Camp Camp

What a terrific session it has been so far - half way through Kallah Bet at OSRUI. The kids are great, the staff is fabulous, and of course working with my colleagues and friends on faculty is as enriching as ever.

As we explore the *North American Jewish Experience*, the children have been exposed to a great range of ideas about the emergence and uniqueness of our community here, as well as to the rich and broad spectrum of Jewish life on this continent. Highlights have included: immigrating through Ellis Island and navigating first steps into the "New World"; decision-making as free and equal citizens in a democratic society; and how we articulate our beliefs in a positive and constructive manner (for our session on the platforms of Reform Judaism, we set the stage by conducting our morning t'fila - oops, I mean worship - in a "classic" style, right out of the good ol' Union Prayer Book. Most of the unit had never had such an experience. Thanks especially to my faculty partner, Rabbi Batsheva Apel, who served as a circuit rabbi in the south and has probably led more services out of UPB in the last 5 years than anyone :).
And this morning - our limmud (study) topic was to cover the Reform tradition of political activism and working for social justice. The program went great - as the staff did a marvelous job in making the situation (a lost opportunity for a pool party) believable as an excuse to protest. While teaching the chanichim (campers) about tikkun olam (repairing the world) and tzedek (justice) - we were able to bring these values directly to our young people - making the conceptual into something they could grasp. The campers wowed us with their ability to relate this (mild) situation to the greater issues that have faced our world and our movement - they offered such parallels as civil rights, genocide, hunger, poverty, and environmental concerns. We should be proud that these young Jews, entering grades 5-7, are truly ready (and able!) to change the world.
Oh how much I'm looking forward to the rest of our time at camp!
For more, be sure to follow @jazzrabbi and @ravbat7 on Twitter.

The son becomes the father, and the father becomes the son

It was the last Tuesday of June, 1979. I was twelve years old, and a newly "entering 7th grader". The car - my parents' '79 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale, in which I'd learn to drive a few years later - was packed to the hilt (well, not really, as the trunk was big enough to use as a dwelling for a medium sized family). Mom and Dad were driving me and Eliot off to summer camp for the first time. I don't recall what my thoughts were as we headed west to the Berkshires for my initial visit to URJ Eisner Camp (where I would spend the subsequent 10 summers). I do, however, remember exactly the moments of welcome when we arrived. A young counselor (Adam Marshall, I believe) helped shlep my stuff in bunk 11, and I was greeted by three fellow campers (Mike, Michael and Jon) who already had a couple years of camp experience between them (of all wonderful things, I'm in touch with each of them - to some degree or another - to this very day).
Looking back - there are a few things I know for certain. Attending camp for those years remains a most powerful building block in my life. And for a young Jewish kid less than a year away from Bar Mitzvah, it was clearly the most significant leap I'd ever taken in developing my own sense of self, and Jewish identity.
Skip to today. This morning, our family of four heads off to Wisconsin for two glorious weeks at URJ OSRUI. I am privileged to serve on faculty (very cool, kinda ironic), while our kids get to soak up the experience of being campers at the best place on earth. Granted, this is not their first year...yet as we finish packing the magic bus (our 2011 Honda Odyssey could easily fit into the back of my parents' trusty ol' Olds :) I am touched by the idea that Ben, now a newly entering 7th grader, is now subject to the same hopes, fears, uncertainties and enthusiasm as every such kid must be, less than a year away from the milestone of Bar Mitzvah. It's crazy I know, but closing my eyes, my opening moments at camp were like just a moment ago. And yet it's truly been a lifetime and more. I simply hope that Ben will also grow to cherish these times like no other...

