Dear Friends,
'Sinah Mkalkelet hashurah-Hate destroys the order of life' (from the Talmud). An act of hate descended on our community and left good and innocent people dead and wounded. We mourn the death of Pam Waechter. Pam and I shared a common passion for Jewish outreach and worked on several projects together. She also was a participant this past year in the joint Panim Hadashot-Federation long distance seminar with the Hartman Institute. We have lost a devoted servant of the Jewish community.
We pray for the quick recovery of those injured. We express our solidarity with the staff and volunteers of the Jewish Federation during this time of trial and anguish. We join the voices with the wider Seattle community, which condemn this hate crime and the virulent anti-semitism that feeds it. This is a time for all religious and ethnic communities to come to together to renew an active commitment to tolerance and civil rights. This is a critical time for inter-religious and cross-cultural dialogue to build commitment to a civil and peace loving community. I particularly support efforts for the Jewish and Muslim communities to build stronger relations and to work together to fight hatred.
It is also important to understand the broader significance of this tragedy. One of the by-products of the conflict and the current crisis in the Middle East is a hatred for Israel that spills over into a hatred for Jews. We must not be afraid to confront this hatred and to challenge those who minimize it or deny its significance. This is not a time to put our heads in the sand and hope the problem will go away.
Panim Hadashot is an educational and outreach organization, which is devoted to sharing Judaisms meaning and relevance in the modern world. We are committed to illuminating Judaisms great teachings, whichinspire us to act justly, to enhance Jewish life, and to contribute the betterment of the world. In the coming weeks we will offer opportunities for people in the community to come together for study and dialogue.
Lech Lshalom-Go to Peace,
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Panim Hadashot-New Faces of Judaism
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Report from Israel, 7/24/06
Just a few notes on a busy day full of learning. The best article of the day is here. Dershowitz writes lucidly about the issue of civilian casualties. This is an article to carry in your wallet when you get into discussions about the war. This is the first time in a very long time in which Israel is getting support from many quarters. It seems that much of the world is waking up to the real dangers of Islamic fundamentalist terror. However many well meaning people do not see the consequences of accomodating a terrorist organization. The Prime Minister of Israel seemed to capture the moment in his speech: "Ad Kan" (meaning in Hebrew-no more.)
The learning today at the Hartman Institute was extraordinary. Today Moshe Halbertal took us through a section of the Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 30b and 31a. We immersed ourselves in the discussion of the proper mood one requires to pray the Tefilah. This is a classic Talmudic debate on the nature of prayer. This section of the Talmud is a wonderful example of the capacity for the rabbis to accept different points of view and to challenge attempts to establish a single norm. In the case of prayer, the rabbis essentially recognize what moderns would call a pluralism of spiritualities. While all agree that a relationship with God is a critical dimension of life, the Talmud entertains several different stances toward God from submission to defiance.
The hero of this section of the Talmud is Hannah (1Samuel, chapters 1ff) who become the paradigm of a person who prays to God out of defiance. For those who are looking for one of the origins of the Jewish trait of Hutzpa, this is a passage you should definitely look at. I plan to include this text during our study sessions on the High Holidays. I consider it one of the classics of all of Jewish literature.
Beside this marvelous sessions we had excellent sessions on the Binding of Isaac (Gen 22) in comparison with 2 Samuel 24. The session could have been titled "Sacrificing before God or Sacrificing before the People. A third session in the evening was a thought provoking session on how popularization of Jewish mysticism in contemporary culture. This session was given by Yoni Garb who is one of the outstanding scholars of Kabbalah.
Shalom,
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
The learning today at the Hartman Institute was extraordinary. Today Moshe Halbertal took us through a section of the Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 30b and 31a. We immersed ourselves in the discussion of the proper mood one requires to pray the Tefilah. This is a classic Talmudic debate on the nature of prayer. This section of the Talmud is a wonderful example of the capacity for the rabbis to accept different points of view and to challenge attempts to establish a single norm. In the case of prayer, the rabbis essentially recognize what moderns would call a pluralism of spiritualities. While all agree that a relationship with God is a critical dimension of life, the Talmud entertains several different stances toward God from submission to defiance.
The hero of this section of the Talmud is Hannah (1Samuel, chapters 1ff) who become the paradigm of a person who prays to God out of defiance. For those who are looking for one of the origins of the Jewish trait of Hutzpa, this is a passage you should definitely look at. I plan to include this text during our study sessions on the High Holidays. I consider it one of the classics of all of Jewish literature.
Beside this marvelous sessions we had excellent sessions on the Binding of Isaac (Gen 22) in comparison with 2 Samuel 24. The session could have been titled "Sacrificing before God or Sacrificing before the People. A third session in the evening was a thought provoking session on how popularization of Jewish mysticism in contemporary culture. This session was given by Yoni Garb who is one of the outstanding scholars of Kabbalah.
Shalom,
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Report from Israel 7-23-06
Report from Israel th day of the war. I continue to stay and study in Jerusalem. Jerusalemis calm and life continues in its routine. However, we all know what is going on. The war continues to rage in the north. Hezbollah targets continue to be hit by the Israeli air force. There is a huge wave of refugees in the Lebanon along with many civilian casualties there since Hezbollah conducts its operations amidst a civilian population. The northern part of Israel continues to be hit by missiles and nearly two million people find themselves largely confined to shelters. Thousands of Northerners are in Jerusalem, staying with family, friends, welcoming strangers, and hotels. There are around a hundred in my hotel. A huge sign hangs in the on the Valley of the Healers Street (Emek Refaim), Inhabitants of the North, We are with you!
It is now the 12
It appears that this war will be long and will bring with it a high price in both human and material costs. Ultimately, there will have to be a political settlement, but that appears beyond the horizon for the time being. Israel continues to benefit from strong support from the United Statesand surprising tacit support from many other countries including several Arab states, which fear the power of Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian backers.
Israelis fighting a just war. No country could tolerate a dangerous terrorist force along its border, armed with thousands of missiles and ready to provoke and terrorize at will. Fighting such a force is very difficult and we are now beginning to see the costs that it involves. The determination of Israelis is impressive as they fight this war. More than ever Israel needs moral and material support. I call on you not to forget Israel during this new and dangerous trial.
Please give generously to organizations in the Jewish community that are raising funds to support Israelis who are suffering from the impact of this war. Educate yourself and others about Israels history to understand better what is happening in these times. Question the accuracy and depth of your media sources and seek out the best sources of information. Be in contact with Israeli family and friends and extend to them moral support. Join in uniting our community behind Israel during its time of need.
Amos Oz spoke in Seattle several years ago about the consequences of Israeldeciding to move back to its older boundaries in an effort to make peace. He argued that once Israel was fighting for its homes instead of occupied territories, the country would be united and determined in its defense. Ozs observation has come true and so Israel is in a war in defense of their homes.
While there is clarity in purpose there is still the enormous frustration and sadness about having to forced to fight again. Israelis are a very stubborn people, realistic about its enemies, and absent of apocalyptic obsessions. There are messianistsand apocalysts on the periphery, but their cultural and religious influence is minor. Last year it appears Israelgave up on its ideal of the settlers. Now Israel will have to give up on its hope of unilateralism. It is unclear what lies ahead, but it is certain that Israel will be in a defensive stance for years to come.
It is now the 12
It appears that this war will be long and will bring with it a high price in both human and material costs. Ultimately, there will have to be a political settlement, but that appears beyond the horizon for the time being. Israel continues to benefit from strong support from the United Statesand surprising tacit support from many other countries including several Arab states, which fear the power of Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian backers.
Israelis fighting a just war. No country could tolerate a dangerous terrorist force along its border, armed with thousands of missiles and ready to provoke and terrorize at will. Fighting such a force is very difficult and we are now beginning to see the costs that it involves. The determination of Israelis is impressive as they fight this war. More than ever Israel needs moral and material support. I call on you not to forget Israel during this new and dangerous trial.
Please give generously to organizations in the Jewish community that are raising funds to support Israelis who are suffering from the impact of this war. Educate yourself and others about Israels history to understand better what is happening in these times. Question the accuracy and depth of your media sources and seek out the best sources of information. Be in contact with Israeli family and friends and extend to them moral support. Join in uniting our community behind Israel during its time of need.
Amos Oz spoke in Seattle several years ago about the consequences of Israeldeciding to move back to its older boundaries in an effort to make peace. He argued that once Israel was fighting for its homes instead of occupied territories, the country would be united and determined in its defense. Ozs observation has come true and so Israel is in a war in defense of their homes.
While there is clarity in purpose there is still the enormous frustration and sadness about having to forced to fight again. Israelis are a very stubborn people, realistic about its enemies, and absent of apocalyptic obsessions. There are messianistsand apocalysts on the periphery, but their cultural and religious influence is minor. Last year it appears Israelgave up on its ideal of the settlers. Now Israel will have to give up on its hope of unilateralism. It is unclear what lies ahead, but it is certain that Israel will be in a defensive stance for years to come.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Weekly Message 7-20-06 Cacophany
Dear Friends,
I am entering my last week of my stay in Israel. The purpose of my visit has been to study at the Hartman Institute. We have kept to our rigorous schedule of studies, but even our teachers admit to severe distractability. When we are free we are watching the TV or looking for news on the internet. A war is like a black whole. It sucks everything up, your attention, your anxiety, your thoughts, your peace of mind. Jerusalem is calm, so I am not feeling the brunt of it like those in the North. We carry on and try to stay focused on our routine and our particular world of interest.
