased on-line at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/freedomsong">www.emanuelnyc.org/freedomsong</a>. Further, a private session just for educators and youth workers will be held at 3pm; for details email me at <a href="mailto:lifelonglearning@emanuelnyc.org">lifelonglearning@emanuelnyc.org</a>.<br />
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With love,<br />
Saul
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We went to teen high holiday services, we told the <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/escapegoat">eScapegoat</a> about the things we did wrong...what now? <br />
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As I am now in my eighth year at Emanu-El, I have for the first time in my professional career seen the students I met as children grow to be teens and young adults. I couldn't be prouder of the responsible and capable people that you have become and are becoming. Further, I am inspired by the caring and thoughtful parents in this community as I think about how I am striving to raise my own (still little) children.<br />
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And, as someone who grew up in NYC, I am very aware of the kinds of challenges with which we teens, young adults, and parents struggle. There is a lot of pressure to succeed and to fit in, and it frankly doesn't get any easier as you get older, it just changes shape.<br />
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Which is why it was so important to me, when I first learned of the work of Beit T'Shuvah and their musical Freedom Song that we bring it from Los Angeles to New York City. Beit T'Shuvah is a residential treatment center that approaches addiction and other self-destructive behaviors through Jewish wisdom. <a href="http://www.beittshuvah.org/music-and-arts/freedom-song/">Freedom Song</a>, written by residents in recovery, parallels a Passover Seder, with its message of liberation from oppression and internal bondage, with a 12-step meeting. Why? Because, as their Rabbi Mark Borovitz, writes:<br />
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"Addiction can happen in every family, no matter what religion they practice and despite any facade of normalcy. If you look at all the things we're addicted to, it's not just drugs, alcohol and gambling - it's a way of living that's become so ingrained in people. We're living in a society where we've forgotten what's important about being Jewish, about what we've brought to the world."<br />
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<b>Freedom Song will be performed live on-stage here at Emanu-El on Sunday, October 19th. </b>Doors are at 5pm and the performance at 5:30pm, followed by a talk-back with the cast and then breakout discussion groups led by the performers and our educators. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased through our website, <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/freedomsong">www.emanuelnyc.org/freedomsong</a>. I hope you will be able to join me. This event, run in partnership with the <a href="http://emanuelskirballnyc.org/">Temple Emanu-El Skirball Center</a>, is open to the general public - so please tell your friends!<br />
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Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0Temple Emanu-El, 1 East 65th Street, New York, NY 10065, USA40.768019 -73.9696926000000315.245984500000002 -115.27828660000003 66.2900535 -32.661098600000031tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-53704225993209995352014-09-23T17:01:00.000-04:002014-09-23T17:01:46.105-04:00Why do we bless our bread? (Part IV)Tomorrow evening we enter into the sabbatical or <a href="http://hazon.org/shmita-project/overview/">shmita year</a>, and so once again I share with you a section from my master's thesis on <b><i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i></b>, the grace after meals. In my three previous posts, I discussed the significance of <a href="http://newjewisheducation.blogspot.com/2014/08/why-do-we-bless-our-bread.html">sanctifying the act of eating</a>, how saying this blessings can help us think about <a href="http://newjewisheducation.blogspot.com/2014/08/why-do-we-bless-our-bread-part-ii.html">proper nutrition</a> and a healthy diet, and how we should always relate to our <a href="http://newjewisheducation.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-do-we-bless-our-bread-part-iii.html#more">food as a Divine gift</a>.<br />
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This week, as is only fitting in the days after the world's largest <a href="http://www.jewishclimatecampaign.org/">climate-change protest</a> here in NYC, I discuss how saying this blessings can help us to confront our increased alienation from the sources of our food. <a href="http://www.lookstein.org/resources/birkat_hamazon.pdf">The thesis in its entirety</a> can be found online at the Lookstein Center for Jewish Education.<br />
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<i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> is an opportunity to examine where our food comes from, how it is grown and raised, how it is packaged and transported to us, and how it is prepared. In the modern era, most city-dwellers have lost touch with the sources of origin of their food. This is evident in the description of the world in Goldberger’s <u>How to Thank HaShem for Food</u>: “The earth is the most ancient and the most modern food-factory which was created and is constantly maintained by the Master of the Universe” (p. 21). We have become so alienated from the processes of farming and harvesting that in order to provide an analogy that makes sense to the contemporary reader, Goldberger describes the workings of the world in terms of a factory, the strongest symbol of industrialization and the human domination of the planet one could find!<br />
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Arthur Waskow analyzes the problem, asking whether “in our own time of earthquake both in the world and for the Jewish people . . . we need to rethink how to make food sacred as deeply as our ancestors did? For them, food was no longer what they grew in a small land by dint of their own labors, but what came to them by ship and camel train. For us, food has more and more become what is manufactured, not just grown: It comes from crossbred and genetically engineered plants and animals; it comes with inserted vitamins; it comes heavily packaged, precooked, frozen, irradiated, invented” (p. 68). Dr. Steven M. Brown asserts the value that <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon </i>can have in responding to this situation, for each time we say a blessing we acknowledge God and the chain of events (human or otherwise) that enabled us to have the gift of food in front of us.<br />
