The Torah is for Kvelling (revisited): LimmudPhilly

I spent this past weekend at the first LimmudPhilly, the latest franchise of independent Jewish learning conferences operating undering the “Limmud” name. It was great. On the heals of CAJE’s announcement that it was closing it doors, this conference was a signal that Jewish learning, communal gatherings and Jewish continuity are not dead. I presented a session called “Back to Basics: An Introduction to the Talmud” that drew over 40 people and got very good reviews from participants. I got to meet with representatives of the Jewish Publication Society and hear of their exciting new project, the Tagged Bible/Yavnet, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s director of the PJ Library, and Israeli shlichim. I saw performances by educators and artists who I will soon bring to MRT. I was especially impressed by Miss Lisa and Miraj.

But the best part of LimmudPhilly was the kvell factor. A few weeks ago I wrote of my kvelling as my older son read from the Torah for the first time. Limmud was a great bookend to that experience – my mother-in-law (and MRT member), Rita Siegle was co-chair and head organizer of the entire event. I had been hearing about Limmud Philly for over a year but nothing prepared me for the scale and impression of such a large, professional and deep conference. Rita has always been involved in the Jewish community, especially Federation, but there was nothing like seeing her lead havdallah with her planning committee as Elizabeth and the boys and I joined along from the gathered crowd. Sure, there's nothing like watching your own child chant from the Torah. But when he gets to watch his grandmother do something similar.... That's kvelling.

Another shoe drops

CAJE, the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education, is closing down their operations by the end of February. On January 9th, CAJE sent an email indicating that they would not be holding their annual conference as planned. CAJE 33 (the 33rd annual conference) was held this past summer at the University of Vermont. Judy Levine, our religious school principal attended. The CAJE conference had become a staple of the Jewish education world. CAJE was huge, transdenominational, attracted top scholars, performers and vendors, and worldwide. I went once - to CAJE 31 at Duke University - but the educators and many teachers with whom I worked have gone annually.

This is another shoe dropping in the financial crisis that hits the Jewish community as hard as it hits anywhere else. Here's how CAJE described their undoing:

For the past several years CAJE faced significant financial challenges.
These challenges were first brought to the attention of CAJE membership in
July/August 2007. Three principal factors explain the dramatic deterioration of
our financial condition:
1. Significant fall-off in school funding for professional development and related philanthropy over a number of years.
2. Slow response to changes in environment.
3. Loss of focus on the bottom line.

CAJE’s past debts, the troubled economy and the need to cancel this year’s
conference as a result, have all contributed to the decision to close CAJE’s
doors. Significant fall-off in school funding for professional development and
related philanthropy. Prior to 2001, CAJE had a stable membership of
approximately 4,000 educators and administrators and could count on a solid
annual conference attendance. With the stock market decline, the 9/11 attacks,
and subsequent economic decline, many Jewish organizations, CAJE included, noted
a significant drop in professional development funding.... Though the last
two years saw the beginning of a reversal in the membership and conference
attendance trends, the financial impact of the 2002-2006 years was
substantial.

read the full article here.

Tu B'shvat: It's not easy being Green (when the green is hidden)

Tu B'shvat is tomorrow. It is time to put our values into practice especially when it comes to the environment and our use of natural resources. MRT now has a working Green MRT Team. They are charged with evaluating, changing, and monitoring our practices in terms of environmental impact and sustainability. I need your help in greening the synagogue. I offered a d'var torah on Friday night on the subject. Listen to it (thanks to Rich Sachs) and get involved with this important effort.

Listen here (it will open in a new window).

In the dvar torah, I mention a synagogue in Evanston, Illinois. Check them out here.

The URJ has also launched a Greening Reform Judaism initiative.

Festival is Coming!

In case you missed it, the Monmouth Festival of the Arts, our temple's annual juried arts show, is rapidly approaching. Part of the festival is the annual student art competition. The Asbury Park Press ran a great story about it including several photos of the students' work. Great job, MFA volunteers. This looks to be a great start to MFA 2009.

Do not forget to sign up for volunteer shifts, to become a patron or benefactor and to submit ads for the annual journal. You can sign up on line here. MFA is one of our temple's longest running and biggest programs every year. Please get involved! A quick look at the student art work will show the quality of the program. The photo at left shows the first prize winner, "Chemistry Self Portrait," a pen and ink drawing by Mary Fenton of Wall High School.

The Torah is for Kvelling

I have to brag. My older son chanted from the Torah on Thursday during the services at his school. It was his first time to chant publicly and he was absolutely amazing. I admit that I had my doubts. Tuesday night I learned that he had not really practiced and I was sure that he wouldn't be able to pull it off. He needed to study for two tests and a quiz, he had extracurricular activities and we were dealing with the flu in our house. 36 hours was nearly impossible. But Wednesday night he came to the temple to practice from the scroll and he was great (bar mitzvah students warning: do not try this at home. You must study weekly and not put off your preparations until the night before you bar mitzvah!). Almost every bar/bat mitzvah student I work with hears the same thing from me when they read the Torah from the scroll for the first time: "There are a thousand reasons you should not be standing here to read from this scroll. From the historical attempts to destroy Jews to the simple things like a dead car battery, you standing at the Torah and reading it was not guaranteed. You represent every Jew who ever stood as you do before the scroll and every Jew who never had the chance. You also represent the future of the Jewish people for without Jewish people keeping this central tradition, we will have no Judaism." I have been with hundreds of 12 year olds for that moment. They are incredible. But nothing compares to the moment my own son stood before his peers and chanted Vaera like a hazzan.

Ironically, I had a conversation this morning about Baldwin Davidson, may his memory be a blessing. In cleaning out his apartment, Baldy's son found two books that he wanted to pass on: a copy of S.Y. Agnon's "Days of Awe" with an inscription from me thanking Baldy for all his years of service leading the corps of ushers and a worn copy of the Torah. Baldy had written on the inside cover of the Torah the name of the portion and the date that he had read publicly from the scroll. Baldy came to Torah reading late in life. He didn't know Hebrew, let alone trope or parshanut. But several years ago with the help of many good friends - especially Karen Karl, Rabbi Priesand and Cantor Clissold, Baldwin learned to read from the Torah and did it for our congregation a few times every year. He always dressed in a suit and got nervous before he read, but every time he read, it reminded me how important it is to read the Torah. And I kvelled. That is what the Torah is really for. Kvelling.

You may not be able to learn a portion in 36 hours, but that doesn't mean you can't learn. It's your turn now. Everyone who reads this should read from the Torah. Call me and we'll get started.