One of the themes for our month of study is Israeli spirituality. The theme was chosen to expose diaspora rabbis to spiritual trends arising amongst secular and moderately traditional Israelis ( who form the great majority of the Israeli population). We have heard from groups that are doing fascinating work. One group called Beit Knesset Israeli has created a community in Tel Aviv for prayer which combines traditional liturgy, modern Israeli poetry, and music. It is aimed at secular Israelis who seek a spiritual community but cannot find a home in a synagogue. Another group shared with us their efforts to revive classical Hebrew liturgical poetry, piyyut. There is a small but growing trend of Israelis who gather to sing and chant this body of poetry stretching 2000 years.
It is interesting to see the connection between Israeli and American attempts to create new spiritual and religious models. Panim Hadashot is one example. It is exciting to see the blooming of this creativity and searching in Israel and to form connections with them.
Please feel free to write me at rabbidov@panimhadashot.com.
I wish you a Shabbat Shalom and pray for peace.
Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg 7/20/06
I am entering my last week of my stay in Israel. The purpose of my visit has been to study at the Hartman Institute. We have kept to our rigorous schedule of studies, but even our teachers admit to severe distractability. When we are free we are watching the TV or looking for news on the internet. A war is like a black whole. It sucks everything up, your attention, your anxiety, your thoughts, your peace of mind. Jerusalem is calm, so I am not feeling the brunt of it like those in the North. We carry on and try to stay focused on our routine and our particular world of interest.
One of the themes for our month of study is Israeli spirituality. The theme was chosen to expose diaspora rabbis to spiritual trends arising amongst secular and moderately traditional Israelis ( who form the great majority of the Israeli population). We have heard from groups that are doing fascinating work. One group called Beit Knesset Israeli has created a community in Tel Aviv for prayer which combines traditional liturgy, modern Israeli poetry, and music. It is aimed at secular Israelis who seek a spiritual community but cannot find a home in a synagogue. Another group shared with us their efforts to revive classical Hebrew liturgical poetry, piyyut. There is a small but growing trend of Israelis who gather to sing and chant this body of poetry stretching 2000 years.
It is interesting to see the connection between Israeli and American attempts to create new spiritual and religious models. Panim Hadashot is one example. It is exciting to see the blooming of this creativity and searching in Israel and to form connections with them.
Please feel free to write me at rabbidov@panimhadashot.com.
I wish you a Shabbat Shalom and pray for peace.
Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg 7/20/06
Monday, July 17, 2006
No Room for Catastrophizing: Report from Israel: July 17
The last 5 days have been so absorbing. Calm continues in Jerusalem, but Northern Israel and its two million inhabitants are mostly in shelters. Missles have reached the lower Galilee. But it is always worth repeating that Israelis have not paniced and that the country which overwhelmingly supports the military response of the IDF, understands that this will be a painful period.
Sacrifice has real meaning in Israel and loss here is framed in that language whether you are a civilian or a soldier. Donniel Hartman made a wonderful point about the IDF. Israelis worry about the safety of their army as much as they expect the army to protect them. The pictures of fallen soldiers are always on the front pages of the newspapers. In a citizen army everyone has someone in harms way. This puts great pressure on the leaders, whose own children serve. I remember the Michael Moore interviews of congressman in Fahrenheit 9/11 when he askes them if their children serve in Iraq. In American many parts of the population do not know people in the army. That is not so here. That means more worry, but more civic concern and greater engagement in policy debates and elections.
I am more and more impressed by the ability of Israelis not to 'catasrophize' their crises. Even now Israelis understand the need to be pragmatic and hold onto their awareness that their country is capable of bearing the current challenge. There is much courage and fortitude here. I would not call this country stoic, because people mourn here with great emotion. They play with a certain abandon. But this is a marvelously adaptive country with great inner resources.
Israelis are relieved that their leadership has embarked on its response to the attacks of Hezbollah. They will adapt to what they have to due and will laugh at the threats of Nasrallah even as they try to anticipate what he plans to do next. Israel's great accomplishment was to turn the Jews into a pragmatic and self-confidant people. This quality comes through during times of trial. It is crappy here right now, but I would not want to be around anyone else but my Israeli friends.
Friends in the States ask me what to do. I recommend that you support Israel financially to help it recover from the physical and material blows. Don't rush to come, but come in the future to study or to spend time here. Don't make Israel a place that you consider only when it is in crisis, but come here to appreciate the spirit and the accomplishments of this nation and its people. The accomplishments of Israel and its culture are considerable and worthy of attention at good times and bad. It is also fine to criticize Israel because that is a way to engage it. Israelis themselves do not treat their country like a sacred cow and are very much in touch with its flaws.
I have been critical of Israel in the past and will continue to express concern about its failings, but my concern about Israel comes from a place of love and engagement and a long effort to understand the history that lead to its creation. The drama of Israel continues to astonish and amaze. Don't despair and don't panic. Ain Bereira-No choice.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Sacrifice has real meaning in Israel and loss here is framed in that language whether you are a civilian or a soldier. Donniel Hartman made a wonderful point about the IDF. Israelis worry about the safety of their army as much as they expect the army to protect them. The pictures of fallen soldiers are always on the front pages of the newspapers. In a citizen army everyone has someone in harms way. This puts great pressure on the leaders, whose own children serve. I remember the Michael Moore interviews of congressman in Fahrenheit 9/11 when he askes them if their children serve in Iraq. In American many parts of the population do not know people in the army. That is not so here. That means more worry, but more civic concern and greater engagement in policy debates and elections.
I am more and more impressed by the ability of Israelis not to 'catasrophize' their crises. Even now Israelis understand the need to be pragmatic and hold onto their awareness that their country is capable of bearing the current challenge. There is much courage and fortitude here. I would not call this country stoic, because people mourn here with great emotion. They play with a certain abandon. But this is a marvelously adaptive country with great inner resources.
Israelis are relieved that their leadership has embarked on its response to the attacks of Hezbollah. They will adapt to what they have to due and will laugh at the threats of Nasrallah even as they try to anticipate what he plans to do next. Israel's great accomplishment was to turn the Jews into a pragmatic and self-confidant people. This quality comes through during times of trial. It is crappy here right now, but I would not want to be around anyone else but my Israeli friends.
Friends in the States ask me what to do. I recommend that you support Israel financially to help it recover from the physical and material blows. Don't rush to come, but come in the future to study or to spend time here. Don't make Israel a place that you consider only when it is in crisis, but come here to appreciate the spirit and the accomplishments of this nation and its people. The accomplishments of Israel and its culture are considerable and worthy of attention at good times and bad. It is also fine to criticize Israel because that is a way to engage it. Israelis themselves do not treat their country like a sacred cow and are very much in touch with its flaws.
I have been critical of Israel in the past and will continue to express concern about its failings, but my concern about Israel comes from a place of love and engagement and a long effort to understand the history that lead to its creation. The drama of Israel continues to astonish and amaze. Don't despair and don't panic. Ain Bereira-No choice.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Sunday, July 16, 2006
From Jerusalem 7-16-06
Dear Friends,
Several have written me out of concern for the situation. I am glad to be here. The country is unified. Everyone is worried, but there is no panic. I know that trips are being organized for American Jews to come over to express solidarity. Come. It is important to be here.
I recommend reading David Brooks piece in the New York Times. Link It is the best piece I have read which gives perspective on the historic moment.
Here is a quote from the piece:
"The core issue is that just as Israel has been trying to pull back to more sensible borders, its enemies have gone completely berserk. Through some combination of fecklessness and passivity, the Arab world has ceded control of this vital flashpoint to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Bashar al-Assad. It has ceded its own destiny to people who do not believe in freedom, democracy, tolerance or any of the values civilized people hold dear.
And what’s the world’s response? Israel is overreacting."
During our studies today we reviewed a famous text by Maimonides (12th century) on his notion of the days of the Messiah. His vision of that time was striking: "The Sages and the Prophets did not want an end time in which Israel would rule over the world, or that it would have dominion over the ages, or that it would rule over other nations, or would enjoy a world of material enjoyment. Rather Israel would be free to engage in Torah and wisdom. "
In this medieval language, Maimonides expressed a profound ideal which in some ways remains central to a larger Jewish vision. There is no desire by to control others, to rule over others, to oppress others. In the case of Israel, a state formed by the Jewish people, the aim is to live in peace and security with its neighbors and to foster a society which can pursue peacefully the ideals of Judaism and the Jewish culture. The great majority of Israelis have no desire to rule over Palestinians and have no interests to conquer Lebanon.
The aggression Israel faces now seeks to undermine and destroy Israel entirely. Israel faces forces that deny the validity of a Jewish state entirely and thrives on a religious ideology and messianic vision that is triumphalist, intolerant, and will use any means to achieve its aims. These forces are distorting modern Islam and bear violent intentions toward the West.
Several have written me out of concern for the situation. I am glad to be here. The country is unified. Everyone is worried, but there is no panic. I know that trips are being organized for American Jews to come over to express solidarity. Come. It is important to be here.
I recommend reading David Brooks piece in the New York Times. Link It is the best piece I have read which gives perspective on the historic moment.
Here is a quote from the piece:
"The core issue is that just as Israel has been trying to pull back to more sensible borders, its enemies have gone completely berserk. Through some combination of fecklessness and passivity, the Arab world has ceded control of this vital flashpoint to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Bashar al-Assad. It has ceded its own destiny to people who do not believe in freedom, democracy, tolerance or any of the values civilized people hold dear.
