tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13189289156673738432024-02-20T03:13:17.457-08:00Really a Rav Reflections and Musings from My First Year as a RabbiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-25850714300500014172014-09-08T18:28:00.004-07:002014-09-08T18:28:52.074-07:00Embracing Elul <div class="MsoNormal">
And here is the D'var Torah I delivered this past Saturday, September 6, the 11th of Elul 5774: </div>
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<u>Embrace <i>Elul</i></u></div>
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I’ve never, ever been good with this time of year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s something about the way the weather changes and the
smells shift; the vision of children heading off to their first days of a new
school year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s something about the transition from the heat-ridden,
dog days of August to the steadier, intense pace of September. Summer’s over,
fall has turned its head. And here <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i>
are, preparing for a new year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve never been good with this time of year … never in my
entire life … and when my mother comes for the High Holidays she can tell you
stories about just how excited I was to be going back to school each fall. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I would like to think that it wasn’t just about the
overwhelming nervousness with which I approached a new school year, or the
anxiety of a new teacher, new classroom, or new expectations. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’d like to think that at some point, long before I ever articulated
a desire to become a rabbi, my body knew that I was supposed to get <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">utsy </i>and unsettled at this time of year.
My Jewish soul – my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">neshama – </i>knew
long before my intellect did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Because this time of year – the Hebrew month of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elul</i> – is a time in which we begin
preparing ourselves – mind, body, and soul – for the High Holy Days … that rapidly
approaching period of intense retrospection, reflection, and renewal. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elul</i> is our warm
up; our soul stretch … it is our chance to look back before we look forward.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elul</i> – the month
in which we now find ourselves … is a chance for us to take stock of our souls
and our choices. And that’s not an easy thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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And yet … for some of us, that shift is intrinsic and
natural. Whether we are intellectually ready for the season … or not … our
bodies and our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">souls</i> are. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The process of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">teshuvah</i>
begins now, in these days leading up to Rosh Hashanah. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Teshuvah</i> encourages us to make repairs to our relationships, to ask
others to forgive us, and to forgive <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ourselves</i>
for the wrongs we have committed. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Teshuvah
</i>requires that we turn; that we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">physically</i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">turn</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to focus our gaze on the past</i> … to look back on a year in which we
were not perfect; a year in which we made mistakes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s a chance for us to think about relationships that are
now broken, losses we have incurred, friendships in need of repair … and things
we have said that we cannot take back.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And that’s difficult. It is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so </i>difficult. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I look back on the last twelve months of my life I am
astounded by what I see … and by what I remember! A year ago I was beginning
the rabbinic search process, uncertain of where my husband and I would land.
The stress and the tension that placed on us and our new marriage … and our
relationships with others … was immense, and it went deep. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As hard as we tried to navigate that process with integrity
and kindness, there were moments when the uncertainty of it all got the better
of us; when we said things to one another and to our families out of fear and
anxiety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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We are human, after all. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I feel grateful every single day that I was given the
opportunity to serve this phenomenal congregation … and we could not be happier
settling into a life here in Seattle. And we know our families and all our
loved ones back in LA are thrilled for us … and happy to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>us</u> </i>happy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But we know that the road here was not easy … because no
road towards change is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ever </i>easy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Looking back on the past twelve months, I see and know and feel
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">teshuvah</i> that I must do – for my
soul, and for my relationships. And … I know NOW that I know things today that
I did not know then. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But that’s the beauty of being alive, of being human … isn’t
it? Our flawed perfections, our minor tears. The scars and stories we bring to
each day help us navigate this bizarre world of impermanence … and help us
learn how to hit the “refresh” button and begin again; begin anew. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As we head into these next three weeks leading up to Rosh
Hashanah, I encourage all of us to embrace this month in which we find
ourselves; the spiritual warm-up that is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elul</i>.
Let us embrace the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">utziness</i> that may
be brewing inside us, pushing us to reflect and let us not be afraid to look
back on the path that led us here. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Let us be unafraid to let go of what we hold onto. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a number of ways to help guide us in that process:
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You could read a book! The one I’m slowly making
my way through right now is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is Real
and You are Completely Unprepared, </i>by Alan Lew. Find yourself immersed in a
book that will make you think; that will push you to turn and look back at the
past year and, hopefully, think about your place in the universe. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You can make a “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">teshuvah</i> plan” for yourself and your loved ones, which could take
the form of going back through the year and thinking about its various tough
moments … and then reaching out to those relationships that could use a little
bit of repair. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You can sign up for “Jewels of Elul,” a daily
reflection piece penned by an individual … it will go straight to your inbox –
sign up at jewelsofelul.com … or Reboot’s 10Q … reboot.org … or any number of
online experiments aimed at reminding us to reflect each day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You can visit the graves of those on whose
shoulders we stand … as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elul</i> is
traditionally a time when we visit the graves of our loved ones, whether to pay
our respects or ask forgiveness<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You can wake up each morning and ask yourself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how do I make today better than yesterday?
How can I greet the world with a little more kindness, more compassion? How can
I feed my soul and nourish the souls of others?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, you can listen … for the sound of the shofar,
audible or internal, calling us to attention, pushing us to act … encouraging
us all to begin that difficult process of reflection … so that we may enter
5775 as the people we wish to be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shabbat Shalom. <o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-15240848609227141502014-09-08T18:26:00.004-07:002014-09-08T18:26:57.123-07:00Be a BlessingI've been a little behind with posting things I've written ... let's chalk it up to High Holiday brain!<br />
<br />
Here is the D'var Torah I delivered on August 23rd, <i>Parshat Re'eh: </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Choose Blessing</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t want to read the news anymore. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know that I have to – that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need </i>to; that NOT ONLY is it good to be an informed citizen of this
city, this country, and beyond … but also that my success as a rabbi depends in
large part on my awareness of what’s going on in the world. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I DON’T WANT to read the news anymore. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s too hard. It’s too <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">depressing</i>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every day it’s something else … and if it’s not an assault on
my psyche of negativity, oppression, torture, and war from the MEDIA … well,
then it’s the exact same thing on Facebook and Twitter … from people I actually
know. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even reading what they share is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hard.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t want to read the news anymore because even when I
remind myself that these horrible things going on in the world are exaggerated
… even when I tell myself they’ve been blown out of proportion … well, I still
know that there are horrible things going on … in the world, and even in this
city.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(pause)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started working as a rabbi here at Temple De Hirsch Sinai
on July 1<sup>st</sup> and these past eight weeks … it has been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really </i>difficult to be a Jew. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Al achat kama v’chama … </i>how much the
more so a rabbi! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The week we moved to Seattle the three Israeli boys were
kidnapped near Hebron. The global Jewish community went bezerk – and with good
reason – calling upon the Israeli government to find the boys and bring those
responsible to justice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then a Palestinian teenager was brutally murdered by Israelis
as a retaliation measure … and suddenly we all took a step back … and thought
to ourselves, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wait, is this what we’ve
come to? Is this now who we are?”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Only a short while later, Israel launched Operation
Protective Edge …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which, as we all know,
is still going on. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And for the past eight weeks it seems anti-Semitism has once
again reared its ugly, irrepressible head. Protests and riots across Europe and
elsewhere … tumult and violence have shown their faces not only abroad but in
our own city of Seattle, too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We read every day about things … horrible things … happening
to innocent men, women and children. Not only Jewish … but Iraqi, Syrian,
Christian, Muslim, gay, straight, searching and stable, young and old, rich and
poor. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No one is immune. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so, you see, this is why I don’t want to read the news. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Because it would be so much easier to bury
my head in the sand and tune it all out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(pause) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From a young age we teach our children that the Jews are the
chosen people; that we were selected by God from among all the peoples of the
earth and held to a higher standard. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">midrash</i>
that teaches that the reason we Jews are God’s chosen people is because neither
party could do any better. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">midrash</i>
goes something like this: when the Israelites are wandering in the desert, God
is searching for a people to accept the Torah. Each of the nations of the world
is asked if they will accept the Torah, and each and every one says no … because
its teachings – no murder, no adultery, no bacon, etc., - go against the tenets
of their own societies. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so, the rabbis teach, God comes to the people of Israel
LAST, this tattered and desperate people wandering aimlessly through the
desert. God holds Mount Sinai above their heads and cries out, “will you accept
the teachings of the Torah or be buried by this mountain?” The people of
Israel, realizing they have no choice if they wish to live, instantly respond:
“it is a tree of life to those who hold her fast.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(pause)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This slightly absurd <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">midrash</i>
has always highlighted for me the inherent tension of being Jewish <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> being a citizen of a multi-faith
world. In many ways our Torah teaches that to be a Chosen Person is to be
elevated above all others … and yet, we know that we are not alone in this
world … and our collective success as a people depends in large part upon how
we engage with those who are not a part of our Tribe.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s hard. At times it’s theologically and emotionally
exhausting. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And yet … I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(pause)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being Jewish is about so much more than this; it’s so much
more than the pain and the agony, the heart-wrenching anti-Semitism and the
violence we see. It’s about so much more than anti-Israel protests and the BDS
movement. It’s about more than “us” vs. “them.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We Jews have so much more going for us than what the news
reminds us of every day. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(pause) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parshat Re’eh </i>this
week, Moses says: see, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. The
blessing will come when you follow God’s commandments and the curse will surely
come if you choose the way of other gods. As you enter this land that you do
not know … choose blessing. Choose life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following the teachings of our faith is NOT easy. Even the
rabbis knew this; they assert through their tongue-in-cheek <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">midrash </i>that no other nation in the
world would be crazy enough to take on this burden; the burden of our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sefer</i> Torah. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And yet … (pause) and yet … <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The richness of Judaism … the beauty of community … the
language of our sacred prayers … the melodies of our songs … the feeling
(pause) of studying Torah together … the blessing of knowing our shared story,
of sharing our triumphs and challenges… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Makes all of this worth
it. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It reminds us that there is so much to be proud of. So much
to love. So much to gain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(pause)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It makes getting up in the morning, coming to work, and
touching the lives of those within this congregation … all worth it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(pause)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nobody said it was
easy … no one ever said it would be this hard. Oh, take me back to the start … </i>sings
the band Coldplay. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In about one month, we get to go back to the start when the sun
finally rises on the new Jewish year. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
May it be for all of us a chance to reconnect with ourselves
and with our community.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
May it be a reminder of the richness, the depth, and the
beauty of this extraordinary religion. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And may it help us rise above the negativity, the pain and
the uncertainty, the violence and the fighting. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
May it be a new day for all of us … <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kein Yehi Ratzon.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Shabbat Shalom. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-37755259223482647332014-08-03T23:02:00.003-07:002014-08-03T23:04:17.619-07:00Dvarim: Telling our Stories <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Kabbalat Shabbat – <i>Parshat
D’varim</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">August 1, 2014 </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Rabbi Jaclyn Cohen <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Raise your hand if you know the name of the first female
rabbi <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>ever</u></i>. (pause)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Anyone? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">If you answered Sally Priesand, well … good guess, but she’s
not it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Rabbi Sally Priesand was the first woman ordained by the
Reform Movement in America, by the school that just ordained me, Hebrew Union
College, in 1972. But – she is not the first known woman rabbi of all time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">That title – that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">honor,</i>
belongs to Regina Jonas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Has anyone ever heard that name – Regina Jonas? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Rabbi Regina Jonas was ordained in Germany in the year … <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>1935.<o:p></o:p></u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">She was born in 1902 and perished at Auschwitz in 1944. Regina
Jonas left a legacy that stretches all the way to this day – for it is an
indisputable fact that my being here with you this evening is in some way
connected to this this inspiring woman, this intrepid rabbi. I want to tell you
her story … because it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my </i>story.
It is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your </i>story. And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">story</i> is at the center of this week’s
Torah portion, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">D’varim.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Many don’t realize that the roots of Reform Judaism stretch
all the way back to mid-19<sup>th</sup> century Germany … when Abraham Geiger
and his contemporaries were questioning what it meant to be both a Jew and a
modern citizen of the state. No longer citizens of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shtetl </i>relegated to the outskirts of both land and society, the
modern Jew was pushed to evolve his or her Jewish practice in order to thrive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The creation of new, liberal synagogues – places that often mimicked
the customs of churches and pushed the boundaries of Jewish practice – coincided
with the founding of the Wissenschaft des Judentuums – a progressive branch of
education that focused not only on Jewish history and rabbinic literature, but
also German culture, science, arts, and European history at large. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The historian Amos Elon wrote, “<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The purpose [of this modern type of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">beit midrash]</i>, "was to bring ordinary Jews into the orbit of
German <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">culture<i> </i></span>and
at the same time reinforce their Jewish identity by bridging the gulf between
secular and religious education.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The Hochshule
fur die Wissenschaft des Judentums – the Higher Institute for Jewish Studies -
was ground zero for Reform Judaism’s intellectual and spiritual roots. As a
seminary, it served as a training ground for liberal rabbis. And eventually,
Regina Jonas became a student there, uplifted by this progressive and accepting
atmosphere infused by Torah. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Rabbi Jonas’ thesis was titled, “Can a Woman be a Rabbi According to Halachic Sources?” Jonas argued that yes, one could, and her
private ordination in 1935 demonstrated
that she proved her theorem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">For several years
Regina Jonas served God and community, all while Europe hovered on the brink of
World War II. In 1938 Berlin, Regina wrote, ““If I confess what motivated me, a woman, to
become a rabbi, two things come to mind: my belief in God’s calling and my love
of humans. God planted in our heart skills and a vocation without asking about
gender. Therefore, it is the duty of men and women alike to work and create
according to the skills given by God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Jonas was deported to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Terezinstaadt</i>
in 1942. She and her fellow prisoners Viktor Frankl, the famous psychoanalyst,
and Rabbi Leo Baeck, a leader of the German Jewish community, were
tasked with greeting incoming trains and providing counseling to frightened and
bewildered Jews as they arrived. During her two years at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Terezinstaadt</i>, Rabbi Jonas presented dozens of lectures on Judaism
and Jewish topics. She functioned as a rabbi – as a scholar and pastoral
presence – under the worst imaginable circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">When she perished at Auschwitz in 1944, she had no children.
