Some small triumphs for democracy in Israel. Avigdor Lieberman's efforts to intimidate human rights groups with a Knesset Investigation has been stymied. Also, the advancement of the Conversion Bill was postponed an additional 6 months - until July 10, 2011. During the freeze, the Reform and Conservative Movements have agreed to hold off on petitions to the Supreme Court on this issue, and Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky will mediate negotiations between the parties during this time.
On a related topic, see this fascinating, detailed report on Gender Segregation in the Public Sphere in Israel.
And mark the date of Jan 28, Friday evening, for the appearance here of the New Israel Fund's executive director in Israel, Rachel Liel, who will speak on A Critical Conversation about Israel’s Democracy.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
God's Playlist: Judaism's Top Ten
Special for Shabbat Shira, the Shabbat of Song, I recently compiled my list of the Top Ten Songs in Jewish History, along with one from Midrashic sources. You can see my list here, with a tribute to Debbie Friedman, and an older version here, along with a detailed explanations for the unusual layout of the Song of the Sea in this week's portion.
Yes, I put "White Christmas" there because it met the standards that I had set - though feel free to disagree. This Shabbat includes not one but TWO of the top ten, the Song of the Sea and the Song of Deborah.
And in memory of the great Debbie Friedman, here's her version of Deborah's song.
Yes, I put "White Christmas" there because it met the standards that I had set - though feel free to disagree. This Shabbat includes not one but TWO of the top ten, the Song of the Sea and the Song of Deborah.
And in memory of the great Debbie Friedman, here's her version of Deborah's song.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Debbie Friedman, z'l
The passing of Debbie Friedman today gives us a moment to reflect on the monumental impact she has had on Jewish culture. It goes beyond the music she gave us - melodies to "Misheberach," Oseh Shalom," "Lechi Lach" and "Havdalah" that have become almost as fixed as Kol Nidre in most Reform and Conservative synagogues; kids songs like "Alef-Bet" that actually have taught generations of children the alef bet, and "I am a Latke," that give us a snapshot of what it has been like to grow up Jewish in America these past four decades.
As the tribute to her immediately below states (it was produced in 2007 by the URJ), she took the folk traditions of the '60s and translated them into Jewish sacred language. Through her, words like "blessing," "healing" and "peace" became part of our vernacular. It's not that Jews never talked about blessing and peace before Debbie Friedman, but those conversations were typically couched in jargon few laypeople understood. She would take the words "bracha" and "shalom" transform the unattainable Hebrew into simple, down-home language everyone could wrap their arms around. She brought warmth into our sanctuaries - and feminized Jewish prayer - even as a generation of (mostly male) cantors tried to keep her music out. She was the first post feminist Jewish songwriter - and her image of Miriam singing and playing and dancing is the one Jewish girls now grow up with, proud and equal, as they join together for "Miriam's Song." That song will be repeated, fittingly, this coming Shabbat, as this week we recall the crossing of the Red Sea in the portion Beshallach.
It was the vox populi that insisted that her music be let in to our services, in the face of those who stubbornly stuck to an ossified liturgical tradition. And now she has become the tradition, her melodies are now the standards, and the words of the prayers, those ancient words, have found new life - and services are all the warmer for it.
Debbie came here to Beth El about 15 years ago, but I first met her a few years before that, at a retreat hosted by the Jewish Healing Center in the Catskills. There, before a few dozen people one evening, Debbie, who attended the retreat as a participant not simply to entertain, talked of the difficult chronic neurological illness she endured, which often left her wheelchair bound. When she was here, she gave clear instructions that there be no flash photography during the performance, because it could harm her. Every time she performed, she risked all, and it was clear that the power of her music came from her own suffering. (see this book for more on the subject of her illness and the Jewish healing movement)
And she poured every ounce of her energy into each performance, every song. Her voice was not her greatest strength, but it never mattered, because her music was so brilliant. She will be missed, but her music will live on, quite literally in our prayers.
JTA points us to Sue Fishkoff's article from 2007 on her appointment to the faculty of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Sue mentions the popularity of Friedman's version of the "Mi Shebeirach" healing prayer, which is sung now at countless synagogues and Jewish gatherings. As Sue put it: "When the diminutive Friedman takes up her guitar in front of 1,000 people, tilts her face skyward and lets that rich, yearning voice pour out, the tears often flow."
Below you will find that moving tribute to her by the Reform Movement, followed by videos of Debbie singing some of her best known song as well as a video simply showing the passion of Debbie doing what she did best - getting the rest of us to sing along.
As the tribute to her immediately below states (it was produced in 2007 by the URJ), she took the folk traditions of the '60s and translated them into Jewish sacred language. Through her, words like "blessing," "healing" and "peace" became part of our vernacular. It's not that Jews never talked about blessing and peace before Debbie Friedman, but those conversations were typically couched in jargon few laypeople understood. She would take the words "bracha" and "shalom" transform the unattainable Hebrew into simple, down-home language everyone could wrap their arms around. She brought warmth into our sanctuaries - and feminized Jewish prayer - even as a generation of (mostly male) cantors tried to keep her music out. She was the first post feminist Jewish songwriter - and her image of Miriam singing and playing and dancing is the one Jewish girls now grow up with, proud and equal, as they join together for "Miriam's Song." That song will be repeated, fittingly, this coming Shabbat, as this week we recall the crossing of the Red Sea in the portion Beshallach.
It was the vox populi that insisted that her music be let in to our services, in the face of those who stubbornly stuck to an ossified liturgical tradition. And now she has become the tradition, her melodies are now the standards, and the words of the prayers, those ancient words, have found new life - and services are all the warmer for it.