And what’s the world’s response? Israel is overreacting."
During our studies today we reviewed a famous text by Maimonides (12th century) on his notion of the days of the Messiah. His vision of that time was striking: "The Sages and the Prophets did not want an end time in which Israel would rule over the world, or that it would have dominion over the ages, or that it would rule over other nations, or would enjoy a world of material enjoyment. Rather Israel would be free to engage in Torah and wisdom. "
In this medieval language, Maimonides expressed a profound ideal which in some ways remains central to a larger Jewish vision. There is no desire by to control others, to rule over others, to oppress others. In the case of Israel, a state formed by the Jewish people, the aim is to live in peace and security with its neighbors and to foster a society which can pursue peacefully the ideals of Judaism and the Jewish culture. The great majority of Israelis have no desire to rule over Palestinians and have no interests to conquer Lebanon.
The aggression Israel faces now seeks to undermine and destroy Israel entirely. Israel faces forces that deny the validity of a Jewish state entirely and thrives on a religious ideology and messianic vision that is triumphalist, intolerant, and will use any means to achieve its aims. These forces are distorting modern Islam and bear violent intentions toward the West.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Winds of War, Jerusalem 7-14-06
I am out of harms way in Jerusalem. Life is completely normal here. The streets were full of Shabbat shoppers and the cafes were crowded with tourists and locals. Of course, everyone is talking about the 'matzav'. Most Israelis I talked to said, "It is about time." Israel has restrained itself vis a vis Hezbollouh for several years, despite various provocations. In general you do not find anyone in an apologetic mood, even with the deaths of civilians on the other side. Most of the Israelis feel they have no choice because Hamas and Hezbolouh operate amongst civilians, making them hostages. Hezbolouh has made all of Lebanon hostage to its actions.
I do not fear for my personal safety, but I am glued to the internet and the tv like everyone else. My perception which is backed up by several articles I have read is that moderation in the Arab-Islamic world is in retreat and that this past week is a vivid example of how extremist groups can instigate a conflagration. The statements coming out of Iran are odious and everyone in the world should be very concerned about the prospect of that nation getting a nuke. It appears very likely that Iran is behind the actions of Hezbolouh and the Hamas militants.
The challenge for Israel is not to go crazy and to act effectively and pragmatically. That is the debate here. How do you deal with weak states which allow for rampant terror? How do you deal with governments that deny your right to exist. This was a problem for Israel from its inception and it is used to dealing with it. But now the enemies have missles that can hit Haifa and other population centers. The enemies use terrorism and target civilians. They are engaged in a war of terror and attrition.
We are entering a new period which will require Israel to be aggresive before its uncompromising enemies. This is not going to be pleasant. This is not a time for weakness. It is also not a time to bow to our own extremists who would have us sink to the level of the haters of Israel . This will require tremendous and historic leadership. I hope we have it.
My concern is that Americans will give up on the Middle East and on Israel and will let the Islamicists be victorious. I think this would be terrible for Israel, but for the West. Bush has shot himself in the foot with Iraq and American weakness is palpable in the region. That is another reason you see Hezbolouh doing what it is doing. Iran through its proxies is poking America in the eye.
I think American Jews need to come here to witness the courage and the determination of Israelis. It is impressive on many levels. I am reminded of it while we are here in the middle of a major crisis. Israelis refuse to be cowed. I heard a story about a young woman who was at a coffee shop during the worst of the intifada. A suicide bomber had entered the place and was wrested down by the guards and the waiters before he had a chance to explode his package. Everyone had evacuated the restaurant and it was closed for several hours. The young woman had just received her order when the incident took place. So she left, but made sure to come back when the restaurant reopened and reordered her plate.
I saw the same thing. Last night on TV we saw a building ablaze in Naharia from a direct hit by a missle from Lebanon. This morning the we saw the charred building and on the first floor was the fruit and vegetable stand open for business. It was crowded with Shabbat shoppers. The Israelis are brave and not intimidated. It is worth coming over here to see that.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
July 14, 2006 18 Tammuz
I do not fear for my personal safety, but I am glued to the internet and the tv like everyone else. My perception which is backed up by several articles I have read is that moderation in the Arab-Islamic world is in retreat and that this past week is a vivid example of how extremist groups can instigate a conflagration. The statements coming out of Iran are odious and everyone in the world should be very concerned about the prospect of that nation getting a nuke. It appears very likely that Iran is behind the actions of Hezbolouh and the Hamas militants.
The challenge for Israel is not to go crazy and to act effectively and pragmatically. That is the debate here. How do you deal with weak states which allow for rampant terror? How do you deal with governments that deny your right to exist. This was a problem for Israel from its inception and it is used to dealing with it. But now the enemies have missles that can hit Haifa and other population centers. The enemies use terrorism and target civilians. They are engaged in a war of terror and attrition.
We are entering a new period which will require Israel to be aggresive before its uncompromising enemies. This is not going to be pleasant. This is not a time for weakness. It is also not a time to bow to our own extremists who would have us sink to the level of the haters of Israel . This will require tremendous and historic leadership. I hope we have it.
My concern is that Americans will give up on the Middle East and on Israel and will let the Islamicists be victorious. I think this would be terrible for Israel, but for the West. Bush has shot himself in the foot with Iraq and American weakness is palpable in the region. That is another reason you see Hezbolouh doing what it is doing. Iran through its proxies is poking America in the eye.
I think American Jews need to come here to witness the courage and the determination of Israelis. It is impressive on many levels. I am reminded of it while we are here in the middle of a major crisis. Israelis refuse to be cowed. I heard a story about a young woman who was at a coffee shop during the worst of the intifada. A suicide bomber had entered the place and was wrested down by the guards and the waiters before he had a chance to explode his package. Everyone had evacuated the restaurant and it was closed for several hours. The young woman had just received her order when the incident took place. So she left, but made sure to come back when the restaurant reopened and reordered her plate.
I saw the same thing. Last night on TV we saw a building ablaze in Naharia from a direct hit by a missle from Lebanon. This morning the we saw the charred building and on the first floor was the fruit and vegetable stand open for business. It was crowded with Shabbat shoppers. The Israelis are brave and not intimidated. It is worth coming over here to see that.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
July 14, 2006 18 Tammuz
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Feeling the Dilemmas
The breaking news of kidnappings and Katushkas in the North has shaken a lot of people. A couple of the major newspapers (Maariv and Yediot Ahronot) had huge headlines with the word Milhamah-war. It is not war, but clearly a worsening of the security situation and Israel's leaders face very difficult dilemmas in their choice of response. I am watching TV like everyone else, so I do not have a close perspective on what is happening. I feel no direct threat to my security and it has been a very pleasant summer from the perspective of a visitor. But it is clear that Israel is entering a new period in which it faces difficult challenges of dealing with terrorist organizations who are taking advantage of weak or dysfunctional states with the aid of radical states such as Syria and Iran.
Israelis feel frustrated, but the country appears unified as it faces these new threats. The government is new and untested and people are waiting to see how it will respond. I would not be surprised to see a unity government. Meanwhile people live their lives for the most part and worry. They also know that the terrorist threats will not disappear and that the problems we see now will be with Israel for a long time. Unfortunately there does not appear to be a quick solution to the incidents we have seen in the last few weeks.
I am inserting a link to a piece by Ari Shavit which is the best thing I have read about the current situation. Link I think he is right that we are entering a new phase and the end of unilateralism.
Israelis feel frustrated, but the country appears unified as it faces these new threats. The government is new and untested and people are waiting to see how it will respond. I would not be surprised to see a unity government. Meanwhile people live their lives for the most part and worry. They also know that the terrorist threats will not disappear and that the problems we see now will be with Israel for a long time. Unfortunately there does not appear to be a quick solution to the incidents we have seen in the last few weeks.
I am inserting a link to a piece by Ari Shavit which is the best thing I have read about the current situation. Link I think he is right that we are entering a new phase and the end of unilateralism.
Humor in Israel
Amidst all the tension I went to hear a comic yesterday. His monologue describes his three conversions, Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox, followed by a aliyah to Israel. It is a hysterical act and does exemplify the many bizarre stories you run into here in the German Colony and Baka where many American Jews have settled. The comic is Yisrael Campbell.
He had a couple of good lines I will repeat: "It does not matter which denomination you belong to as long as you are ashamed of it." "I did not want to go to hell, so I changed my religion." His stories were hysterical.
He had a good quote from Heschel
When a Jew is in pain, he cries.
When he is in more pain, he is silent.
When he has even more pain, he sings.
In the morning we had a magisterial session on the quality of humility by the scholar, Moshe Halbertal. He compared Aristotles depiction of honor and humility with Maimonides (12th century, Egypt) and the writings of Moshe Hayim Luzzato (17th century, Italy). The lesson was a window into the great cultural divides within Judaism and also between Judaism and the Hellenistic tradition. The session also reminded me of the choices we have as parents and educators in how we convey the value of modesty and honor and how difficult it is in our times to model a spiritual cultivation of humility. Great stuff!!
He had a couple of good lines I will repeat: "It does not matter which denomination you belong to as long as you are ashamed of it." "I did not want to go to hell, so I changed my religion." His stories were hysterical.
He had a good quote from Heschel
When a Jew is in pain, he cries.
When he is in more pain, he is silent.
When he has even more pain, he sings.