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Even when the Israelites experienced the miracle of manna falling from the sky, they still were obligated to collect it every morning, for it would rot if kept overnight (Exodus 16:21). The lesson here seems to be that our sustenance is the result of a partnership between God and human beings. Food is a miracle, but human effort plays a critical role in planting, raising, harvesting, and preparing the food we eat. Ultimately, God is the source of all of our nourishment, but we must also be aware of the humans (such as the farmers, the truckers, and the cooks) which brought the food to our mouths.</blockquote>
<u>References</u><br />
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<ul>Goldberger, Moshe. <u>How to thank Hashem for Food: Lessons from Birkas Ha-Mazon.</u> New York: Gross Books, 1988.</ul>
<ul>Waskow, Arthur. <u>Down-to-Earth Judaism: Food, Money, Sex, and the Rest of Life.</u> New York: William Morrow and Company, 1995.</ul>
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Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-63071096330927205942014-09-16T11:37:00.000-04:002014-09-16T11:37:51.432-04:00Why do we bless our bread? (Part III)Before I share with you this third gleaning from my master's thesis, I want to mention that my brilliant (and pedantic) friend <a href="http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/ori-weisberg/">Ori </a>correctly observes that the title of this series is poorly worded, as we do not actually bless our bread. Rather, when we say a blessing we are blessing God, or rather, we are blessing God's ineffable name.<br />
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This is, of course, a critical difference. If you arrive late to Shabbat dinner, you are still required to make the blessings over the challah before you start eating. This is because, when we say a blessing over food, the food itself is in no way changed. What was previously an ordinary piece of bread is not made sacred (as is, for example, believed by many Christians to be the case for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucharist">communion wafer</a>). Rather, it is our relationship to our food that is altered and made sacred, as is described in more detail in this excerpt. <a href="http://www.lookstein.org/resources/birkat_hamazon.pdf">My thesis in its entirety</a> can be found online at the <a href="http://www.lookstein.org/">Lookstein Center</a> for Jewish Education. The full text of this section is after the jump.<br />
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According to tradition, <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> was instituted by Moses at the time when the manna miraculously descended to feed the Israelites during their travels in the Sinai desert (Talmud Berachot 48b). Elie Munk, quoting S. R. Hirsch, writes that by connecting <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> to the manna, the rabbis teach us that “every piece of bread eaten now is as much a gift from God as the manna was.” (1954, p. 211). Goldberger, drawing from Talmud Pesachim 118a, asserts that the process by which God “causes a seed to transform earth into food [is] as spectacular as the miracle of the splitting of the sea” (1988, p. 5). <br />
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The point of each of these statements is that food is always gift from God, a gift which cannot be taken for granted. The provision of food is a daily miracle, whether it is effortlessly picked from the trees (as in the Garden of Eden) or reaped from the earth through great effort (after leaving the Garden). “The message appears rather clear: When we thank God for giving us food, we are recognizing that there is no intrinsic difference between the manna and the livelihood one wrests from the earth through sweat and hard toil; both are gifts from heaven” (1984, p. 182). <br />
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This connection is also made in the blessing said prior to eating bread, “<i>Ha-Motzi</i>.” This blessing thanks God “who brings forth bread from the land.” Bread – not wheat, which would be more technically accurate – to affirm God’s centrality to the entire process of making bread, from the sprouting of the grain to its baking in the oven. As Evelyn Garfiel puts it, “finding his daily bread never ceases to be a <i>Nes </i>[miracle] even to the farmer who toils so hard to produce the grain, for he recognizes its ultimate source to be God’s loving care for all His [<i>sic</i>] creatures. It is God ‘Who brings forth [the] bread from the earth’” (1958, p. 122).<br />
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In the Talmud, the rabbis emphasize that not only bread is a gift from God, but all food. Although <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> is the only blessing commanded by the Torah (Deut. 8:10), based upon the statement from Psalms “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,” (24:1) the rabbis nevertheless saw it as an obligation to acknowledge that all the fruits of the earth are a gift from God. Therefore, they “instituted the practice of reciting a benediction when partaking of any of them” (Klein 1972, p. 42). There are specific blessings prior to a meal based on several general categories: bread, all other grain-products, things grown on trees, things grown in the ground, wine, and all other edible substances.<br />
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The rabbis saw such blessings as not just a nice way of showing appreciation to God, but a true obligation (although, as they are not Biblically ordained, not technically as <i>mitzvot</i>). In Talmud Berachot 35a we read that “Our rabbis taught: It is forbidden to a person to enjoy anything of this world without a benediction, and if anyone enjoys anything of this world without a benediction, that person commits sacrilege.” In the next passage, this notion is compared with “making personal use of things consecrated to heaven.” Here, the words “sacrilege” (“<i>ma’al</i>”) and “consecrated to heaven” (“<i>mikadshei shamayim</i>”) are reflective of the language of the Temple service, underscoring that if one ate food without reciting a blessing, it is as if one stole the sacrifice off of the altar of the Temple. <br />
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The idea that all of the Earth belongs to God, and that humans are merely its caretakers, is reflected in a wide range of Jewish laws, many of which are Biblically based. While the Temple was standing, Israelites were required to set aside the firstborn of all cattle, sheep, and goats, the early fruit from a young tree, the first barley and other foods at each season, and even part of all bread (the “<i>challah</i>”) made for the benefit of the priests or for sacrifice at the Temple to God, “as if to pay ‘rent’ to the owner” (Waskow 1995, p. 41). Only by setting aside these consecrated offerings was it permissible for one to make use of the remainder of the crop or the herd. <br />