She left no tangible legacy. Few people knew of her, and those that did added
little to the history of the Wissenschaft des Judentuums. It was not until the
early 1990s when the discovery of papers – including her rabbinic thesis – shed
light onto her incredible past … and scholars, lay people, and clergy slowly grasped
who this woman was … and found themselves, past and present … in her story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">(pause) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Regina Jonas was on the mind of many women <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and </i>men of every denomination of Judaism
last Thursday, July 24<sup>th</sup>, when she was honored with a plaque at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Terezinstaadt. </i>In a moving and emotional
ceremony, those gathered chanted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">El Maleh
Rachamim </i>in her memory, asking God to grant her eternal peace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Present for this ceremony were Regina Jonas’ fellow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">first women, </i>each from<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>their own respective denominations.
Rabbi Sally Preisand was there, joined by Rabbi Amy Elberg, ordained in 1985 by
JTS, the Conservative seminary; Rabbi Jacqueline Tabick, ordained in 1975 by
Leo Baeck College, the liberal seminary of England named for the same rabbi
that once served Terezin’s prisoners with Rabbi Jonas, and also involved was Rabbi
Sara Hurwitz, the first known woman ordained through an Orthodox seminary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">These names – these individuals – are people on whose
shoulders I stand; on whose shoulders we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>stand.
Indeed, they are trailblazers … pioneers … women who faced backlash resistance,
roadblocks, and torment – from peers, family, friends … yet kept pushing
forward <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so that we could tell their
stories. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">So that we would be
inspired by their stories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Especially today …
when the world seems darker, more dangerous, and more hostile each day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">(pause) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In this week’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parsha,
D’varim – </i>words – our text begins to recount <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>our</u></i> story. Moses, knowing that he will soon part from the
people as they move forward without him, engages them in a series of reflections
and retellings of their journey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The book of Deuteronomy seeks to teach <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>us</u></i> – we who study this text year after year … we who belong
to and believe in community – lessons for the future. Through the retelling of
our story, the text reinforces our commitment to and Covenant with God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The text itself reminds us just how essential it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to tell our story. </i>To know on whose
shoulders we stand. To remember our past … so that we may look to our
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">(pause)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Each and every moment of our lives we have an opportunity to
tell a story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Each and every moment of our lives we are able to share
words – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">d’varim</i> – of inspiration,
challenge, humor and hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">May we choose our words <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wisely</i>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">May we use our words to inspire <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">others</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">May we always remember on whose shoulders we stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">And may we be blessed with the ability to continue telling
our stories … and the stories of our people … for generations to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Shabbat Shalom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-49847616505412319772014-07-07T16:31:00.001-07:002014-07-08T00:16:51.637-07:00Shades of Gray Many years ago, I worked as the arts and crafts specialist at the family camp I'd attended with my own family for many years. Just on the cusp of my twenties, I was young and silly and thought I knew everything. My own work with teens over the last decade has taught me these things don't change.<br />
<br />
The first summer I worked there was incredible. I loved and was loved by staff, campers and families, and it was a fantastic, positive summer of work and growth. The second summer, however, things were not as great. My new supervisor and I weren't as good a fit, my responsibilities were different, and I found that the culture of this camp had shifted in a way where I didn't feel quite as comfortable. Some of it was hard to articulate; these changes existed in feelings, not fact.<br />
<br />
A situation arose in which I was accused of things that, from my perspective, I simply had not done. Unfortunately, my supervisor handled things poorly, I was dealt with way too harshly, and when push came to shove my parents and I concluded I could no longer finish out the summer in my position. The air was too thick with animosity, I felt emotionally unsafe in my work environment, and no one saw an opportunity to start fresh.<br />
<br />
I was devastated. I was quitting a job for the first time and felt like a failure. I was certain that this would stay with me for life; that it would haunt me forever. (And it has - just not in the way I'd anticipated)<br />
<br />
However, I also felt completely let down by a group of people who had held some significant presence in my life since childhood. I did not understand how they could treat me so poorly, or back me into a corner where I felt my only option was to quit.<br />
<br />
And so, my prevailing feeling became one of anger and defiance. When I quit, I quit in a maelstrom of strong-woman fiery passion, where I made sure my point of view was heard loud and clear.. I had done nothing wrong, they were the villains, and I was leaving with my head held high.<br />
<br />
Looking back, I'm pretty impressed that nineteen-year-old me was such a rabbi-in-training; that I had the guts to stand up to the big boss and say, <i>this is not okay, and I am leaving because this situation has become untenable.</i> So, bravo to that.<br />
<br />
However.<br />
<br />
As I reflect on this moment in my life - to date the only job I have ever quit - I realize just how brash and arrogant I was.<br />
<br />
The reality was this: I was a young, immature kid who probably did something stupid and my immediate supervisor didn't like me very much and so she exaggerated the story and I got a bigger slap on the wrist than I should have.<br />
<br />
I would love to believe that I was somehow superior; that I was <i>in the right, </i>that there was black and white and I was good and they were bad. But that's [likely] not entirely correct.<br />
<br />
Sometimes we hold ourselves to a higher standard because we are taught and conditioned to believe we are better than the circumstances we find ourselves in. Sometimes we are arrogant, complacent, or just have a bad attitude. Sometimes we have to reel ourselves in, take stock, and hit refresh.<br />
<br />
I share all this as a long introduction to an article in the Times of Israel that has circulated on Facebook and Twitter today, shared below. I share all this as a way of reminding those who read this blog that I am human, and we all are human, and being human is sometimes really, really hard. I share all this because I truly believe that these words are powerful, that they cut to the heart, and that we as individuals and as a community must always remember just how many shades of gray exist in our lives and in our work.<br />
<br />
The article is below, and I look forward to reading your comments.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-sobering-moment-for-complacent-israel/">http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-sobering-moment-for-complacent-israel/</a><br />
<br />
B'shalom,<br />
Jaclyn<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-73045206681926506442014-07-06T11:05:00.003-07:002014-07-06T11:06:55.996-07:00Perspective is Everything <span style="font-family: inherit;">This past Friday evening - July 4th - I gave my first <i>drash</i> at Temple de Hirsch Sinai in Seattle. It was awesome. I'm sharing it here with all of you and look forward to sharing many more sermons, <i>divrei Torah</i>, and life musings in the future:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shabbat Shalom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The father of
one of my closest friends has a blog he updates fairly often, titled “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perspective is Everything</i>.” This blog
chronicles Michael’s daily activities, musings on life, love, family, and
politics, and often serves as a platform for a cause about which he is
passionate. Normally, a blog like this might make me feel as though I was peeking
into someone’s online diary, snooping around someone’s personal business. But
Michael’s blog is unique … Michael himself is incredibly unique … and the
blog’s tagline should tell you why: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Living with a Disability … What a <u>Blessing</u>.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For as long as
I’ve known him, Michael has lived with advanced MS – Multiple Sclerosis. Over
the last decade I have watched his physical health deteriorate. Today he is
bound to a wheelchair, unable to work or drive; he needs round-the-clock
supervision and help doing even the most mundane tasks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And yet –
Michael genuinely considers himself to be truly fortunate. He sees himself as
deeply blessed. And when you ask him whether he sees his cup as half-full or
half-empty, he will look at you with his huge, Matinee-idol grin and tell you,
“neither … because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>my</u></i> cup
runneth over.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perspective is
everything, Michael constantly reminds me. What could have been the most
horrific curse on his body and his family – he has <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chosen</i> to see it as a blessing. (pause)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How we choose to
view the world around us defines who we are; it sets us on a path toward our
future, no matter what roadblocks stand in our way. For many of us, it’s simply
natural to wallow in pain and despair when life goes awry, when we are
delivered hard news, or when our greater, global community suffers. But for others,
those very curses <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> be spun into
blessings and opportunities. For them, it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all
about perspective. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parsha, </i>Balak, shows us the people of
Israel inching closer to their Promised Land. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parsha </i>is named for the evil Moabite king Balak, who sees the Jews
as a threat and hires the sorcerer Balaam to curse them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Balaam sets out on
this “cursing mission” on a donkey – one who miraculously speaks to him over
the course of their journey. Balaam finds three separate vantage points from
which he attempts to curse the Jews – three separate visuals on the people
Israel. Yet three times, only blessings emerge from this non-Jew’s mouth,
culminating in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ma Tovu O’halecha Ya’akov
Mishkenotecha Yisrael – </i>how good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling
places, O Israel – a prayer that, today, opens our morning liturgy. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The text tells
us that it is God who intervenes; that it is God, working through angels and
talking donkeys, who spins these curses into blessings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Balak, the
Moabite king, is … disappointed … that this hotshot sorcerer couldn’t actually
do what he was hired for. He calls out to Balaam, “I called you to curse my
enemies, but you have blessed them three times! Now, flee back to your place. I
said I would honor you greatly, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>God</u></i>
has prevented you from receiving any honor from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parshat Balak, </i>curses are spun into
blessings because God intervenes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, thousands
of years later, how can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>we</u></i>
spin that which plagues and stymies us into blessing and opportunity? (pause) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s not an easy
task. We cannot simply snap our fingers and choose to suddenly view the world
through a totally different lens. We are human beings, and we are infinitely
more complex and dynamic than that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However – we can
begin by shifting our perspective. We can remove <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>our</u></i> shoes and step into those of another. We can look at
troubling, frustrating situations from alternate angles and vantage points – just
as Balaam attempted to do on his “cursing mission” – and move forward with that
information as our guide. We can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i>
see a different side. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For example … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We can look at today
– at the Fourth of July – as a noisy, crowded circus of hot dogs and Americana.