In the morning we had a magisterial session on the quality of humility by the scholar, Moshe Halbertal. He compared Aristotles depiction of honor and humility with Maimonides (12th century, Egypt) and the writings of Moshe Hayim Luzzato (17th century, Italy). The lesson was a window into the great cultural divides within Judaism and also between Judaism and the Hellenistic tradition. The session also reminded me of the choices we have as parents and educators in how we convey the value of modesty and honor and how difficult it is in our times to model a spiritual cultivation of humility. Great stuff!!
Sunday, July 9, 2006
"Jewish Tradition Does Not Learn From the Bible"
"Jewish tradition does not learn from the Bible. It teaches the Bible what it is saying." This was the most memorable line today in a memorable lesson on the Abraham narratives. The joy of learning at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem is the capacity of teacher after teacher to bring Jewish texts and ideas to life. In particular the faculty at Hartman demonstrates the remarkable genius of the texts of the rabbis and their capacity to reinterpret the biblical text in the most imaginative and courageous ways. It is a truism that Judaism does not find comfort in a literal reading of scripture. But Hartman teaches its students to fully engage the breadth of non literal readings and to see within them the profound debates that define their world and our own religious divides.
The question today was how the rabbinic texts shape and define the religious personality of Avraham? The Midrashic sources today reveal conflicting views of the core religious experience that is the foundation of Judaism. But one line of Midrashim depicts the religiosity of Avraham as a person of tremendous moral hutzpah, who takes initiative to challenge God and people in the world. This line of interpretation even suggests that Avraham resists God in the binding of Isaac through petitionary prayer. This vision of a fully responsible, non-submissive Avraham is not the simple reading of the Bible, but one religious perspective which emerges from a rabbinic reading of the Bible which is not chained to a rigid view of the text.
One of the reasons I chose of life of study (this is not only for rabbis but any Jew) is the distinct joy of seeing a profound insight emerge from conversations so long ago. I gain pleasure from learning that previous generations had much to teach us. When Jewish texts are taught with inspiration and insight we are able to see the profound humane and spiritual possibities that can make us better human beings. There is the joy of recognition that we are not the first to see the world in a keener way. There is also the joy of learning the understanding about human limits and foibles, a timeless sense of humor and a shocking honesty about human faillings and potential. There is always surprise, subtilty, and humor when encountering these texts and a sense of gratitude to be part of a culture that has so preserved and kept alive its past.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
The question today was how the rabbinic texts shape and define the religious personality of Avraham? The Midrashic sources today reveal conflicting views of the core religious experience that is the foundation of Judaism. But one line of Midrashim depicts the religiosity of Avraham as a person of tremendous moral hutzpah, who takes initiative to challenge God and people in the world. This line of interpretation even suggests that Avraham resists God in the binding of Isaac through petitionary prayer. This vision of a fully responsible, non-submissive Avraham is not the simple reading of the Bible, but one religious perspective which emerges from a rabbinic reading of the Bible which is not chained to a rigid view of the text.
One of the reasons I chose of life of study (this is not only for rabbis but any Jew) is the distinct joy of seeing a profound insight emerge from conversations so long ago. I gain pleasure from learning that previous generations had much to teach us. When Jewish texts are taught with inspiration and insight we are able to see the profound humane and spiritual possibities that can make us better human beings. There is the joy of recognition that we are not the first to see the world in a keener way. There is also the joy of learning the understanding about human limits and foibles, a timeless sense of humor and a shocking honesty about human faillings and potential. There is always surprise, subtilty, and humor when encountering these texts and a sense of gratitude to be part of a culture that has so preserved and kept alive its past.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
July 5, 2006 from Jerusalem
Introduction to the Enewsletter, July 5, 2006
(If you wish to receive the Panim Hadashot, weekly enewsletter, please go to http://www.panimhadashot.com/ and sign up on the email)
I will be spending 3 weeks in July at the Shalom Hartman Institute where I am a fellow in the Rabbinic Leadership Program (formerly known as the Center for Rabbinic Enrichment). I am entering the third year of this three year fellowship of advanced Jewish studies at the Institute which is a renowned center for Jewish learning and thought. This summer I will study with my cohort of thirty rabbis the theme of "Standing before God". We explore the teachings of tradition on how we relate to and communicate with God. We study the classic texts of Jewish tradition on prayer, faith, and commandment and relate them to Judaism in our times. What are the features of a Jewish spiritual life? How do we know when we stand before God, or when we stand at a distance? What are the compromises and limits of a spiritual life?
A day at Hartman consists of 6 to 8 hours of learning together and with outstanding teachers and colleagues. I draw from this remarkable learning to teach in Seattle and to expose my students to the great sacred and literary texts of Judaism. Please check out my blog for snippets of this this learning and insight from Jerusalem.
I am also thrilled that several people who participated in the Hartman long distance seminar in Seattle have come to Jerusalem to study in the lay leadership program. I have been joining them for their sessions and am thrilled that they have discovered the remarkable learning experience that the institute offers.
Panim Hadashot continues to gain attention in the Jewish world outside Seattle. I recommend that you read the most current issue of Sh'ma. This is a journal which is read by Jewish leaders and educators as well as many serious Jews about issues facing the Jewish people. The current issue is devoted to innovation in Jewish life. Follow this link. I have an article in the issue. I recommend that you read Shawn Landres' piece which looks at the landscape of Jewish innovation. Panim Hadashot is one of the leaders nationally.
Meanwhile, Panim Hadashot is busy planning for the upcoming 2006-7 year. Please continue to follow our newsletters as we announce the details of the High Holidays. I am pleased to announce that our unique High Holiday program has been underwritten in memory of Edwin L. Bierman. Marilyn Bierman continues to support Jewish learning and innovation in his memory. Her gift enables Panim Hadashot to offer an innovative approach to the High Holidays that provides a unique opportunity for people to seriously explore the meaning of Judaism and to experience it deeply in all its beauty, joy, and wisdom.
I hope to be writing daily in the rabbiblog at http://www.panimhadashot.com/ about my experiences here. Please visit there and I welcome your comments.
Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
July 5, 2006; 9 Tammuz 5756
(If you wish to receive the Panim Hadashot, weekly enewsletter, please go to http://www.panimhadashot.com/ and sign up on the email)
I will be spending 3 weeks in July at the Shalom Hartman Institute where I am a fellow in the Rabbinic Leadership Program (formerly known as the Center for Rabbinic Enrichment). I am entering the third year of this three year fellowship of advanced Jewish studies at the Institute which is a renowned center for Jewish learning and thought. This summer I will study with my cohort of thirty rabbis the theme of "Standing before God". We explore the teachings of tradition on how we relate to and communicate with God. We study the classic texts of Jewish tradition on prayer, faith, and commandment and relate them to Judaism in our times. What are the features of a Jewish spiritual life? How do we know when we stand before God, or when we stand at a distance? What are the compromises and limits of a spiritual life?
A day at Hartman consists of 6 to 8 hours of learning together and with outstanding teachers and colleagues. I draw from this remarkable learning to teach in Seattle and to expose my students to the great sacred and literary texts of Judaism. Please check out my blog for snippets of this this learning and insight from Jerusalem.
I am also thrilled that several people who participated in the Hartman long distance seminar in Seattle have come to Jerusalem to study in the lay leadership program. I have been joining them for their sessions and am thrilled that they have discovered the remarkable learning experience that the institute offers.
Panim Hadashot continues to gain attention in the Jewish world outside Seattle. I recommend that you read the most current issue of Sh'ma. This is a journal which is read by Jewish leaders and educators as well as many serious Jews about issues facing the Jewish people. The current issue is devoted to innovation in Jewish life. Follow this link. I have an article in the issue. I recommend that you read Shawn Landres' piece which looks at the landscape of Jewish innovation. Panim Hadashot is one of the leaders nationally.
Meanwhile, Panim Hadashot is busy planning for the upcoming 2006-7 year. Please continue to follow our newsletters as we announce the details of the High Holidays. I am pleased to announce that our unique High Holiday program has been underwritten in memory of Edwin L. Bierman. Marilyn Bierman continues to support Jewish learning and innovation in his memory. Her gift enables Panim Hadashot to offer an innovative approach to the High Holidays that provides a unique opportunity for people to seriously explore the meaning of Judaism and to experience it deeply in all its beauty, joy, and wisdom.
I hope to be writing daily in the rabbiblog at http://www.panimhadashot.com/ about my experiences here. Please visit there and I welcome your comments.
Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
July 5, 2006; 9 Tammuz 5756
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Report from Israel
Dear Friends,
I arrived at Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon and took a shuttle to Jerusalem. I love the new airport, especially the crisscrossing ramp which divides the those arriving and departing. Who will arrive and who will depart? Is this a traveler's unetaneh tokef-that prayer of contrasting fates we chant during the Day of Awe.
Israel is always stories, encounters with people coming and going. I am on a shuttle going to Jerusalem reading a book called the End of Faith by Sam Harris. I have been slowly absorbing this devastating critique of religion and faith for a couple of months and I happened to be finishing it on my way to Jerusalem. The young woman sitting next to me in the shuttle asked me a question about Jerusalem which began a conversation about religion. She told me that she was coming for two months to study with Aish Hatorah, an orthodox Jewish outreach group which is based in Jerusalem. I asked her what brought her to Aish. She said she attended a seminar in her city about the nature of the soul which touched her deeply. She grew up a secular Jew and had never heard God or the soul mentioned growing up. Now she was on her way to discover Judaism, God, and faith, in Jerusalem. She did not ask me about the book I was reading. I did not have the inclination to discuss my book with her. She was reading the 'beginning of faith' and did not want to hear the end of it.
