A Moment to Kvell...

Just before I began this month of sabbatical, I attended the Union for Reform Judaism’s Biennial in Washington DC.  Usually, I do not go to the Biennial unless we have a congregational delegation going as well.  This gathering of the Reform movement’s congregational arm is mainly not designed for Jewish professionals, but for the volunteer leaders of congregations.  I like to go as support to our delegation and, as Susan Sedwin and Sally Isaacs put it when we were at the Biennial in Houston, to be their “personal rabbi” in services, classes, etc.  This year, I was planning to attend anyway, because of the Campaign for Youth Engagement (see the Director of Education’s article).  Michelle and I were also asked to lead one of the four Thursday morning services from the prayerbook that we edited (Mishkan Tfilah Journal).
In the event, I experienced one of the great joys of my rabbinate so far.  As I have often said, one of the things that most fulfills me as a rabbi is sharing lifecycle events with families in the congregation – being there for weddings and funerals, brit ceremonies, b’nei mitzvah and confirmation.  At the Biennial in DC, I discovered a new joy – a pride in my congregants as they engaged in the larger Reform Jewish community.
Because of a wonderful article that she wrote with Jackie Lieberman, Shelly Glaser-Freedman was invited to present at a session on Temple Sholom’s Women on Their Own group.  In support, Claire Bisgay and Marjorie Cohen traveled with her, and she did a great job representing the group, Temple Sholom, and small congregations in general.  Their takeaway from the session, where Shelly was joined on the dais by professionals from large congregations, was that Temple Sholom manages to do with volunteers  what larger congregations have to hire staff to do.
Our current president, Susan Sedwin, and 1st vice president, Sandra Nussenfeld, were also there to represent the congregation.  We all know it takes a great deal of dedication and time away from family to be an officer, but it takes another level to use vacation time and personal savings to spend time away from home, learning about how our Temple can thrive and getting excited about where we are in our larger movement.
I will admit, however, that my proudest moment was when I realized that we had four people at the Biennial at whose confirmation I had officiated.  Ted Dreier, who is now working as our Religious School Administrator while he awaits the answer to his application to Hebrew Union College’s Rhea Hirsch School of Education in Los Angeles (Michelle’s alma mater), attended the CYE as well as a special invitation-only meeting on re-imagining Bar/Bat Mitzvah with HUC’s Dr. Isa Aron.  Rebekah Sedwin, who has been our youth group advisor and religious school teacher, also attended the CYE.  Stephanie Fields, who taught in our religious school and is now the Family and Teen Educator at the Temple in Atlanta, came with her congregational team and Heather Stoloff, former SPANCY president, came down from Brandeis.  The point of the Campaign for Youth Engagement is finding ways to keep our young congregants active in their own Jewish lives through their adulthood.  To see four of our former students, not only active, but taking on the leadership role of participating in this debate was a m’chayah (inspiration, lit. “life-giver” – Yiddish) for me as their rabbi.

Sitting in Shabbat morning t’fillah with them, kvelling, I also realized something else.  In this congregation, we are leaders – and have some control over what happens and the direction the congregation is heading.  In the greater community of the URJ, we are congregants.  We have the same concerns about (MUM) dues, whether the leadership is acting in our best interest, and where we fit in the huge structure.  Just like at Temple Sholom, there are people that we know very well (three of our past student Cantors – Darcie Naomi Sharlein, Hayley Kobilinsky Poserow, and Shira Nafshi send their best wishes) and those that we do not. We all share the same community and the same goals, and the same frustrations.  Just like we gather together once or twice a year to worship together at the High HolyDays, and once a year to confirm our goals – at the annual congregational meeting; so does the Union for Reform  Judaism gather every two years to worship together and to dream.
As I continue to be inspired by our congregation, so am I reinvigorated and inspired by those I had a hand in teaching – our former student Cantors, our confirmands, and our Temple leaders, who have given of themselves to dream a new future not just for Temple Sholom, but for Reform Judaism as well.

See you on the 20th.