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Human beings, in the Biblical view, did not have absolute authority over the use of the land or its products. Every seven years, no new planting or cultivation of the land could be done, to allow the Earth to rest (Ex. 23:11). During this “<i>shmittah</i>” or “Sabbatical” year, “any fruits or vegetations that grew by themselves . . . became <i>hefker</i>, i.e. public property, free for consumption by man and beast alike. The owner of a field was not permitted to store up in his home large amounts of produce, because this would deprive the poor of their sustenance. He was permitted to retain only enough fruits and vegetables for his own normal needs” (Chill 1974, p.109). Individuals were required to trust in God’s providence throughout the Sabbatical year, not in their own actions.<br />
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According to the understanding of both the Bible and the rabbinic commentators, all of the world is the property of God. Use of the land, and any food that could be taken from it, are Divine gifts. After the destruction of the Temple, by the time of the writing of the Mishnah at the end of the second century, “the rituals that permitted a person to consume the foods of the earth were not the sacrifices of animals at the Temple, or the offerings of meal, or the separation from one’s produce the gifts for the priests and Levites. The Jew had to recite the proper formal blessing before eating and then could benefit from the produce of the land” (Zahavy 1990, p. 32). <br />
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Dr. <a href="http://avichai.org/person/steven-brown/">Steven M. Brown</a> [in a personal conversation] asserts that there is an ethical responsibility derived from our awareness of the world as a gift from God. When one receives a precious gift, and offers one’s gratitude for it, in doing so one must also take responsibility for the care and safe-keeping of that gift. Similarly, he concludes, once we are aware that food, and the Earth itself, is a Divine gift, we are obligated to become stewards, or care-takers, of the planet.<br />
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There are many implications of this statement, and there is great disagreement about the degree to which such obligations may be extended. Yet, few would disagree that we are in an era of increasing awareness of the impact that our individual and collective actions have upon the planet. Many argue that unless dramatic life-style changes are made within our own lifetimes, irreversible damage will be done to fragile ecosystems across the globe.<br />
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<i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i>, therefore, is an opportunity to be mindful of the Jewish law of “<i>Ba’al Tashchit</i>,” avoiding wasteful destruction; of ecological issues, including water quality, habitat depletion, and bio-engineering of food; and of steps individuals can take, such as recycling and shopping consciously.
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If this is indeed true - that as we say <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> we should give some thought to the leftovers (<i>psolet</i>) on our plates, to recycling, and so forth - how much the more so in this <i>shmitah</i> year!<br />
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<u>References</u><br />
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<ul>Chill, Abraham. <u>The Mitzvot: The Commandments and Their Rationale</u>. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing, 1974.</ul>
<ul>Garfiel, Evelyn. <u>The Service of the Heart.</u> New York: United Synagogue of America, 1958.</ul>
<ul>Goldberger, Moshe. <u>How to thank Hashem for Food: Lessons from Birkas Ha-Mazon.</u> New York: Gross Books, 1988.</ul>
<ul>Klein, Isaac. <u>A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice.</u> New York: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1972.</ul>
<ul>Munk, Elie. <u>The World of Prayer</u>. New York: Philip Feldheim, 1954.</ul>
<ul>Scherman, Rabbi Nosson. <u>The Complete Artscroll Siddur: Nusach Ashkenaz</u>.
New York: Mesorah Publications, 1984.</ul>
<ul>Waskow, Arthur. <u>Down-to-Earth Judaism: Food, Money, Sex, and the Rest of Life.</u> New York: William Morrow and Company, 1995.</ul>
<ul>Zahavy, Tzvee. Studies in Jewish Prayer. Lanham, Maryland: United Press of America, 1990.</ul>
</blockquote>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-53372142868800074552014-08-21T11:27:00.002-04:002014-08-21T13:46:45.635-04:00Why do we bless our bread? (Part II)Continuing to mine my master's thesis on <b><i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i></b>, the grace after meals, as we build up to the <a href="http://hazon.org/shmita-project/overview/"><i>shmita</i> year</a>, this week I share with you the section on using the prayer as an opportunity to focus on proper nutrition. I won't overstate the analogy, but I believe that just as saying this prayer can be a time for personal and communal reflection on issues relating to food, diet and nutrition, so too can we look at the coming year as a chance to rethink and renew our approaches to these topics. <a href="http://www.lookstein.org/resources/birkat_hamazon.pdf">The thesis in its entirety</a> can be found online at the <a href="http://www.lookstein.org/">Lookstein Center</a> for Jewish Education. The full text of this section is after the jump.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The World Health Organization defines "<a href="http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html">Health</a>" as balance between physical, mental and social being. <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon </i>reminds us of the need to pay attention to, and strike a balance between, each one of these aspects of our health. <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> is a social activity, as it is often said as the conclusion of a communal meal. Focusing on the text can lead to heightened cognitive awareness of, and encounter with, challenging issues affecting Jews and people in general. Here, I wish to look at the role that <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> can play as a focal point in thinking about the physical impact of food on our bodies, or in other words, for nutrition education.<br />
<br />