Debbie came here to Beth El about 15 years ago, but I first met her a few years before that, at a retreat hosted by the Jewish Healing Center in the Catskills. There, before a few dozen people one evening, Debbie, who attended the retreat as a participant not simply to entertain, talked of the difficult chronic neurological illness she endured, which often left her wheelchair bound. When she was here, she gave clear instructions that there be no flash photography during the performance, because it could harm her. Every time she performed, she risked all, and it was clear that the power of her music came from her own suffering. (see this book for more on the subject of her illness and the Jewish healing movement)
And she poured every ounce of her energy into each performance, every song. Her voice was not her greatest strength, but it never mattered, because her music was so brilliant. She will be missed, but her music will live on, quite literally in our prayers.
JTA points us to Sue Fishkoff's article from 2007 on her appointment to the faculty of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Sue mentions the popularity of Friedman's version of the "Mi Shebeirach" healing prayer, which is sung now at countless synagogues and Jewish gatherings. As Sue put it: "When the diminutive Friedman takes up her guitar in front of 1,000 people, tilts her face skyward and lets that rich, yearning voice pour out, the tears often flow."
Below you will find that moving tribute to her by the Reform Movement, followed by videos of Debbie singing some of her best known song as well as a video simply showing the passion of Debbie doing what she did best - getting the rest of us to sing along.
How Green is My Judaism - source material for Tu B'Shevat
The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem has put together an "E-Shiur" (lesson) for Tu B'Shevat, which falls on January 20. It's called How Green is My Judaism, How Green is My Judaism.
Click here for a text of the shiur, which stands on its own, as well as a Source Sheet with notes and questions, so that people can dig into the relevant sources. Both the text and the source sheet are in PDF format and can be easily downloaded and printed out.
Click here for a text of the shiur, which stands on its own, as well as a Source Sheet with notes and questions, so that people can dig into the relevant sources. Both the text and the source sheet are in PDF format and can be easily downloaded and printed out.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Too Much Information: The Questions
Due to the weather, the highly anticipated panel discussion, "Too Much Information: Privacy in the Age of Social Networking" will have to be postponed to later in the spring. However, this, of all topics, is one that can be discussed online. Below is the list of questions I was planning to use as a basis for the discussion. Take a look at them and if you have an observation to make, leave your comment below. Teens and adults are invited to participate. Meanwhile, enjoy the snow.
- Define “friend”- and how has that definition changed? What does it mean now to have a friend?
- How has the definition of friend changed for you?
- Is a person’s popularity measured by how many “friends” they have?
- What do you feel comfortable telling about yourself to your closest friends – and how does that differ from what you post to your “friends?”
- What constitutes “too much information?”
- What is self branding and is that a good thing? Is it new or just a new form of something people have been doing all along?
- Are adults ruining Facebook?
- Is it a good thing that adults now routinely rediscover old friends and relatives that they hadn't seen in decades?
- Does the current culture (texting, Skype, Facebook) make reunions obsolete? Are we in fact NEVER out of touch with our friends from home once you go off to college?
- Are we relating to others or simply keeping up on the facts of their lives (who got into what college, who had a haircut today... whose kids just threw up...) is all this an example of TMI???
- Does social networking reduce or increase the degree to which people gossip?
- Ashton Kutcher has posted numerous Tweets featuring vivid details tracking the state of his marriage with Demi Moore, including photos of her in her underwear. (Thankfully, their marriage was reignited recently when they were in Israel). In the past, such stories would have been printed by the tabloids against the will of the celebrities. What does it say about our society that now celebrities are voluntarily exposing themselves to the public. Is this Too Much Information?
- Should football players Tweet from the sidelines during the game? Soldiers from the front?
- Think of how social networking allowed word to filter our of Iran following the elections there, or from Haiti after the earthquake. How has this changed society? Are these changes for the good?
- In the film "The King's Speech" the heir to the throne of England was able to walk the streets of London unnoticed - this was an era before television. Could that happen today? How, with Facebook, have we all become, to a degree, like celebrities? Or are we just celebrities in our own eyes?
- What is the impact of cyberbullying? Is it overblown or are the dangers worse than described? Do you know students who have contemplated suicide because of it?
- Does social networking / texting, etc / increase the degree to which people in high school / college cheat? Or does it act as protection against cheating (since our actions are so “out there” and can be seen by the whole world)?Have the shifting boundaries of privacy changes what a newspaper might ordinarily cover?
- Is there any difference at this point between bloggers and mainstream media?
- Will newspapers exist in 20 years?
- How will people communicate?
- Facebook or Twitter postings often warn of dangers - anything from a flu outbreak to a traffic jam up ahead, to a road blocked with snow. How have social networks taken on the role of the old town crier, who would post important notices and alert the public of significant happenings? What about the Moslem muezzin, who calls people to prayer, a role that in ancient Israel was taken on by a priest at the Temple (the prayer "Barchu" was that call), and a shofar or trumpet blower standing on the ramparts.
- Given what happened with Wikileaks and with cameras on every phone, can we assume that, if we are relatively well known, anything and everything we say and do will likely be made public?
- Even if we are not famous, doesn’t the current environment eliminate privacy in all our communications as well?
- Is that a good thing?
- Define “friend”- and how has that definition changed? What does it mean now to have a friend?
- How has the definition of friend changed for you?
- Is a person’s popularity measured by how many “friends” they have?
- What do you feel comfortable telling about yourself to your closest friends – and how does that differ from what you post to your “friends?”
- What constitutes “too much information?”
- What is self branding and is that a good thing? Is it new or just a new form of something people have been doing all along?
- Are adults ruining Facebook?
- Is it a good thing that adults now routinely rediscover old friends and relatives that they hadn't seen in decades?
- Does the current culture (texting, Skype, Facebook) make reunions obsolete? Are we in fact NEVER out of touch with our friends from home once you go off to college?
- Are we relating to others or simply keeping up on the facts of their lives (who got into what college, who had a haircut today... whose kids just threw up...) is all this an example of TMI???
- Does social networking reduce or increase the degree to which people gossip?
