| . |
|
 |
|
|
|
| B'nai Emet -> Messages -> From the President -> 2000Renew our DaysOctober, 2000“Renew our lives as in days of old. Chadesh yameinu k’kedem.” When we return the Torah to the ark, those words always stand out in my mind. I like to think about the idea of renewal. It suggests to me that we can shed the mistakes, sorrows, and problems of the past and move forward to a reality that is younger, stronger, and focused. I think about this possibility at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when I think about my own mistakes and shortcomings and pray for the strength to do better in the coming year. What about our synagogue and our community? What are our chances of renewal in the coming years? This question has been on my mind since I read the recently-released predictions of the American Jewish Year Book. This study projects shrinkage in United States Jewish population by one-third by the year 2080. The number of Jews in the United States is expected to drop from its current 5.7 million to a 2080 level of 3.8 million, about half of whom will be over 65 years of age. The problem of Jewish continuity is not new. Throughout history, Jews have faced the threat of extinction, whether by external forces of annihilation or by internal weakness. In writing about post-Holocaust Jewish continuity, Simon Rawidowicz called Jews an “ever-dying people.” Are we an ever-dying people? Or are we an ever-surviving, ever-renewed people? Many Jewish leaders are calling for “synagogue renewal,” the buzzwords that describe a new focus on the synagogue as our best chance to continue and strengthen Jewish life in America. Examples of this national focus include Synagogue 2000, a project created to support spiritual transformation of synagogue structure and culture. Another example is Synagogue Transformation and Renewal (STAR), an initiative funded by philanthropists Charles Schusterman, Michael Steinhardt, and Edgar Bronfman. The purpose of STAR is to amass resources to revitalize synagogues and keep them at the top of the federations’ agendas. Some worry that initiatives such as these will be dominated by a one-size-fits-all mentality. Some fear that the rush to renewal will reduce Judaism to new-age poetry or therapy. Some are concerned that the reformers will throw the baby out with the bath water, failing to recognize and respect positive accomplishments of synagogues. Some worry that the funders will be setting our future agenda. You know the cynics’ version of the Golden Rule—the person who has the gold makes the rules. Discussions of synagogue renewal often emphasize spirituality, music, prayer and healing, Hebrew literacy, participation, mysticism, and the opening of our classic texts to find meaning for contemporary Jews. At B’nai Emet, we are considering many of these same ideas. We, too, want to focus on injecting more vitality and enthusiasm into our services and all our activities. I welcome the attention being paid at a national level to synagogues and their role in Jewish renewal. I hope we can take advantage of the ideas and insights developed by projects like STAR and Synagogue 2000. At our recent board orientation, our trustees discussed the importance of bringing topics of current Jewish interest to our members; expanding the place of music and education in our services; improving Hebrew literacy while helping those who can best enhance their prayer experience with transliterated texts; and reaching out to the community—but most of all to our own members. And we have taken steps toward realizing these goals. B’nai Emet has hired Laura Brandys to be our Music Coordinator. You may have already heard results of her efforts at our services and programs, and you will hear much more in the year to come. We have begun a new Adult B’nai Mitzvah class. We are exploring ways to provide transliterations of prayers for the use of our members. It is always easier to point out problems than it is to solve them and help bring about renewal. We need to work together to provide the resources and energy to maximize B’nai Emet’s contribution to Jewish life. I take pride in B’nai Emet, and in the dedicated work of Rabbi Abramson, our staff, and our amazing members. As I have said many times, they are my inspiration, and they make my efforts meaningful. I welcome the chance to hear your ideas and to work with you in the coming year as we focus on personal renewal and the renewal of our synagogue. Bonnie Berezovsky |
|