People are arrivng and departing in Israel. Going up to God, going away from God. Going up to Jerusalem, going down from Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem gay pride parade is coming on August 10th. The orthodox rabbinate, the Greek orthodox, and the Muslim sheiks are banding together to block the parade and the rhetoric in the media is too odious to repeat. In this climate my brother and his life partner came to visit Israel for the first time in 18 years. My ultra orthodox sister originally arranged to see them both, but then disinvited my brother's partner. She agreed to see my brother, but refused to acknowledge or socialize with them as a couple. The liberal side of my family was in shock over the rejection. The orthodox of my family hastily set up fences, fearing the exposure to the alien and the forbidden.
People are arriving and departing. This is a place of opposite directions, splitting roads, crisscrossing ramps. Families careening into different orbits. Last night I heard Ami Ayalon at the Hartman Institute giving a vision of hope and peace even amidst a sober assessment. Israel's security is tied to Palestinian hope. As he was speaking a Qassam hit an empty school in Ashkelon. In the morning papers the commentators predicted war. Hope and Despair.
Crisscrossing ramps of people going different ways. The topic of my studies at the Hartman Institute is "Standing before God". In Israel people think they are running toward God or away from Him. I see few standing before Him. People are either angry at Him or are falling in love with Him. And everyone is trying to sort out what He/She demands of us or if we have to figure this out on our own. At the very least it leads to great conversations in the taxis, in the synagogues, and in the cafes. July 5, 2006. As for God, more about that later.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
I arrived at Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon and took a shuttle to Jerusalem. I love the new airport, especially the crisscrossing ramp which divides the those arriving and departing. Who will arrive and who will depart? Is this a traveler's unetaneh tokef-that prayer of contrasting fates we chant during the Day of Awe.
Israel is always stories, encounters with people coming and going. I am on a shuttle going to Jerusalem reading a book called the End of Faith by Sam Harris. I have been slowly absorbing this devastating critique of religion and faith for a couple of months and I happened to be finishing it on my way to Jerusalem. The young woman sitting next to me in the shuttle asked me a question about Jerusalem which began a conversation about religion. She told me that she was coming for two months to study with Aish Hatorah, an orthodox Jewish outreach group which is based in Jerusalem. I asked her what brought her to Aish. She said she attended a seminar in her city about the nature of the soul which touched her deeply. She grew up a secular Jew and had never heard God or the soul mentioned growing up. Now she was on her way to discover Judaism, God, and faith, in Jerusalem. She did not ask me about the book I was reading. I did not have the inclination to discuss my book with her. She was reading the 'beginning of faith' and did not want to hear the end of it.
People are arrivng and departing in Israel. Going up to God, going away from God. Going up to Jerusalem, going down from Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem gay pride parade is coming on August 10th. The orthodox rabbinate, the Greek orthodox, and the Muslim sheiks are banding together to block the parade and the rhetoric in the media is too odious to repeat. In this climate my brother and his life partner came to visit Israel for the first time in 18 years. My ultra orthodox sister originally arranged to see them both, but then disinvited my brother's partner. She agreed to see my brother, but refused to acknowledge or socialize with them as a couple. The liberal side of my family was in shock over the rejection. The orthodox of my family hastily set up fences, fearing the exposure to the alien and the forbidden.
People are arriving and departing. This is a place of opposite directions, splitting roads, crisscrossing ramps. Families careening into different orbits. Last night I heard Ami Ayalon at the Hartman Institute giving a vision of hope and peace even amidst a sober assessment. Israel's security is tied to Palestinian hope. As he was speaking a Qassam hit an empty school in Ashkelon. In the morning papers the commentators predicted war. Hope and Despair.
Crisscrossing ramps of people going different ways. The topic of my studies at the Hartman Institute is "Standing before God". In Israel people think they are running toward God or away from Him. I see few standing before Him. People are either angry at Him or are falling in love with Him. And everyone is trying to sort out what He/She demands of us or if we have to figure this out on our own. At the very least it leads to great conversations in the taxis, in the synagogues, and in the cafes. July 5, 2006. As for God, more about that later.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
The Emerging Spiritual Paradigm
This article appeared in Sh'ma this month along with an article published by me. This is a thoughtful analysis of what is happening in American Jewish religious life at the current moment and Seattle is blessed with at least two very exciting examples of this. I am attaching my article in a separate post. Rabbi Dov
The Emerging Spiritual Paradigm
J. Shawn Landres
The past few years have witnessed a renaissance in Jewish religious life through the formation of new spiritual communities unbound by conventional expectations about the roles and parameters of a synagogue. These new groups — led mostly by Generation Xers (born 1965-83) and Millennials (born 1983-2000) — crave spirituality, but they aren’t interested in rote rules or in lightweight worship. Instead, they focus on devotional experiences that move beyond the walls of the synagogue, build community, and, perhaps most of all, create what they call an authentic connection to their traditions and to God. De-emphasizing the 20th-century themes of Holocaust memory and “Israel right or wrong,” the leaders are formulating a community-based spirituality through a return to Judaism’s sacred pillars of Torah, prayer, and social justice.
My colleagues and I at Synagogue 3000 call this phenomenon “Jewish Emergent,” because of similarities with a Christian movement known as the Emerging Church. Partly in response to the “church-growth” and “seeker-sensitive” movements that have fueled the expansion of megachurches such as Willow Creek, Saddleback, and Lakewood, “Emergent” Christian theologians and pastors have united to create new spiritual communities based on ritual innovation (including a return to traditional liturgical forms) and a renewed commitment to social justice.
Three broad streams of Jewish leaders and communities are emerging: independent minyanim, “parashuls” (analogous to parachurches), and congregational communities of practice. The independent minyanim tend to be organized around lay-led Shabbat worship, while the parashuls are led by charismatic entrepreneurs creating connections beyond traditional institutional boundaries; leaders of the third type, whether they admit to it or not, are reinventing or replacing the synagogue. While all three types attract unaffiliated individuals looking for more episodic individual spiritual expression, the independent minyanim and the new congregational communities of practice seem to be magnets for highly-educated but disaffected Jewish summer camp and Hillel alumni.
Both Jewish and Christian emerging communities practice what one leader called “orthoparadox” — the creative tension that arises when doctrine and intentional practice are given equal weight in organizing a community’s priorities. Congregation Tehillah’s Rabbi Shoshana Leis describes it as having “Kaplan on my left and Heschel on my right.” Like their Christian counterparts, Jewish Emergent communities are blurring the line between the “sacred” and the “secular”; they are ignoring traditional institutional boundaries to do their work wherever it is, especially in local urban neighborhoods. Put another way, the institutions are driven by actions, not defined by an address. And perhaps partly as a result, there is room for serious Jewish theology as the ground of both prayer and activism.
Relationship, not contract or program, is the driving metaphor for many Jewish Emergent communities. As Rabbi Dov Gartenberg of Panim Hadashot notes in his blog [and see essay in this issue — ed.], “hospitality is making a huge comeback as a central religious ideal. The shared meal, the open door, the nonjudgmental acceptance, the care for the other is a central overarching aspect of a spiritual life.”
To be sure, much of the outreach and hospitality characteristic of Jewish Emergent is reminiscent of strategies employed by Chabad, Aish HaTorah, and other Orthodox outreach organizations. Hospitality is not exclusively an Orthodox trait, and when it is combined with a nonjudgmental approach to personal religious practice and an attention to social justice not normally found in the ultra-Orthodox world, it becomes a potent spiritual practice with major implications for the way Jewish institutions engage with Jews of all kinds.
To some observers, the recent ferment appears similar to the chavurah movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. There are three key differences.
First, while both are intentional communities, the 1960s chavurot were far less concerned with traditional ritual practice: many chavurot were created to engender ritual freedom. Almost all Jewish Emergent minyanim and congregations, as well as many parashuls, devote considerable time and energy to worship.
Second, from a broader sociological standpoint, chavurot were vehicles for a more individualistic seeker spirituality characteristic of baby boomers; their organizational heirs are the small groups prevalent in many evangelical churches and often found in synagogues as “Jewish journey groups.”
Third, as Rabbi Andy Bachman, co-founder of the Brooklyn Jews community, has pointed out, unlike the 1960s chavurot, today’s Jewish Emergent groups are decidedly non-utopian in their pragmatic approach not only to social justice in an imperfect world, but also to the instability and uncertainty that has come to characterize the post-boomer life course.
“We’re all standing on the threshold,” remarked IKAR’s Rabbi Sharon Brous at an S3K gathering of Jewish Emergent leaders, “but not necessarily of the old doors.” Jewish Emergent resists easy definition: its postdenominational cant reflects an attempt to find the essence of Jewish spiritual commitment, one free of labels or packaging. “We’re creating new doors, we’re creating windows, we’re knocking holes in the wall,” Brous continued. “We hear the voices from the outside differently than they may have been heard before.” Though its leaders exhibit a rich diversity of approaches and philosophies, they do share the values they practice and an emerging vision of Judaism as a relational conversation aimed at spirituality in intentional community.
J. Shawn Landres is Director of Research at Synagogue 3000 (http://www.synagogue3000.org/) and a Visiting Research Fellow at UCLA’s Center for Jewish Studies. He has co-edited and published three books and is the author of numerous academic and popular articles, most recently, “Jewish Communities in the Americas,” in A Handbook of Global Religions (Oxford, 2007). His latest book, co-edited with Oren Stier, is Religion, Violence, Memory, and Place (Indiana, 2006). He wishes to thank Joshua Avedon and Ben Callet for their contributions to this essay.