- Ashton Kutcher has posted numerous Tweets featuring vivid details tracking the state of his marriage with Demi Moore, including photos of her in her underwear. (Thankfully, their marriage was reignited recently when they were in Israel). In the past, such stories would have been printed by the tabloids against the will of the celebrities. What does it say about our society that now celebrities are voluntarily exposing themselves to the public. Is this Too Much Information?
- Should football players Tweet from the sidelines during the game? Soldiers from the front?
- Think of how social networking allowed word to filter our of Iran following the elections there, or from Haiti after the earthquake. How has this changed society? Are these changes for the good?
- In the film "The King's Speech" the heir to the throne of England was able to walk the streets of London unnoticed - this was an era before television. Could that happen today? How, with Facebook, have we all become, to a degree, like celebrities? Or are we just celebrities in our own eyes?
- What is the impact of cyberbullying? Is it overblown or are the dangers worse than described? Do you know students who have contemplated suicide because of it?
- Does social networking / texting, etc / increase the degree to which people in high school / college cheat? Or does it act as protection against cheating (since our actions are so “out there” and can be seen by the whole world)?Have the shifting boundaries of privacy changes what a newspaper might ordinarily cover?
- Is there any difference at this point between bloggers and mainstream media?
- Will newspapers exist in 20 years?
- How will people communicate?
- Facebook or Twitter postings often warn of dangers - anything from a flu outbreak to a traffic jam up ahead, to a road blocked with snow. How have social networks taken on the role of the old town crier, who would post important notices and alert the public of significant happenings? What about the Moslem muezzin, who calls people to prayer, a role that in ancient Israel was taken on by a priest at the Temple (the prayer "Barchu" was that call), and a shofar or trumpet blower standing on the ramparts.
- Given what happened with Wikileaks and with cameras on every phone, can we assume that, if we are relatively well known, anything and everything we say and do will likely be made public?
- Even if we are not famous, doesn’t the current environment eliminate privacy in all our communications as well?
- Is that a good thing?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
TBE Shorashim Nursery School: The First Day
History was made today, as we opened our doors for the very first time to a "twos" class in our new Shorashim Nursery School. "Shorashim" means roots, and the roots of this early childhood endeavor go way back, to the beginnings of a congregation built on the principles of serving people of all ages, from "womb to tomb" as we say - and representing the very best of what the Jewish tradition has to offer. We love children - all children, and now we'll be able to share that love each and every day.
When our wonderful early childhood director Ronnie Brockman happened to show up a little early for her first class, lo and behold she was the tenth person at services, making a minyan, especially important for several people saying Kaddish. When we say"full service from womb to tomb, we mean it! We added a "Shehechianu" prayer at the end of the service for this historic day.
As for the photo above, I had a great time and am considering enrolling in the program! My specialty is blocks.
Truth be told, everything I need to know about being a rabbi I learned in Nursery School. So now I'll get to learn it again.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
"The King's Speech" - and Moses'
I had the opportunity recently to see the excellent new film, "The King's Speech," detailing the struggles of Britain's King George VI to overcome a serious speech impediment as he asserted himself as England'a new leader just before World War Two. The movie was fascinating on a number of levels, not the least being the parallels to the story of Moses' speech-related struggles as documented in this past week's Torah portion, especially his comment that he is handicapped by "uncircumcised lips" (Exodus 6:12).
I put together a discussion packet which you can access here. We used the packet last week at services. The discussion was illumined by several speech and mental health professionals present. Included in the material I distributed is a collection of traditional and contemporary commentaries, along with a selection from Avivah Zornberg's masterful work on Exodus, "The Particulars of Rapture." Zornberg talks about the "Exile of the Word" regarding how divine messages are received - or not - by the people.
There is a case to be made that it is better for leaders not to be articulate, as it protects the people from succumbing to demagoguery. But at a time when King George needed to go toe to toe with Hitler, who used the power of speech to advance his agenda, the world didn;t have the luxury of a stammering-but-humble British King.
Zornberg brings in an Oedipal dimension to the disability and the parallels between Moses' desire not to displace his older brother Aaron and the crises in the royal family leading to King Edward's abdication are striking. Also we see the lonely struggle of the royal outsider (which Moses was too, as a child) trying to speak in a language his people can understand. The parallels abound. But in the end, kings, prophets, rabbis and all leaders need to find a way to distill the Cry of their generation, the divine imperative, into language that will inform and motivate, unite and galvanize, comfort and cajole, the people.
I put together a discussion packet which you can access here. We used the packet last week at services. The discussion was illumined by several speech and mental health professionals present. Included in the material I distributed is a collection of traditional and contemporary commentaries, along with a selection from Avivah Zornberg's masterful work on Exodus, "The Particulars of Rapture." Zornberg talks about the "Exile of the Word" regarding how divine messages are received - or not - by the people.
There is a case to be made that it is better for leaders not to be articulate, as it protects the people from succumbing to demagoguery. But at a time when King George needed to go toe to toe with Hitler, who used the power of speech to advance his agenda, the world didn;t have the luxury of a stammering-but-humble British King.
Zornberg brings in an Oedipal dimension to the disability and the parallels between Moses' desire not to displace his older brother Aaron and the crises in the royal family leading to King Edward's abdication are striking. Also we see the lonely struggle of the royal outsider (which Moses was too, as a child) trying to speak in a language his people can understand. The parallels abound. But in the end, kings, prophets, rabbis and all leaders need to find a way to distill the Cry of their generation, the divine imperative, into language that will inform and motivate, unite and galvanize, comfort and cajole, the people.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Shabbat-O-Grams in 2011
- Shabbat-O-Gram for Israel’s Indepedence Day and Mothers’ Day
- Shabbat-O-Gram for April 29 2011
- Shabbat-O-Gram April 15 Best. Seder. Ever
- Shabbat-O-Gram for April 8, 2011: TBE @ 90, Conservative at a Crossroads
- From Baghdad to Beth El: A Musical Journey
- Shabbat-O-Gram for March 25 2011
- Shabbat-O-Gram for March 18 (Purim)
- Shabbat-O-Gram for March 11, 2011
- Shabbat-O-Gram For Feb. 18
- Shabbat-O-Gram for Feb. 11, 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Hammerman on Ethics: Does MIchael Vick Deserve a Second Chance?