According to Genesis 1:26, humans are created “<i><a href="http://justaction.org/torahstudy/btzelem-elohim-text1.htm">b’tzelem Elohim</a></i>,” in the image of God. Although the interpretations of this are manifold, one generally accepted implication is that any form of self-harm violates Jewish law as it is a desecration of the Divine image. The extent to which this principle is applied varies: Some communities forbid body-piercing based on this idea, while others will not smoke cigarettes. Arguably, a concern for proper diet and exercise should be considered a Jewish obligation.<br />
<br />
<i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i> is a mandatory pause at the conclusion of a meal. We can use this time to make a connection between the food we have eaten and the nourishment it has provided us. This is also an opportunity for us to reflect upon the choices we have made with the foods we have eaten. One might ask oneself questions along the lines of: <a href="http://www.jewcology.com/resource/Reducing-Psolet-Food-waste-in-our-School-Lunch-Rooms">Did I waste food</a>? Did I overeat? Was the food grown (or raised) in a manner that fits with my ethics? How did this food get from its point of origin to me? How did the choices I made affect other people’s lives?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Furthermore, <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon </i>can be an opportunity to focus on eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia. [The guidance of a trained counselor should be sought before leading any discussions on this subject.] Such “unhealthy eating” might be contrasted with the self-denial of the Jewish fasts. Regulated fasts are an intrinsic part of the Jewish year, and fasting is considered by many rabbis to be an effective form of atonement. Nevertheless, health is always considered a priority, and those for whom fasting is a health concern are forbidden to do so.<br />
<br />
One might also make the connection to the entire digestive process. Just as there are blessings to be said before and after eating, there is also a blessing to be said after elimination! The “<i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asher_yatzar">asher yatzar</a></i>” blessing, which is recited after using the bathroom, thanks God for the wondrous working of our internal organs.<br />
<br />
In short, <i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i>, as a pause after eating, can be a time to reflect upon and re-evaluate the food decisions which one makes, from the types of food to the quantity. The balance between the social, mental, and physical aspects of the blessing can help us to examine the balance between these aspects in our lives.</blockquote>
<br />Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-69293964926550699502014-08-07T16:21:00.001-04:002014-09-16T11:08:44.570-04:00Why do we bless our bread?<div class="tr_bq">
As some of you will recall, my master's thesis as a student at Davidson School of Education (15 years ago!) was on <b><i>Birkat Ha-Mazon</i></b>, the grace after meals. As we round the corner into a <a href="http://hazon.org/shmita-project/overview/">shmita year</a>, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share with you a section of that work. <a href="http://www.lookstein.org/resources/birkat_hamazon.pdf">The thesis in its entirety</a> can be found online at the Lookstein Center for Jewish Education. The full text of this section be found after the jump.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A concern for food appears at the very beginning of the Bible. Sustenance for human beings, and for all creatures, is viewed as an intrinsic component of the Divine plan of creation. In God’s first address to humanity, in the first chapter of Genesis, God instructs the humans that they may eat from every plant on the ground and every fruit of the tree (Gen. 1:29). Shortly thereafter, this is qualified with the prohibition against eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17). Just as babies receive nourishment while in the womb, in the “perfect” paradise of the Garden of Eden, food is provided for humans without any effort on their part.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When the humans are expelled from Eden, a new stage in their relationship with food begins. Now, God admonishes Adam, only “by the sweat of your brow shall you get bread to eat” (Gen. 3:19). This is the first mention of bread in the Bible, which, in contrast to the fruit of the Garden of Eden, requires human labor. In the next chapter, perhaps in response to the anxiety provoked by the responsibility of providing food for oneself, Cain and Abel bring the first sacrificial offerings to God (Gen. 4:3-4). This offering can be seen as a petition, or as a thanksgiving, for successful harvests and healthy livestock.<br />
<br />
Arthur Waskow writes of two ways by which the ancient Israelites sanctified the food they ate, which can be traced back to these first four chapters of Genesis. “One major approach they took to hallowing food was to set some aside as sacred, others as forbidden” (23). The prohibition against eating from the tree of knowledge can be seen as paradigmatic of this approach, later reflected in laws of Kashrut, tithing, fasts, Sabbatical years, and so on. The “other process for hallowing food was to take the products of the land to a single place, the Temple in Jerusalem, there to bring God near to them” (24). The offerings of Cain and Abel are the prototype for sacrificial worship, evinced in stories of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (Gen. 12:7) and so on, and which ultimately reaches its peak in the unified system of regulated sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
These two dimensions for the sanctification of food -- that of making distinctions between food which may and may not be eaten and that of consecrating food as an offering to God -- will be discussed in great detail in the upcoming sections. Here, I wish to emphasize that there is a third conception of the sanctification of food. The very act of eating, the turning of physical matter into energy, of the life-force in a plant or animal into one’s own life-force, is in itself a sacred activity.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Samuel H. Dresner contrasts the way that such basic human drives as hunger and sex are understood by Paganism and Judaism. Paganism “glorifies these powers as such,” (13) and sees the natural world as intrinsically holy. The only goal of life, consequently, is the satisfaction of one’s basic, hedonistic desires. In Jewish thought, by contrast, only God, “the Holy One,” is seen as intrinsically holy; nature, and the natural world, “is neither holy nor unholy” (14). Biblical support for this idea is found in the wording of the story of creation. As Allen Grossman points out (392), when God creates the world, and the various living things in it, God does not call it “holy,” but “good” (Gen. 1:10, 12, etc.).<br />
<br />