Or – we can see it as a celebration of our nation’s independence; an
opportunity for family and friends to gather together on a warm summer evening.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Or …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We can take what
is currently happening in Israel, this horrific and tragic escalation of
violence, and quietly, angrily sit in our frustration and hopelessness. Or, we
can shift our perspective ever so slightly, reach out to those with whom we
disagree, and seize an opportunity to foster dialogue; to pursue peace in the
face of war. (pause)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Again, none of
this is easy. None of this just … happens overnight. And sometimes we really do
have the right to sit and wallow in our anger and despair. But in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parshat Balak,</i> we are reminded that it
is possible to spin curses into blessings; that we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> shift our perspective; that we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> capable of adapting, regrouping, and … starting over. (pause) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On March 5<sup>th</sup>
of this year, our friend Michael posted the following on his blog: “Today … is
an unusual anniversary. Today … is the anniversary of my diagnosis of MS. It is
the date that my life, and the life of my family and many of our friends, was
forever changed. Although some of the changes have been quite dramatic, they
are not all bad. In fact, many of the changes have been quite positive and that
makes it an anniversary worth <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>celebrating</u></i>…
Today is my thirteenth anniversary. Today I feel grateful for what I have
learned from living with a disability. It has truly been an opportunity.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">May we – as
individuals and as a community – be blessed with the ability to shift our own perspectives;
to see our curses as opportunities, and to recognize and celebrate the abundant
blessings in our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shabbat Shalom. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-55141604371783907462014-05-17T23:04:00.001-07:002014-05-17T23:04:26.260-07:00Erev Rav Tonight is my last night ever being "just Jaclyn." <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I mean, I'll always be Jaclyn, that's for sure. And I don't anticipate very much about myself changing after tomorrow. I'll still be the same-old, irreverent, loud n'proud JFroCo I've always been. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
(there's always that 'but...")</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tomorrow I become a rabbi.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tonight, I'm really, actually, at-lastily ... <i>erev rav.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tonight I'm perched at the threshold. Tomorrow I cross it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because tomorrow, I'll be ordained. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No more student rabbi. No more intern. No more graduate school. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rabbi. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It doesn't seem real. Maybe that's why I keep repeating it; to sort of let myself take in the hugeness of it all. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When you're on the slow train for six long years, slogging through what feels like endless cycles of classes and homework and papers and finals and projects and meetings and uphill battles, you become locked into this mentality that this is your life <i>forever.</i> Coming to the end of that ... well, it doesn't all sink in so easily. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yet, everything is shifting in this beautiful direction. We're going to an awesome city, where my husband already has a job and we have a beautiful home in which to live. I'm so incredibly excited to finally begin working, and in a great community, no less! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe tomorrow it will really sink in, when I'm standing there at the threshold becoming ordained by the president of our school. Or maybe it will be immediately after, when everyone starts calling me "Rabbi Jaclyn" and I no longer have to correct them. Or maybe it will sink in six months from now after my first High Holidays in Seattle. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No matter what, tonight is my last night being "just Jaclyn." Tomorrow the hard work, blood, sweat, and endless tears will all finally prove worth it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because tomorrow, I'm a rabbi. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Laila tov.</div>
<div>
-Jaclyn</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-31124021063247566662014-03-16T23:47:00.000-07:002014-03-16T23:48:37.210-07:00B'derech The past two weeks, I've been neither here nor there.<br />
<br />
I'm physically in Los Angeles ... in the apartment that has become our home three miles from the ocean. It's filled with so much <i>stuff</i>. (How do we physically amass so much <i>stuff?</i>) But also memories. Remnants of celebrations past. The classy loot we were gifted in the months before, during, and after our wedding. <i>Things.</i> And photos. <i>So many photos</i>. We were each big on hanging and displaying pictures of friends and family before we met. Then we started dating, fell in love, moved in together ... and, naturally the pictures came, too.<br />
<br />
I'm mentally in Seattle ... the city that will become our home in a little over three months. I spend a significant amount of time each day looking at apartments, neighborhoods, and maps. <i>So many maps</i>. I'm thinking about the logistics involved with moving 1,000+ miles north. I'm worried about getting us the right rain boots. I'm nervous/excited (nerxcited?) about making new friends in a big new city. I think a lot about the food.<br />
<br />
And ... oh yes. I'm going to be a <i>rabbi.</i> For real. Because I got a job. A full-time one. No more internship. No more grad school. This is real time. It's happening. And I'm excited. So very excited. But also deeply humbled. (And a tad nervous) And filled with questions about what <i>this</i> position will be like and what <i>this </i>synagogue - this fantastic congregation - will be like.<br />
<br />
But those questions must remain largely unanswered until my physical presence is in Seattle. Until I hit the ground running in July. Until I begin to develop relationships with the people I'll be working for and with. Until I get into a groove and it really settles in that yes, I did make this move. <i>We </i>made this move as a family. <i>We started this new chapter together.</i><br />
<br />
But we're not there yet.<br />
<br />
Because we're neither here nor there.<br />
<br />
Heightening the experience of being <i>b'derech </i>(which loosely means 'on the way') is the fact that I am done with just about every single thing I need to do in order to be ordained. And that's pretty fantastic. I'm going to stop right there and give myself a little pat on the back. Because getting to that point took a tremendous amount of energy, hard work, and commitment. And I did it this way - the Jaclyn way, I guess - because I wanted to be able to enjoy this transitional time of being neither here nor there.<br />
<br />
So let me assure you, I am finding many ways to enjoy it.<br />
<br />
However.<br />
<br />
Complicating the experience of being <i>b'derech</i> is reality. The pain of loss; of change. Of leaving significant relationships behind. Our families have been overwhelmingly supportive of our move and it's been amazing. Many of our friends have, too.<br />
<br />
But there's something very difficult about telling the people you love that you've made a decision that involves you not being around them regularly anymore. When you really, truly love people there's something tremendously deep and visceral and <i>hard</i> in knowing you will soon say goodbye. You know it won't last forever; you tell each other Seattle and LA are only a two-hour plane ride apart. But deep in your heart you know that everything will change, and some people will handle it better than others, and maybe you're really going to struggle with it the most, and it just <i>hurts. </i>That's the pain of truly loving and caring about someone other than yourself.<br />
<br />
But we're not there yet.<br />
<br />
Because we're neither here nor there.<br />
<br />
There's so much to be excited about. There's a new adventure on the horizon for Josh and for me. Every day that passes we realize more and more that this was the best decision we could have made for ourselves and for our marriage. As difficult as that is for some people to hear. (And as difficult as it is to say out loud)<br />
<br />
As I said in my own sermon on Rosh Hashanah this past fall, "<i>it's ironic, but the only real constant in this bizarre world of ours ... is change."</i> Change is what keeps us dynamic and growing; it shapes and shifts us and helps us learn to be the best people we can be. We know that this is a change that we needed. We are confident that we will embrace it together.<br />
<br />
But ... we're not there yet.<br />
<br />
Because we're neither here nor there.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-7529832761245431132014-03-08T10:52:00.000-08:002014-03-08T10:57:09.154-08:00A Dvar Torah on Vayikra <span style="font-family: inherit;">This morning I shared some brief words of Torah with the Jewish Legislative Caucus of the California Democratic Party. (Many thanks to my dear friend, Claire "Rainbow" Conlon, for the opportunity!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
I present them here to you, faithful blog-followers:</span><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: inherit;">Shabbat Morning with the California Democrats - Jewish Caucus</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Parshat Vayikra – </i>March 8, 2014</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Good Morning and Good
Shabbos!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday … many of us in the
Jewish professional world shared and spread around a Facebook post on this
week’s Torah portion, <i>Vayikra</i> … in
the form of a blog entry from “Punk Torah,” an unaffiliated, independent,
mostly online community run by Rabbi Patrick Beaulier in Atlanta. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The title of the post was:
“<a href="http://punktorah.org/is-judaism-programming-itself-to-death-parshah-vayikra-by-rabbi-patrick/" target="_blank">Is Judaism Programming Itself to <i><u>Death</u></i></a>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I clicked on the link,
the image that popped up was one with which I am all too familiar: a completely
packed, all-blocked-out, weekly Google calendar snapshot. Lots of color, and
events, and things going on … and <i>very</i>
<i>limited blank space.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would imagine that many of
us in this room know the image of the packed calendar all too well – whether we
use Google or Outlook or … even … an old-school, actual, handwritten paper <i>calendar.</i> We know that image because … our
lives are busy, our schedules meticulous, our “free time” not really that “free.” (pause)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rabbi Patrick suggests that
today, we who work in and serve the greater community structure our entire
careers around “the calendar,” and specifically: <i><u>programming and promotion</u></i> … getting <i>this </i>person in the door, or reaching out to <i>that</i> segment of the population. We set a date, pick a location,
promote the hell out of something, and put on an <i>event … </i>whether it’s Israel Advocacy, a Young Democrats breakfast,
or even Election Day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, back to Torah. Punk
Torah, that is. Rabbi Patrick reminds us that at first blush this week’s Torah
portion, <i>Vayikra, </i>is a horrifying
read. It’s <u>all</u> about animal <i>sacrifice</i>.
We go from the grandiosity of Exodus – the crossing of the Red Sea, the giving
of the Ten Commandments, the building of the Tabernacle … to fire and brimstone
and bloody, burned animals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, sacrifice here serves
a greater purpose … it reminds us to draw near to God and community … the
Hebrew word for a sacrificial offering, <i>korban,</i>
is the same root as the verb, “to draw close,” <i>likrov.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rabbi Patrick suggests that
the modern-day parallel of sacrifice … is the <i><u>calendar</u></i>. It’s the schedule that we so protect and keep. The
endless programming we put ourselves and our communities and our families and
our careers through … that’s our modern-day version of bloody, burning animal
parts. It’s death by scheduling … and the worst part? It ignores the very
reason people are drawn to Judaism … and progressive politics … in the first
place…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Change. Relevance. Meaning. Making daily life a
little bit more secure … ensuring that the future is a little bit brighter for the
next generation. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And at the core of all that? <i>People. Relationships. Connections. </i>(pause)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our imperative as modern Jews
is to <i>repair the world,</i> not dominate
it<i> – </i>to mend what has been broken.
That is the essence of <i>tikkun olam </i>and
it is a hallmark of social justice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But <i>tikkun olam </i>at its best isn’t really about the <i>olam</i> – the world. It’s about the <i>anashim</i> – the people<i> – </i>who
reside within it, utilize its resources, help it to grow and flourish and
progress … <i><u>people</u> </i>are at the
root of this endeavor that we call <i>life. </i>(pause)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we begin to lose sight
of that … when we become so dependent on our highly developed programming and
our terrifyingly complex schedules … then, we <i><u>lose sight</u></i> of our real, authentic goals. We forget for whom
we’re programming and scheduling in the first place… and we <i><u>need</u></i> a Shabbos … a respite … a
re-fresh … to remind ourselves <i>who we’ve
committed our lives to and why.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So this Shabbat morning, take
a breath. Take a moment. Look around you. Look at the faces of those who are
our future – the next generation of progressive politics in this state. Put
down your smart phone and your Google calendar app … and I promise to do the
same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember that time – <i>our</i> time - is an extraordinary gift. A
gift we must use wisely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To paraphrase the philosopher
Abraham Joshua Heschel, “<i>six days a week
we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth. On the Sabbath we
care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul. Six days a week we seek to
dominate the world; on the seventh day, we finally attend to the self.” </i>(pause)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the coming weeks and
months as we in this room head into our respective busy seasons, let us
remember … to take that breath. To connect – or reconnect – with the <i><u>people</u></i> for whom we do the work
that we are <i><u>so</u></i> privileged to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let us not be <i><u>so</u></i> bold as to throw away our
calendars entirely … because then it might actually throw the world off its axis
… but let us at least try to wean ourselves from that meticulous planning
… sit a little more comfortably in those
blank spaces … and instead look up, lean out, and reach toward those whose
hands meet ours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Imagine the possibilities.
Imagine the connections; the conversations. Imagine the power in those
exchanges – however brief they may be. (pause)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is my hope … and my prayer
… that these breaths, pauses, and reconnections will enhance the work that we
are already doing, and the people we already are. That they will make us even
better at dancing with the busy-ness that rules our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, and only then, will we
truly work towards the California of our dreams – a California of dignity,
strength, and promise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Kein Yehi Ratzon</i>. Shabbat Shalom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Jaclyn </span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-42949656559777543382014-02-27T19:07:00.001-08:002014-02-28T00:03:41.198-08:00February 2014: A Retrospective My, what a long, strange month it's been!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
February 2014 has been the longest, most fascinating, challenging, eye-opening and soul-stirring month of our lives. And I cannot believe that tomorrow it finally comes to an end.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At the beginning of February I began the Placement process to determine where I will wind up next year as a full-time rabbi. From the speed-dating-style initial interviews (on Super Bowl Sunday, no less) with wonderful congregations to exciting callbacks to the busy yet fulfilling site visits themselves; each aspect of this process was a phenomenal learning experience for me. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What a privilege it has been to see what Judaism looks like through the eyes of these communities I have visited. To hear people articulate why their community matters to them. To meet senior rabbis and associate rabbis who love what they do and are passionate about building community. To teach people, and speak openly with people, and do my best to share a little bit of myself with <i>people</i>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And, most importantly, to see these communities excited, passionate, and invested in what will be the next chapter in their congregation's life. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yesterday I read through this week's <i>parsha, Pekudei. </i>I noticed that it was yet another Torah portion about the building of the <i>mishkan;</i> the tabernacle<i>.</i> When I looked back a few chapters, I was reminded of the first charge concerning the tabernacle God speaks to Moses in<i> Terumah</i>: <i>build me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. </i>(Exodus 25:8)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I did a little math and saw that <i>Terumah</i> was the portion we read at the beginning of the Placement process. And this week, <i>Pekudei</i> is the conclusion of that narrative. It's the final <i>parsha </i>in the book of Exodus. It closes out the discussion on the structure, content, and sanctity of the tabernacle itself. The sometimes repetitive descriptions of God's vision for the <i>mishkan</i> conclude beautifully in <i>Pekudei.</i><br />
