A Rabbinate Where Women Can Thrive
The recent study on the American rabbinate by Atra-Center for Rabbinic Innovation, highlighted what has been called the “Great American Rabbi Shortage.” Ask synagogue lay leaders and they will tell you how hard it is to find a well-qualified rabbi. There are many factors that contribute to this shortage. The focus of this article is on the significance of women entering the rabbinate and how the Jewish community can do a better job supporting that talent pool.
Turning crisis into care: A Korczak-inspired approach to Jewish youth education
As the war between Israel and Iran was heating up, I scrolled by a tweet by the Mumbai-based political commentator and blogger Maitreya Bhakal: “People need to stop saying that Iran is targeting civilians in Israel. There are no civilians in Israel.” Twenty-two thousand people liked his idea. My mind went immediately to the children who had been injured by Iranian missiles. No civilians? Honestly, this made my blood boil.
The Listening Project
Since the horrific events in Israel of October 7, 2023 and the devastating war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Jewish families and communities around the world have been torn apart by polarizing views. The Jewish Community of Greater Stowe (JCOGS), nestled in the natural beauty of rural, mountainous Vermont, has members with long-held views representing a remarkably broad spectrum of belief on Israel and Palestine. Since October 7, as the only synagogue in town, with emotions running as high as ever, our leadership has been challenged to find a way to respond with sensitivity and prudence.
Creating rituals for the transitions of aging
Thanks to scientific and medical advances, the human lifespan is lengthening. More and more people live 30 years longer than earlier generations did. Those additional 30 years are not tacked on to the end of our lives, but rather during our active years. It is a new life stage, and people can’t agree on what to name it. Elderhood? Middlescence? The next to last dog stage? If you can’t name it, it is hard to see it. Yet it matters.
Jewish Worship: Time for some Creative Disruption
In a television interview shortly before his death, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was asked if he had a message for young people. Watching live with my parents, I was a young person at the time, and Heschel seemed to speak directly to me when he responded: “Build your life as a work of art.” My rabbinate is an artistic practice. The spiritual community I serve in all its complexity is a creation under continuous construction. Art is not limited solely to what looks or sounds like fine art; and through this lens, our beit midrash, our dialogue project, our delivery of gemilut chesed — all are part of the artwork.
On being an artist-rabbi: Bringing ‘play’ into Jewish communal practice
In a television interview shortly before his death, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was asked if he had a message for young people. Watching live with my parents, I was a young person at the time, and Heschel seemed to speak directly to me when he responded: “Build your life as a work of art.” My rabbinate is an artistic practice. The spiritual community I serve in all its complexity is a creation under continuous construction. Art is not limited solely to what looks or sounds like fine art; and through this lens, our beit midrash, our dialogue project, our delivery of gemilut chesed — all are part of the artwork.