However, the possibility of making the ordinary into the sacred is a constant potential, a potential that is realized when the Divine is made present through human activity. Judaism, therefore, asserts that in every action there is a potential for holiness, and life is structured around the attempt to realize this potential in every deed. Indeed, “the duty of the Jew is to lift up all of life to God, to hallow the everyday, so that all of life becomes holy” (Dresner, 17, italics in the original). The hallowing of daily life is accomplished by two means: The performance of Mitzvot -- actions commanded by God -- and the saying of blessings, the purpose of which is the realization of the Divine quality of every action. Eating, as one of the most basic of daily activities, one shared with all animals (and, in some sense, plants), is an opportunity to bring holiness into one’s life on a consistent and fundamental basis.<br />
<br />
The Jewish mystical tradition sees the sanctification of eating as “not just one among many aspects of correct action . . . [but] among the most important” (Waskow, 100). The Sefer Yetzirah explains that in order to create the world, God had to contract inwardly and open a space in which a finite, knowable universe could exist. God created vessels (“keylim”) within which to contain the holiness that had been contracted, but they could not hold the Divine presence and shattered into fragments. Sparks of Divine holiness (“n’tzitzot”) were scattered throughout all of creation. Through the hallowing of daily activities, one may gather these scattered sparks of holiness, thereby healing and repairing the world (“tikkun olam”). <br />
<br />
Saying Birkat Ha-Mazon is a Mitzvah; even if said by rote, one sanctifies the act of eating. However, according to the sixteenth century mystic Isaac Luria, this is not enough to free the spark of Divine holiness that may be embedded in the food one eats. Only through intense concentration and spiritual focus (“kavanah”) can this be accomplished. In contemporary terms, one might see the act of making the blessing as an opportunity both to realize that it is miraculous that we can turn plants and animals into energy, or to become mindful of how this energy will be used to work toward the betterment of the world.<br />
<br />
Arizal explicitly connects the sparks of holiness with the nourishment that food provides. He explains that “every physical object or being owes its existence to a holy spark buried within it. Man’s soul inhabits his body and derives nourishment from the food he eats as well as from the Torah he studies and the good deeds he performs. A person eats. His body extracts the vitamins and minerals in needs, but that does not keep him alive, for if his soul were to leave him he would be no more animate than rocks and sand. His soul extracts the spark of holiness within the food – and that maintains life” (Scherman, 1977, 18).<br />
<br />
In the chapter of Deuteronomy in which we find the passage upon which Birkat Ha-Mazon is based, Moses also tells the Israelites that God gave them “manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had ever known, in order to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but that man may live on anything that the Lord decrees” (Deut. 8:3). Scherman, quoting from the Sifsei Tzaddik’s commentary on this verse, writes that “the great lesson of the manna [was that] man does not live by bread – by flour and water and leavening, its calories and vitamins and minerals – he lives by the emanations of God that are in every slice of bread.” (Scherman, 1977, 18, italics in the original). It is perhaps no coincidence that authorship of the first paragraph of Birkat Ha-Mazon is attributed to Moses, when the manna first fell from the sky.<br />
<br />
In Jewish thought, eating is not seen as an end in itself, but as a means to an end. Reciting Birkat Ha-Mazon is an essential step toward experiencing the act of eating as a holy act, especially when it is said with comprehension and with intention. It is also the perfect opportunity for us to focus on the choices we make about what we put into our bodies and how we use the energy this nutrition provides.</blockquote>
<br />
<u>References</u><br />
<blockquote>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Dresner, Samuel H. <u>The
Jewish Dietary Laws: Their Meaning for our Time</u>. New York: The Burning Bush Press, 1959.
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Grossman,Allen. <u>Contemporary Jewish Religious Thought</u> Eds. Arthur A. Cohen and Paul
Mendes-Flohr. New York: The Free Press, 1987 </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Scherman, Rabbi Nosson. <u>Birkat
Ha-Mazon: Grace After Meals</u>. New
York: Mesorah Publications, 1977. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Waskow, Arthur. <u>Down-to-Earth Judaism: Food, Money, Sex, and
the Rest of Life</u>. New York: William
Morrow and Company, 1995. </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-72021809154564021362014-07-31T16:21:00.001-04:002014-07-31T16:21:27.178-04:00How to ask a question (?) (!) (?)The following is a excerpt from the article "<a href="http://www.lookstein.org/online_journal.php?id=265">Active Learning in the <i>Halakha </i>class</a>" by <a href="http://www.lookstein.org/podcasts/">Mark Smilowitz</a>, which first appeared in the
Lookstein Center's journal <i><a href="http://www.lookstein.org/journal.php">Jewish Educational Leadership</a>:</i><o:p></o:p>
<br />
<blockquote>
Classically, teachers and students alike tend to view
questions as stemming from problems; if nothing bothers you, you don't ask. Even
progressive methods devised to make students active learners through
questioning seem to view questions as stemming from problems. For example, the
"inquiry training" model relies on presenting students with puzzling
events that will naturally arouse their curiosity and stimulate their
questions. This approach "deliberately selects episodes that have
sufficiently surprising outcomes to make it difficult for students to remain
indifferent to the encounter.<br />
<br />
Perhaps you've seen a science exhibition where they put a
blown up balloon into liquid nitrogen, and it comes out shrunk. The kids are
naturally stimulated to ask why it does that, because the outcome is
surprising. This is precisely the kind of curiosity-generating activity that
would kick off a unit in the inquiry training approach.<br />
<br />
But let's consider another way to stimulate curiosity. Take a
regular balloon, a normal object that doesn't automatically generate questions,
and hold it up in front of a classroom as is, and tell students they have two minutes
to write down as many questions as they can think of that will help them
understand the balloon better. Tell them not to hold back, but to let their
imaginations go.