Michael Vick and Forgiveness - Jewish Week - Hammerman on Ethics
Q - Does Michael Vick deserve the accolades he is getting? Or does he deserve to die, as Tucker Carlson said last week on Fox News in response to President Obama's congratulating the Philadelphia Eagles for giving Vick a second chance? Carlson said: "I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances. But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the President of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs? Kind of beyond the pale."
Is it ethical to forgive Vick so soon?
A - Really, Tucker! Is it ethical to listen to Fox News when they allow someone to incite a lynch mob simply as means of taking yet another cheap shot at the President? Even when he is doing the most Christian thing imaginable, forgiving a repentant sinner, Obama can't buy a break from the Foxxies.
But the question here is not whether the President deserves a break, but does Vick - or, more precisely, does any ex prisoner? To that the answer is a resounding yes. Successful re-entry of those who have served their time is a major concern in our society. Nearly 650,000 prisoners are released from state and federal prisons each year, the vast majority of whom face legal and social obstacles that go far beyond the notion of punishment fitting the crime.
As for Vick, ESPN's Rick Reilly says it's time to forgive, that Vick has paid his debt. Torturing animals flies against everything Judaism believes in - hence the laws of Kashrut, which inculcate kindness to animals and sensitivity to all life. As a vegetarian and dog owner, I take those laws even further in my own personal practice, and every fiber of my body abhors what Vick did. But Jewish law mandates that the death penalty is meant to be utilized only in the case of the murder of a human being, and even then only in extraordinary circumstances.
Vick deserves a chance to play again, and he's making the most of it. I would not rush to anoint him Mr. Role Model, though, as many have. Americans love a comeback story, but don't confuse Vick with Michael Oher, a real hero, who was last year's NFL comeback cover boy. Last week, Vick said he would vote for himself for MVP, a disturbing sign that he may not have learned much about humility in prison. But fortunately he played himself out of the running against the Vikings, and Tom Brady, who does not profess to care about individual honors, will win it going away.
For Vick, the biggest prize is yet to be won, and I'm not talking about the Super Bowl. It's the prize of being able to go to bed peacefully every night, feeling fully content at having done more good than Ill for the world. For as long as those 47 rescued pit bulls are still alive, shaking, cowering and unable to bark, those peaceful nights should remain as elusive as ever.
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman is spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT. Read his blog here, and follow him on Twitter.
Q - Does Michael Vick deserve the accolades he is getting? Or does he deserve to die, as Tucker Carlson said last week on Fox News in response to President Obama's congratulating the Philadelphia Eagles for giving Vick a second chance? Carlson said: "I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances. But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the President of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs? Kind of beyond the pale."
Is it ethical to forgive Vick so soon?
A - Really, Tucker! Is it ethical to listen to Fox News when they allow someone to incite a lynch mob simply as means of taking yet another cheap shot at the President? Even when he is doing the most Christian thing imaginable, forgiving a repentant sinner, Obama can't buy a break from the Foxxies.
But the question here is not whether the President deserves a break, but does Vick - or, more precisely, does any ex prisoner? To that the answer is a resounding yes. Successful re-entry of those who have served their time is a major concern in our society. Nearly 650,000 prisoners are released from state and federal prisons each year, the vast majority of whom face legal and social obstacles that go far beyond the notion of punishment fitting the crime.
As for Vick, ESPN's Rick Reilly says it's time to forgive, that Vick has paid his debt. Torturing animals flies against everything Judaism believes in - hence the laws of Kashrut, which inculcate kindness to animals and sensitivity to all life. As a vegetarian and dog owner, I take those laws even further in my own personal practice, and every fiber of my body abhors what Vick did. But Jewish law mandates that the death penalty is meant to be utilized only in the case of the murder of a human being, and even then only in extraordinary circumstances.
Vick deserves a chance to play again, and he's making the most of it. I would not rush to anoint him Mr. Role Model, though, as many have. Americans love a comeback story, but don't confuse Vick with Michael Oher, a real hero, who was last year's NFL comeback cover boy. Last week, Vick said he would vote for himself for MVP, a disturbing sign that he may not have learned much about humility in prison. But fortunately he played himself out of the running against the Vikings, and Tom Brady, who does not profess to care about individual honors, will win it going away.
For Vick, the biggest prize is yet to be won, and I'm not talking about the Super Bowl. It's the prize of being able to go to bed peacefully every night, feeling fully content at having done more good than Ill for the world. For as long as those 47 rescued pit bulls are still alive, shaking, cowering and unable to bark, those peaceful nights should remain as elusive as ever.
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman is spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT. Read his blog here, and follow him on Twitter.
Monday, December 27, 2010
A Blanket of Peace
Perfect storms are hard to appreciate when you are living through them. Taking the dogs out last night in blinding blizzard conditions, I thought all three of us would blow away. Even when I promised an extra treat, they were not intent on making that trip a productive one. But how could I blame them; I was asking them to do something perfectly normal at a time when we felt like we were aboard the Andrea Gail.
But in its wake the storm, like life, left a blanket of peace. I just spent a few moments of solitude at the cemetery next door, until the wind chased me out, reminding me of the fine line that exists between a bucolic New England scene and a forbidding Arctic tundra.
Our cemetery is always beautiful, but it never looks more beautiful than when it is covered by a foot and a half of fresh, blowing snow, and then add to that skies as blue as they became this afternoon. The blowing snow almost seemed playful, sifting spiritlike between and among the gravestones, and then churning up a whirlwind in the distance. The snow's surface is smooth and velvety, but with ripples looking somewhat like rings on a tree trunk or the grain of rounded olive wood. Some of the graves are nearly completely covered by the blanket of snow. Everything, everywhere is touched by its frosting.