The Emerging Spiritual Paradigm
J. Shawn Landres
The past few years have witnessed a renaissance in Jewish religious life through the formation of new spiritual communities unbound by conventional expectations about the roles and parameters of a synagogue. These new groups — led mostly by Generation Xers (born 1965-83) and Millennials (born 1983-2000) — crave spirituality, but they aren’t interested in rote rules or in lightweight worship. Instead, they focus on devotional experiences that move beyond the walls of the synagogue, build community, and, perhaps most of all, create what they call an authentic connection to their traditions and to God. De-emphasizing the 20th-century themes of Holocaust memory and “Israel right or wrong,” the leaders are formulating a community-based spirituality through a return to Judaism’s sacred pillars of Torah, prayer, and social justice.
My colleagues and I at Synagogue 3000 call this phenomenon “Jewish Emergent,” because of similarities with a Christian movement known as the Emerging Church. Partly in response to the “church-growth” and “seeker-sensitive” movements that have fueled the expansion of megachurches such as Willow Creek, Saddleback, and Lakewood, “Emergent” Christian theologians and pastors have united to create new spiritual communities based on ritual innovation (including a return to traditional liturgical forms) and a renewed commitment to social justice.
Three broad streams of Jewish leaders and communities are emerging: independent minyanim, “parashuls” (analogous to parachurches), and congregational communities of practice. The independent minyanim tend to be organized around lay-led Shabbat worship, while the parashuls are led by charismatic entrepreneurs creating connections beyond traditional institutional boundaries; leaders of the third type, whether they admit to it or not, are reinventing or replacing the synagogue. While all three types attract unaffiliated individuals looking for more episodic individual spiritual expression, the independent minyanim and the new congregational communities of practice seem to be magnets for highly-educated but disaffected Jewish summer camp and Hillel alumni.
Both Jewish and Christian emerging communities practice what one leader called “orthoparadox” — the creative tension that arises when doctrine and intentional practice are given equal weight in organizing a community’s priorities. Congregation Tehillah’s Rabbi Shoshana Leis describes it as having “Kaplan on my left and Heschel on my right.” Like their Christian counterparts, Jewish Emergent communities are blurring the line between the “sacred” and the “secular”; they are ignoring traditional institutional boundaries to do their work wherever it is, especially in local urban neighborhoods. Put another way, the institutions are driven by actions, not defined by an address. And perhaps partly as a result, there is room for serious Jewish theology as the ground of both prayer and activism.
Relationship, not contract or program, is the driving metaphor for many Jewish Emergent communities. As Rabbi Dov Gartenberg of Panim Hadashot notes in his blog [and see essay in this issue — ed.], “hospitality is making a huge comeback as a central religious ideal. The shared meal, the open door, the nonjudgmental acceptance, the care for the other is a central overarching aspect of a spiritual life.”
To be sure, much of the outreach and hospitality characteristic of Jewish Emergent is reminiscent of strategies employed by Chabad, Aish HaTorah, and other Orthodox outreach organizations. Hospitality is not exclusively an Orthodox trait, and when it is combined with a nonjudgmental approach to personal religious practice and an attention to social justice not normally found in the ultra-Orthodox world, it becomes a potent spiritual practice with major implications for the way Jewish institutions engage with Jews of all kinds.
To some observers, the recent ferment appears similar to the chavurah movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. There are three key differences.
First, while both are intentional communities, the 1960s chavurot were far less concerned with traditional ritual practice: many chavurot were created to engender ritual freedom. Almost all Jewish Emergent minyanim and congregations, as well as many parashuls, devote considerable time and energy to worship.
Second, from a broader sociological standpoint, chavurot were vehicles for a more individualistic seeker spirituality characteristic of baby boomers; their organizational heirs are the small groups prevalent in many evangelical churches and often found in synagogues as “Jewish journey groups.”
Third, as Rabbi Andy Bachman, co-founder of the Brooklyn Jews community, has pointed out, unlike the 1960s chavurot, today’s Jewish Emergent groups are decidedly non-utopian in their pragmatic approach not only to social justice in an imperfect world, but also to the instability and uncertainty that has come to characterize the post-boomer life course.
“We’re all standing on the threshold,” remarked IKAR’s Rabbi Sharon Brous at an S3K gathering of Jewish Emergent leaders, “but not necessarily of the old doors.” Jewish Emergent resists easy definition: its postdenominational cant reflects an attempt to find the essence of Jewish spiritual commitment, one free of labels or packaging. “We’re creating new doors, we’re creating windows, we’re knocking holes in the wall,” Brous continued. “We hear the voices from the outside differently than they may have been heard before.” Though its leaders exhibit a rich diversity of approaches and philosophies, they do share the values they practice and an emerging vision of Judaism as a relational conversation aimed at spirituality in intentional community.
J. Shawn Landres is Director of Research at Synagogue 3000 (http://www.synagogue3000.org/) and a Visiting Research Fellow at UCLA’s Center for Jewish Studies. He has co-edited and published three books and is the author of numerous academic and popular articles, most recently, “Jewish Communities in the Americas,” in A Handbook of Global Religions (Oxford, 2007). His latest book, co-edited with Oren Stier, is Religion, Violence, Memory, and Place (Indiana, 2006). He wishes to thank Joshua Avedon and Ben Callet for their contributions to this essay.
Innovation in Jewish Life
Dear Friends,
I am enclosing a PDF of the June's Sh'ma Journal. This is an outstanding publication which focuses on Jewish issues and concerns. This month the journal is focusing on innovation in American Jewish life. I have an article in the issue. I am attaching a pdf of the issue in this file which you may look at. If you are impressed, consider subscribing to this excellent publication by going to their website:
http://www.shma.com/salon/Salon.phtml
Download shma_june06.pdf
I am enclosing a PDF of the June's Sh'ma Journal. This is an outstanding publication which focuses on Jewish issues and concerns. This month the journal is focusing on innovation in American Jewish life. I have an article in the issue. I am attaching a pdf of the issue in this file which you may look at. If you are impressed, consider subscribing to this excellent publication by going to their website:
http://www.shma.com/salon/Salon.phtml
Download shma_june06.pdf
Monday, June 19, 2006
Summer Message #3 The Accident of Being Jewish
The Accident of Being Jewish
I strongly subscribe to the opinion expressed by Leon Wieseltier in his book, Against Identity. "Every inheritance is an accident. This is what religious, sexual, and ethnic identity is designed to make one forget. For a feeling of contingency, it substitutes a feeling of necessity. But it is not necessary to be necessary, if one is prepared to work. There is no shame in being accidental." People call me up in my capacity of Rabbi of Panim Hadashot. They tell me they are born Jews.
They have Jewish genes. They are Jewish to the bone even if they practice another religion. I don't believe in Jewish genes except to the extent you may get an inherited disease. I don't believe that Jewish genes make you believe unique things or behave in certain ways. I do think that upbringing and culture matters, so there are a range of so called Jewish behaviors and attitudes that a person may acquire through a wide range of upbringings which could be called Jewish. I have a broad definition of Jewish culture and it can be transmitted in various ways. But I also believe there is content to Judaism. Judaism stands for specific ideas and perceptions of the world. To learn these a person, Jew or non-Jew, must make effort to understand the core of the culture, the guts of the religious life, or the language and values of the people.
Wieseltier continues, "Rabbi Yose said: Make yourself fit for the study of Torah, for it is not an inheritance." Not an inheritance: this from the first century in Judea , gives the problem of tradition, the illusion of tradition, in all its brutality.....For centuries we have been warned. The biological deos not establish the spiritual. Like the sins of the fathers, the illuminations of the fathers will not be visited upon the sons. So you want Jewish spirituality. You have to work for it. It is not automatic.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg6-19-06
I strongly subscribe to the opinion expressed by Leon Wieseltier in his book, Against Identity. "Every inheritance is an accident. This is what religious, sexual, and ethnic identity is designed to make one forget. For a feeling of contingency, it substitutes a feeling of necessity. But it is not necessary to be necessary, if one is prepared to work. There is no shame in being accidental." People call me up in my capacity of Rabbi of Panim Hadashot. They tell me they are born Jews.
They have Jewish genes. They are Jewish to the bone even if they practice another religion. I don't believe in Jewish genes except to the extent you may get an inherited disease. I don't believe that Jewish genes make you believe unique things or behave in certain ways. I do think that upbringing and culture matters, so there are a range of so called Jewish behaviors and attitudes that a person may acquire through a wide range of upbringings which could be called Jewish. I have a broad definition of Jewish culture and it can be transmitted in various ways. But I also believe there is content to Judaism. Judaism stands for specific ideas and perceptions of the world. To learn these a person, Jew or non-Jew, must make effort to understand the core of the culture, the guts of the religious life, or the language and values of the people.
Wieseltier continues, "Rabbi Yose said: Make yourself fit for the study of Torah, for it is not an inheritance." Not an inheritance: this from the first century in Judea , gives the problem of tradition, the illusion of tradition, in all its brutality.....For centuries we have been warned. The biological deos not establish the spiritual. Like the sins of the fathers, the illuminations of the fathers will not be visited upon the sons. So you want Jewish spirituality. You have to work for it. It is not automatic.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg6-19-06
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Summer Message #2 Why Be Jewish?
