Links 2/11/08
February 11, 2008
Red Hair, Green Eyes, & Jewish from Reform Judaism Magazine.
Being Honest With Ourselves from Reform Judaism Magazine.
Only Connect… Do not separate yourself from the community. — Rabbi Hillel, Pirke Avot 2:4
February 11, 2008
Over the past few weeks, Temple Emanu-El Religious School families have been doing anything but separating themselves from the community; on the contrary, many of you have been telling me as well as demonstrating how much you and your children crave more connection—both to our Temple Emanu-El community, and to the Jewish community in general.
Here are just a few of the new ways our members have found to fulfill that very human, and very Jewish, need to connect:
Two of our 7th/8th grade students took advantage of an invitation to attend a regional Junior Youth event at Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline, where they learned, prayed, and had a great time meeting young Jewish teens and pre-teens from all over the Boston area.
Sixth grade students and families came together for a Shabbaton which began Friday night, February 8th, continued on Saturday with a Shabbat morning service led by the students, and culminated that afternoon with Havdalah (the ritual separating Shabbat from the rest of the week); in addition to doing a lot of learning and reflection about how to prepare for a meaningful Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience, parents commented repeatedly on how much they enjoyed seeing their kids socialize with classmates, and students commented on how much they enjoyed having the time to hang out and reconnect with each other.
Room parents met in February to evaluate the room parent program and left energized, with plans in the works for Sunday morning coffees for parents and movie nights for students. Stay tuned!
I hope you’ll read through the bulletin to learn more about the many, ongoing opportunities the Temple Emanu-El community offers each one of you: to strengthen old friendships, and to make new ones, all while deepening the quality of your family’s Jewish life. Boo Haman and his sons and enjoy fresh-baked hamantaschen at our annual Purimspiel and carnival. Check out our latest A La Carte Shabbat: Service, Dinner, and a Movie. Come to Tot Shabbat. Attend Sunday morning family worship. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, let us know. We are always looking for new ideas, and you may just find that you’re not alone in your desire for a Jewish parenting book group, or a support group for non-Jewish parents of Jewish children, or…the possibilities are endless.
Hillel taught us that when one removes oneself from the living flame of community, one’s own spark, the very soul, may gutter and even go out. By gathering each of our small lights together, we can create such warmth, such energy, there is no end to what we can accomplish.