See the pictures below and click to enlarge. May all who lie beneath that white blanket rest in peace.
(And note that this is not one of those photo essays where I would use the heading "Wish you were here." :))
But in its wake the storm, like life, left a blanket of peace. I just spent a few moments of solitude at the cemetery next door, until the wind chased me out, reminding me of the fine line that exists between a bucolic New England scene and a forbidding Arctic tundra.
Our cemetery is always beautiful, but it never looks more beautiful than when it is covered by a foot and a half of fresh, blowing snow, and then add to that skies as blue as they became this afternoon. The blowing snow almost seemed playful, sifting spiritlike between and among the gravestones, and then churning up a whirlwind in the distance. The snow's surface is smooth and velvety, but with ripples looking somewhat like rings on a tree trunk or the grain of rounded olive wood. Some of the graves are nearly completely covered by the blanket of snow. Everything, everywhere is touched by its frosting.
See the pictures below and click to enlarge. May all who lie beneath that white blanket rest in peace.
(And note that this is not one of those photo essays where I would use the heading "Wish you were here." :))
Sunday, December 26, 2010
From Moshe to Moo Shoo
We had a nice turnout yesterday for our service and Chinese food Kiddush lunch. Yesterday's portion contained the birth and naming of Moses. And it occurred to me that in fact he was named in anticipation of the Jewish obsession for Chinese food. From MOSHE to MOO SHOO. Exodus 2:10 - "And she called him Moses, because from Column A of the menu she drew him."
Friday, December 24, 2010
E-books and Shabbat - from the Atlantic
See People of the E-Book
People of the E-Book? Observant Jews Struggle With Sabbath in a Digital Age
By Uri Friedman
The migration of print media to the web and digital devices has stirred society to ponder many Big Questions: Is Google making us stupid? Has technology short-circuited our children's attention spans? Are we frittering away our lives gaping at smartphone screens? All this while the most obvious question goes unanswered: what will Jews read on the Sabbath?
Many observant Jews do not operate lights, computers, mobile phones, or other electrical appliances from sundown on Friday until three stars appear in the night sky on Saturday. They abstain from these activities because, over the last century, rabbinic authorities have compared electricity use to various forms of work prohibited on the Sabbath by the Bible and post-biblical rabbinic literature, including lighting a fire and building. The difficulty of interpreting the Bible's original intent and applying it to modern technology has rendered electricity use on the Sabbath one of the more contentious topics in Jewish law.
E-readers are problematic not only because they are electronic but also because some rabbis consider turning pages on the device - which causes words to dissolve and then resurface - an act of writing, also forbidden on the Sabbath.
When they're not praying, studying, eating, socializing, or sleeping, observant Jews often devote a substantial portion of the Sabbath's 25 hours to reading - in print. As former New York Times religion reporter Ari Goldman explains in his book Being Jewish, it's thanks to the Sabbath that the "simple pleasure of reading is alive at least one night a week in our house." He recounts how "children who find every excuse all week not to read happily pick up a book on Friday night" and how he and his wife clip newspaper articles during the week to share with their children at the Sabbath table.
E-readers are problematic because some rabbis consider turning pages on the device - which causes words to dissolve and then resurface - an act of writing, also forbidden on the Sabbath.
Yet industry trends suggest digital media will eclipse print in a matter of decades. U.S. News & World Report is printing its last issue for subscribers this month, adopting a "digital-first" strategy already embraced by news outlets like the Christian Science Monitor. A Forrester Research analyst argued last month that book publishers must prepare "for a day in which physical book publishing is an adjunct activity that supports the digital publishing business."
So how are Jews responding? Some are thinking of ways to accommodate emerging technology within the structure of traditional Sabbath observance while others wrestle with the implications of the shifting media landscape for Jewish law and observance. A number stress that, regardless of legal considerations, the Sabbath's rules and spirit have never been more important they are today, when technology saturates our lives.
The discussion arises at a moment when all religions are exploring what the digital revolution means for their communities, whether it's the Amish deciding which devices to adopt, Muslims experimenting with online worship, or Roman Catholic clergy wondering whether social networks represent a new form of pastoral ministry.
Perhaps the simplest way to engage with digital media on the Sabbath is to plan ahead and print reading materials out during the week. But others are floating more high-tech solutions. The blogger Morris Rosenthal, for example, imagines a special Kindle that can bypass Sabbath prohibitions by disabling its buttons, turning itself on at a preset time, and flipping through a book at a predetermined clip.
Jeffrey Fox, a Modern Orthodox rabbi and the head of Yeshivat Maharat, an institution in Riverdale, NY that trains women to be religious leaders, doubts this type of device will catch on. Unlike popular Sabbath-compliant electronic appliances such as the Shabbat Elevator or the Shabbat Amigo scooter, he explains, there is no burning need to read a Kindle on the Sabbath, absent print materials vanishing entirely.
Fox believes that e-readers - like other electrical appliances that don't generate light and heat - are technically permissible on the Sabbath but should not be used because they are a step away from forbidden activity and because, in epitomizing our weekday existence, aren't appropriate for the Sabbath.
Rabbi Daniel Nevins, dean of the rabbinical school at the Conservative Movement's Jewish Theological Seminary, says that even if an e-reader is invented that adheres to Jewish law, he worries such a device could undermine the Sabbath's values.
"The Torah says you shouldn't leave your place on the seventh day," Nevins explains. "You can say Judaism is creating a local ideal that you experience Shabbat in a place with people and don't go out of those boundaries ... The problem with virtual experiences is they distract our attention from our local environment and break all boundaries of space and time. Shabbat is about reinforcing boundaries of space and time so we can have a specific experience."
