Some Final Thoughts About Our 5778 Congregation Albert Israel Trip

Having been home for 40 hours I have been thinking back on our Israel Trip. Here are some of my reflections:

1)  This was the most diverse group I've ever travelled with to Israel. Over two weeks I marveled as this disparate group morphed into a community. Some friendships were created, others deepened. Even those who will never be more than acquaintances watched over each other with care and concern.

2)  What made the trip particularly meaningful to me was meeting "ordinary" Israelis who are doing extraordinary yet simple things to transform their communities and the country for the better.

3)  Gratitude:
   
     To Michele for keeping me sane and pushing me to find even more new places.
   
     To my partner on this trip Rabbi Paul Citrin for making most of the arrangements.

     To our guide Frances Oppenheimer who shared her personal insights and stories. She was not just our guide but a treasured member of our community. Not to mention we share the same sense of humor.

     To our bus driver Shalom. I have had many bus drivers over the years but Shalom surpassed them all. Not just backing up a mountain with a hairpin turn or navigating narrow roads in a giant bus but for his kindness to everyone in our group.

     To the whole group for your appreciation, patience, and acceptance.

     To all of our speakers and guests who added learning and personal stories thus enhancing our experience.

     To my friends Michael and Sally for a wonderful dinner and 47 years of friendship.

     To my partners at Congregation Albert, especially Cantor Barbara Finn for holding down the fort.

4)  This was my umpteenth trip to Israel over 47 years including one for six months and one for a year. Each time I see new wonders and the same old problems. I see people who persevere, laugh, mourn, celebrate, and live their lives with dignity. America is my country and my home yet, while I cannot see myself living there, Israel is too.

Until next trip - L'hitraot.

Digging Dig

I’ve always enjoyed watching TV shows and movies filmed in places I’ve lived. It’s fun driving by locations to see the shooting or recognizing a place that is familiar. My first experience was in the early to mid 1960’s. I was 7 or 8 and my parents took me to see the location they were filming 77 Sunset Strip (or was it Route 66?) They were filming on Mayfield Road in Cleveland where the I-271 on-ramp was being built. We watched the show as a family each week waiting for that one scene and sat on the couch pointing and yelling “look look!”

Living in Anchorage while Northern Exposure aired we were able to play the game “What did they get wrong? In Buffalo we would go to quirky movies made there, including Bruce Almighty to see the places we knew. Now Albuquerque has given me more opportunities to experience the excitement of recognition. Even before we arrived in Albuquerque we were devoted fans of In Plain Sight. I am embarrassed to say we never got into Breaking Bad but now watch Better Call Saul every week.

But most of all there is Dig.

For those who are not familiar with the show, you can check this link: Dig. For me, watching Dig is a combination of watching Northern Exposure and that 1960’s TV show. Conversation here centers on questions about the accuracy of the Jewish references and spotting the places in New Mexico they filmed.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!!!!!!!!

Because of a connection through one of my Rabbinic colleagues, the crew came to Congregation Albert and asked to borrow Judaica they could use for props. They borrowed framed artwork, a miniature Torah, and a large menorah among other things. As a scene plays and I see the items from Congregation Albert, I feel like I did all those years ago. 

As a thank you from the show, they gave us a giant (yes, giant) menorah they created from a 3D printer! My geeky tech side merges with my nerdy TV side every time I see it in the lobby.

It’s good to feel like a kid again!

Jewish Education for Adults

Our new president at Congregation Albert, Sheri Karmiol, asked that I do more blogging to share my thoughts with the congregation. So, here we go.

With the reorganization of our professional and administrative teams I have taken over the responsibility for coordinating most of our educational offerings geared towards adults. I have spent much of the summer thinking about Jewish Education for Adults and here is what I know:

1. Most people end their Jewish education as children or at best in high school.
2. Because we teach our children about Judaism at an age appropriate level and most people end their formal Jewish education as children their view of Judaism is frozen in time.
3. Among other reasons, because their view of Judaism is frozen in time, many Jews have separated themselves from the organized Jewish community and synagogues in particular.
4. Judaism is a sophisticated religion that needs to be studied at an adult level to truly understand its complexities and subtleties.
5. We need to develop Jewish educational experiences (both formal and informal) that help Jews understand Judaism so that they are willing to engage Judaism as a part of their lives.
6. If we do not educate our Jewish adults in a systematic, sophisticated and effective manner, their commitment to Judaism and their potential for a fulfilling Jewish life is greatly diminished.

With these as my guiding principles I have examined the adult Jewish education programs of dozens of congregations from every branch of Judaism and here is what I have found.

1. Few congregations have a systematic approach to adult Jewish education.
2. Most courses are taught be cause the rabbi wants to teach that particular topic or someone volunteered to teach that topic.
3. Outside of a few Orthodox or community wide Jewish education programs geared toward adults most programs expect the people to "come to the mountain" rather than bringing the classes to the people.
4. Adult Jewish education is the lowest priority for funding in synagogues. That is, other than endowed scholar in residence programs, congregations (including ours) expect their adult education programs to cost the congregation very little or actually make a profit.

The questions which we have to answer are:

1. What does it mean to have Judaism as an integral part of one's adult life?
2. What do we want/expect adult Jews to know about Judaism?
3. How can we proactively bring adult Jewish education to our Jewish community rather wait for people to come to us?
4. What positive role can technology play in our quest to bring adult Jewish education out into the community?
5. Who can we partner with in our community to maximize the effectiveness and reach of our adult education efforts?

What I know and what I have found are the guides by which we will be developing our adult Jewish education program to answer these questions over the coming years.