<br />
<br />
When I do this experiment on myself, I find that I suddenly
become interested in things I wasn't interested in before – science questions
such as why balloons lose their air after a while, manufacturing questions like
how balloons are made, or maybe economic questions like how do they decide how
much balloons cost. When one is prompted in this manner, instead of curiosity
generating questions, it is the discipline of questioning that generates the
curiosity. We might refer to this latter kind of question as a
research-oriented question, as opposed to a problem-based question, because asking
this kind of question is often the key to researching a topic
<br />
<br />
My guess is that most students only know about problem-based
questions and are never taught to ask research-oriented questions. Neil Postman
expressed his “astonishment at the neglect shown in school toward” the art of
formulating questions. “All our knowledge results from questions, which is
another way of saying that question asking is our most important intellectual
tool. I would go so far as to say that the answers we carry about in our heads
are largely meaningless unless we know the questions which produced them.”</blockquote>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-72570889368351862642014-06-15T13:51:00.000-04:002014-06-23T10:24:18.058-04:00Tefilah: Empowering Prayer Communities through School WorshipAs Reform Jews, our beliefs pull us in two directions. On the one hand, we cherish our autonomy: Our freedom to express ourselves as individuals and to make choices that are entirely our own. At the same time, we know the value of community: Our sense of obligation to others with whom we share a history and a destiny. This dynamic tension can be creative and inspirational – or it can be exhausting and alienating. Perhaps nowhere in Jewish life is the challenge of finding equilibrium between these two forces felt as strongly as in synagogue worship. Prayer is an intensely personal experience, yet when we come together for worship as part of a congregation, we often use words written by someone we have never met and in a language we don’t understand.<br />
<br />
In our religious school at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/school">Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York</a>, students learn to respond to this challenge by becoming sophisticated and empowered participants in prayer services. Tefilah (worship) is an integral part of our curriculum, comprising as much as 25 percent of the time that students are in school. Students not only learn the skills to pray as part of a Jewish community but also engage in a rich dialogue about the liturgy that helps them to find personal meaning in the words they say. The experience is transforming how our students see themselves, as they become equipped to grapple with their personal relationships with the Divine amidst a congregation of diverse individuals.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Our youngest students begin with only a few prayers, <a href="http://bindersfullofprayers.tumblr.com/">kept in a loose-leaf siddur</a> (prayerbook). Students learn to associate the melodies with the Hebrew texts even before they can read the letters. We teach the shorter prayers with catchy melodies that repeat the words again and again; longer prayers are taught line-by-line. From grades three to five, the melodies used for each prayer are kept largely consistent from week to week, enabling students to develop a sense of routine and familiarity. They are expected to know when to sit, stand, and bow without prompting. As students grow in fluency and self-confidence, additional pages are added, providing the students with a feeling of accomplishment as they gradually build their repertoire.<br />
<br />
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<br />
As students learn the prayers in Hebrew, they also deliberate about their meaning. At each prayer service, we pose a question to the students to help them think deeply about the words they are saying, like “what’s so great about having one God?” or “if we’ve been praying for peace for so many years, why is there still war?” Before sharing their responses with the full group, students tackle these questions in chevruta (with a partner), a collaborative, traditional Jewish approach to learning. Discussion with a classmate helps each student to clarify and refine his or her thinking and ensures that each student’s opinion is heard by at least one other person. <br />
<br />
Depending on its length, students may spend anywhere from a few weeks to several months unpacking the different ideas contained within a prayer. At the conclusion of their study, the students meet in the school’s art room to create an original design for the page in their prayer books. The students surround the Hebrew text with their own images, words, and symbols, so that every time they look at the page, they will have personal reminders of what the words mean to them. <br />
<br />
For our elementary school students, familiarity with the Hebrew liturgy and confidence in sharing one’s own interpretations of it are the primary goals. As our students approach adolescence -- and the responsibilities associated with becoming a bar or bat mitzvah -- our sixth grade curriculum empowers them to lead prayer services they find personally meaningful. In the first half of the year, we show our students the wonderful diversity of Reform Jewish worship. For example, they participate in the Emanu-El daily Sunset service using the Union Prayer Book, they read Jewish and Israeli poetry aloud in English, and they engage in silent meditative reflection with no prayer book at all. After each of these services, we guide the students to compare it with other prayer services they have attended and to take note of which aesthetic choices resonate with them. By answering questions like, “What did and didn’t work for you in this service?” the students learn to articulate for themselves which elements of a service most enable them to have an inspirational and uplifting prayer experience. Further, they come to recognize many different styles of worship as legitimate and of value, even if not personally to their taste.<br />
