Divah World

Gaza Heartbreak

Like my friend Danya, I know I should say something about the Israeli disengagement from Gaza, but I don't know what to say. It is so painful. Israeli forces had to seize control of a synagogue using force. A settler kills four Palestinians with no regrets and hopes that someone kills Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

So much violence. Jews fighting Jews. Terrorism on all fronts. Again, like Danya, I can only pray that somehow peace will come.

It just seems so far away right now.......

Rabbi Gavi

Shabbat at Beth Sholom doesn't end with services and kiddish. Todd, Tracey, and their daughter Gavriela have graciously made their house a gathering place where we eat, drink, discuss and generally continue the joy of Shabbat--a day not just of rest but of taking time to just be without any outside influences or pressures. It's a gift we give ourselves and to our children--and something that is not easy to find in this over-scheduled 21st Century existance. There's no work, there's no soccer, there's no shopping. We pray together, sing together, connect with each other. It's something that fuels the rest of the week.

Yesterday, at Gavriella's urging, a group of us played "Torah Charades," an original game that Gavi created. The rules are simple--you act out a scene from anywhere in the Tanach - the Torah, the Nevi'im (Prophets), the Ketuvim (Writings). You can't use words, you can use props. The rest of the group has to guess what you are portraying. The group consisted of 3 girls, ages 9 - 11, and 4 adults, women ages 25 - 62. As you can imagine, the girls did most of the acting. In fact, the only adult who acted out a scene was--no surprise here--me. I've got to tell you, these girls know their Tanach!! One scene they did was Moses passing on the leadership to Joshua before dying; another was Jacob tricking his father into giving him the blessing instead of his brother Esau and then fleeing. And they could guess mine, one of which was Moses at the burning bush. I'm not sure my acting was great, but as soon as I took my shoes off, they had it.

I've written before in the post L'Dor V'Dor about the gratification I feel when I see girls involved in Judaism and given the same opportunities as boys. It was so wonderful to see these girls have such an affinity for their Judaism. But the best part for me came when Gavi's grandmother proudly asked her (knowing what the answer would be, of course), "Gavi, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And without hesitation and somewhat matter-of-factly, Gavi answered, "a rabbi."

When I was a girl there was a time that if someone asked me that question, I would have said "a rebbitzen." That was before I found out to that to be a rebbitzen you had to marry a rabbi. There were no women rabbis when I was a girl. I'm not sure what I thought a rebbitzen did, but you can see where I wished I could go.

Hearing Gavi's answer, my heart soared. It gave me faith in the next generation---l'dor v'dor.

The Future of the Conservative Movement

Ismar Schorsch, the Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary has announced that he will retire next year. The search for a new chancellor will now begin. It's an important post. This person will set many of the interpretations of Jewish practice and rituals in the Conservative Movement.

I affiliate myself with Conservative Judaism, and am lucky to be part of a community that, I believe, embraces the best that the movement has to offer. But there are aspects of the movement's official stands--against gay & lesbians in the clergy, the second-class treatment of inter-married jews--that I find hurtful and unecessary. And it is amazing to me that the movement still condones congregations who do not allow women equal participation with men.

The choice of the next Chancellor will say alot about where the Conservative movement is going. I can only hope that in the months ahead, those who are choosing listen and see what it going on around them. One voice that needs to be listened to is Rabbi Judith Hauptman,  Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Culture at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Read her article, "The Challenge Facing  Conservative Movement" in today's Jewish Week.

Assaults from Within and Without

Yesterday and today marked the beginning of the Hebrew month of Tammuz (when the month before is 30 days, we celebrate both the 30th and the 1st as Rosh Chodesh - Why? click here for an explanation).

Tammuz is the month when Jews mark a 3-week period of mourning--from the 17th of Tammuz, when the walls of the Temple in Jerusalem were breached, through to Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av, when the Temple was destroyed. It's a time that brings awareness to the assaults on our spiritual center.

This year as we start Tammuz, we are reminded that there are assults to the world on many fronts. This year I awoke on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz to the news of the bombings in London. It's horrible in so many ways, on so many levels. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones, people who lost their lives for no other reason but being at the wrong place at the wrong time. My heart goes to those who have ever lost loved ones to terrorism, for each new act makes their pain fresh.         

Studying through the night

The past two days, June 13 & 14, were the Jewish celebration of Shavuot. Shavuot has many other names--Yom Habikkurim, the day of first fruits; Matan Torah--the giving of the Torah; the feast of weeks, ending the counting from the second day of Pesach. In the Christian tradition, it is referred to as Pentecost, from the Greek "fifty", since it is 50 days after Pesach. It is one of the three major pilgrimage and harvest festivals in the Jewish tradition, the other two being Sukkot in the fall and Pesach, at the start of spring.

