RECONSTRUCTIONIST RABBINICAL COLLEGE and JEWISH RECONSTRUCTIONIST COMMUNITIES

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

This is the script of a video WHO, you ask, is the WE that you can watch at holding a hand out to www.RRC.edu/AR15 you right now?

Is this you? ME. I am a student at RRC because the How about this? College believes in my unique vision for Or this? . . . Jewish engagement and leadership, and supports If so, let’s join together . . . me with extensive training in sacred texts, We believe that all of us are a flexible curriculum, responsible for Judaism, and for reconstructing it in each generation, to create the Judaism innovative ritual practices, mentoring in social activism and multifaith conversation, and we want to live today…and tomorrow. entrepreneurial training. When I took my first internship, I felt ready to help …

We know that people take many different paths towards meaningful Jewish living, and we ME. I’m a newly elected congregation president with big dreams for our community. must nurture each individual journey. I devote countless hours to finding and engaging people like you. People who can bring open hearts and minds to create something larger than each of us individually—a We embrace and celebrate the diversity of Jews, and see our role as nourishing each other’s community of fellow travelers who learn together, celebrate together and weather hard spirits through mutual support. times together. It’s inspiring for everyone, even …

We believe that modern ME. At Camp JRF, I spent Jewish communities last summer living in flourish when we steep the incredible new Eco- ourselves in the wisdom Village, flying across the of our traditions and 30-foot-high zip line, open ourselves to the playing ga-ga with my wisdom of the friends, and learning wider world. how being Jewish is cool. And Together –– WE can sustain and expand ME. When I visited my meaningful Jewish life, children at Camp, I was now and in the future. amazed at the sense of

2 RECONSTRUCTIONIST HOME | RABBINICAL EDUCATION | OUR GRADUATES | COMMUNITY | YOU MAKE A | CAMP JRF | FINANCIALS | TAKE ACTION RABBINICAL COLLEGE & BEYOND ENGAGEMENT DIFFERENCE and JEWISH RECONSTRUCTIONIST COMMUNITIES community they build and proud we partner with … at how much the kids had grown in just a few weeks. ME. As a Christian seminary Camp JRF is where my professor, I value working children get to be their best closely with RRC faculty, co- selves. And it’s where they teaching courses that explore build their own connection our differences, build on our to our progressive Jewish commonalities, and empower values every day. We’re so our students to fight anti- grateful to have found a Semitic and anti-Islamic place that infuses Jewishness sentiment. These real-world into all the dynamic activities partnerships can halt the fear kids want, inspired by staff and hatred that challenge our who are trained by… democracy. Social activists of all faiths regularly pursue peace with partners like… ME. I teach Jewish texts, customs and sacred rituals at RRC because I believe they have the power to help us make meaning and build community. I teach students to challenge, ME. I graduated from RRC 20 years ago and wherever I go, God-wrestlers and rethink and reinvigorate these important cultural gifts. And I know I’ve done my job groundbreakers like you have helped me breathe new life into our tradition. Through a when our emerging leaders not only have the knowledge they need, but the creativity to Reconstructionist approach to Judaism, we are able to use our voices and actions to right retell and renew our shared Jewish wrongs, help those in need, and lead our people through tumultuous times. And to amplify traditions. To maintain this scholarly our efforts, we look to leaders like… and warm, caring community, we rely on supporters like… ME. As president of the Reconstructionist ME. My experience of Rabbinical College and Reconstructionist Judaism is Jewish Reconstructionist transformative. I continually find Communities, I am ways to deepen my involvement. As a committed to the values and donor, I know that my gift energizes aspirations that connect us a growing movement made up of all and that frame our Jewish rabbinical students and professors, future. I want to encourage families and communities, leaders your participation. Working and change-makers––all united by together, an individual ME common values and a shared vision of can become a surprisingly our unlimited Jewish potential. And I’m powerful WE. Join us!

RRC’s Curriculum Our rabbinical program stresses hands-on, reflective learning across all instructional areas. It cultivates knowledge, skills and RABBINICAL character with passion for Jewish tradition, the Jewish people and social and environmental justice. EDUCATION & BEYOND This year RRC has rolled out a new, reimagined curriculum in which every experience integrates the three aspects of rabbinical learning and development shown below. Choose an area to learn more.

• Small-group reflection encourages personal growth: for example, “How do I bring my fullest self into my rabbinate? What is my Shabbat practice, and how is it evolving?” • Close, mentoring relationships and great access to faculty support each student • Warm, caring community embraces students and their families • Environment fosters individualized spiritual and Jewish growth • Community davens, meditates and celebrates together

• Pursue individual passions on a solid foundation of knowledge and skills • Experience deep immersion in Jewish text • Integrate traditional texts with cutting-edge theory • Engage in independent study • Enjoy opportunities to study at other learning institutions

• Robust internship program offered • Hands-on learning emphasized • Field experiences fully integrated into the curriculum, not separate • Experiential learning encouraged, such as prison chaplaincy and interfaith hevrutah (paired text study)

Read about Rabbi Mira Wasserman, Ph.D., one of the innovative scholars on our faculty, and her class in Talmud ethics on page 13.