The First Month In Albuquerque

Well, this weekend Michele and I will have been here a month. Now that most everything except the artwork is unpacked, the furniture set up, we actually did some sightseeing today (Santa Ana Pueblo) and I have finally memorized my new cell phone number, I figured it was time to catch up with you.

The trip here was hard on Tawny. We spent my birthday in Cleveland with the Foxes and when we picked Tawny up at the kennel we could tell she wasn't doing well. Let's just say that we left decent tips in LaQuinta Inns all the way here. The second person we saw here, after the desk clerk at the hotel was the vet. It took about a week and a half but she seems to be recovered. On the other hand the trip was good for the rabbits. Most of the power struggles seem to have ended and a new equilibrium has been reached, or at least détente.

For us the trip was interesting. Missouri was scary in many ways. Oklahoma had a toll road!? What's that about? Michele's dad met us in Amarillo and I dare say none of us really care to go back there anytime soon. 

Thankfully he was with us for a full 2 weeks helping unpack, run errands, fix things and keeping us both relatively calm. He met a friend from Asheville here and they drove back together. 500 miles the first day. 1000 the second! He may not be 80 anymore but it would be hard to tell. He's flying back for 2 weeks in September/October for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the Balloon Festival and hopefully save me from having to help hang the artwork.

Somehow, even though this house is roughly the same size as the Buffalo house, not everything seems to fit even taking into account not having a basement but we are figuring it out. Michele has spent endless hours setting up the house and organizing while I've been at work. It took me a good week and a half to get my desk set up and the books on the shelves. They are still out of order but getting there.

While no congregation, or place, is perfect I think we have found a good fit here. People seem willing to consider new ways of looking at things and are pretty open to change. There are issues to be dealt with but I think none are insurmountable and most have already started sorting themselves out. It's hard to remember my first couple of years in Anchorage and Buffalo because by the time we left everything was well known. Sometimes I feel like I need a steeper learning curve but I am starting to see patterns and figure things out. What has really impressed me is that we have been averaging 120 people on Friday nights and 40 on Shabbat mornings. People keep apologizing for the low turnouts because it is summer and people are out of town. If that's true, we may never get to use the chapel during the school year on Friday nights. We are already opening the doors to adjacent rooms to fit everyone in.

I don't think Michele has put 50 miles on the Miata she's so busy in the house and I am driving about 1/2 of what I drove in Buffalo. Not having 2 buildings is quite a time and fuel saver. The synagogue is straight downhill from the house. If I use a couple of teaspoons of gas to get there I'd be surprised. Coming home is a different story. We both feel some effect from the altitude but I think I'm ready to break out the bike for a short ride this weekend.

The folks I work with here are accepting me (and even my "sense of humor) and we are breaking each other in. However, I still miss my co-workers in Anchorage and Buffalo. I met with a wedding couple last week and when I asked for their folder I realized I forgot to tell my assistant that I want each couple to have a folder. I didn't even think about it because Tina always just had it ready for me.

The congregants have welcomed us into their homes. We have 2 – 3 welcome events a week mostly dinners and Sunday brunches. We could have lots more. We're planning a couple of open houses at the synagogue before the holidays. We have met some folks we are pretty sure will be friends as we get to know them better. There are lots of former Clevelanders and Buffalonians here and even a few former Anchorageites.

It has been easier to adjust to the heat than I thought. For the first couple of weeks it was in the high 90's but only 5% humidity. Now that the afternoon/evening rains have started it is more humid but the temperature is a bit lower. In my work clothes I'm mostly inside or in the car. At home it's shorts and tee shirts. Dress here makes dress in Alaska and Buffalo seem very formal. How much so? I am constantly being told I'M too dressed up.

So that is the summary. We're having dinner with our first guest from Buffalo this week and then overnight company in August include 2 couples who used to live in Anchorage. Michele's dad will be here in September and by then we also hope to have a friend from Anchorage who now lives in Taos come down for a visit or the holidays. So the inn is booking up – get your reservations in soon!

Moving to Congregation Albert

Friends,

As you may have heard I have been offered and accepted the position of Rabbi at Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For me it has been a very difficult decision between accepting a wonderful opportunity and the thought of leaving so many of you to whom I feel so close. However, now it is time for me to move on to a new stage in life and so I will end my tenure as your Senior Rabbi this coming June. I have never been one to leave friends behind and hope that we will remain a part of each other’s lives and that we will be able to stay in touch.

My 10 plus years as the rabbi at Temple Beth Zion, as your rabbi, have been and always will be precious to me. We have celebrated together, cried together, held each other up, studied, prayed and played together. When I first came to Buffalo my stated goal was to continue the transformation of Temple Beth Zion into Congregation Beth Zion and ultimately into the Community of Beth Zion. I firmly believe that together we have moved closer to that goal.

TBZ is a community with unlimited potential. A congregation exists because people come together to support and care for each other. In my 10 1/2 years as your rabbi I have seen you do this over and over. Together we have educated our children and helped them develop a solid, positive Jewish identity. Together, during 11 Mitzvah Days we have made our community a better place. Together we have become a congregation that continues learning to sing and pray together. In short, we have worked to fulfill our mission. The work is not yet complete but I have full faith that you will continue this work and come closer to fulfilling the mission.

Over the years, as people have left Western New York and TBZ to live elsewhere, I have always told them that once a member of the TBZ family, always a member. I believed it when I said those words but now that they apply to me, I understand their depth. You, the membership of Temple Beth Zion will always be in my heart and I hope that you will keep some small place in yours for me.

Shalom uv’racha,

Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld