It’s probably best to preface these remarks with a brief statement of how I came to Jewish Spirituality because that will help to explain why I agree that the four concepts presented in the book quite accurately depict the aspirational side of today’s Jewish community. We will only succeed if we meet those aspirations with […]
The work of the Experiment in Congregational Education (ECE), the nation’s first and longest lasting synagogue transformation project, aligns—to a greater or lesser extent— with all four propositions. How? ECE operates on multiple levels. At the p’shat level, our work is about transforming Jewish education including changing the Jewish learning goals, process, context, structures, and […]
I believe that our work aligns with all four propositions. Wisdom/Chochmah There is a middle ground between giving people what they want and giving people what they need. Organizers, like rabbis and educators, need to meet people where they are if we want them to be responsive, but we can’t just encourage them to sit […]
When I was hired as the new senior rabbi of CBE in Brooklyn, I was asked by my board of trustees to write up my vision for the congregation. All four of the propositions in Rabbi Sid’s book, JewishMegatrends appeared in my vision. In order to accomplish any of them, however, our first work must be to […]
In Rabbi Sid’s four propositions, I recognized many key elements of my own personal Jewish identity: a Dorot fellowship in Jerusalem & studies at Pardes (1/Chochmah), my work with American Jewish World Service (2/Tzedek), the Hadar minyan (3/Kehilah), a summer internship at Elat Chayyim (4/Kedusha) are just a few examples. I name these to ground […]
The philosophy, activities and offerings of Rimon: A Collaborative Community for Jewish Spirituality utilizes all of the four propositions described in Jewish Megatrends. Since our initial launch in 2012, we have offered an ongoing variety of programs and classes that explore the wisdom of Jewish spiritual teachings. We have consistently offered classes in Jewish mysticism, Torah […]
RWB Vision Statement Rabbis Without Borders envisions a world where Jewish wisdom is a source for wellbeing for anyone anywhere. The rabbis in the RWB Network, are committed to pushing the borders of what it means to be a rabbi today. We seek to share our Torah in pluralistic, innovative ways grounded by a sense […]
My work in building alternative Jewish community exists both inside and outside the trends laid out in Sid’s book. In any attempt to seek meaning by superimposing structure, the structure limits the opportunities to see creativity in the cracks between. The Lev B’Lev community I helped create exists outside traditional Jewish institutions, but was created […]
I have had many opportunities to experience spiritual community: at summer camp, at Buddhist and Jewish retreat centers, in my twenty year old women’s ritual group, and among the close circle of family friends with whom we celebrate Jewish Holidays and life cycle events. What these communities have in common for me is a visceral […]
My work at Adamah is well aligned with your four propositions. Chochmah: When I teach Jewish creation stories I pair Rashi’s commentary on Genesis 2:7 with secular philosophical writings. I teach the Book of Job together with Aldo Leopold. The majority of my students feel very engaged in this approach to Jewish learning. (How to […]