Only once in my life did I seriously consider making aliya - moving to Israel. A (very) brief thought crossed my mind about how exciting/challenging/fulfilling it might be to cultivate my Jewish identity in our ancient homeland.
Mostly, I have come to understand that it is a gift to be Jewish in the Western world. As a modern, progressive, somewhat worldly Jew, I remain an adamant supporter/lover of Israel - the people, the state, and what it has come to mean emotionally: a symbol of a thriving spectrum of Jewish life after so many years of dispersion, oppression and uprootedness. And yet, our history in the diaspora has allowed and cause Judaism to evolve in so many magnificent ways, and to bring its universal prophetic message of tikkun olam (repairing the world) to all corners of the earth.
Currently, as always, great conversations are underway about the meaning, purpose, and "rules" regarding aliya (for more, go to www.ejewishphilanthropy.com). My question remains: is aliya an ideal for which Western Jews should strive, or the fulfillment of hard-core Zionism (only) for some? I don't think I'll ever have a complete answer, as reality (and my heart) lies somewhere in between.

pre-'67?

Earlier this month, I celebrated a birthday. I was born just a month before the Six Day War, in 1967. I remember learning about the great victory this was for Israel: the nation, not yet 20 years after its establishment, had bolstered its security and laid to rest any doubts about its will and intent to survive, even if surrounded by hostile foes.

Forty-four years later, many of the same challenges to Israel and the region still exist. Over these ensuing decades, there have been continued ups and downs for the Jewish State - continued strife and additional wars, the strain of its sibling-like relationship with the U. S. (and all the love and baggage that goes with any such relationship), and especially the internal and ongoing challenge to live up to being a country that exemplifies Jewish values (including yet not limited to justice, righteousness, mercy, and pluralism - social, political AND religious) that should be applied to ALL the permanent residents within its borders.

Part of the historic controversy regarding Israel's place in the world has been brought out by President Obama's remarks just yesterday. In proposing Israel's "pre-1967 borders" as a guideline for resumption of talks with the Palestinians, Mr. Obama has raised concerns (rightly or wrongly) among people who note that no previous U.S. president had yet used that term.

As has been pointed out, the overall concept offered in the President's speech regarding a two-state solution with mutual respect and security doesn't differ much, if at all, from the generally accepted norm - yet again, it's not so much what you say, but rather how you say it (and more so, how it is heard).

Well, I guess the resolution of the Israel-Palestinian situation won't necessarily be found in this current year...yet with patience, trust, and the true desire to create a better world, perhaps in our lifetime...

my birthday wish

You say it's your birthday

It's my birthday too, yeah...

Well, it is my birthday, and I'm thankful for the hundreds of greetings sent my way, and for the beautiful sunshine out my window.

And, perhaps inspired (agitated?) by the wonderful experience I had earlier this week attending the Consultation on Conscience - the premiere social justice program on political advocacy conducted by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism - I am hoping for something further on this birthday. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for any gifts, cards, or even cake. Rather, I see this day - if it's to be a celebration of life - to be a chance to ask for something even more important; and that's to ask my family and friends, community members and acquaintances to make their voices heard in the ongoing struggle for social justice. Specifically on this occasion, I want us ALL to consider the importance of advocating to protect women's health care access and rights.

There's been a recent controversy about potential legislation that would de-fund Planned Parenthood - and basically strip this vital agency (and others) from providing the great range of health care services that it has offered, which have gone to enhance and maintain the lives of so many women - and especially so many who wouldn't be able to receive appropriate medical care and guidance elsewhere.

At the Consultation, we were fortunate to hear from Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). With grace, intelligence and eloquence, she demonstrated (once again) the positive and wide-ranging effect that Planned Parenthood has in our society, and how undermining its activities would jeopardize the ability for thousands of women to receive even the most basic levels of medical attention. And then we were treated to a presentation by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, of Connecticutt. She too expressed our great need to protect women's health care programs, for the good of our society and the world. Congresswoman DeLauro also showed how our reluctance (or inability) to do so is tied to some of the issues that face women around the world: from unchecked violence and subjugation to the attribution of second-class standing (which unfortunately still plagues our American culture in many ways as well).