<br />
During the second half of the sixth grade year, students gather in small groups to plan a worship service for their peers. Students make use of all the skills learned in previous years as well as their own talents and creativity. Some play musical instruments, while others use visuals projected onto a screen. Services might be held in the Main Sanctuary or on the roof; seated in pews, chairs, or in a circle on the floor. As the students work together to make the service engaging and meaningful, they develop an increasing awareness of their own worship preferences and sensibilities. At the same time, they come to understand that they may sometimes need to compromise their own personal and aesthetic preferences in order to participate as part of a community. We always invite the parents of the students who are leading the service to attend, and they rarely miss the opportunity to sit with pride, watching their children lead their peers in prayer.<br />
<br />
Through their participation in school worship, a new generation of Reform Jewish children is finding relevance in the ancient words of our tradition. The insights they express about the words of the prayers are at the same time creative, sincere and personal. By tapping into their natural sense of wonder and reason, of imagination and critical reflection, our children gain insight not just into the words of the prayers, but also into the nature of the world. We believe these students will grow up prepared to participate in and lead diverse, empowered and engaged worship communities.<br />
<br />
To watch a three-minute video of our school prayer service in action, visit our website at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.emanuelnyc.org/tefilah">www.emanuelnyc.org/tefilah</a>. Join us for <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.shabbatkodesh.org">Shabbat Kodesh</a>, our family worship service each month – all ages are welcome!Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-56682107503391860962014-06-06T11:12:00.000-04:002015-03-14T10:08:03.043-04:00Tzedakah: Building a Culture of Equity<a href="http://newjewisheducation.blogspot.com/2014/05/my-statement-of-jewish-educational.html">Last week</a>, I posted a personal vision statement for Jewish education. Over the coming year, I will offer suggestions as to how this vision can be implemented based on examples from my work at <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/school">Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York</a>.
<br />
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<br />
In so doing, I want to emphasize that collaboration is the cornerstone of our methodology, and I am reporting on the intersection between my philosophy and the work we do, not taking credit for our achievements.<br />
<br />
I begin with a look at how we teach about <b>tzedakah. </b>I think this is something most of us working in supplementary school education get right. This is, to my mind, a clear way to demonstrate the critical role of Jewish education not only to guide value-driven practice and participation in Jewish community (as if those weren’t enough!), but also to offer unique ways of engaging the world.
<br />
<br />
At Emanu-El, we teach that the Hebrew word tzedakah literally means, not “charity” (from the Latin “<i>caritas</i>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_(virtue)">altruistic love</a>”), but “justice.” On our <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/ed_relig_tzedakah">website</a>, in our classrooms, and through family programming, we emphasize that sharing our good fortune equitably with others is not only an act of compassion, but a <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/torah.php?torah_id=362">responsibility</a>. We <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/torah.php?torah_id=281">show how</a> <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/torah.php?torah_id=289">our tradition teaches</a> that our achievements are always dependent upon Divine providence, and that with our wealth, we must seek equity. Further, we emphasize how this sense of responsibility has always, and continues to play, a central role in our communal identity.
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Each Fall, our <a href="https://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/ed_relig_council">student council</a> (composed of students in grades 4 – 7) debates the relative merits of different causes and selects two organizations to be the recipients of the funds we raise. Members of our high school <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/ed_youth_ateem">A-TEEM</a> (“<i>Assistant Temple Emanu-El Madrichim</i>”) then teach the students about the work of these organizations. Students are encouraged
to bring tzedakah every week, and we regularly announce (and celebrate) where our fundraising stands. This collection fits into the framework of life that the parents live, many of whom are philanthropically minded. The student council also runs a booth at our Purim Carnival to teach about (and raise funds for) these causes.<br />
<br />
Yet, there are also times when we, as the school leadership, decide where the funds we raise must go. Our first beneficiary every year is <a href="http://www.nycommonpantry.org/about.html">New York
Common Pantry</a>, so that we may take action on hunger locally, in our immediate neighborhood. Most years, we (sadly) have at least one week in which tzedakah is diverted for an urgent response to an emergency, such as typhoon Haiyan or super-storm Sandy. Thanks to the suggestion of a religious school parent, during the week of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 8) our collection supports <a href="http://www.bluecardfund.org/about-us.html">The Blue Card</a>, an organization that provides financial assistance to destitute Holocaust survivors. By sharing with our children the causes that matter to us, we pass along our values to the next generation.
