After a second day of work:
Gan Mazon is ready for planting. This project came about quickly but shows that we can succeed with ambitious plans even on short notice. There were several "built-in" time limits that forced us to move quickly: planting had to be done by the first week of June, our monthly board meeting schedule dictated that the proposal go the board before it had a full committee "hearing," and Josh's Eagle Scout proposal needed to be completed within a few weeks.
The two days of ground breaking and garden set up included a few factors worth pointing out:
* Community Building: Several temple members who had not previously met each other came together to work on the garden.
* Personal Contribution: Temple members were able to utilize their professional skills and personal interests to advance a good cause (Elmo and Howard on the garden, Josh with the Scouts, Gene with gate, Kennedys with the irrigation, etc.)
* Reaching Out: Volunteers came from outside the temple to support this project as well. Three different Boy Scout Troops were represented (Holmdel, Ft. Monmouth, & Little Silver) along with their parents, the Monmouth County Master Gardeners, and Plant A Row.
* Fulfilling Our Mission: MRT's revitalized social action program has - again - cranked out another great program. Judy Raybon's "ground-up / let-the-people-lead-us" philosophy is working wonders.
My colleague, Rabbi Rick Jacobs at Westchester Reform, has written and taught that "Read, Fire, Aim" - though counter-intuitive - can be a productive and efficient process for synagogues to follow in their programming. Gan Mazon is a case in point.
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