I am indebted to these to strong, positive women for championing such an important cause on behalf of some 1/2 of our population. Of course, its not only women who are affected by these issues - for what involves some of us, ultimately reaches all of us.

So, back to my birthday for a moment. On this day, and every, I recognize how fortunate I am - If any member of my family ever needs anything (whether a new pair of shoes, a trip to the doctor, or even a unnecessary luxury), we're basically able to get it, no matter what. And I know that so many people are not in that position, lacking medical coverage, a decent job, or a place to live. My hope is that we can work toward ending this situation - that one day, maybe even in my lifetime, that no one - woman, man, or child, will go without their needs being met. It's not only my hope for this; it has to be my voice, my actions, and yes my money that go to making the world a better place.

One last thing: every year, I used to look forward to receiving a birthday check. Now, I'm finishing my celebration by writing one to a worthy cause. Maybe you can too. Happy Birthday!

Tikkun Olam and striving to root out oppression should be front page news EVERY DAY

Yesterday, the local paper - the South Bend Tribune - ran a story on its cover page about the meaning of Passover. For it the author interviewed me (well, more realistically, we chatted for about 10 minutes in which I responded to about 2.5 questions which were all pretty basic). In responding to his interest in the meaning of the holiday, I suggested that Passover is one of the many Jewish occasions on which we are all reminded of our responsibility to improve the world.
He said something like "so, on Passover, Jewish think about making the world better." I corrected him - while cringing into the phone - that Jews focus on our human responsibility to perform acts of tikkun olam - perfecting the world - all the time.
A few days later, as the article ran on the cover under the title "Rabbi reflects on the meaning of Passover," I couldn't help but think to myself "man, if only this message could be broadcast each and every day." For if there is any meaning to Passover, to Jewish life itself, it is the shared human obligation to seek mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with the Divine at all times.

If you'd like to see the article, go to

http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/sbt-20110425sbtmicha-01-03-20110425,0,2874062.story

At our recent Passover seders, we were reminded of the words Moses spoke to Pharaoh, pleading for Israelite liberation from slavery: “So says Adonai...‘Let My people go, that they may serve Me’” (Exodus 9:1). The purpose of our freedom is to serve the Divine. And just what does that mean? Since ancient days, Judaism as promoted a prophetic vision of a better world, one made so by our active involvement in tikkun olam – the work of social justice. It is our task to cry out against injustice, oppression and cruelty wherever and whenever they appear – no matter who the victim, no matter what the risk. This illustrates the perspective of progressive Judaism, and one of the reasons I am proud and privileged to be part of the Reform movement. As you should know – and as I’ve been discussing for weeks – this year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (the RAC). As the RAC has published about these 50 years:

the RAC has been the hub of Jewish social justice and legislative activity in Washington, D.C. As the DC office of the Union for Reform Judaism, the RAC educates and mobilizes the Reform Jewish community on legislative and social concerns, advocating on more than 70 different issues, including economic justice, civil rights, religious liberty, Israel and more. The RAC’s work is mandated by the Union for Reform Judaism, whose 900+ congregations across North America include 1.5 million Reform Jews, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), whose membership includes more than 1,800 Reform rabbis. Representatives of these two organizations, as well as the Union’s affiliates, comprise the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, which governs the RAC’s policy positions.

For more, go to www.rac.org.

Most importantly, the RAC is OUR voice. Along with the status the Reform movement has gains through our social justice activism; it takes our support to ensure the reach of Jewish values in our society and world. I ask you to be an even greater partner in this sacred work: learn more about the RAC and its activities; sign up for its email distribution list; contribute your time and resources to the issues that concern you and surely affect others.My colleague Jonathan Stein, newly elected president of the CCAR (the Reform rabbinical body) said, “tikkun olam remains the coin of the realm in the Reform movement. Let us be vigilant to ensure that our freedom and opportunity is spent wisely, that our actions, words and deeds continue to serve the Divine.