the countdown begins - comfort, consolation and conciliation are sweet

Now beyond Tisha B’Av – commemorating so much tragedy of the past – we count down toward the New Year. Recalling the destruction of the ancient Temple, we read the sheva de-nechemta, the seven “haftarot of consolation”, bringing us from utter despair toward renewal by the onset of Rosh HaShanah. And we are taught – though perhaps we haven’t experienced such calamity as the Temple’s destruction or persecutions or pogroms – ALL of us go through difficulty (ranging from hardship and illness to miscommunication, misperception and even our own stupid behavior) which can only be salved through the same call of nachamu nachamu ami (“comfort, comfort, My people”) that God promised before…in these weeks leading toward 5774, may we all be granted the strength to give comfort, consolation and conciliation to whomever needs, and the openness to receive these blessing as well. 

L’dor Vador – cultivating a new generation of camp kids

For all generations we will tell of Your greatness and for all eternity proclaim Your holiness…Blessed are You Adonai, the holy God.

I remember as a young camper (at URJ Eisner Camp) learning to sing “L’dor Vador” – from the morning sanctification prayer that speaks of our obligation to shout praise for God. We often use these words as a catch phrase regarding our ongoing commitment to ensure Jewish continuity “from generation to generation.” We especially enjoyed a version written by Debbie Friedman,z”l, whose life story was so closely intertwined with OSRUI, where I am privileged to serve. At first, this lovely hymn was mostly a catchy way for us to learn a fairly difficult piece of Hebrew liturgy. As I grew through my teen years toward adulthood, the words began to challenge and enhance my appreciation of where I stand in the flow of the Jewish people – that is, what is my job in being part of the “chain of tradition.” And then, as a rabbi and teacher, and even more so as a parent, L’dor Vador took on new meaning: as I began to explore the richness of our tradition with adult congregants, I recognized that none of us are alone on this journey through the generations; while teaching students about Jewish life and living, I came to embrace my role as a mentor, role-model and guide; and of course as a parent, I have been able to see the fondest of my own hopes come to life through my children, as I have grown as a Jew and human being with them. I have been fortunate that my own son and daughter have found a home, a place to flourish surrounded by a loving community of peers here at camp.

Just today, I had the chance to give a tour of camp to a family with prospective camper children. Yet this was different than the several other camp visits I’ve guided. Sure, I shared the same enthusiasm about OSRUI and the power of Reform Jewish camping with them. Here’s the sweet thing: this was the family of my best friend from college. He and I met on our first day as freshmen, nearly 30 years ago. Though already age 18 at the time, we’ve truly “grown up” together. I officiated their wedding, they attended our son’s celebration of Bar Mitzvah, and so on…and today, I was able to share the joy and magic of camp with them and their two young daughters, who I hope will attend OSRUI in the future. What a complete pleasure to promote the wonderful experience of this camp not only with my dear old pal – but with his children as well. Unbelievable and priceless.

So now, as I intone the words of L’dor Vador, I am able to look back on the many episodes that have helped shape me. More so, I take note of the trust given to me to help shape the generation ahead.

150 years after Gettysburg

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

These words, likely Lincoln's most famous, paid tribute to those who engaged over the three-day battle at Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863. One hundred and fifty years later, I still believe that this is the most pivotal episode in U.S. history - preserving the nation, and confirming that the framework for a progressive democracy outlined by the founding fathers has lasting merit. It remains our obligation to live up to the aspirations that they, amplified by A.L., left as a sacred legacy.

Tzofim Bet off to smashing start - OSRUI 2013

Tzofim’s second session this summer at OSRUI has begun with great success. After an opening day through which the new campers were enthusiastically welcomed by the staff and remaining children from Aleph – the entire eidah (unit)is building a warm sense of community based on powerful Jewish ideals.

During this session, we are exploring the limud theme of “Superheroes: cultivating the power of Jewish living.” The initial presentation set the stage for the campers and staff to embrace a range of Jewish values that are vital for our eidah to flourish. We began with hachnasat orchim (welcoming others) as we committed to practicing *radical hospitality* throughout our session. We’ve come to understand that being welcoming is not just how you say hello upon meeting, or goodbye when parting ways – that it is about how we treat one another throughout our time together. We e continued with developing models of Jewish “super behavior” as the campers offered wonderful creative ideas about what it means to be a hero. From drawing out the good in others to seeing the best qualities in everyone, the children imagined eight individual members of our own SuperChevra – somewhat of a Jewish Justice League.

In the coming days of the session, we will be including additional values like emet (truth and the power of speech), tzedek (our dedication to justice) and g’milut chasadim (acts of loving kindness). It’s already evident that we are blessed to serve as segel for a group of wonderful young Jewish superheroes.

URJ summer camps - *kol yisrael arevin zeh le zeh"

Yesterday I arrived back at OSRUI - after a few back-and-forth trips over the past few weeks - a day early for my actual two week stint on faculty. Of course I'm very excited to be part of the dynamic camp community, to eat, play, pray, learn and grow with the children and adults who make up this vital setting.

Late yesterday we received word that one of our sister camps, URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI) in Zionsville, IN had been struck by lightning earlier in the day. Three children were hurt, and of course the professional staff and emergency personnel acted quickly and effectively to treat them and secure the rest of their camp community.

Now, unlike other possible incidents at camp, it is truly more difficult to prepare and respond to such an act of nature like a lightning storm. Yet the hundreds and hundreds of people who are serving our camps across the continent are ready, even in a moment's notice, to do whatever it takes to make sure each child is not only safe and well cared for during their time away - and also that each precious kid's experience is fulfilling and meaningful. Another one of the reasons that URJ summer camp programming is the best of what our Reform movement has to offer. (Continue supporting this endeavor as best you can!)