<br />
<br />
Our students not only raise funds, they also provide direct assistance to those in need. Through the Emanu-El <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/com_volunteer_tikkun">Tikkun Olam Committee</a>, we run “Mini-Mitzvah ” projects prior to the start of school and during school hours over the course of the year. Social justice becomes the central focus of our 7th grade <a href="http://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/ed_youth_mitzvah">Mitzvah Corps</a>. Throughout the year, these students learn about different social issues and then volunteer in agencies that respond to them. However, we do not want our children to grow up to be “mitzvah dilettantes,” believing that a single act of volunteering can address deep need. Therefore, the students who participate in at least 18 sessions during the course of that year (the “Mitzvah Messengers”) decide together which cause they will focus on as 8<sup>th</sup> graders in our <a href="https://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/ed_relig_tzedekleague">Tzedek League</a>. These students examine the root causes of social inequality and injustice, and respond through direct service, philanthropy, and advocacy (by lobbying a city council member or state senator about legislation that can address the issue they have chosen).<br />
<br />
As Jews, when we give tzedakah, what we do looks like what others are doing when they give charity. The critical point is that we understand it differently. At Emanu-El, we believe that our students are learning that with privilege comes responsibility. Our young people understand that it is their responsibility, as Jews, not only to study but also to act upon their beliefs. Our students become both advocates for causes they believe in and philanthropists on their behalf.Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-37999926426084183532014-05-31T17:43:00.000-04:002014-06-05T10:25:11.174-04:00My Statement of Jewish Educational PhilosophyI am committed to developing learning experiences that are relevant, inspirational and transformative. I aim to provide students and their families with the tools to participate meaningfully in the community, with pride in their heritage and with the awareness that their actions will shape the future in ways beyond their imagination.<br />
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Education is an intrinsically optimistic endeavor. Our work as educators is predicated on the faith that we can inspire our students to personal growth and empower them to achieve greatness. Further, we believe that by studying the past we can successfully prepare our students for an unknown future. Therefore, we act as translators, of a sort: we strive to make the lessons of the past relevant to contemporary sensibilities.<br />
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I believe the most compelling questions of value and meaning have remained largely the same since the days of the Bible. As Jews, we look to our people’s history for direction as we ask ourselves the same questions that confronted our ancestors, like “What kind of person do I want to become?” and “What kind of world do I hope for myself and for future generations to inhabit?” The role of the educator is not to pass along definitive answers to these questions, but rather to engage our learners in striving together to formulate sophisticated and nuanced responses that inspire them to action.<br />
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The Jewish school can be a center for Jewish life, where our students encounter one another’s ways of being Jewish. In accepting one another for who we are and what we believe, we empower one another to say “I can be myself here and I can figure out who I might want to be.” I believe our classrooms must be the “laboratory” for the Jewish future, providing vital and distinctive experiences our students cannot find elsewhere in their lives and in which cultural experimentation – the production, rather than consumption of culture – is the norm. <br />
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Parents, students and other members of the school community must be stakeholders in the success of this endeavor, playing a critical role in shaping the school’s vision and culture. It is essential that we validate the diversity of experiences of those individuals, offering access and authority to those whose voices have been absent from communal Jewish life. Simultaneously, a school’s faculty and leadership must strive constantly to model the thoughtfulness and mutual respect that we seek to promote in our students and their families. The care and concern our teachers have for each child enables our students to support one another and to challenge themselves to grow as individuals, as family members and as part of an ethical community.<br />
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As Jews, we are b’nai Yisrael, the “children of those who have wrestled with God and prevailed.” We are fortunate to be the inheritors of an ancient wisdom that guides us in living principled lives in complicated times. At the same time, we assert our right to be a part of a community that struggles to make meaning of the profound and the sacred.<br />
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It is our task to strive to become the best people we can be, proud of our heritage while accepting no dogma blindly, guided by the decisions of previous generations while empowered to take responsibility for arriving at our own conclusions. As part of vital networks of friends and families who are reflective about their actions, passionate about their beliefs and kindhearted toward one another, we can be confident in our children’s ability to shape their own destinies, and join together with those of all faiths and backgrounds to build a just and virtuous society.Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34150549.post-26212316136609375002014-02-17T10:28:00.000-05:002014-02-17T10:28:02.400-05:00My favorite quotes: Mamie GamoranWhen did people start talking about post-denominationalism and identify themselves as "just Jews?" Could it perhaps have been as long ago as the 1930s? Let's see what <a href="http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/gamoran-mamie">Mamie Gamoran</a>, author of "<a href="http://thewholemegillah.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/a-history-of-jewish-children%E2%80%99s-books%E2%80%94part-one/">Hillel's Happy Holidays</a>" and the wife of <a href="http://www.bjpa.org/Publications/details.cfm?PublicationID=5697">Emanuel Gamoran</a> (the first director of education for the UAHC, now the <a href="http://urj.org/">Union for Reform Judaism</a>) has to say on the subject:<br />
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<a href="http://thewholemegillah.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/hillel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://thewholemegillah.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/hillel.jpg" height="320" title="" width="243" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">“We were liberals in our thinking, in our children's education, in our religious practices. Nevertheless, we erected a Sukka on our wide, open porch each Sukkot holiday, and served wine tea and cake to as many as two hundred visitors. Some guests shook the lulav and said the blessings for the first time. I used to say jokingly, 'the Reform say we are Orthodox and the Orthodox say we are Reform.' But we wanted to be Jews without a label, and I think we had a real Jewish home.” </span></blockquote>
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From Mamie Gamoran's manuscript, "A Family History," in the American Jewish Archives, cited in Jonathan Krasner's "<a href="http://forward.com/articles/141660/how-one-man-shaped-american-jewish-education/">The Benderly Boys and American Jewish Education</a>" (Brandeis University Press, 2011). </div>
Saul Kaiserman (thinkfred)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07072524572244310450noreply@blogger.com0