<br />
The significance of this timing struck me. How apropos to this Placement process; this long, arduous, at times repetitive, beautiful, poignant, taxing, and meaningful month.<br />
<br />
Each congregation that has interviewed us emerging rabbis was immersed in the building of their own <i>mishkan; </i>their own holy space. Additionally, each of us students has searched for the right <i>mishkan </i>in which to create holiness, meaningful relationships, and bring people closer to Torah. As I have said throughout this process, it's all about fit. It's about match. It's about rabbis feeling that they can bring their gifts and talents to a congregation and congregations feeling that same energy; that same excitement.<br />
<br />
I do not know what will happen tomorrow morning, or the next day, or in the weeks and months and years ahead. But I do know that the Placement process has taught me so much about myself, about my peers and colleagues, about who I am as an emerging rabbi, about the family and friends who love and support me endlessly, about congregational life, and about what it means to be a Jew in America in the 21st century.<br />
<br />
Finally, to my <i>mishkan</i> - the dwelling inside my heart in which my friends and family reside - I thank you for bringing me to this place and to this moment. I love you.<br />
<br />
B'sha'ah Tovah,<br />
<br />
Jaclyn</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-83090126489717200192014-02-07T09:29:00.002-08:002014-02-07T09:29:20.675-08:0030I remember turning ten.<br />
<br />
Vaguely.<br />
<br />
We had an ice skating party at the Culver City Rink (z"l). It was special. I was hitting <i>double digits!</i> What a thrill! At the party my mom recorded Uncle Peter congratulating me on turning ten: <i>I can't believe you're ten years old ... it's only three more years 'til your Bat Mitzvah and it's like, blowing my mind! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
(You better believe that played on the montage video at my Bat Mitzvah)<br />
<br />
I remember turning twenty.<br />
<br />
I was living in the sorority house at UC Davis. My boyfriend at the time arranged a huge day for me. The whole time I kept thinking, <i>holy mackarel, I'm twenty. TWENTY!?</i> <i>How did I get this old?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Today I'm thirty.<br />
<br />
30.<br />
<br />
Three decades. Unbelievable.<br />
<br />
What a fantastic ride the past decade has been.<br />
<br />
Ten years ago I was nervous about the transition from teenager to adult. Ten years ago I was so ambivalent about stepping further and further away from my youth; my childhood. <i>Who</i> was I going to become? <i>What</i> was I going to become? I had some degree of clarity about my career path and knew I wanted to become a member of the clergy. But I had no idea what the next decade of my life would look like.<br />
<br />
Now, here we are. Thirty. I'll be an ordained rabbi in about four months. I just completed my first round of interviews for my first job out of rabbinical school. I'm married to the most patient, loving, delicious, and supportive human being alive. My amazing parents are healthy. My brother is soaring. My grandfather is still kickin'. My big, vibrant, newly expanded family is <i>family.</i> My friends keep my heart beating strong. I am doing something that I love so deeply.<br />
<br />
Seriously, who could ask for anything more?<br />
<br />
I know that this next decade of my life will bring extraordinary triumphs and unimaginable challenges. I know that I have <i>so much ahead </i>- so much to learn, so many new and exciting people to learn from, so many relationships to form and mentors to seek and horizons to explore. So many ways to grow into the person I'm continuing to learn how to be.<br />
<br />
I cannot wait.<br />
<br />
So 30, it's nice to see you. I'm so glad you're here.<br />
<br />
JaclynAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-22190492403176270812014-01-20T16:09:00.001-08:002014-01-23T15:50:44.596-08:00Wading in the Pool of Mindfulness A few weeks ago I was talking with <a href="http://www.ravjill.com/" target="_blank">Rabbi Jill Zimmerman</a> about how psycho-busy this time in my life is. She stopped me and said, "you have to come to this mindfulness retreat I'm doing in a few weeks."<br />
<br />
"No way," I responded. "I've got X on my plate and Y on my plate, I've got this thing and that thing and then I've got to think about W and Z. And oh, don't forget about A, B, and C!"<br />
<br />
"Exactly." she said. "You need this. Now more than ever."<br />
<br />
So, begrudgingly, I agreed to think about it. When I mentioned it to my mother, she jumped. "Let's do it together," she said.<br />
<br />
And so, on Saturday morning I found myself at <a href="http://www.leobaecktemple.org/" target="_blank">Leo Baeck Temple</a> in yoga pants. I came with few expectations, an open mind, and declaration to myself, mom, and husband that I would take a day to root myself in myself. I promised I would learn a little bit about this mindfulness and spirituality movement. I brought a recently-acquired journal to take notes. I was as prepared as I could be.<br />
<br />
And the day went something like this:<br />
<br />
I hadn't planned on bringing a watch, so I already felt naked when I walked out the door. It wasn't until I was in the car about a block away from our apartment that the Bluetooth failed to connect and I realized I'd left my cell phone on my nightstand.<br />
<br />
Some colorful language ran through my head. And then I said, <i>No! This is good! This is good! I shouldn't have my cell phone anyway! </i>I resisted the urge to turn around and grab my phone. And I gently scolded myself for being so dependent on that thing.<br />
<br />
When I arrived, it became clear to me very quickly that the whole day would be out of my comfort zone. <i>And that's okay!</i> I thought cheerfully. <i>It's just one day! One day of discomfort, Jaclyn! You can do it! You might learn something! Be open! </i><br />
<br />
My mother and I sat down in the sanctuary and prepared to pray. It was Shabbat morning, after all. We donned our <i>tallitot - </i>both of which were made by yours truly on the occasion of each of our B'not Mitzvah - and sat together, prepared for a different kind of prayer experience.<br />
<br />
It was slow and deliberate and gentle, focusing on breath and pause and reflection and awareness. It was very pretty - the beautiful voice of Cantor Linda Kates was our guide, as were the teachings of the extraordinary Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg - but it was also very hard.<br />
<br />
I am so accustomed to a style of worship that is very different: one where the<i> sh'lichei tzibbur </i>(prayer leaders) are engaged and engaging, where prayer and song are stimulating and powerful, and where gentleness often doesn't really show itself. So to sit and pray for two and a half hours at about half-speed, listening to the soothing voices of these women ... it was just so <i>different.</i> It was challenging. Not impossible, but definitely challenging.<br />
<br />
Following prayer we had about forty-five minutes of yoga. My favorite part was looking around at a room filled with older Jews curled into balls with blankets wrapped around themselves. It looked like a giant slumber party. I wish I'd been able to take a picture! The yoga itself was fine; it wasn't the stretch-out-your-body kind of yoga with a name I can't pronounce; it was more of a thinking yoga class with lots of breathing and mentions of intention.<br />
<br />
Lunch was held in silence, which was probably the hardest part of the day. A natural extrovert, having to turn inward and meditate on the food I was eating and its path to my mouth was a challenge. However - it was catered by <a href="http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/Default.aspx?type=default" target="_blank">Chipotle</a>. And Chipotle, my friends, is one of my favorites. To be able to slow myself down and actually savor the flavor was a very different experience. I appreciated it. It was nice.<br />
<br />
(I also learned that I am an abnormally loud chewer of tortilla chips)<br />
<br />
By the time we left the retreat later that day, mom and I were both ready to re-engage with the world we know. We took from the retreat some really solid tools on mindfulness and being present. We had a different appreciation for Chipotle. (Or, at least I had it; mom doesn't do Mexican food, so it was good she brought her own lunch!)<br />
<br />
The most important message I gleaned from this experience was the act of being mindful. Mindfulness takes a whole lot of different forms, but it's also quite simple. As Rabbi Peltz Weinberg stated, the idea of mindfulness falls into three categories: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. As she guided us through this teaching, she spoke of the difference between reaction and response, developing compassion for our thoughts, and recognizing the hindrances or blockages that keep us from doing or being our best. She also made a really brilliant link with parshat <i>Yitro </i>and the giving of the Ten Commandments, speaking to the dark cloud in which the divine resides.<br />
<br />
All in all, I walked away from the retreat grateful that I was able to participate in it and take away a few tools. I'm proud I made it through the better part of the day without my cell phone. I'm thrilled that I never eat my lunch in silence because, honestly, I think eating is an opportunity for connection, not reflection.<br />
<br />
All in all, being out of my comfort zone ain't exactly a bad place to be, especially now.<br />
<br />
And you know what else? I'm glad I listened to Rav Jill. Even though I resisted at first, throwing every excuse of "busy-ness" at her, I ultimately realized that being mindful and present and aware is exactly what I need for myself going into this next phase of my life; this transition from rabbinical student to rabbi.<br />
<br />
Looking forward to the next adventure!<br />
<br />
Jaclyn<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
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<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-39546564276955890762014-01-13T13:42:00.004-08:002014-01-13T13:44:49.544-08:00Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes Good grief ... it's been a long time since my last blog post.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't even know where the last three weeks have gone. I mean, it was winter break, but it was far from a break for me. While there was definitely some quality time spent with quality people doing quality things (and, typically, eating quality food) it was most definitely a busy, productive, exhaustive time. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've had so many blog-worthy thoughts over the past three weeks that never made it to the blog itself. Thoughts about the future, about the present, about hopes and dreams I have for myself and my family in this new secular year. I've thought a lot about the closing of one very large chapter in my life - time spent as a rabbinical student at HUC-JIR - and the soon-to-come beginning of the career I've worked towards since around the time of my Bat Mitzvah. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe it's the season, or maybe my good friends and I are just <i>really </i>cosmically connected, but each of us seems to be in a state of transition in our lives. People I love are attaching or detaching from their partners, preparing to welcome their first child, transitioning from one profession to another, or pondering moving to another country. People are engaging with change in such deep and visceral ways. Through each lunch date, phone call or FaceTime chat it becomes more and more apparent just how much we are each poised at pivotal life moments right now. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Somewhere in those thoughts on change is the funny little fact that I will be turning thirty the same week as Placement, the kickoff for the job search. And I'm actually feeling surprisingly good about entering this new decade of my life. I don't feel nervous or intimidated or fearful of the big 3-0. I feel excited. I feel hopeful. I feel ... good.<br />
<br />
My thesis is all about lifecycle rituals: the way we rabbis and cantors "do" them, the way communities engage with them, and the way we clergy innovate them to fit life's moments that fall outside the traditional categories we <i>know</i>. So it really does feel like every day I'm talking about transition, change, and moving from one identity to another. Every day I'm talking about what it means to honor the cycles of our lives in holy ways. I think it would be totally exhausting if it weren't so cathartic and necessary.<br />
<br />
So, looking ahead to these next few weeks I know that there's much to come. I know there's plenty I can prepare for and a whole heap I won't anticipate. Luckily, I have my outlets for processing and coping with the uncertainty. I have a thesis that, while consuming, is completely apropos to what I'm going through right now. And, I have a fantastic birthday celebration to look forward to, as well.<br />
<br />
Until next time,<br />
<br />
Jaclyn</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-36695926176014801382013-12-17T10:03:00.001-08:002013-12-17T10:03:26.452-08:00Mourning Superman Sam Yesterday an eight-year-old boy was laid to rest in Glencoe, Illinois. A boy I never met, never spoke to, and yet ... like countless others around the world I felt connected to this boy. I read about his battle with acute myeloid leukemia through blog posts by his parents, both rabbis in the Chicago area. I followed his mother on Twitter and Facebook. I listened and read as mutual friends in the Reform community posted and shared and retweeted Sam's trials and triumphs. My heart ached and swelled with every one. And yesterday, my heart was heavy with grief knowing that over 1,000 mourners had gathered together to say a final goodbye to this beautiful child, <a href="http://supermansamuel.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Superman Sam</a>.<br />
<br />
Am I allowed to grieve, though I did not know him? Am I allowed to feel the pain of such a horrific loss, even though I was not present at that funeral? Can I mourn from afar, through a computer screen, though I never met Sam, or his parents, or his beautiful young siblings, face-to-face?<br />
<br />
I cannot begin to fathom what his parents, his siblings, his grandparents and cousins and friends and loved ones, his doctors, his community - those who <i>actually knew him</i> - must be feeling. I cannot comprehend their grief, their pain, or their anguish. Nor can I try to wrap my head around what their lives will be like in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.<br />
<br />
But I <i>can</i> raise my voice in support of this family, and the countless others fighting for increased funding of pediatric cancer research.<br />
<br />
The rabbis of the Reform Movement are many, but we are all connected to one another. And among the mourners physically present at Sam's funeral were dozens of rabbis and cantors from the Movement, several of whom left Biennial early to stand in solidarity and mourn in person with Sam's family.<br />
<br />
Many of those incredible rabbis are currently involved in <a href="http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/10921/2014" target="_blank">this fundraising effort</a>: 36 Rabbis Shave for the Brave. The campaign, run through the organization St. Baldricks, has grown and spread and tweeted and Facebooked and blogged and exploded around the country and the world. Rabbis are shaving their heads at the <a href="http://www.ccarnet.org/" target="_blank">CCAR</a> Convention in Chicago this March in memory of Sam, and I encourage you whole-heartedly to support their effort to raise awareness and funds.<br />
<br />
One of the most moving things I read about Sam shortly before his death was that he made sure his money was going to <i>tzedakah;</i> that his legacy would outlast his short eight years. Now, our extended community has an obligation to support his family and his community, <a href="http://www.amshalom.com/" target="_blank">Am Shalom</a> in Glencoe, Illinois. (Where my amazing classmate Andrea Rae Markowicz serves as cantor) Please visit their page <a href="http://www.amshalom.com/store/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=29805" target="_blank">here</a> to extend your support.<br />
<br />
And finally, Jewish tradition teaches us to remember the life and the legacy of those who physically leave us. Judaism teaches us to tell the stories of those we mourn; to remember them not in their death but in the life they led.<br />
<br />
Read Sam's story. Be inspired by who he was and what he did in this short time on earth. Connect with and follow the words of his parents, Rabbi Phyllis and Rabbi Michael Sommer, <a href="http://supermansamuel.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Read the countless articles and obituaries written on Sammy.<br />
<br />
Ensure that his story lives on.<br />
<br />
Each of us is only one person; one tiny speck, one grain of sand, within something so much greater than ourselves. Yet so many of those grains of sand were brought together throughout Sam's illness - through social media, through words and stories and acts of compassion. Through a brave rabbi (my dear friend Rabbi Rebecca Schorr, who you can find <a href="http://rebeccaeinsteinschorr.com/" target="_blank">here</a>) stepping forward and offering to help organize the fundraising efforts with St. Baldrick's. Through the rabbis of the Reform Movement wearing Superman pins on their lapels throughout Biennial in honor of Sam. Through the mentioning of Sam's passing at Shabbat services on Saturday morning, before 5,000 people.<br />
<br />
Though we may only be one, we ones must connect. We ones must multiply. We ones must tell those we know and galvanize our circles to act, to remember, and to care.<br />
<br />
Then and only then do we keep Sam's memory alive.<br />
<br />
