2007 - United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

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etreat in the spring of 2008. This new initiative has brought life to Beth El Temple and has brought Beth El Temple to many of its women. SILVER TEMPLE REYIM 100-250 Newton, MA Submitted by Carol Stollar 617-527-2410 Temple Reyim’s Limud program has formal and informal classes and courses in seven different areas of study. They are presented at varied times to make them convenient for learners. These areas include Jewish languages, text study, the Arts, Shabbat and Holiday observances, Living a Jewish Life, Issues of our Times and the KaIIah Shabbat. Study (limud) at Temple Reyim is recognized as a form of spiritual fulfillment and as a path towards greater observance. Rabbi Rosenberg and the Limud Committee plan and implement a wide variety of classes and programs that recognize the diverse learning needs of Temple Reyim congregants and those in the greater Jewish community. People are met wherever they are in their personal learning journey and offered many interesting opportunities to study, to learn new Judaic skills or encouraged to teach. Thus Limud strives to enrich Jewish souls on many levels. SILVER CONGREGATION KOL EMETH 500-900 Palo Alto, CA Submitted by Eileen Soffer 650-948-7498 Based on the popular One City One Book program, Congregation Kol Emeth’s Adult Education inaugurated One Shul One Book in 5767 with the selection of A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz. We encouraged as many people as possible to read the book during a several month period, creating a “shul-wide” book club. The program was designed to inspire lively and stimulating conversation around a single piece of literature with Jewish themes of interest to our community and, in the process, to renew and strengthen a sense of community among congregants. We held a kick-off event with a presentation (“Politics and Poetics in the Works of Amos Oz” introducing the author and his work) followed by a light brunch; held several facilitated book group discussions; publicized the already scheduled lecture by Amos Oz as our author event (Oz was speaking at Stanford in a free lecture open to the public); and offered a four session class entitled “Israel Today,” building on topics in the memoir. We found that the One Shul One Book program successfully created a thriving sense of community by, literally, getting us all on the “same page.” The shared learning experiences and discussions added a richness and depth to our communal life. SILVER CONGREGATION HAR SHALOM Over 900 Potomac, MD Submitted by Michael L. Simmons 301-299-7087 Congregation Har Shalom takes pride in offering its congregants and the Jewish Community at large many formal and informal adult Jewish education learning opportunities. The diversity of opportunities can be seen in such programs as breakfast Torah study with Rabbi Fisher, morning or lunch text study with Rabbi Rose, courses on the Jewish perspective on contemporary societal issues, to courses on Jewish Diaspora communities and Jewish cooking. Learning opportunities were provided to study Talmud and Torah, lead High Holy Day services, and observe Passover . Congregation Har Shalom’s 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 Adult Education programs were the culmination of years of successful adult education programs at the congregation. The informal course offerings expanded tremendously to provide learning opportunities outside Congregation Har Shalom. Additionally the course offering included a new initiative based upon offering one, two and three-week courses as well as a well-attended Diaspora Culture learning opportunity. The two lessons that Congregation Har Shalom learned were: One, Congregations need to think ‘outside the box’ and offer informal Torah-based discussions at local coffee houses (i.e. Starbucks or Panera), and; two, that one,
two, and three-week mini-courses addressing specific topics would attract participants who are not the traditional adult learners. SILVER CONGREGATION EMANU-EL : 100-250 Victoria, BC Submitted by Barbara Faye Pelman 250-382-0614 In the beginning.... Rabbi Harry Brechner had a desire to bring artists and sacred texts together in some kind of communal project. In November 2004, he and the Adult Education Committee invited artists to join together to study a many-layered and mystical text. He foresaw a community of artists working together to bring new meaning and richness to a “darsheni”, a text that calls out to make meaning. Victoria is blessed with artists; visual and literary and musical, and many of whom are members of the synagogue. Rabbi Harry wanted to look at specific texts with new eyes, the eyes of those who create, who seek to create order and meaning in the universe. His idea was that this process of study and interpretation would expand Mishnah and bring a deeper understanding of mystical texts. The studying was interesting. What happened next in terms of artistic creation was astonishing. The first year, fifteen artists joined Rabbi Harry to study the story of “the Four Who Enter Pardes.” It was called “The Paradise Project,” and included poetry, painting, fabric art, collage, computer graphics, music, and photography. The artists, mostly members of the synagogue, studied together, and worked independently for seven months on their creations. In June they presented their work at a gallery opening, along with a chapbook created by one of the artists, which included the poems, photographs of the paintings, and a brief explanation of each artist’s creative process. The show took place in the synagogue’s “Wings of Peace Gallery” (which also serves as a social hall) and was attended by over a hundred people, from within and outside of the community. The chapbook, along with paintings, fabric art, and poems (mounted on foam board) were sold, a portion of the proceeds going to the synagogue. The second year, the text was the first chapter of Ezekiel. Again, the format included a number of study sessions with Rabbi Harry, then some months for the artists to produce their work inspired by the text. This project, “The Ezekiel Project,” again included a gallery opening and a chapbook which was sold at the opening and which continues to be available in the synagogue gift shop. This year the topic is “Visions, Dreams and Prophecies” with the annual show planned for June, 2007. Although all the art works are created independently, the composite show reveals a surprising unity of colour and image. Many of the artists were amazed by their own innovations, which emerged from this process. The Calling All Artists project has inspired more than just the artists involved. Each year more artists join the group. The congregation and others who attend the opening, visit the show, buy the chapbooks and art work are also inspired by the creativity expressed through the project. There is now discussion about expanding the project to include interfaith groups who will share different perspectives on a chosen text. There will be further opportunities to cherish the creativity in all of us, and in doing so, increase the presence of the Shekhinah in the world. HONORABLE MENTION BETH SHOLOM-CHEVRA SHAS 250-500 DeWitt, NY Submitted by Gwen Kay 315-446-9570 Congregation Beth Sholom Cheva Shas’s annual Chinese Banquet centers on the well-known Jewish enjoyment of Chinese food, but fully within the context of kashrut and multi-cultural history. There is no other program of its kind in the country. The Congregation offers this banquet, completely kosher, to the general Jewish community of Syracuse. Classic, fully authentic Chinese dishes are cooked in our commercial kitchen and under the supervision of Dr. Donald Siegel. Siegel authored “From Lokshen to Lo Mein: The Jewish Love Affair with Chinese Food” (Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem, 2006), which has been nominated as the Best Asian Cookbook of 2006 by the Gourmand Society (known as the “Oscars” of cookbook publishing). Siegel donates most of the royalties from this book to the synagogue, and incorporates many of the book’s recipes for the banquet. Siegel was selected by the Jewish Book Council to tour in 2006 and give lectures on the historical and cultural connections between Jews and Chinese food. Siegel incorporates some of his scholarship on the intersection of Jewish and Chinese cultures along with his kosher Chinese recipes every time he caters this banquet, which has evolved during the past 15 years into one of the most popular Jewish cultural events in Syracuse. The banquet is large; 10 courses are served to up to 200 people. The food is distinctively Chinese
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the Shabbat table Friday night. In
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parties who have an interest in our
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2007 - United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

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