Nevins is writing a legal opinion on using electronic devices on the Sabbath in which he supports the use of appliances like electrical wheelchairs that help disabled individuals participate in communal life but not devices like e-readers that could disturb the Sabbath's tranquility. He plans to submit the opinion for discussion and eventually a vote to the Conservative movement's law-making body in May.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism in New York, explains that since the Reform movement doesn't consider Jewish law binding, "The key for us [on the Sabbath] is abstaining from work that we do to earn a living and using the time to reflect and enjoy and sanctify, which is ultimately what the day is about. To the extent to which technology can contribute to that, then by all means make use of it."
Fox thinks that if the Orthodox community comes to reevaluate its stance on electricity use on the Sabbath, it won't be a reaction to e-readers alone but rather a result of our homes, in the next 50 to 75 years, becoming so thoroughly wired that Jews will be left with no choice but to use electronic devices.
Nevins sees parallels between contemporary discussions about electronic devices and the Conservative movement's decision in the 1950s (when the automobile and television were the new technologies) to permit driving to synagogue on the Sabbath.
"As Jews were moving to the suburbs ... we said we're going to lose everyone if we don't let them drive to synagogue," he says. "To some extent it was true because people would drive one way or the other but, on the other hand, making peace with [driving to synagogue] formally undermined an ideal we have, which was the neighborhood community. There is a similar danger here. If we become too relaxed about this we could lose the distinctive flavor of Shabbat."
Nevins' message about shielding the Sabbath's spirit against the gale of digital transformation echoes among Jews of different levels of observance.
In a trend that probably hasn't dealt too severe a blow to the e-reader market, some observant Jews are refraining from buying e-readers altogether, reasoning that they do the majority of their reading on the Sabbath (see here, here, and here). One such e-reader holdout, an Orthodox Jew named Renee Beyda, explained in the Forward that she wouldn't want it any other way:
There is a saying in Judaism that one should be flexible like a reed, but that doesn't mean that my family will be buying e-readers anytime soon. After dinner [on the Sabbath], all five of us crawl under the fluffy down comforter of my king-size bed, each holding a book, vying for a spot close enough to the sole lit lamp in the room. These are the times I marvel at how only something as bizarre as keeping Shabbat could create this scene, which holding a screen could never replicate.
This past March, Reboot, a New York-based nonprofit led by Jewish artistic types, launched its first annual National Day of Unplugging to underscore the group's "Sabbath Manifesto," an attempt to recast the ancient Jewish day of rest for the modern age. Jews of various backgrounds joined non-Jews in experimenting with the Manifesto's principles, the first of which declared, "Avoid Technology."
The blogger Menachem Wecker framed the digital dilemma confronting Jews succinctly in an article in the Forward back in 2007: "Will Shabbat observance ultimately dwindle as people choose electronic entertainment over media-free rest, or will technology-addicted folks flock to Shabbat to escape their electronics-obsession of the rest of the week?"
Wecker could, of course, be presenting a false choice, since observant Jews may eventually be able to Kindle on the Sabbath without violating injunctions against kindling a fire or engaging in other types of work. Yet the possibility, as of now, appears remote.
Outside the realm of the Sabbath, meanwhile, the Jewish community is, in many instances, making the most of emerging technology, be it through Jewish prayer book apps, Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis adopting Twitter and Facebook for communal outreach, or Rabbi Yoffie, at a Union for Reform Judaism convention in 2009, urging the Reform Movement to launch congregational blogs as one way to engage young Jews and "create an online, Oral Torah of ongoing Jewish discourse."
Expressing a sentiment many religious communities and, more generally, many of us can identify with, Rabbi Fox explained, "There's real value in embracing technology. It's just about knowing when to turn it off."
People of the E-Book? Observant Jews Struggle With Sabbath in a Digital Age
By Uri Friedman
The migration of print media to the web and digital devices has stirred society to ponder many Big Questions: Is Google making us stupid? Has technology short-circuited our children's attention spans? Are we frittering away our lives gaping at smartphone screens? All this while the most obvious question goes unanswered: what will Jews read on the Sabbath?
Many observant Jews do not operate lights, computers, mobile phones, or other electrical appliances from sundown on Friday until three stars appear in the night sky on Saturday. They abstain from these activities because, over the last century, rabbinic authorities have compared electricity use to various forms of work prohibited on the Sabbath by the Bible and post-biblical rabbinic literature, including lighting a fire and building. The difficulty of interpreting the Bible's original intent and applying it to modern technology has rendered electricity use on the Sabbath one of the more contentious topics in Jewish law.
E-readers are problematic not only because they are electronic but also because some rabbis consider turning pages on the device - which causes words to dissolve and then resurface - an act of writing, also forbidden on the Sabbath.
When they're not praying, studying, eating, socializing, or sleeping, observant Jews often devote a substantial portion of the Sabbath's 25 hours to reading - in print. As former New York Times religion reporter Ari Goldman explains in his book Being Jewish, it's thanks to the Sabbath that the "simple pleasure of reading is alive at least one night a week in our house." He recounts how "children who find every excuse all week not to read happily pick up a book on Friday night" and how he and his wife clip newspaper articles during the week to share with their children at the Sabbath table.
E-readers are problematic because some rabbis consider turning pages on the device - which causes words to dissolve and then resurface - an act of writing, also forbidden on the Sabbath.
Yet industry trends suggest digital media will eclipse print in a matter of decades. U.S. News & World Report is printing its last issue for subscribers this month, adopting a "digital-first" strategy already embraced by news outlets like the Christian Science Monitor. A Forrester Research analyst argued last month that book publishers must prepare "for a day in which physical book publishing is an adjunct activity that supports the digital publishing business."
So how are Jews responding? Some are thinking of ways to accommodate emerging technology within the structure of traditional Sabbath observance while others wrestle with the implications of the shifting media landscape for Jewish law and observance. A number stress that, regardless of legal considerations, the Sabbath's rules and spirit have never been more important they are today, when technology saturates our lives.