Superman Sam, I did not know you. But you inspired me. Your parents inspire me. And I will share your story, and I will care, and I will mourn - even from afar - to ensure your memory lives on.<br />
<br />
Zichrono livracha, may his memory be for blessing.<br />
<br />
-Jaclyn<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-85392778448419604192013-12-16T00:28:00.002-08:002013-12-17T22:06:27.469-08:00Unpacking Biennial Wow.<br />
<br />
That's not a word I use often enough. But I will use it to describe the past four days, which I spent in San Diego along with about 5,000 others at the <a href="http://urj.org/" target="_blank">Union for Reform Judaism</a>'s 2013 <a href="http://urjbiennial.zerista.com/" target="_blank">Biennial</a>.<br />
<br />
Every two years the URJ gathers together thousands of Reform Jews - lay leaders, synagogue employees, clergy, entertainers, <a href="http://www.nfty.org/" target="_blank">NFTY</a>-ites, and more - to connect and reconnect, pray, learn, network, and altogether grasp the movement of the Movement.<br />
<br />
The first Biennial I attended was in 2001, just a few months after 9/11. I was the president of my temple youth group, I was seventeen years old, and up until that summer I had no concept of NFTY or a greater Reform Movement. Then my home synagogue, <a href="http://www.wisela.org/" target="_blank">Stephen S. Wise Temple</a>, rejoined the Union and I was asked to represent them at Biennial. The experience was unforgettable.<br />
<br />
Twelve years ago, my mind exploded with the excitement and energy - the <i>ruach - </i>of the Movement and especially its youth. And this weekend in San Diego, I felt that same <i>ruach </i>as I participated in the most exciting, stimulating, thought-provoking, and innovative programming and prayer I have witnessed in a very long time.<br />
<br />
Biennial is a bit of a blur. There are so many people and so many things happening simultaneously. You're constantly running into people you haven't seen in years. You want to catch up, but you also want to make it to a session, maybe two! The programming is overwhelming in the best way possible; it feels a little bit like Jewish Disneyland with all the stimulation and the taglines. Some people - and I tried VERY hard not to give myself a hard time about this - get serious FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out. Because, truly, there's <i>just so much going on.</i> And you want to do Every. Single. Thing.<br />
<br />
Some of the programmatic highlights for me included:<br />
-Learning best practices for young adult engagement from synagogues and communities that are doing it right<br />
-Observing a case study in the URJ's Campaign for Youth Engagement taking place at Congregation <a href="http://www.cbisd.org/" target="_blank">Beth Israel </a>in San Diego<br />
-Participating in a workshop for Reform California, led by many of my friends and colleagues<br />
-Discussing the synagogue of the future with Rabbi Sharon Brous and Rabbi David Stern<br />
-Reconnecting and connecting with <a href="http://huc.edu/" target="_blank">HUC</a> alumni and students from all four campuses and hearing the outgoing president - Rabbi David Ellenson - bless incoming president Rabbi Aaron Panken on his journey<br />
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Then there were the services. Friday night was a stunningly beautiful service led by the clergy team of <a href="http://tbewellesley.org/index.aspx" target="_blank">Temple Beth Elohim</a> in Wellesley, Massachusetts - a synagogue whose innovative educational programs were often used as case studies during my Jewish Education Master's program. Saturday morning I participated in hands-down the most creative and exceptional Torah service of all time primarily led by Cantor Andrea Buchdahl of <a href="http://www.centralsynagogue.org/" target="_blank">Central Synagogue</a> and Amichai Lau-Lavie of Storahtelling and <a href="http://labshul.org/" target="_blank">Lab/Shul</a>.<br />
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What made the Torah service so amazing? It was <i>creative, </i>it was <i>fun,</i> it was <i>engaging, </i>and it had serious <i>depth.</i> The best way I can describe it: thirteen platforms were set up around the giant plenary hall. Each platform served as a <i>bimah</i>, and those who had been asked to stand there (representatives from various URJ organizations) had a Torah with them on their <i>bimah</i>. The 5,000 person plenary chanted the Torah blessings together, and then each platform had a reader who read for each separate aliyah within earshot of their section. It gave me <i>chills.</i> It was <i>beautiful.</i> And it was interspersed with stellar sTorah-telling, a particular highlight being <a href="http://shirlala.com/about-shira" target="_blank">Shira Kline</a> acting as the biblical character Dinah.<br />
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It reinforced so very much all that is possible when we<i> think outside the box.</i><br />
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And then, Saturday night I had the most incredible opportunity to introduce the plenary program: an event honoring 100 years of the <a href="http://www.wrj.org/" target="_blank">Women of Reform Judaism</a> and celebrating 75 years of NFTY. The program was a celebration of amazing female musicians, role models, educators, and social activists. It honored Anat Hoffman, the fearless director of <a href="http://www.irac.org/" target="_blank">IRAC</a>, and it blessed the generations of old and new in sweeping musical tributes. It was just so <i>good. </i><br />
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If you didn't catch it live, please do yourself a favor. Watch the replay, celebrate and dance and sing with the women, and enjoy it: <br />
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Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpEH9-pFUZc<br />
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Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MIjJ03r1IE<br />
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The Biennial experience got me so energized, so pumped, about all that lies ahead for us soon-to-be rabbis. It made me see so clearly how the Movement is growing and shifting, how its leader Rabbi Rick Jacobs is a visionary who practices what he preaches, how committed and passionate so many of its constituents are, and most of all, the evolution to which the Reform Movement is committed and in which it is invested so deeply. That includes opening our arms to change, embracing that which we do not know, engaging with all those who are "othered" to us, and being exemplars of "audacious hospitality."<br />
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To the next chapter, for a new day is dawning ...<br />
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Until then, time for sleep!<br />
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L'shalom,<br />
Jaclyn<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-64569021870367671782013-11-30T13:34:00.003-08:002013-11-30T23:43:17.766-08:00The First FuneralThis past Sunday I had the <i>kavod, </i>the honor, of conducting the funeral of one of my mother-in-law's best friends, Helen.<br />
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First, let me be clear: Sunday wasn't about me. Sunday was about being a <i>kli kodesh - </i>a holy vessel - and facilitating the memorial of one incredible woman. Helen was one-of-a-kind; a mother and wife and sister and friend who died suddenly and far too young. It was a surreal, sad, and difficult day, but it was one that gave me food for thought about the career I've chosen to pursue. Below are my thoughts on the process itself.<br />
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This was the first funeral I'd ever done. It wasn't a dress rehearsal or a practiced memorial service, which we've done throughout school. This was in real time, with a real grieving family; one I know well. It was serious and nerve-wracking and upsetting and really, really hard. I was the authority, the ringleader, and the decider. To their credit, HUC has done a great job of preparing me for leading a memorial service. But to be in the moment, standing face-to-face with mourners, requires a set of skills few classes can teach you.<br />
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The funeral began the Friday before, when I went over to the house to speak with the family. When a rabbi or cantor performs any life cycle event, they typically do what's called an "intake." No matter how close a family may feel to a rabbi, the intake sheds light on stories never told and on memories not yet shared. For weddings, funerals, B'nai Mitzvahs, and baby namings, the intake presents a much clearer window onto where the family is "at" leading up to the rite of passage.<br />
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The intake was extraordinary. We all cried, we laughed, and I learned much more about Helen than I had ever known. Her husband and daughter shared stories that blew me away, and I shared those very stories from the lectern on Sunday morning. I was able to gain clarity on how Helen came to be Helen, and on the deep sense loss in which her loved ones were immersed.<br />
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The funeral itself took place on a beautiful sunny day in Simi Valley. A large crowd turned out, many of them still shocked by the news. As "the rabbi," my job was to be present: to listen and comfort and serve as a receptacle for people's grief. Even though I knew Helen, I wasn't a mourner on Sunday; I was the facilitator. Knowing and owning that was essential, as was carving out space for myself to say goodbye to her in my own way.<br />
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As it has been at funerals I've attended in the past, the hardest part was the burial. Saying goodbye and speaking platitudes in a service is one thing; lowering your loved one into the ground and placing earth upon their casket is just something entirely different. Watching her bereaved husband shovel earth into the grave on Sunday, listening to him bid farewell to his beloved wife, was beyond heartbreaking. And immediately after that, one by one, the community did their part to shovel earth into her grave. We all said our goodbyes to her, sang a round of "Me and Bobby McGee" (Helen was a <i>big </i>Janis Joplin fan) and eventually left the cemetery to return to our lives.<br />
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I spent the rest of the day immersed in thoughts about ritual. As many of you know, my senior thesis is on the topic of ritual: how Jews connect to Judaism through it, how we as Jewish professionals innovate it, and most importantly - how to measure whether or not a ritual has "succeeded." And much of what my chevruta and I have done is discuss what makes a ritual "work" or "not work."<br />
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Though we've concluded it's particularly challenging to evaluate oneself, I think that this funeral - as a life cycle event - really did "work." I felt like it honored Helen, it gave her loved ones the space to grieve and to mourn and laugh and cry, but it was clearly a <i>funeral</i>. Jews do death really, really well. We have such an intricate, well-structured system for grief and mourning. And through the sacred texts of the psalms, the <i>hesped </i>(eulogy) the chanting of El Maleh Rachamim, and the <i>minhagim </i>(customs) at graveside, I feel like we as a community sent her off <i>right.</i><br />
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It was the best possible sendoff we as a community could have ever given Helen. It was a really strong learning experience for me (one, I must admit, I wish I hadn't had under these circumstances) and, I hope, as meaningful an experience as it could have been for her family and friends.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-42744245209807015632013-11-11T22:40:00.001-08:002013-11-14T22:52:51.331-08:00Men and Women and a Movement Last night my husband and I had the privilege of going to the home of <a href="http://huc.edu/directory/michael-zeldin" target="_blank">Michael Zeldin</a>, Senior National Director of <a href="http://www.huc.edu/" target="_blank">HUC-JIR</a>'s Schools of Education. We went for a delicious dinner and stimulating conversation. The topic: "Where Have All the Men Gone? Power and Gender in Reform Judaism."<br />
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You know. The light stuff. </div>
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Our conversation was with Stuart Leviton, the President of <a href="http://www.menrj.org/index.aspx" target="_blank">Men of Reform Judaism</a> (MRJ) and Rabbi David Wolfman, a strategic planning consultant for the MRJ. Stuart is a lay leader and past president of Congregation <a href="http://www.kol-ami.org/" target="_blank">Kol Ami</a> here in Los Angeles. His aim last night was to inform us about the organization's vision, engage us in a conversation about gender, involvement, and affiliation across North America, and hear our personal narratives with regard to the politics of gender in our work.</div>
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The first part of our discussion centered on affiliation writ large. The following questions were put on the table: <i>Why affiliate? Why be a part of a movement; </i><i>part of a community?</i> It had all of us students - particularly those of us about to graduate - scratching our heads. </div>
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What did they mean, <i><u>why</u> </i>affiliate<i>?</i> It felt like a wake-up call; a splash of cold water to the face. To ask a group of soon-to-be rabbis and educators a question like that was intentionally provocative. It's sort of like saying to a doctor, "<i>Why see a medical practitioner? I have Web MD.</i>" Yet, we knew to listen, respect, and reflect on what they had to say because there was value and truth to all of it.</div>
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Our speakers offered the non-surprising but still-alarming-for-various-reasons fact that men are leaving the Reform Movement in droves. Individuals and families and communities and congregations across North America are freaking out. Across the country lay leaders and professional Jews are asking themselves, (as the title of the discussion itself stated) <i>where have all the men gone?</i> Everyone, it seems, is deeply worried. Even as I write this it sounds like the trailer for an upcoming Hollywood blockbuster. </div>
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So, in light of this massive flight of Y-chromosomes from synagogue life, people like Stuart and Rabbi Wolfman are currently engaged in conversations about what all this means: for the <a href="http://www.urj.org/" target="_blank">Union for Reform Judaism</a> (URJ), for the day-to-day activities of its functioning North American synagogues, and especially for its youth. (For the record, the URJ's president, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, has made youth engagement a top priority during his tenure) </div>
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Stuart and Rabbi Wolfman asserted that in myriad conversations across North America, men feel displaced, unwanted; they feel as though their needs aren't being met. Men feel they have no outlet and that women have taken center stage in the synagogue. Men want a safe space, they want role models, and they want to feel like they have a place in contemporary American Jewish life. </div>
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Okay. Let's take a deep breath. </div>
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First, I very much appreciated what Stuart and Rabbi Wolfman offered us. It was valuable, stimulating, and provided each of us with essential information as we go forth in our careers as Jewish professionals. There was a lot I wrestled with last night, but it was still hugely important that I listen and take it all in. As a future leader of the Jewish community, talking about the alienation of <i>any</i> part of the population is huge. </div>
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What was most challenging about last night was not that they were speaking about the male/female dynamics of contemporary synagogue life. Additionally, what they shared was no surprise; it's a well-known and well-documented fact that since the 1990s a vast majority of HUC-JIR's graduates have been female, resulting in fewer and fewer men being drawn to professional Jewish life. That's had a traceable ripple effect on all areas of the Movement.</div>
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No, what was most difficult to swallow was the fact that everything being presented last night appeared from my perspective to be so specific, only focusing on one narrow part of a shift in contemporary American Jewish life. The conversation felt really one-sided: <i>men feel this and it's not good. Men feel left out and we need to not make them feel that way. Men need a place to express their emotions and the synagogues you'll work for aren't cutting it.</i> The end.<br />
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In my mind, this should have been a joint conversation with, say, the <a href="http://www.wrj.org/" target="_blank">Women of Reform Judaism</a>. It could have been a more meta discussion incorporating the recent Pew study, or a discussion about Jews' increasing involvement in less established models of Jewish life: for example, the hugely popular <a href="http://www.ikar-la.org/" target="_blank">IKAR</a> here in LA.<br />
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The one-sidedness of the conversation, in a way, alienated me. It left me out as a potential partner in shaping future gender boundaries of Jewish affiliation. It made me feel even more feminine, more womanly, more "other." I believe that approach casts men and women even further apart.<br />
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Our world doesn't only exist in solely "male" and "female" terms anymore; gender is a spectrum. And there appeared to be no spectrum present last night; only very stark differences that fell into categories of black and white. It lacked nuance or recognition of the amazing work so many of my colleagues are doing for <i>all Jews: </i>not just men, not just women, but the entire <i>Movement.</i></div>
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Another discussion point was concern over the fact that boys do not have male role models to look up to, and that's resulting in this widespread flight from organized Jewish life. So, maybe it's a generational thing, but when I was growing up I had many role models. I looked up to teachers, rabbis, parents, older friends, camp counselors; you name it. And truth be told, I had role models who were male <i>and </i>role models who were female. I didn't discriminate. I was an equal-opportunity role model seeker. </div>