Like the staff at GUCI, the adults that guide each of our Reform camps have one first priority: the safety and well-being of the children who attend. The full-time professional staff, the rabbis, educators and cantors who serve as faculty, and especially the many young adults who serve as program staff (counselors and specialists) are actively dedicated to this most vital aspect of the camp experience. And this is evident day-by-day and moment-by-moment throughout each session our children are at camp. In light of yesterday's more critical event, we just see this more sharply. Thoughts, prayers and kudos remain with the outstanding colleagues and friends down at GUCI.

Rabbis organizing Rabbis' "gang of ten"

Yesterday, ten members of Rabbis organizing Rabbis – representing the Reform movement and its Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), and Religious Action Center (the RAC) – visited Capitol Hill to lobby in favor of comprehensive immigration reform and the bi-partisan legislation that will be presented to the Senate following next week’s congressional recess. I was honored to be one of our “gang of ten.” Accompanied by talented and dedicated RAC staff members – particularly deputy director Rachel Laser, legislative Assistant Sarah Krinsky, program associate Molly Benoit, program director Michael Namath (who participated as one of our rabbinic delegates, and the indefatigable director David Saperstein – we had the opportunity to discuss the legislation and crucial issues related to it with the offices of eight key senators, including three of the “gang of eight” who have spearheaded the effort to formulate a comprehensive approach to addressing our immigration system – which is universally held to be broken and in need of repair. To our great delight, we found out in the morning that the proposed legislation, S.R. 744, had passed out of committee late the previous evening, by a vote of 13-5.
And so we shared heartfelt, value-laden conversation with Senators Michael Bennet, Joe Donnelly, Angus King, Dick Durbin, Dan Coats, Kay Hagan, Mark Kirk and Robert Menendez. We expressed our concern that of course the legislation is flawed, a notion with which the senators who drafted it wholly agree. And our perspective is not to let “perfect” get in the way of doing what is good. We also shared our enthusiasm for getting the bill passed, and our willingness (and that of the entire movement) to mobilize on the local and national level to support this effort, and publicly commend those senators who champion this cause. Our presentations were favorably received, and further energized our group’s enthusiasm to rally the Reform Jewish community behind this significant and timely endeavor.
Kudos to my passionate colleagues: Rabbis Seth Limmer, Sam Gordon, Esther Lederman, Baht Weiss, David Adelson, Greg Litcofsky, Ari Margolis (as well as those named above); it was a thrill to join you, to serve the movement and bring RoR to life. I know they join me in expressing deepest gratitude to the senators and their staffers for the time they gave us to address immigration reform at this vital moment. More so, we are grateful to the amazing RAC staff for arranging our opportunity to meet with such an array of essential personnel. May it be our continued fortune to see comprehensive immigration reform made real, and “to ensure that justice for our country’s most vulnerable is imminent and everlasting – that it is neither delayed nor denied.”

Consultation on Conscience 2013: paying it forward

Consultation on Conscience is the premier program on social justice issues and advocacy of the Reform Movement. Because of its standing, the Religious Action Center is able to corral the leading names in politics and public policy to address the assembly and conduct meaningful workshops with the participants. Names like Clinton and Pelosi, Kennedy and Richards have graced the program through the years. Among the highlights of this year’s conference were great opportunities with UN Ambassador Susan Rice, Rep. Joe Kennedy III, Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (watch this dynamic first-term congresswoman!). We enjoyed powerful presentations from Sister Simone Campbell & Rabbi Sharon Brous, as well as Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. And there were so many others.
Yet for me, my experience this time was underscored by the special chance to spend time with a group of people whose names you probably don’t know (yet). Some ten days prior to Consultation, I was contacted by my friend and colleague Rabbi Michael Namath, the RAC’s program director. He informed me that a contingent of rabbinical students would be attending the event, with some programming uniquely geared to them. Would I be willing to serve as “dean” for this group? What a nice offer, and how uplifting to spend some time with these engaging colleagues-to-be.
We had the opportunity to welcome one another at the meet and greet prior to the opening dinner; to share time with other young professionals at a late-night reception following the opening keynote (okay, I’m fine with the idea that I’m no longer any sort of “young” professional, and was included out of courtesy :). The key element of being with the rabbinical students (and for complete disclosure, our complement included one education student as well) was the conversation shared at lunch on Monday with Rabbi Steve Fox, the CEO of the CCAR and at dinner with Rabbi David Saperstein, the incomparable director of the RAC. Each session focused on asking the students to share some reflections on what turned them onto Reform Jewish social action involvement. Steve asked each to share a seminal moment in their “social justice awakening” for which the responses were as varied as the group. David asked about stumbling blocks to young people’s involvement with such programs and opportunities provided by the RAC and the greater movement. Again, it was instructive and inspiring to hear the students’ perspectives – from issues of financial cost of participation to relevance of the style of delivery of information. These replies too were heartfelt, as was the reception by the listening leaders.
To conclude, I had the honor of asking the students to reflect on what struck them from the Consultation, so we had a chance to process – even briefly – the packed agenda of these few precious days. As we reviewed the speakers, workshops and overall atmosphere of the event, one repeated theme became clear: the strength of the Consultation, like so many conferences and seminars, is much more than the bits of learning gained in the planned sessions. It is about the networking, camaraderie, and renewal afforded by being with like-minded dedicated professionals and laity from across the generations of our community. I am thankful for the time spent with these young colleagues, and look forward to many years toiling together toward justice. And to each of them I wish: B’HATZLACHAH – may you be sustained and successful in pursuing tikkun olam, the sacred task of repairing the world.