High Holy Days Resolutions: More Than Good Intentions? By Jo-Ellen Unger, Director of Education November 2011
A couple of years ago, Confirmand Dani Cheiken included in her service writing a poignant statement with which I have been wrestling ever since. She reminded us all to consider that we are human beings, not human doings. While the High Holidays give each of us an opportunity to reflect, it is the time after the holy days have that really makes a difference. Just like on the secular new year, resolutions are made in earnest, but do we intend to keep them? Are our resolutions more than good intentions?
As we head into November, we prepare to give thanks; for family and friends and for many of us a bountiful meal. Some will go around the table and ask for individual contributions of thankfulness. Perhaps we can also take a look back at the Days of Awe, not so long since passed, and think about the vows we made. Whether it was a goal set for physical, spiritual, or relationship renewal, are we taking steps towards reaching it, reevaluating now that we are on the path, or have we let some of our goals fall by the wayside? Most of us have at least a little bit of downtime during Thanksgiving week and for that time we are no doubt thankful. Can we use part of that time to consider what it might be like to participate in some more beingand some different doing?
Belonging, Behaving, Believing.... By Jo-Ellen Unger Director of Education October 2011
Mordechai Kaplan proposed that Jewish community is all about belonging, behaving and believing. As we begin the month of October, we still sit in the midst of the Days of Awe. It is a great time to ponder these concepts.
Belonging – How do I fit in to synagogue life and how do I fit Temple into my life? Who are my peers? How does being a part of Temple foster a sense of connectedness to other Jews, to God and to my own sense of self?
Behaving – Does Judaism inform my decision making? Do I know what Judaism says about the things that are important to me? Do I look for opportunities to gain insight into Jewish tradition and contemporary practice?
Believing – For what do I stand? In what do I put my faith? Am I set or flexible in my thoughts? Do I rely on instinct or intellect? What facts do I need to make informed decisions and to whom do I turn for them?
We have a few days before the Book of Life is sealed for another year. How will we use the days, hours and minutes to enrich our lives and renew our souls?
G’mar chatima tovah (May You Be Sealed in the Book of Life)!
What religion do you practice? By Jo-Ellen Unger Director of Education September 2011
When this question is asked, the intent is usually to glean information about with what faith tradition a person identifies. The implication however, is quite deeper than that because religion is something that must be put into practice.
According to brain-based research presented by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), it takes 24 rehearsals of any task to get to 80% mastery. Repetition is the key to incorporating information into our
consciousness. This is why lifelong learning is such a key value in the practice of Judaism. We learn things at different stages in our cognitive development. While associating the High Holy Days with apples, honey and the sound of the shofar is a wonderful start for a seven year old, a thirty-five year old can explore the concepts of t’fillah(worship), t’shuvah(repentance) and tzedakah(righteousness) in both the context of their individual behavior and the larger world in which we live. We need to connect our Jewish experiences to the stage in which we find ourselves today, not rely on information from years past.
We all have roles in our lives; parent, coworker, supervisor, friend, teammate, child. If we allow our roles to define our state of being we limit ourselves. It is true in religious life as well. If we allow the role of parent to dictate our connection to the synagogue we will stagnate with a child’s perception of Judaism. Certainly it is our responsibility to provide opportunities for people to engage in ways in which they are comfortable, yet if we only relate to you as “Brad’s mom” rather than as “Amy,” we leave no room to engage you as an adult. There really is no such thing as TIR parents, singles, seniors... There are only Temple members, all deserving of finding a meaningful place for themselves in Temple life.
You will see more opportunities offered for Lifelong Learning on a variety of days and at a variety of times on a variety of subjects: for those who find themselves in the area on Sunday mornings, or who prefer to be out and about during daylight hours; for those who enjoy an evening in the company of fellow congregants and community members; for those who have time for on-going study and for those who want to learn for just an hour. There are a myriad of ways for our Temple family to practice their own personal Judaism. Of course, when sharpening any skill, it helps to have coaches and each member of the Temple staff is here to support our members. Practice starts soon…can we count you in?
Temple Ranks Top 10 For Teen Participation (July 2011)
It is no secret that Temple is extremely proud of both our formal and informal youth education programs. As we gear up for another TIR year, engaging and training faculty and Madrichim and working on resources and curriculum, not to mention cleaning closets and inventorying crayons, it is easy to become so focused on the four walls of the synagogue that we sometimes forget we are part of a larger picture.
Then one Friday afternoon in late July, we received an e-mail from Judi Ratner, the URJ Congregational Representative for the South:
You ranked in the top 10 in BOTH categories of congregations with the most NFTY participants and registrants. Yasher Koach to your congregation for leading the pack, especially in the critical arena of teen engagement!
To be recognized nationally is very gratifying for us all involved in youth work in the synagogue and for the community. Equally gratifying is the trust that is placed in us by the parents of the students enrolled in any of our programs.
Over 100 students are already registered for formal education programs and almost as many are signed up for youth group and HaKolot, our junior choir. TIR Open House is just two months away and we cannot wait to see all our students return. AND there is always room for more students! Talk to your neighbors; talk to your friends.
The Education and Youth Committee is morphing into a Lifelong Learning Committee with smaller focused subcommittees under Vice President of Education, Donna Tuttle. We will target specific areas of the education program and create more opportunities for parent involvement and input. It is critical that we engage in open, honest dialogue about what we do well, where we want to grow and the challenges we face, regardless of whether those challenges are faced by individual families or a great percentage. Donna, Audra and I are eager to continue or begin conversations about how we can move from strength to strength. Each of us is available to talk via phone, email and, of course, in person.
Registration materials are available on-line in the TIR section of the Temple website, www.thetemplejacksonville.org.
We look forward to receiving forms for more children and registration for many adults to continue Lifelong Learning with Introduction to Judaism, Hebrew instruction, a workshop, or a one-session class.
It is my personal hope and professional goal that our congregation embraces a love of learning to create greater connection with your Jewish identity and to our Temple family. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