The main theme of Shavuot is the giving of the Torah, the first 5 books of the bible, at Mount Sinai.
To commemorate this event, it is customary to participate in a Tikkun Leil Shavuot, an all night study session culminating in a sunrise service. There is a tradition that says that at midnight, the words of the Torah rain down from heaven. There are times it definately feels that way.

At Beth Sholom, our night of study had bookends of very appropriate Torah Study. Rabbi Lew, in his last Tikkun Leil as our rabbi, taught about the meaning of receiving the Torah. with material from the Sefat Emet. In the morning, before starting the Shacharit-morning-service, David Malman taught us the hand signals for the Torah trope, the chanting of the Torah. He used me to demonstrate and I have to say, it was pretty cool. I may have to have him gabbai for me one Shabbat when I'm leyning-chanting-a difficult portion.

I'm often asked why my connection to Jewish practice is so strong. To tell the truth, I don't always really know or understand it myself. But on nights like Tikkun Leil Shavuot, I get it. First of all, it's another place to feel the support and importance of community--we go through the night together.

On a deeper level, staying up all night studying, then entering into prayer from that, brings the teachings to another level as you are brought to a different state. A tired state, yes, but that works as well. As we start the prayer service, your mind is spent, at rest. I think that gives easier access to the soul.

I ended the event by chanting an amazing, mystical, psychodelic Haftarah. I won't attempt to explain it, read it for yoursef, Ezekiel 1:1 - 28; 3:12. The power of my chanting comes from a place deep inside, when I am done, I am spent--close to tears. I have placed myself at Sinai.

Ritual or Magic?

This week's Torah parsha, Naso, contains rituals that seem like magic--a potion that reveals the truth, the consecration of one's hair as a sign of holiness, a formulaic incantation to keep one safe, twelve days of the same exact offerings. Somewhat strange for a religion that tends to rage against sorcery. It's one of those places that seem to harken back to an ancient pagan time.

In Torah study this morning we discussed the issue of ritual vs magic--are they different entities, are they one and the same? Whatever side you weigh in on, there is an element of faith in believing in the outcome.

As I've been thinking about this, I think one difference between them is in expectations. In magic, for the most part, the actions are designed for a specific outcome. Rituals, at least most of the ones in Judaism, are performed to increase mindfulness. With magic, your faith is in what will happen. With the rituals, your faith is in simply being--increasing awareness of life. I'm sure there are exceptions to both, but that seems to be the overriding themes to me at this moment.

If anyone has other thoughts on this, please share them......

L'Dor V'Dor

This past Saturday was Maddy Simpson's Bat Mitzvah. It was a really warm, heartfelt event. Judging by the people who spoke to me, I would say many of us in the sanctuary felt it. Part of the feeling came from the pure joy of the event--there was no stress (this was helped in no small part by the fact that Maddy is the youngest of three sisters :). Part of the feeling came from the fact that the Simpson's are a family that is involved in the synagogue, which heightens the sense of community. But there was one particular aspect that really touched me---something that was traditional yet new---something that epitomizes why I am able to look to my Judaism as my spiritual center---something that really spoke to my involvement with the practice.

More and more these days, the B'nai Mitzvah families have family members read Torah. It's a wonderful way to honor the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. At Maddy's Bat Mitzvah, her mother, two sisters, and a close friend of one of her sisters each read Torah. And, I should say, they all read beautifully. Although women reading is certainly the norm for Beth Sholom, this Shabbat brought home to me the changes in Judaism since I was a girl.

At my Bat Mitzvah, held on a Friday night, I read the Haftarah, the selection from the Prophets that all B'nai Mitzvah read. That was all I was allowed to do. Now, at the time--1967--that was still somewhat bold for the Conservative movement. There were no women rabbis, women could not get an aliyah (something I always wanted), and women didn't count in the 10 needed for certain prayers to be said in synagogue. I wish I could say this has now all changed. I wish I could say the synagogue I grew up in continued to open all aspects of Jewish practice to women. Unfortunately, they are still holding Bat Mitvahs on Friday night, women do not get aliyot, and it's a good guess that women do not count in minyan.

At Beth Sholom, there is no gender disparity in ritual.  It is one of the reasons I can be there, embracing the practice and the community with a full heart. It's the reason I am filled with joy when I think of the Bat Mitzvah Shabbats of the young girls I see in shul. They are as much a part of Judaism as the boys, and there is no reason for them to think otherwise.

So mazel tov to Maddy and her family. And thanks to them for exemplifying the living soul of Judaism, a soul that will continue to live and grow l'dor v'dor, from generation to generation, truly encompassing all.