Dear Friends,
We have chosen to wrap the Panim Hadashot High Holiday program around a theme: Why Be Jewish? The High Holidays is a time when Jews gather. The traditional format is to pray most or all of the days. But one of the big breakdowns in modern Jewish life is the connection of the Jew to the traditional prayers. So our experiment is based on gathering Jews to study and converse on Jewish themes as an alternative path to marking these special holidays. The theme of Why be Jewish? gets to the heart of the matter. How do we ground a commitment to living a Jewish life, of expressing a positive Jewish identity? Do the traditional answers to this question make sense? Are there new answers to this question? During the summer months I will reflect on the question in this blog. I welcome comments and thoughts and hope you will join us in examining this question when we gather on Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur.
Leon Wieseltier wrote a beautiful little book in the 90s called Against Identity. It is aphoristic in format and is filled with profound observations on identity and contemporary culture. Over the next few entries I would like to share some of the most thought provoking passages and relate it to our question.
This passage is found on page 25. "Kierkegaard said that it is easier for somebody who is not a Christian to become a Christian than it is for somebody who is a Christian to become a Christian. I am always at a disadvantage toward my own tradition. I am not only quickened by my intimacy with what I have been given, I am also dulled by it. I lack the wakefulness of the stranger. I should conduct myself toward the tradition to which I have fallen heir like an actor who has played a scene poorly: I should go out and come in again."
It has certainly been my experience working with converts that it is easier for somebody who is not a Jew to become a Jew than it is for somebody who is a Jew to become a Jew. Now this might sound shocking, given that Judaism carries a whole lot more cultural baggage (specific language, land, ethnicity). But I think the observation makes sense from the perspective of motivation. It is now commonplace to see Jews by Choice show much more fervor and interest in Judaism than their born Jewish partners. It is also common to find Jews either complacent or alienated about their legacy. Adulthood is a second chance for Jews to go out and come in again.
This is the basis of asking the question of Why be Jewish? To some the question makes no sense at all. Some of us feel Jewish to the bone and have never felt the need to articulate the question, much less answer it. But we no longer have singular identies and affiliations. Many ways of being tug at us. So what does the Jewish 'piece' have to add to who we are? Does the Judaism of my childhood make any sense in adulthood? If I did not get much Judaism in my childhood, what does it have to add to my adulthood?
Wieseltier adds on page 27: "To know about a thing that is yours is to know little about it." I think this is true of Jews today. It was true of Jews (Israelites) in the Exodus. God picks a stranger to lead them out of Egypt. So maybe the solution today is to make ourselves strangers temporarily to our own tradition to reassess its importance in our lives.
Judaism greatly emphasizes Kavanah-intention and purity of heart. Posing the question of Why be Jewish? restores the possibility of kavanah to living a Jewish life. Intentionality lifts up our acts and our values to a higher level. That is why the question is appropriate on the Days of Awe when we seek to move our lives to a higher level.
Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg6-18-06
We have chosen to wrap the Panim Hadashot High Holiday program around a theme: Why Be Jewish? The High Holidays is a time when Jews gather. The traditional format is to pray most or all of the days. But one of the big breakdowns in modern Jewish life is the connection of the Jew to the traditional prayers. So our experiment is based on gathering Jews to study and converse on Jewish themes as an alternative path to marking these special holidays. The theme of Why be Jewish? gets to the heart of the matter. How do we ground a commitment to living a Jewish life, of expressing a positive Jewish identity? Do the traditional answers to this question make sense? Are there new answers to this question? During the summer months I will reflect on the question in this blog. I welcome comments and thoughts and hope you will join us in examining this question when we gather on Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur.
Leon Wieseltier wrote a beautiful little book in the 90s called Against Identity. It is aphoristic in format and is filled with profound observations on identity and contemporary culture. Over the next few entries I would like to share some of the most thought provoking passages and relate it to our question.
This passage is found on page 25. "Kierkegaard said that it is easier for somebody who is not a Christian to become a Christian than it is for somebody who is a Christian to become a Christian. I am always at a disadvantage toward my own tradition. I am not only quickened by my intimacy with what I have been given, I am also dulled by it. I lack the wakefulness of the stranger. I should conduct myself toward the tradition to which I have fallen heir like an actor who has played a scene poorly: I should go out and come in again."
It has certainly been my experience working with converts that it is easier for somebody who is not a Jew to become a Jew than it is for somebody who is a Jew to become a Jew. Now this might sound shocking, given that Judaism carries a whole lot more cultural baggage (specific language, land, ethnicity). But I think the observation makes sense from the perspective of motivation. It is now commonplace to see Jews by Choice show much more fervor and interest in Judaism than their born Jewish partners. It is also common to find Jews either complacent or alienated about their legacy. Adulthood is a second chance for Jews to go out and come in again.
This is the basis of asking the question of Why be Jewish? To some the question makes no sense at all. Some of us feel Jewish to the bone and have never felt the need to articulate the question, much less answer it. But we no longer have singular identies and affiliations. Many ways of being tug at us. So what does the Jewish 'piece' have to add to who we are? Does the Judaism of my childhood make any sense in adulthood? If I did not get much Judaism in my childhood, what does it have to add to my adulthood?
Wieseltier adds on page 27: "To know about a thing that is yours is to know little about it." I think this is true of Jews today. It was true of Jews (Israelites) in the Exodus. God picks a stranger to lead them out of Egypt. So maybe the solution today is to make ourselves strangers temporarily to our own tradition to reassess its importance in our lives.
Judaism greatly emphasizes Kavanah-intention and purity of heart. Posing the question of Why be Jewish? restores the possibility of kavanah to living a Jewish life. Intentionality lifts up our acts and our values to a higher level. That is why the question is appropriate on the Days of Awe when we seek to move our lives to a higher level.
Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg6-18-06
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Summer Message #1
Dear Friends,
The summer is almost upon us and it is time to relax and enjoy the good weather and the company of family and friends. Panim Hadashot will scale down its activities to a minimum from June to August. If you are interested in hosting a Shabbat around Seattle, we still have openings during most of this period.
At Panim Hadashot we are busy planning for the fall and the coming year. We are planning a wonderful and unique High Holiday program which will complement the Shabbat around Seattle events that will continue in the Fall.
The Panim Hadashot High Holidays will feature the following
· A Unifying Theme: "Why be Jewish?" withs study sessions and forums on Rosh Hashannah afternoon, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur afternoon.
· Two beautiful High Holiday Seders, including a Rosh Hashannah Seder on Friday, Sept 22nd and a Feast Before the Fast prior to Kol Nidre on Sunday later afternoon, October 1st with the ritual foods prepared by Emily Moore, renowned Seattle Jewish chef
· Expanded "Services for the Ambivalent" on Rosh Hashannah morning, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur morning.
· Our entire program will take place at the gorgeous grounds of Bastyr University and St. Edwards Park in the Juanita-Kenmore area above Lake Washington with outdoor programs planned.
· Family programming will also be offered as well as concurrent childcare to make our program family friendly.
We chose the theme "Why Be Jewish" to explore the contemporary meaning and relevance of Judaism for Jews with complex identities. How do we integrate our Jewish sensibilities and identity with our other frames of reference? What in Judaism speaks to our current reality? What in Judaism does not? How do we fashion a passionate and thoughtful commitment to Judaism which is a force for good in the world and within Jewish life? We want to utilize the period of the High Holidays to reflect on these questions and start the new year.
We also want to celebrate the beauty of Judaism by sharing with the community the beautiful seder traditions of this season. We will offer the first public Seudah Hamafseke-the feast before the Yom Kippur Fast. Rich with symbolic foods and uplifiting rituals and activities, this meal will enable participants to ready themselves for the great day of atonement and offer time to pause to reflect on the past year and hopes for the coming one. Along with the Rosh Hashannah seder these public seders enable participants to share this season with family, friends, and new faces a festival meal in a relaxed and spiritual manner.
More information will be forthcoming as the summer progresses. If you are interested in reserving a spot (since space will be limited), please write to Cynthia, my assistant, cynthia@panimhadashot.com.
On a personal note, I am overjoyed to announce that I am soon to marry. My fiancee is Robbie. She is a lovely person, full of life and kindness. Our plans are to marry in the late fall. Thanks for the many well wishes.
Shalom,
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
The summer is almost upon us and it is time to relax and enjoy the good weather and the company of family and friends. Panim Hadashot will scale down its activities to a minimum from June to August. If you are interested in hosting a Shabbat around Seattle, we still have openings during most of this period.
At Panim Hadashot we are busy planning for the fall and the coming year. We are planning a wonderful and unique High Holiday program which will complement the Shabbat around Seattle events that will continue in the Fall.
The Panim Hadashot High Holidays will feature the following
· A Unifying Theme: "Why be Jewish?" withs study sessions and forums on Rosh Hashannah afternoon, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur afternoon.
· Two beautiful High Holiday Seders, including a Rosh Hashannah Seder on Friday, Sept 22nd and a Feast Before the Fast prior to Kol Nidre on Sunday later afternoon, October 1st with the ritual foods prepared by Emily Moore, renowned Seattle Jewish chef
· Expanded "Services for the Ambivalent" on Rosh Hashannah morning, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur morning.
· Our entire program will take place at the gorgeous grounds of Bastyr University and St. Edwards Park in the Juanita-Kenmore area above Lake Washington with outdoor programs planned.
· Family programming will also be offered as well as concurrent childcare to make our program family friendly.