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Now, today, I have mentors who are male and mentors who are female; some are gay, some straight. They're single, married, partnered, divorced, bald-headed and brunette, some with glasses and some without. They're as diverse as you can get, and not just in physical ways. Why do I gravitate towards them? Because my parents - <i>and </i>those role models - taught me to value what's in a person's soul. Not their gender, not their looks, but who they <i>are</i>. </div>
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I wonder how this particular conversation on affiliation and involvement might shift if we stopped spending so much time on gender and started looking into the souls of those who lead our synagogues and institutions: male, female, and those in transition. I wonder what would happen if we adjusted this particular conversation to focus on a vision we have for the entire <i>mishpucha </i>(family), which includes within it the widest variety of individuals and family systems imaginable.<br />
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As we discussed on Sunday night, what keeps people returning and investing and deepening their relationships to Jewish institutions are <i>depth</i> and <i>quality</i>. Depth and quality lead men and women to connect in ways that matter to them, and those ways are diverse for every single human being. It's not only our job as Jewish professionals to present a deep, rich, and high-quality Judaism accessible through multiple channels; it's our sacred task. </div>
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Gender isn't one sided, and it's not even as simple as what I've presented here. Indeed, it's much more complex. As our guests said to us last night, these conversations are intense and provocative but we should embrace and not fight them, for they help us grow. We will likely never live in a world that is free from gender. It is a part of what we do and who we are. But what we <i>do </i>with these conversations - how we see gender, how it colors our experiences, and where it holds us back from our own self growth - is so tremendously significant. It's our future. And all of us are invested in that. </div>
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L'shalom,<br />
Jaclyn</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-17515046099214546092013-11-08T22:59:00.001-08:002013-11-08T23:03:27.083-08:00Strangers in the Nail SalonYesterday morning was about an eight (out of ten) on the intensity scale, so naturally I found my way to a manicurist's chair before work in the afternoon.<br />
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Everyone has their own sanctuary. Luckily I have several, and one is the nail salon. The ones I go to are serene, clean, and quiet. And I'll be honest - freshly painted nails help me think clearly.<br />
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Around midway through my manicure I heard a woman walk into the salon. My back was to the entrance, but she was loud and noticeable. I mean, I noticed her. You couldn't not notice her.<br />
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She was going on and on about being a physician and not being comfortable in that space. "Give me the hospital! Give me an operating room! Give me my stethoscope!..." she kept repeating. It was weird. I was confused. I couldn't turn around to see the source of the voice, but I <i>could</i> see the other women in the salon looking at each other with those <i>eyes. </i>You know, the "who is this lady, is she for real?!" eyes. The partial eye roll, partial sideways glance. I know the look well.<br />
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This went on for a few minutes until, out of nowhere, she snapped at someone: <i>I can wear my wedding rings on my right hand, okay! I can wear them how I want because my husband is divorcing me and I can do what I want! I can do what I want, okay? Don't tell me what to do!" </i><br />
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Instantly, I felt nauseous. I couldn't see this woman's face, I had no idea who she was yelling at, but .. I got it. Things clicked.<br />
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I maneuvered my body to get a look at her and when I did, I felt even more nauseated. She was stunningly beautiful, poised, put-together, and looked ... I don't know ... regal? Maybe in my head I thought she'd look terrible. I figured she'd have mascara running down her face or something. But, no. Not a hair out of place. Not a drop of mascara beneath her soft almond eyes.<br />
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I listened to her go on and on throughout the rest of my mani. She trashed her husband, insisted that she made a huge mistake marrying him, didn't want to hear <i>one single word </i>about the fact that she was still wearing her rings because <i>they were on her right hand, okay!? </i>and then stated she was "super nervous" about walking a red carpet that night. It was such a bizarre confluence of predicaments.<br />
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I listened to this woman, this stranger. I watched the other women in the salon - ostensibly strangers to each other - giving one another looks, then nodding in her direction. Even the manicurists were gesturing to her and making faces, speaking in Vietnamese, perhaps trying to make sense of her. She seemed completely oblivious to it all.<br />
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My heart ached for this woman. I wanted to go up to her, ask if she needed a shoulder or a listening ear, see if I could help her in some way. Of course I didn't, because that would have been totally weird and invasive. Just as the nail salon is my sacred space, it was hers, too. Maybe she would have responded well, or maybe she would have smacked me across the face. Who knew?<br />
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I left the salon wondering, what was my obligation to this woman? Why did I feel compelled to talk to, protect, or help her? Why was I so invested in her well-being? Couldn't I have just ignored her, rolled my eyes along with the rest of the posse, or gone about my day just as oblivious to her as she appeared to be towards everyone else? The answer is no, obviously, because here I am blogging about it.<br />
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Kabbalistic Judaism teaches that we have a mythical, mystical group of people known as <i>lamed-vavniks.</i> The tradition goes as follows: there are 36 (in Hebrew, the number is lamed-vav) truly good souls roaming the earth. These <i>tzadikim,</i> or righteous individuals, are strangers. Not only to us, but to one another and to themselves. We don't know who they are or when they will appear to us; <i>they</i> too don't even know who they are! But they <i>are</i> here, and their role is to reveal the purpose of humanity through words and actions. Their purpose is to help make the world a better place.<br />
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It hit me when I was in that nail salon that this poor woman stuck in her own personal hell might actually be a <i>lamed-vavnik. </i>It was a bizarre thought to have. Truly. I can't remember the last time I thought about the <i>lamed-vavnik </i>tradition. I have no idea what religion this woman was, whether or not she cared about anything other than her jewelry or her soon-to-be ex-husband. All I had was that small picture onto her. And yet ... I was still thinking about it throughout the day. (And, coincidentally, my mentor SCR brought up <i>lamed-vavniks</i> in our meeting today)<br />
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It dawned on me that whether or not this woman was actually a righteous <i>tzadik</i> just having a really, really bad day or not, she was still human. And human beings sometimes get themselves into nasty situations, willingly or unwillingly. Sometimes they act out. Sometimes they don't. Occasionally they'll be open about why they're in such a dark place. Most of the time, they won't be.<br />
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What I had for this woman was empathy. I cared. I wanted to help. I wanted to give her a hug. Now, I don't think I'm some sort of <i>tzadik </i>myself for feeling, owning, and sharing that. Rather, the exchange got me to think about the hidden agendas and unknown identities of all those we encounter in our day-to-day lives. Perhaps the strangers we meet - those kind and gentle souls <i>and </i>those difficult, loud, hard-to-ignore ones, too - are in fact <i>lamed-vavniks</i> whose purpose is to usher in an age of peace, kindness, and goodness for all humanity. We'll never know.<br />
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But, in the meantime, we can certainly extend our own warmth, compassion, and kindness to them. For we never know what the impact of goodness can be.<br />
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Shabbat shalom to you and yours.<br />
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With love,<br />
Jaclyn<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-30129793405005684582013-11-05T17:06:00.000-08:002013-11-05T17:08:21.564-08:00On Being a Millennial Stumbled upon this interesting take on the "millennial" generation. It's a father's perspective on his son:<br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/booming/i-want-to-be-a-millennial-when-i-retire.html?_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/booming/i-want-to-be-a-millennial-when-i-retire.html?_r=0</a><br />
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It got me to think about the ever-present generational gap, the subjective nature of "success," and the aspiration(s) my generation either has or doesn't with regard to life goals. I could definitely relate to some of it. However, coming to the end of a six-year graduate school journey I have a different lens through which I view this. Namely, I just worked my butt off for a long time and I'm ready to <i>work.</i> But - how exactly will I measure my own success in the years to come?<br />
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Your thoughts?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-24584446765179982852013-11-04T08:54:00.002-08:002013-11-04T08:55:07.908-08:00AdjustmentComing back home, no matter the length of time one's been away, is always an adjustment. <i>Al achat kama v'chama - </i>how much the more so - when one's been in Israel.<br />
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Aside from the obvious time change and jet lag, there's also all these other factors that you have to sort of re-jigger your mind for. You have to account for the difference in language & communication, the difference in what things look like and what <i>people </i>look like. You have to prepare yourself for the change in atmosphere; the weather, the buildings, the signs and whatnot. But especially after leaving Israel, one experiences a total shift in the level of intensity; the thickness of the air surrounding you. </div>
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Many people know the Hebrew word "<i>aliyah</i>." When one makes <i>aliyah</i> they figuratively ascend to something, including Israel. (It comes from the root <i>l'alot,</i> meaning to rise) There's making <i>aliyah</i> to become a permanent resident of Israel, doing an "<i>aliyah</i>" to the Torah, ascending physically - <i>aliyah</i> style - to the city of Jerusalem, which is high up in the hills. </div>
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But when one makes "<i>yeridah</i>," which comes from the root <i>laredet,</i> meaning to go down, they literally descend from Israel. It's used as a derogatory term for those who have lived in Israel but leave, whether they do so in search of greener pastures or for family reasons or a job opportunity. It's not a kind expression. </div>
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Each time I go to Israel it feels like I'm stepping up to a more concentrated intellectual experience, a thicker slice of life, a more polarized and less wishy-washy, highly opinionated, <i>intense </i>existence. When I leave and go back home, it feels like stepping away from the furnace, taking a step downstairs, entering a more calm, carefree zone, and taking a deep breath of fresh air. The terms <i>aliyah </i>and <i>yeridah </i>sort-of describe, at least for me, the never-a-dull-moment experience of going to Israel and the sudden shift in coming home. And I definitely felt that yesterday when I left the airport and came back to our apartment a mere three miles from the glorious Pacific Ocean. </div>
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Let me be clear - this is not an endorsement of either term. It's simply a way to describe the experience of being in such a uniquely intense place and adjusting to coming back home. </div>
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The question on the table is this ... how does one take the transformative and powerful experiences of Israel and bring them - in my case - to their congregational internship, to school, to her families and friends? How will people take to the highly-concentrated, bottled-up, intense collection of experiences I've garnered over the past ten days? Will even people listen?</div>
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These are questions I'm sure I will ponder as the days go on. For now, I'm rolling back into school and catching up on emails. I've got a strong cup of coffee to my left and my day planner to my right. Bring it on. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-82242945452387085542013-11-02T15:16:00.002-07:002013-11-04T08:22:30.292-08:00Conclusions (This post has been edited since its original posting)<br />
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Well, our 2013 Symposium has come to an end.<br />
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Yesterday was a really interesting, painful, hopeful, mishmash-of-a-day. We woke up early and trekked up to Jerusalem to meet with Dr. Charles Greenberg in his home. Dr. Greenberg is a professor emeritus of Social Psychology at Hebrew University and is chairman of the board of Defense for Children International. So what does this man do? Well, he basically studies, documents, and advocates on behalf of children who have in some way become victims of the Arab/Israeli conflict. </div>
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I'm going to be honest - there is nothing quite like hearing the effect of war/conflict/strife on children. It's just ... it's gut-wrenching. I don't know how those in the group who actually have children felt, but even as a teacher of toddlers, kids, and teenagers - I just can't. It's takes the emotional, visceral reaction to another level. And the one glimmer of hope that I had leaving Dr. Greenbaum's home was that he is <i>not</i> the only person who is doing this work. There are many people - <i>good </i>people - who have committed their lives to chipping away at a system that allows children to be implicated in violence. That gives me hope, and comfort, and reminds me that there are true <i>tzadikim</i> - righteous, just people - roaming this earth. </div>
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We came back to Tel Aviv to meet with an extraordinary woman named Robi Damelin. Robi is a representative of Parents Circle Families Forum (<a href="http://www.theparentscircle.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" target="_blank">http://www.theparentscircle.<wbr></wbr>com/</a>) PCFF is an organization that brings together Arab and Israeli families who have lost a member of their family in the conflict. One of the first things she said, which sort of put everything into perspective, was this: "it's not all hugging and kumbaya and let's love one another. It's really, really hard and frustrating and difficult. But it's the only way ... we will ever get this conflict to stop." (Paraphrased)</div>
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My words can't do justice to this woman. I won't even try. She had so much chutzpah, and confidence, and strength, and she was so dynamic and brilliant and funny ... and there was so much pain behind her eyes. Her son David was killed by a Palestinian sniper several years ago at a checkpoint in the West Bank, and she talked about him constantly throughout our discussion. I was blown away by her grit and determination and fearlessness.<br />
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The take-home that I will share with all of you reading this blog is that you should, most definitely, become familiar with the Parents Circle. Why? Because the common thread of grief is, for better or for worse, a gateway. It is an opening, a hope, a symbol of possibility. And instead of wringing their hands and wailing and screaming and sowing further seeds of hatred, this unique group of people - which has grown to over 600 families - has chosen a path of maturity, grace, and compassion. It may sound patronizing, but I think each and every one of us can learn something from their work.<br />
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The rest of our day included a heated and informative discussion with +972 Magazine blogger Noam Sheizaf, a talented man with a sharp eye on the country's political and social activities. I highly encourage you to follow and keep an eye on him - http://972mag.com/noams/ . We then trekked to Beit Daniel, <i>thee </i>Progressive Synagogue (Israeli version of Reform) in Tel Aviv. Beit Daniel is more of an empire than a synagogue, with a grand complex in the northern end of Tel Aviv that serves as its Beit Knesset, a massive complex in the southern end of the city with a hostel and programming called Mishkenot Ruth, and dozens of preschools throughout the city. Beit Daniel is a symbol of what is possible for Progressive Judaism in Israel - obviously something I very much care about - but the meeting felt very rushed and low on content. The Reform Movement in Israel is so complex and nuanced, it needed more than a quick visit and talk with the rabbi of the shul.<br />
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Following a super-relaxed and low-key Kabbalat Shabbat by the Mediterranean, I retreated to my hotel room for an early night. Woke up the next morning for a meaningful closing session with Colette Avital, a politician who was originally with Labor but recently switched over to the Meretz party. Good lord, that woman was <i>smart. </i>She had some really great, brilliant things to say about the same things we've been discussing all week.<br />