Field Experiences Meet some of our current students and learn how a range of field experiences help shape their development into rabbis. RABBINICAL EDUCATION Clinical Pastoral Education College Campus & BEYOND Education Work

Kate Cook Ariana Katz Jason Bonder Clinical Pastoral Education Kol Tzedek University of Delaware Hillel My first CPE internship was an intensive As the Torah School director at Kol Tzedek, My internship this year was particularly summer spent at the Hospitals of the I have seen how heymish, loving and helpful because there is no other University of Pennsylvania. I supported joyful Jewish education can be. I have rabbinic presence at this Hillel. I had patients and families in the emergency developed curricula that are rooted in a great support from professors and department and intensive care units. Through Reconstructionist relationship to Judaism mentors at RRC, but once I got onto moments of crisis and often grief, I learned plus a strong commitment to social justice. campus, I was the rabbi this year! That the value of presence as a chaplain, and I observed how our students flower when was a huge step for my development. have been able to inhabit this role with given the chance to lead the discussion, For the first time, I wasn’t taking on increasing competence. build their own relationships and discover projects that got filtered down to me their own truths. Support from my rabbinic through a supervisor. Rather, I had My second CPE experience has been in a supervisors, both at work and at RRC, has to test my skills in many areas, from rehabilitation unit, working with patients and helped me develop. I’m learning how to halakhah to spiritual advice. This families as they negotiate the difficulties of nourish children and help them grow into was a great challenge and a recovery from amputation, stroke and brain invested members of our community, as rewarding experience. injury. This often involves long-term care comfortable and confident Jews. and allows me to establish close working relationships. Both experiences have proven invaluable to my development, and they have solidified my decision to pursue hospital chaplaincy as my rabbinical career.

Congregational Chaplaincy Social Justice and Work Multifaith Organizing RABBINICAL EDUCATION & BEYOND

Ruhi Sophia Motzkin Rubenstein Ariel Tarash Jacob Adler Congregational Intern Monroe Village Senior Intern for the Tikkun Olam Congregation Beit Simchat Torah Adult Community Commission of the Jewish At CBST, I learned to be a rabbi in the field. I connect with the hearts and souls of Reconstructionist Communities It’s where all of the theory and the practice Jewish elders in my pastoral care I have gotten a firsthand look at how came together for me, as I juggled multiple internships. Elders invite me into their lives, individual congregations and the adult and children’s education responsibilities, their stories, their passing joys, their fears, movement at large make decisions to program planning, service leading, public and even places where they have not invited support social change. I have learned speaking and pastoral counseling. The most the people closest to them. I may bring a from conversations with representatives powerful moment for me came early in my healing Jewish presence, but the elders are of congregations across North America internship, when I led a private kol nidrey always my teachers. By being together, we about their work to bring about social service around a hospital bed, with the family create a makom kadosh, a holy place, where justice—both locally and globally. of a CBST member who was on hospice. Less the Divine holds us, protects us and gives While connecting congregations with than 12 hours later, I stood on the stage at us blessing. resources to generate change in their the Javitz Center in front of 4,000 people as communities, I have encouraged them kol nidrey was recited. The energy in each to think intentionally about how they room was very powerful, and I love that I’ve can work to lessen the effects of gotten to do work that brings me into both income inequality and help our society kinds of holy space. become more economically just.

Learn about the Summer 2015 courses for non-matriculated students. RRC.edu/NM Beyond Rabbinical Education Each semester, RRC opens selected courses and/or workshops to non-matriculated students. In the future, we plan to expand these offerings and include new formats, such as retreat-based certificate programs.

RRC alumni work in a wide range of settings. They innovate, elevate and inspire. Meet some of our graduates below and discover what they bring to the communities and individuals they serve. OUR GRADUATES

Rabbi Renee Bauer, ’05 Rabbi Elisa Goldberg, ’99 Rabbi Alexander Lazarus-Klein, ’04 Interfaith Coalition for Worker Community Chaplain Congregation Shir Shalom Justice of South Central I am blessed to help people find and I feel very blessed to be able to serve as a Wisconsin name the sacred in their lives. Through congregational rabbi in Western New York. Our Sacred Scriptures teach us that we compassionate listening, reflection and Every day I wake up with a mission of making bring holiness into the world not only by prayer, we bring out the holy in the the lives of my congregants and the people praying and celebrating holidays, but also by mundane details of life. Recently, I was in this community better. Sometimes this creating a more just and equitable society called to be at the bedside of an elderly happens through hospital visits, sometimes and opening our hearts to those in need. woman who was dying. She was at peace through advocacy, and sometimes just by When I first thought of being a rabbi, it was with her life, but nervous about what was providing an ear to the many struggles going in the context of creating social change. At coming next. We talked about the journey on around me. I feel that my education at RRC, I learned how to think about my work of her soul through her long life and what RRC helped guide me to be an empathetic on a variety of levels: historical, religious, she hoped was coming next. At the end, we individual who is filled with a love of not only Visit TheRRA.org for sermons, textual and spiritual. This allows me to held hands, looked into each other’s eyes Judaism, but of humanity as a whole. I feel podcasts, essays and more. understand my nontraditional rabbinical and chanted the shema. I was able to offer blessed to have attended such a nurturing work as a “real” rabbinical job. My training her a sacred vessel into which she could and loving institution, and to help carry on also gave me the basis to do the serious pour her powerful emotions and questions. the teachings of Mordecai Kaplan and Recon- interfaith work I do, and to value it as She gave me the blessing of witnessing the structionism in my community, and beyond. important to the broader community. beauty and dignity of the human spirit.