The discussion arises at a moment when all religions are exploring what the digital revolution means for their communities, whether it's the Amish deciding which devices to adopt, Muslims experimenting with online worship, or Roman Catholic clergy wondering whether social networks represent a new form of pastoral ministry.
Perhaps the simplest way to engage with digital media on the Sabbath is to plan ahead and print reading materials out during the week. But others are floating more high-tech solutions. The blogger Morris Rosenthal, for example, imagines a special Kindle that can bypass Sabbath prohibitions by disabling its buttons, turning itself on at a preset time, and flipping through a book at a predetermined clip.
Jeffrey Fox, a Modern Orthodox rabbi and the head of Yeshivat Maharat, an institution in Riverdale, NY that trains women to be religious leaders, doubts this type of device will catch on. Unlike popular Sabbath-compliant electronic appliances such as the Shabbat Elevator or the Shabbat Amigo scooter, he explains, there is no burning need to read a Kindle on the Sabbath, absent print materials vanishing entirely.
Fox believes that e-readers - like other electrical appliances that don't generate light and heat - are technically permissible on the Sabbath but should not be used because they are a step away from forbidden activity and because, in epitomizing our weekday existence, aren't appropriate for the Sabbath.
Rabbi Daniel Nevins, dean of the rabbinical school at the Conservative Movement's Jewish Theological Seminary, says that even if an e-reader is invented that adheres to Jewish law, he worries such a device could undermine the Sabbath's values.
"The Torah says you shouldn't leave your place on the seventh day," Nevins explains. "You can say Judaism is creating a local ideal that you experience Shabbat in a place with people and don't go out of those boundaries ... The problem with virtual experiences is they distract our attention from our local environment and break all boundaries of space and time. Shabbat is about reinforcing boundaries of space and time so we can have a specific experience."
Nevins is writing a legal opinion on using electronic devices on the Sabbath in which he supports the use of appliances like electrical wheelchairs that help disabled individuals participate in communal life but not devices like e-readers that could disturb the Sabbath's tranquility. He plans to submit the opinion for discussion and eventually a vote to the Conservative movement's law-making body in May.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism in New York, explains that since the Reform movement doesn't consider Jewish law binding, "The key for us [on the Sabbath] is abstaining from work that we do to earn a living and using the time to reflect and enjoy and sanctify, which is ultimately what the day is about. To the extent to which technology can contribute to that, then by all means make use of it."
Fox thinks that if the Orthodox community comes to reevaluate its stance on electricity use on the Sabbath, it won't be a reaction to e-readers alone but rather a result of our homes, in the next 50 to 75 years, becoming so thoroughly wired that Jews will be left with no choice but to use electronic devices.
Nevins sees parallels between contemporary discussions about electronic devices and the Conservative movement's decision in the 1950s (when the automobile and television were the new technologies) to permit driving to synagogue on the Sabbath.
"As Jews were moving to the suburbs ... we said we're going to lose everyone if we don't let them drive to synagogue," he says. "To some extent it was true because people would drive one way or the other but, on the other hand, making peace with [driving to synagogue] formally undermined an ideal we have, which was the neighborhood community. There is a similar danger here. If we become too relaxed about this we could lose the distinctive flavor of Shabbat."
Nevins' message about shielding the Sabbath's spirit against the gale of digital transformation echoes among Jews of different levels of observance.
In a trend that probably hasn't dealt too severe a blow to the e-reader market, some observant Jews are refraining from buying e-readers altogether, reasoning that they do the majority of their reading on the Sabbath (see here, here, and here). One such e-reader holdout, an Orthodox Jew named Renee Beyda, explained in the Forward that she wouldn't want it any other way:
There is a saying in Judaism that one should be flexible like a reed, but that doesn't mean that my family will be buying e-readers anytime soon. After dinner [on the Sabbath], all five of us crawl under the fluffy down comforter of my king-size bed, each holding a book, vying for a spot close enough to the sole lit lamp in the room. These are the times I marvel at how only something as bizarre as keeping Shabbat could create this scene, which holding a screen could never replicate.
This past March, Reboot, a New York-based nonprofit led by Jewish artistic types, launched its first annual National Day of Unplugging to underscore the group's "Sabbath Manifesto," an attempt to recast the ancient Jewish day of rest for the modern age. Jews of various backgrounds joined non-Jews in experimenting with the Manifesto's principles, the first of which declared, "Avoid Technology."
The blogger Menachem Wecker framed the digital dilemma confronting Jews succinctly in an article in the Forward back in 2007: "Will Shabbat observance ultimately dwindle as people choose electronic entertainment over media-free rest, or will technology-addicted folks flock to Shabbat to escape their electronics-obsession of the rest of the week?"
Wecker could, of course, be presenting a false choice, since observant Jews may eventually be able to Kindle on the Sabbath without violating injunctions against kindling a fire or engaging in other types of work. Yet the possibility, as of now, appears remote.
Outside the realm of the Sabbath, meanwhile, the Jewish community is, in many instances, making the most of emerging technology, be it through Jewish prayer book apps, Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis adopting Twitter and Facebook for communal outreach, or Rabbi Yoffie, at a Union for Reform Judaism convention in 2009, urging the Reform Movement to launch congregational blogs as one way to engage young Jews and "create an online, Oral Torah of ongoing Jewish discourse."
Expressing a sentiment many religious communities and, more generally, many of us can identify with, Rabbi Fox explained, "There's real value in embracing technology. It's just about knowing when to turn it off."
Christmas and Shabbat: A Messianic Moment
Who needs Hanukkah, when this year, Christmas coincides with an even more important Jewish holiday: Shabbat!
Everyone's anticipating the coming of the Messiah this week - even some traditional Jews, citing an oft quoted Talmudic aphorism that the Messiah will come when all Jews observe two Shabbats in a row. The way I see it, the rabbis then knew what rabbis now know - that there's as much likelihood of that happening as for all Jews to agree about which synagogue to join or whether fluffy matzah balls taste better than chewy ones. The sages' goal was both to encourage greater Sabbath observance AND to help people understand that the advent of the messianic era is likely a long way off. That paradoxical blend of urgent action and profound patience has fueled the Jewish Way for two thousand years. But no one is patient these days, particularly Jewish messianists who think that the advent of the End of Days is at hand.