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In conjunction with her talk, we convened, shared feelings, hugs, congratulations, and a really holy moment guided by my now dear friend and busmate Rabbi Darah Lerner of Bangor, Maine.<br />
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Following our conclusion, I spent the day trekking around Tel Aviv with my dear friend Elana. We walked to the beach, had a late lunch, lazed by the pool of her friend's hotel, shopped in the Tachana (old train station) and had your typical Tel Aviv-y Shabbat.<br />
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It was such an unbelievable contrast from the intensity of the week. I'm going to be honest - I really enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and the carefree feeling of a Saturday afternoon by the sea. But it was such a notable difference; such a complete 180 from all that's been seen and done and experienced the past seven days.<br />
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I decided not to fight it. I held the two in my heart and allowed them to coexist. On the one side was the intensity, excitement, and exhaustion of a powerful and action-packed week. On the other side was the simplicity and laissez-faire attitude that characterizes this beach metropolis. The two were there, together, side by side, living separately but getting along, acknowledging and respecting one another but choosing to live separately within me. And I thought to myself ... now isn't <i>that</i> kinda symbolic?<br />
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This trip has been amazing, challenging, thought-provoking, and rabbinate-shaping. I feel like I am returning to the States with a newfound understanding of the country I love and care about deeply; her citizens, her government, and her diverse society as it exists today. It was a gift to be able to share this experience with Partners for Progressive Israel and I know the processing and reflecting has only just begun. (So, in other words, stay tuned!)<br />
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The time has come for me to shut off the WiFi and board the 15-and-a-half hour flight to Los Angeles. I bid you all a hearty l'hitra'ot. Until we meet again.<br />
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-Jaclyn<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-46415099435175052912013-10-31T14:36:00.000-07:002013-10-31T14:36:31.593-07:00Hope & Healing Today was definitely the shot in the arm each of us needed after yesterday. It was like a straight-up "hope" cocktail, served with a side of calm.<div>
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We started our morning at Givat Haviva (http://www.givathaviva.org.il/english/) a place I had never heard of before today but can guarantee will be gaining great traction in the coming months. Givat Haviva was this calm, tranquil, kibbutz-like center near Hadera in the north. One of those places where you pull into the driveway and feel your entire body relax. (Sort of like how I get when I arrive at a spa)</div>
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Givat Haviva, as you can read for yourself on the website above, is an extraordinary model for what can be achieved not only in the Middle East, but throughout the world. The place has a storied and tumultuous history; one that reflects the trends and movement of Israeli society, particularly over the last twenty or so years. The center has been around for decades, was filled to the brim during the "golden years" of Yitzhak Rabin, was a ghost town during the Second Intifada, nearly folded and had to be totally restructured in the late 2000s, and is now undergoing not-quite-as-agressive-as-Rawabi-but-still-impressive development under the new management of Yaniv Sagee.</div>
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The center offers various programs for children and adults that focus on one core thing. One might see it as incredibly simple but it is actually tremendously complex: <i>relationships.</i> The center focuses on face-to-face interactions between Arabs and Israelis, conversation and dialogue, shared experiences, and collective action. It reminds me greatly of the NewGround model (muslimjewishnewground.org) and not only touches but grasps hold of many of the concepts I'm reading about in Ron Wolfson's incredibly popular (amongst Jewish processionals) book, <i>Relational Judaism.</i> </div>
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We learn over and over how it's all about relationships. And yet, here is this grassroots organization working overtime to bring together neighboring towns, teenagers from Arab and Israeli schools, and parents of children to teach them how to see one another as human. It's so fundamental and yet so complicated. But it's <i>so deeply necessary. </i>It was inspiring to hear the facilitators and director, Yaniv, talk about the teens whose lives they have touched, their goals for the future (watch the video on the website; it can capture these ideas much better than I) and personally, it was so exciting to think about what is possible and achievable here in this country. </div>
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Following Givat Haviva we had lunch and explored the Arab town of Bartha with its former mayor (who also works at Givat Haviva), Riad Kaba. He took us on a tour of the city, unique for two reasons. First, it is split down the middle by the Green Line. Half of it is technically "in Israel" and half of it is technically in the West Bank. It's a complicated place for many reasons and truly representative of one of many levels of fragmentation in the country. But its citizens are hopeful about what can be achieved. </div>
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It wasn't explicitly said, but I do think that its proximity to Givat Haviva and its unique location in the center / north of Israel provides it with opportunities to really be at the forefront of this complicated situation. What that means, I'm not quite sure. But again, as this trip has demonstrated over and over, it was so important to be there and see it with my own eyes; to meet the people who are <i>there </i>and <i>doing this </i>and getting up every morning trying to make things better than they were the day before. I admire their dedication and determination so much. My admiration for nearly all the people we're meeting is through the roof. </div>
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The day concluded with a gala dinner at Noa Bistro with all of us trip participants and major players and Members of Knesset from the Meretz party. Aside from it being really exciting to have dinner with some amazing people heavily involved in Israeli politics, it was really nice to just put on some nice clothes and makeup and have a nice night out. The past few days have been so intense. We've been moving at a breakneck pace, seeing some really dark and upsetting things, getting more frequent feelings of despair than of hope and excitement. So to go out to a hot restaurant in Jaffa with a bunch of cool people, take selfies, and have a few glasses of wine was really necessary. </div>
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I want to end with a few trends I've noticed over the past few days: </div>
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1) Nearly everyone we've spoken to has referred in some way to Yitzhak Rabin. People look back on his time as Prime Minister with such fondness and hope. On the right and left, in Israel and in the West Bank, people have the greatest respect for this man who saw everyone - Jew, Muslim, Christian, atheist - as a human being and believed deeply in the potential for peace. </div>
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2) People are very impressed with John Kerry's commitment to the Middle East. They are also surprised. Time after time, meeting after meeting, people describe how genuinely determined he is to broker some sort of peace deal between Israel and Palestine and how meaningful that is to them. So, way to go John Kerry. Quitting my job in the summer of 2004 to get him elected as president might not have worked out, but I'd like to think it played at least <i>some </i>role in getting him to his current position of Secretary of State. Right? Right. </div>
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Finally, I'm still thinking a lot about the pursuit of justice and what it actually means to do so. What if "justice" means one thing to one person and a completely separate thing to someone else? (Typically, it does) Whose "justice" wins out over the other? What's the morality or ethical boundary of pursuing a more just community / society / world? Things to ponder. </div>
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Laila tov. </div>
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-Jaclyn</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-26702089272852904022013-10-30T13:53:00.000-07:002013-10-30T14:37:47.215-07:00A difficult day Hi, everyone. First - I want to respond to a few of the comments I've received before telling you about today's activities in the Negev. I'm so glad to hear you're reading and that it's provoking thoughts, responses, and further questions.<br />
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I want to address the idea of transparency and the sharing of information. I want to clarify that there are certain things I cannot or do not want to share in a public forum. I don't want to be so bold as to say that my blog is the hottest show in town (rest assured, it's not) but then again, I have no idea who is <i>really </i>reading it. That's the blessing and curse of choosing to let your own private thoughts and ideas roll out of your head and onto the internet. This is my first time participating in a trip like this and for a variety of reasons I have chosen not to share every detail of this adventure. (So, think of it this way: maybe it's an opening to talk in person upon my return!)</div>
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Second, I want to address Rawabi. (Figured out the hyperlink thing - <a href="http://www.rawabi.ps/">www.rawabi.ps</a>) Someone posited that the city of Rawabi is a PR effort influenced by Israelis to quell the concern over human rights violations in Palestine. After reflecting and discussing it with several other trip participants, here's what I've concluded: does it matter? Does having the "right" answer to that take away from the fact that there are human beings living in Palestine who deserve to develop their land the way they see fit? Would it take away from the fact that there are engineers, investors, architects, city planners, and a barrage of highly educated people living in the West Bank who have chosen - influenced by who knows what? - to build this truly impressive project?</div>
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The reality with Rawabi is this: anyone can look at it any way they want to. That's the beauty of ideas and opinions. Here are mine: Rawabi is a really aggressive, intentional, and brilliant marketing campaign that went so far as to <i>place promotional folders - including swag - on each seat in our minibus so we had souvenirs when we concluded our visit.</i> I mean, that's savvy. That's legit.<br />
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One of the things I didn't write yesterday was how Rawabi's developers sought advice from world-renowned Israeli architect <a href="http://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/global-citizen" target="_blank">Moshe Safdie</a>, touring the Israeli town of Modi'in with him and surveying his extraordinary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamilla_Mall" target="_blank">Mamilla Mall</a> for inspiration. I did add that there are plans to create a collaborative industrial park for Israelis and Palestinians. I could say a whole lot more, and I'm sure someone could refute it all, but this was my experience, and I am hopeful and excited about the development's impact on the greater community.<br />
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Okay... so now let's talk about today. </div>
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Today was immensely difficult. First we toured a variety of Bedouin villages in the Negev that fall somewhere on a spectrum of "recognized by the Israeli government" and "not recognized by the Israeli government." And it was heartbreaking. It was really, truly devastating. One of the places we visited was a village called Wadi Alinam about 3 miles south of Be'er Sheva. And to tell you that it felt like stepping into a New-Orleans-one-day-after-Katrina-war-zone-scene would probably be accurate. But, I wasn't in New Orleans the day after Katrina so I can't speak to it. I can only hypothesize.</div>
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It was total poverty; total disconnection from the outside world. I would imagine anyone with any ounce of empathy in their soul would have probably felt like crap being there. I cried a lot. I could not take my eyes of a three-year-old boy with snot running out his nose who I kept waving at but would not smile. He was bow-legged, it was challenging for him to walk, and he had the saddest brown eyes. And maybe he was there to pull at my heartstrings, or maybe he was there to rack up donations... but ... truly? I think he was there because he literally had nowhere else to be but with his parent who was there to thank the Americans for visiting and showing their support. </div>
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So, that was tough. </div>
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Our tour guide was a man named Dr. Thabet Abu Rass who works for an organization called <a href="http://www.adalah.org/" target="_blank">Adalah</a> - the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel. He reminded me of my very dear friend Jordan, a woman who has worked on behalf of the underserved and underprivileged all her life, constantly fighting an uphill battle chained to bureaucracy and ignorance the whole way. It was just really, really hard to listen to him tell his story and what he tries to do through this organization. It felt much more hopeless and bleak than, say, the bustling developments of Ramallah and Rawabi from yesterday. </div>
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We came back from the Negev after visiting the women's NGO <a href="http://www.lakiya.org/" target="_blank">Lakiya</a> - an organization that has spearheaded the advancement of women in the Bedouin villages of the Negev for the past several years - to listen to a panel of representatives from various human rights organizations in Israel: ACRI (acri.org.il) the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Gisha (www.gisha.org) - the Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, primarily focused in Gaza, and B'tzelem, (www.btselem.org) the Israeli Center for Information on Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. Each representative shared a little bit about themselves and then a small snapshot (mostly bleak, but with some small degree of hope) onto the future they see. To offer one quote from that panel that I think encompasses the general gist of all that was offered: "There is a deep and real tension between the security people want and the human rights that all should be afforded... people are deeply afraid and believe that you can only have one or the other." (paraphrased)</div>
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Therein lies both the impetus for <a href="http://partners4israel.org/" target="_blank">Partners for Progressive Israel</a> creating this trip and the general outlook that seems to prevail in many of the discussions. It's depressing, but it's the sad truth.</div>
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Yes, Israel is no different from any other flawed country run by human beings with different objectives - some good, some not-so-good. Yes, we live in a time and an era that is so tinged by apathy, anger, and mistrust. Yes, I want to bang my fists on the table and cry because today was really upsetting and I wish I could have just buried my feet in the sand at the beach with a copy of "Us Weekly." But that's not why they sent me here. </div>
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These are the complexities of the world we live in, and of this country that so many of us love and respect and hold close to our hearts. There are things that we cannot begin to comprehend and there are things that smack us directly in the face when we confront them - and they get inside us and make us angry, make us feel helpless, and either push us to act or get us to turn a blind eye. </div>
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Sigh. Big sigh. Not so simple. </div>
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I'm going to spend some time these next few days thinking about what it really means to pursue justice - <i>tzedek tzedek tirdof</i> - and to shape a life in step with our imperative for <i>tikkun olam. </i>Not only as a future rabbi, but as a person. As a compassionate and (typically) level-headed human being. Any advice on doing that? I'd love to hear it. </div>
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Until tomorrow, lots of love from TLV.</div>
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Oh - and PS? No way I'm running for public office. I'm leaving that up to my incredible and highly capable <a href="http://www.presentensela.org/fellows-2014.html" target="_blank">husband</a>. </div>
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Jaclyn </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-12140336553909973412013-10-29T14:29:00.003-07:002013-10-29T14:33:05.382-07:00A Day in the West BankOkay first of all - please read the post below titled "Days One and Two" before you read this one. Please? Ok. Thanks!<br />
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Back? Great. Here we go ...<br />
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Today.<br />
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Today was a day I will never forget.<br />
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Now, anyone who <i>knows</i> me knows that interfaith relations/dialogue/learning has been my "thing" for a really long time. I majored in Religious Studies in college, I've participated in interfaith activities and events regularly throughout the last ten or so years, I wrote my curriculum guide for the Ed Year on Jewish identity formation through interfaith learning, and I was a NewGround Muslim/Jewish Partnership for Change Fellow this past year.<br />