We chose the theme "Why Be Jewish" to explore the contemporary meaning and relevance of Judaism for Jews with complex identities. How do we integrate our Jewish sensibilities and identity with our other frames of reference? What in Judaism speaks to our current reality? What in Judaism does not? How do we fashion a passionate and thoughtful commitment to Judaism which is a force for good in the world and within Jewish life? We want to utilize the period of the High Holidays to reflect on these questions and start the new year.
We also want to celebrate the beauty of Judaism by sharing with the community the beautiful seder traditions of this season. We will offer the first public Seudah Hamafseke-the feast before the Yom Kippur Fast. Rich with symbolic foods and uplifiting rituals and activities, this meal will enable participants to ready themselves for the great day of atonement and offer time to pause to reflect on the past year and hopes for the coming one. Along with the Rosh Hashannah seder these public seders enable participants to share this season with family, friends, and new faces a festival meal in a relaxed and spiritual manner.
More information will be forthcoming as the summer progresses. If you are interested in reserving a spot (since space will be limited), please write to Cynthia, my assistant, cynthia@panimhadashot.com.
On a personal note, I am overjoyed to announce that I am soon to marry. My fiancee is Robbie. She is a lovely person, full of life and kindness. Our plans are to marry in the late fall. Thanks for the many well wishes.
Shalom,
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Rabbi Dov's Listing of Jewish Innovative Organizations
Dear Friends,
From time to time I want to list for you Jewish organizations and communities that are doing exciting things. Mikol mlamdai hiskalti. I learn from all my teachers. We are living at a time of great fermentation in Jewish life. I invite you to check out some of these new experienments in Jewish community.
Ikar A new type of community in Los Angeles formed by Rabbi Sharon Brous
Aitz Hayim In Chicago. This is a shul without a building. Read the 10 principles.
Religion Outside a Box I just got in contact with the founder of this group.
Storahtelling This organization revitalized the ritual of reading the Torah.
If you want to keep follow interesting changes taking place in the American Jewish community, go to the Synagogue 3000 website and blog. LINK
Panim Hadashot is proud to be part of this flowering. Share with me your impressions.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
From time to time I want to list for you Jewish organizations and communities that are doing exciting things. Mikol mlamdai hiskalti. I learn from all my teachers. We are living at a time of great fermentation in Jewish life. I invite you to check out some of these new experienments in Jewish community.
Ikar A new type of community in Los Angeles formed by Rabbi Sharon Brous
Aitz Hayim In Chicago. This is a shul without a building. Read the 10 principles.
Religion Outside a Box I just got in contact with the founder of this group.
Storahtelling This organization revitalized the ritual of reading the Torah.
If you want to keep follow interesting changes taking place in the American Jewish community, go to the Synagogue 3000 website and blog. LINK
Panim Hadashot is proud to be part of this flowering. Share with me your impressions.
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Sunday, May 7, 2006
A Voice Recording of Mah Yedidut-A Sabbath Table Song
This is a lovely Shabbat table song along with my 'geshrai' custom (a well place oy between the phrases). A text of this song is found in the many songsters and Sabbath prayerbooks. I recommend the Kol Echad Songster which also has a transliteration of the Hebrew text.
Download mah_yedidut.WMA
Download mah_yedidut.WMA
Saturday, May 6, 2006
Some Shabbat at Home Ideas
Dear Friends,
I like to pass on to you some of the new ideas and practices I am sharing at the Shabbat around Seattle experiences. I have found these practices to greatly enhance the joy-oneg of Shabbat. This past Shabbat I spend with a lovely family in Newcastle. I shared with them a couple of traditions.
Following the Talmud in Shabbat I brought a shofar which we blew 6 times prior to candlelighting. Here is a paraphrasing of the source by Francine Klagsburn from her book, The 4th Commandment. When the Second Temple stood, six blasts of the Shofar announced the approachof the Sabbath to the Jewish community. The first blast signaled the farmers to stop their plowing. Digging, or other work in the fields. The second directed the merchants in the towns to place the shutters on their windows and close their shops. The third meant that all the cooking must end and the time had come to light the Sabbath lamp. Soon after, three more blasts proclaimed the official beginning of the Sabbath.
Blowing the shofar is a dramatic 'havdalah', differentiation from the week of work and stress. It signifies renewal and links up Shabbat with Rosh Hashannah. I have also learned that Jews never tire of hearing the shofar and that it has very positive associations. One suggestion: Let a kid blow the shofar. It helps him or her feel that Shabbat is special.
Just after candlighting we read a passage from Naomi Levy's beautiful book of prayers. When we read this, everyone chimed in with a comment of how helpful it was to move into the Shabbat mood.
A Prayer for Embracing Lifes Mystery A Prayer at Candlelighting I want to know You, God. I want to see the world through Your eyes. To feel intimately involved in all of creation. I want to know why things happen the way they do.
Help me, God to accept what I cannot understand, to accept life without constantly trying to control it. Teach me how to bend with life, how to repair what I canrepair, how to live with my questions, how to rejoice in Your wonders.
When I am faced with events that baffle and astound me, help me to transform my frustration into humility and awe. Teach me to embrace the mystery, God. Remind me to enjoy the ride.Thank you, God for this spectacular life.
Amen Rabbi Naomi Levy
She has another beautiful blessing which augments the ritual of blessing the children. Here is a prayer for children blessing parents:
A Blessing for Children to Say to a Parent(s)
You gave me my life. You give me your wisdom, your guidance, your concern, your love. You are my mentor, my protector, my moral compass, my comfort. There are no words to express my gratitude for all the blessings you have given me. Still, Itell you thank you. May God bless you as you have blessed me, with life, with health, with joy, and with love.
Amen Rabbi Naomi Levy
I recommend her book, Talking to God to see her many other beautiful prayers that she has composed for various occasions and situations.
I tried another idea this past Shabbat which worked out very well. I chose to highlight one of the Zemirot-table songs- for the evening. I took Mah Yedidut, one of the most fun of the zemirot and broke it down so that we sang stanzas from it throughout the dinner. Since many at the dinner were unfamiliar with the melody, I was able to help everyone master this beautiful zemer by singing one stanza at different intervals throughout the evening. This also enabled me to give commentary on the language, share insights into Shabbat, and to teach the concept of oneg-Sabbath joy-which is the main theme of the medieval song.
I will post my version of it on the blog for people to enjoy it and learn it.
Hope these are helpful ideas.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
I like to pass on to you some of the new ideas and practices I am sharing at the Shabbat around Seattle experiences. I have found these practices to greatly enhance the joy-oneg of Shabbat. This past Shabbat I spend with a lovely family in Newcastle. I shared with them a couple of traditions.
Following the Talmud in Shabbat I brought a shofar which we blew 6 times prior to candlelighting. Here is a paraphrasing of the source by Francine Klagsburn from her book, The 4th Commandment. When the Second Temple stood, six blasts of the Shofar announced the approachof the Sabbath to the Jewish community. The first blast signaled the farmers to stop their plowing. Digging, or other work in the fields. The second directed the merchants in the towns to place the shutters on their windows and close their shops. The third meant that all the cooking must end and the time had come to light the Sabbath lamp. Soon after, three more blasts proclaimed the official beginning of the Sabbath.
Blowing the shofar is a dramatic 'havdalah', differentiation from the week of work and stress. It signifies renewal and links up Shabbat with Rosh Hashannah. I have also learned that Jews never tire of hearing the shofar and that it has very positive associations. One suggestion: Let a kid blow the shofar. It helps him or her feel that Shabbat is special.
Just after candlighting we read a passage from Naomi Levy's beautiful book of prayers. When we read this, everyone chimed in with a comment of how helpful it was to move into the Shabbat mood.
A Prayer for Embracing Lifes Mystery A Prayer at Candlelighting I want to know You, God. I want to see the world through Your eyes. To feel intimately involved in all of creation. I want to know why things happen the way they do.
Help me, God to accept what I cannot understand, to accept life without constantly trying to control it. Teach me how to bend with life, how to repair what I canrepair, how to live with my questions, how to rejoice in Your wonders.
When I am faced with events that baffle and astound me, help me to transform my frustration into humility and awe. Teach me to embrace the mystery, God. Remind me to enjoy the ride.Thank you, God for this spectacular life.
Amen Rabbi Naomi Levy
She has another beautiful blessing which augments the ritual of blessing the children. Here is a prayer for children blessing parents:
A Blessing for Children to Say to a Parent(s)
You gave me my life. You give me your wisdom, your guidance, your concern, your love. You are my mentor, my protector, my moral compass, my comfort. There are no words to express my gratitude for all the blessings you have given me. Still, Itell you thank you. May God bless you as you have blessed me, with life, with health, with joy, and with love.
Amen Rabbi Naomi Levy
I recommend her book, Talking to God to see her many other beautiful prayers that she has composed for various occasions and situations.
I tried another idea this past Shabbat which worked out very well. I chose to highlight one of the Zemirot-table songs- for the evening. I took Mah Yedidut, one of the most fun of the zemirot and broke it down so that we sang stanzas from it throughout the dinner. Since many at the dinner were unfamiliar with the melody, I was able to help everyone master this beautiful zemer by singing one stanza at different intervals throughout the evening. This also enabled me to give commentary on the language, share insights into Shabbat, and to teach the concept of oneg-Sabbath joy-which is the main theme of the medieval song.
I will post my version of it on the blog for people to enjoy it and learn it.
Hope these are helpful ideas.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
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