Well, for our Christian neighbors, Advent is now approaching its zenith, and for them Christmas is a time to proclaim the Good News of a Messianic arrival. So what does this have to do with Jews? Well, because everything will be closed tonight and tomorrow - on Shabbat - Jews, like Christians will not be working. No one will be working (except for those who own Chinese restaurants). Like it or not, most Jews will ll be observing Shabbat! Now, if we simply get all of them to light candles, make kiddush and come to services, this week AND next week, we'll be home free.
Of course, by this logic, if we succeed in bringing the Jewish Messiah, will have Jesus to thank! Jeez, this is confusing. And whose Messiah would come in that case, theirs or ours? That's why they call it the Messiah - it's so darn MESSY.
Messianism is messy, but it's also alluring and, in my mind, necessary. We'll be discussing that tomorrow morning at services and at our Kosher Chinese Kiddush lunch. Join us - and preview the discussion materials by clicking here. And just think: if every Jew were to come to services tomorrow....
Join us tonight too, at 7:30 PM in the chapel. A note of thanks to those who will be volunteering today at local homeless shelters. Once the sun goes down and Shabbat begins, the official TBE involvement in the program will end (we value volunteering and helping the homeless tremendously, but Christmas can't trump Shabbat - it's a legal fiction we've used whenever the 24th falls on a Friday), but I know many individuals will still be volunteering and I appreciate their dedication. I also invite all of them to join us for services after your stint at Pacific House or St Lukes shelters. What a perfect way to make a meaningful evening even more meaningful.
I invite the rest of you too. We'll have a relatively small crowd tonight and could use some warm bodies. The cantorial B-team will be featured (me), but don't let that dissuade you! I can't promise any egg nog, but maybe a little Manischewitz?
Meanwhile, as many head off to warmer and colder climes for the remainder of 2010, we can take stock this week and realize that we have much to be thankful for. Here at Beth El, these are very exciting times, and, as I step back and breathe deeply following five especially frenetic months, I'm especially grateful for the spiritual renaissance that is taking place here, thanks in large part to Cantor Mordecai and our revitalized Shabbat services. I'm grateful for all my other dedicated co-workers too, and our lay leadership - and all of you - for the support you continually provide. We've gotten some very nice end-of-year donations in for our challenge grant. Your help is always appreciated.
We may not be heading into a Messianic era (my guess is that we are not), but some believe that the Messiah is actually already here. Sublime perfection is right in front of our noses. We just need to notice it. And appreciate it.
Merry Shabbos to all...
Everyone's anticipating the coming of the Messiah this week - even some traditional Jews, citing an oft quoted Talmudic aphorism that the Messiah will come when all Jews observe two Shabbats in a row. The way I see it, the rabbis then knew what rabbis now know - that there's as much likelihood of that happening as for all Jews to agree about which synagogue to join or whether fluffy matzah balls taste better than chewy ones. The sages' goal was both to encourage greater Sabbath observance AND to help people understand that the advent of the messianic era is likely a long way off. That paradoxical blend of urgent action and profound patience has fueled the Jewish Way for two thousand years. But no one is patient these days, particularly Jewish messianists who think that the advent of the End of Days is at hand.
Well, for our Christian neighbors, Advent is now approaching its zenith, and for them Christmas is a time to proclaim the Good News of a Messianic arrival. So what does this have to do with Jews? Well, because everything will be closed tonight and tomorrow - on Shabbat - Jews, like Christians will not be working. No one will be working (except for those who own Chinese restaurants). Like it or not, most Jews will ll be observing Shabbat! Now, if we simply get all of them to light candles, make kiddush and come to services, this week AND next week, we'll be home free.
Of course, by this logic, if we succeed in bringing the Jewish Messiah, will have Jesus to thank! Jeez, this is confusing. And whose Messiah would come in that case, theirs or ours? That's why they call it the Messiah - it's so darn MESSY.
Messianism is messy, but it's also alluring and, in my mind, necessary. We'll be discussing that tomorrow morning at services and at our Kosher Chinese Kiddush lunch. Join us - and preview the discussion materials by clicking here. And just think: if every Jew were to come to services tomorrow....
Join us tonight too, at 7:30 PM in the chapel. A note of thanks to those who will be volunteering today at local homeless shelters. Once the sun goes down and Shabbat begins, the official TBE involvement in the program will end (we value volunteering and helping the homeless tremendously, but Christmas can't trump Shabbat - it's a legal fiction we've used whenever the 24th falls on a Friday), but I know many individuals will still be volunteering and I appreciate their dedication. I also invite all of them to join us for services after your stint at Pacific House or St Lukes shelters. What a perfect way to make a meaningful evening even more meaningful.
I invite the rest of you too. We'll have a relatively small crowd tonight and could use some warm bodies. The cantorial B-team will be featured (me), but don't let that dissuade you! I can't promise any egg nog, but maybe a little Manischewitz?
Meanwhile, as many head off to warmer and colder climes for the remainder of 2010, we can take stock this week and realize that we have much to be thankful for. Here at Beth El, these are very exciting times, and, as I step back and breathe deeply following five especially frenetic months, I'm especially grateful for the spiritual renaissance that is taking place here, thanks in large part to Cantor Mordecai and our revitalized Shabbat services. I'm grateful for all my other dedicated co-workers too, and our lay leadership - and all of you - for the support you continually provide. We've gotten some very nice end-of-year donations in for our challenge grant. Your help is always appreciated.
We may not be heading into a Messianic era (my guess is that we are not), but some believe that the Messiah is actually already here. Sublime perfection is right in front of our noses. We just need to notice it. And appreciate it.
Merry Shabbos to all...
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