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I have always believed, even when I wasn't able to articulate it, that engagement with "the other" (which I now define as, someone who does not share the same historical/cultural/religious identification as you) is a hugely powerful, significant experience. I have learned who I am as a Jewish woman largely through exchanges with those who do not identify as Jewish.<br />
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So, knowing all this, it might come as a surprise that I never wanted to visit the West Bank when I lived in Israel. Well, I was scared. I wasn't interested in putting myself in danger. Ramallah in particular sounded like a terrifying, disorganized, underdeveloped place. We were discouraged from going, which in hindsight I totally understand. That year our school did everything within its power to return us home safely. (Memories of students surviving the Second Intifada were strong)<br />
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Well I'm a few years older now, and maybe I'm less inhibited, or just plain curious. When I heard we were going to Ramallah I was excited. I had a feeling it was going to be ... I don't know. Cool? Exotic maybe? I thought hey, I'm going to be able to go back to California and tell my NewGround buddies that I went to Ramallah and said "<i>shukran</i>" (thank you) to everyone I saw. Again, I figured that the people we were going with would do everything within their power to return us home safely.<br />
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What I wasn't prepared for at all was how much it would move me. Not only the city of Ramallah or the absolutely extraordinary achievement that is the city of Rawabi, which you should Google immediately (and I'd provide a hyperlink if I could) but ... the <i>people.</i> The stories they told. The sprawling development of the cities. The incredible graciousness with which people welcomed us. Their desire to make us comfortable. Their creativity, innovation, and drive. Their hopes and dreams. Their <i>humanity. </i>It moved me to tears.<br />
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The most memorable and emotional part of today was sitting down for an hour and a half with Dr. Muhammad Shtayyeh. Now, if you Google Dr. Shtayyeh you will find that he is one of the two Palestinian representatives involved in the current negotiations between Israel and Palestine. He and his partner Saeb Erekat have the expectations of the entire Arab world on their shoulders right now. Needless to say, I was a little surprised that he met with our group.<br />
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But there he was, talking with us, being one part charismatic politician and one part human being, one part father, brother, & friend, and one part pragmatic and honest and hopeful optimist. Hearing his hopes and frank (and, frankly, relatable) expectations and goals for the process toward a two-state solution was ... I mean, how do<b> </b>you even blog about that ... ? How can I even put it into words? I feel incredibly fortunate to have been in his presence and to add his pieces to my continuously evolving narrative of Israel. It was a gift, even if I didn't agree with every single thing he said.<br />
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And yes, of course what he said was skewed. Of course it was loaded. But I can say the same exact thing for the people we met with at Knesset one day before. I can say it about any of us. We see our lives through the prism of that which we want to believe. Our truths are our own. And it became very clear to me after talking with him that in order for people to really, truly form an opinion on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, they need to actually see <i>both places </i>with their own eyes. In order to understand, we must first seek to be understood. And that means bearing witness to it all with our own set of eyes.<br />
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Rawabi was ... I mean, it was amazing. It's a planned city that's an investment by the billionaire Bashar Masri, whom we met. It's a commercial and housing development that is neither religious nor secular. The first buildings they built are schools. They've provided the local economy with thousands of jobs. There will be a church and a mosque. There's an industrial center for collaborative projects <i>between Israelis and Palestinians.</i> A third of their workforce are women. And the woman who gave us the tour was a carbon copy of Rumaisa, my friend from NewGround: energetic, brilliant, passionate, and just delightful. The best part of Rawabi? Aside from the fact that it was stunningly beautiful it was also a tremendous symbol: innovative, creative, entrepreneurial, and bold. I feel honored to have seen it going up.<br />
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There was a whole lot more that happened today, but I really want this blog post to be about this. I want those reading to know and understand that I love Israel with all my heart and soul and believe a two-state solution is the only true, real, and achievable path to peace. I know that the world is not simple and there is bloodshed, mistrust, lies, and deceit on both sides. But there is also hope, and collaboration, and friendship, and some degree of trust, too. And I hope that this trip and my blogging and my voice can contribute in some small way to that second part; to a world that is capable of seeing peace in our lifetime: peace between two peoples who are not perfect but who can achieve great things alongside one another.<br />
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Well, I finished my wine and we moved on to a jazz rendition of one of my favorite songs ever, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." I'd say it's time to call it a night.<br />
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Please, comment. Ask questions. Push and challenge. Let me know you're listening. And I hope you are.<br />
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Tomorrow is another day and another story. I look forward to telling it to you.<br />
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With love,<br />
Jaclyn<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-49698562892387657972013-10-29T13:37:00.000-07:002013-10-30T12:33:28.476-07:00Days One and Two Shalom.<br />
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I never got along well with Israeli internet when I lived here, so it should come as a surprise to no one (least of all to me) that I have had nothing but trouble with WiFi for the past three days.<br />
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I apologize to anyone who felt truly bereft by my silence. Rest assured, I have been plotting blog posts in my head (I even wrote an entire one only to have it disappear before my very eyes!) and now will be that moment when I spill all of it out because the past three days have been so unbelievably intense and it needs to be shared.</div>
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I truly don't know how to process all that I've seen and heard and witnessed since Saturday night when this program began. I really don't. Today we spent the day in the West Bank and that gets its own post. Anyway, it's 10pm, we got back to Tel Aviv about an hour ago, and I have planted myself at a coffee shop near the Mediterranean with a glass of wine, an iPad, and the program's itinerary to actually remember what we've done the past three days. </div>
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Here's the scoop:</div>
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<b>Saturday Night </b></div>
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Dinner with former MK (Member of Knesset) Naomi Chazan </div>
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<b>Sunday - Tel Aviv </b></div>
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Dror Marag, Secretary General of Meretz </div>
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Zehava Gal-On, Knesset Chairwoman of Meretz<b> </b></div>
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Aluf Benn, Editor-in-Chief of Ha'aretz</div>
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Gadi Baltiansky, Director-General of the Geneva Initiative </div>
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Michal Rozin, MK-Meretz </div>
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Tamar Zandberg, MK-Meretz </div>
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Akiva Eldar, writer and columnist </div>
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Dr. Gershon Baskin, Founder of Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) ... also, it's worth noting that he was a key negotiator in the Gilad Shalit deal </div>
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Beyond Words - a theater performance featuring Arab and Israeli women together </div>
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Hang-time with Elana Resnick (who took me to an outstanding gluten-free market so that I could enjoy hummus with pita like a regular human being) </div>
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<b>Monday - Jerusalem </b></div>
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Tour of East Jerusalem with Daniel Seidemann, founder of Terrestrial Jerusalem </div>
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(Then we spent the day at Knesset, in suits) </div>
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Issawi Frej,MK-Meretz and the only Palestinian Israeli in an Israeli party in Knesset (also, worth noting, a CPA) </div>
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Mikhael Manekin, Director of Policy and Communications for Molad (a progressive think tank) </div>
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Yuli Edelstein, Speaker of Knesset </div>
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Dov Khenin, MK-Chadash </div>
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Isaac Herzog, MK-Labor </div>
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Erel Margalit, MK-Labor and founder of Jerusalem Venture Partners </div>
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Moshe Ya'alon, Minister of Defense (seriously) </div>
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Avi Dichter, former head of the Shin Bet </div>
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Okay.</div>
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Why am I sharing all this with you? Why does this matter? </div>
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Well, I think of each of these meetings as a story, and I'm a storyteller. My whole life is devoted to telling the stories of the Jewish people. My career will, God willing, be devoted to listening to people's stories.</div>
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Israel's narrative is one story that we tell to one another over and over. It's a story that we add to and embellish and question and sometimes really, truly have a hard time telling. But it belongs to us, and as I alluded to in an earlier post I am here to add another layer to that unfolding story. </div>
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Each of these meetings was significant, informative, at times hard to listen to, and overall thought-provoking. Everyone had something to say about the tension in the Middle East, the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians, and their dreams and fears for the future. It was a multilayered story of hope, disappointment, mistrust, encouragement, questions and commitments. Really, it was amazing.<br />
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You who are reading this right now should absolutely look up Terrestrial Jerusalem. You should become acquainted with Erel Margalit and his work with innovation and entrepreneurship. And you should most definitely see "The Gatekeepers," a provocative film that I myself haven't even seen, but in which Avi Dichter plays a role. (So yes, Josh. Let's try to find it on Netflix)</div>
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All that we heard Sunday and Monday challenged me, moved me, and got me to think a little bit differently about the domestic fragmentation of Israel and its relationship to Palestine. And it certainly launched me into our visit to the West Bank, which I will certainly never forget. </div>
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Thanks for reading. A jazz version of "Do You Think I'm Sexy" is playing in this little coffee shop right now and I feel like that's something you should know. </div>
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With love,</div>
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Jaclyn</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1318928915667373843.post-40395837246818786862013-10-26T13:52:00.004-07:002013-10-26T13:52:45.229-07:00So ... WHAT exactly am I doing here? Before I left several people asked me, "what exactly is this trip you're going on?" And I didn't give them a really concrete answer, not because I was avoiding the question but because I myself wasn't totally sure.<br />
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I knew that I was going to Israel with an organization that swang (is that a word? I hope so. I like it bettter than "swung") to the left; that I would be meeting with MKs (members of Knesset), political and cultural figures, activists, and heavily involved members/supporters of the politial party Meretz. I knew we'd be discussing the Arab/Israeli conflict. I knew where we were staying and had a rough idea of the itinerary. I knew it included a visit to Ramallah, in the West Bank. I knew this was all possible through my rabbinic internship at KI.<br />
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Other than that, I didn't know much else. I figured that was enough.<br />
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Tonight the Symposium began by the fifteen or so participants and three staff members sitting down with Naomi Chazan, a former member of Knesset who served at one point as its deputy speaker. She's done a whole lot of important things in addition to that role, such as being on the board of the New Israel Fund, serving as Dean of the School of Government and Society at the Academic College of Tel-Aviv Yaffo and Director of the Center for the Advancement of Women in the Public Sphere at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem. (She's smart. Incredibly smart)<br />
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She had a lot to say about modern Israeli society, politics, the most recent mulnicipal elections, the growing inequality between the "haves" and "have nots" in Israel (according to her, Israel is no. 2 in that discrepancy, second only to my home country, the US) and the Obama administration's very clear and public commitment to supporting Israel and helping her and her neighbors reach peace.<br />
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It was an intense talk followed by intense questions, and it was during this whole presentation when it really crystallized for me why I'm here.<br />
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First, I'm the youngest participant. By far. I represent a demographic that is so deeply, painfully removed from the 55+ers on this trip. I represent a generation that's at times apathetic, at times deeply confused, perplexed, and torn about Israel, and at times really does care about the Middle East and its political/socioeconomic/global future. My being here is a link (Ms. Chazan talked a lot about linkage) to a group of people who fall into that category. People who are so increasingly overwhelmed by the local and national news that they avoid concerning themelves with global issues. It's my responsibility as a "young person" to involve myself in these conversations on Israel and global matters and take them to other "young people" back home.<br />
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Second, as a soon-to-be rabbi, my concern for Israel is practically built into my s'micha. (Rabbinic ordination certificate) My commitment to Israel is evidenced by the fact that all HUC-JIR rabbinical students spend their first year living in Jerusalem. The connetion to Hebrew, Israeli politics, land, culture, and people should all be motivators for us Reform rabbis. But that's not always the case. It's not necessarily conscious: there are plenty of reasons why Israel isn't always on the discussion table, and most of the time it's because there are twenty-five other things on the discussion table, too. However, sometimes it <i>is</i> conscious. We want to avoid or placate or maybe we simply feel like it's going to be <i>too</i> polarizing. As a soon-to-be rabbi I'm realizing more and more how much Israel <i>needs</i> to be put on the discussion table.<br />
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Finally, the Israel that I'm visiting today is not the Israel that I lived in five years ago. Certain (not all) aspects are different now. Israeli society is different. Some of it is palpable, some of it isn't. Some of it I know from my brother's experience living here last year. Some of it I've read about. Some of it I've gathered from hearsay. And a lot of it is what I pick up on from the various circles of discourse I'm involved with. But bottom line? Israel is changing rapidly, growing in many ways, and she has new demands placed on her. It's important to be here and speak with people on the ground today and hear firsthand what's going on internally. It's not just about the Arab/Israeli conflict - it's much deeper than that. Domestically, Israel has a lot of growing up to do and, as Ms. Chazan asserted and I agree with, the domestic problems cannot be ignored while looking to create peace with Palestinians.<br />
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So. That's sort of why I'm here.<br />
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I think these next six days will be intense and demanding. I am certain they are going to generate some pretty fascinating discussions. And I believe what I believed several weeks back, when I was first presented with the idea to join this Symposium. It's an incredible opportunity, one in which I feel deeply blessed to participate.<br />
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More tomorrow. It's a packed day ahead.<br />
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Laila tov,<br />
Jaclyn<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330707858464329404noreply@blogger.com0