OUR GRADUATES

Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell, ’08 Rabbi Michelle Greenfield, ’12 Rabbi Danielle Leshaw, ’02 Institute for Jewish Spirituality Jewish Education Consultant Hillel at Ohio University and Orot: Center for New I work primarily with people who tend to Hillel, for me, stands at the intersection of Jewish Learning experience the world differently and share Jewish ideas and actualization. One piece It has been incredibly gratifying to help their experiences differently. They may of my work on campus involves supporting nurture Jewish mindfulness practice locally have autism, mental health issues, learning students as they develop their thoughts and nationally. I am seeing how this work disabilities or other differences. Whether I about Israel, ritual, God and their Jewish must be made manifest, integrated into the am serving as a teacher, chaplain or tutor, I future. All the while, I make sure that our daily lives of the people in our communities. try to greet everyone with openness and to Hillel has the resources to support them in And we can bring people together from understand what they are looking for from the growth and exploration of their Judaism. across the country (the world, actually!), me. My work allows me to spend time with This approach encourages college students train teachers, and build resources and a lot of individuals and small groups. But I to find their own path, while experiencing networks that can inform and support also get to consider the big picture in our the support of an organized community. what is happening right here. Jewish communities, serving on Hineinu, Leaders are born, ideas are shaped and a national, interdenominational advisory commitments to Judaism are concretized. Sometimes when we are sitting together board on issues of synagogue inclusion, and in meditation in at the Center for Jewish participating in Philadelphia’s Jewish Special Mindfulness at Orot, I look around at the full Needs Consortium. room of people and realize, “We did it! We have created a real community of practice. At RRC, I was encouraged to find my own It is diverse in age, gender and religious way and create my own path. I had teachers orientation, and yet we are one community. and mentors who encouraged me to take We have created a real, living resource for classes at other institutions and helped me Jewish mindfulness meditation.” create opportunities to do the work that I feel most passionate about.

Virtual Bet Midrash: Listen, explore, share! Jewish Reconstructionist Communities is committed to lifelong learning for all of our members: congregants of all ages and COMMUNITY abilities; rabbis; and affiliate and movement leaders. Historically, the Bet Midrash (literally, a room for learning Torah) has been ENGAGEMENT the center of Jewish scholarship and study. On these pages, you’ll find a collection of resources derived from the many types of community learning the movement provides—both face-to-face and online. This is our virtual Bet Midrash, with highlights of teachings and resources offered over the past year.

Ritualwell.org (web resource) Delve into this repository of tradition and innovation; join a community of ritual creators and users. Ritualwell.org

Gateways to Israeli-Jewish Renaissance (social media) Connect with music, writing, videos and rituals coming from the renaissance of progressive Judaism in Israel. Facebook.com/IsraelGateways

Tikkun Middot: Cultivating Our Character (web resource) Learn about the Jewish practice of Musar, a way to become your best self. RRC.edu/Middah

Presidential Inaugural Address (video) Finding the Reconstructionist God in the Rabbi Deborah Waxman, ’99, Ph.D., God of the Torah (audio) President, RRC Rabbi Avi Winokur, ’91, Society Hill Synagogue COMMUNITY Watch this moving, visionary speech from the new In a seeming contradiction in Parashat Ki ENGAGEMENT president of the Reconstructionist movement. Teze, Rabbi Winokur finds a quintessentially RRC.edu/video/waxman Reconstructionist teaching about God. Jewishrecon.org/winokur

The Written-ness of Torah (audio) Elsie Stern, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Jewish Prayer in a Time of Eco-Crisis (audio) Affairs, RRC Rabbi Joshua Jacobs-Velde, ’11, Co-Founder, To understand Jewish thinking about Torah scrolls, Zmanim you have to think about magic. How we can we deepen our ecological Workshop delivered at Oseh Shalom, Laurel, MD awareness through the text of the Friday night RRC.edu/AR15/stern.html kiddush and the weekday amidah. Jewishrecon.org/jacobs-velde

Values-Based Jewish Decision Making: Historical Context and Practical Guide (audio) Re-Inventing Ritual (audio) Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D., Director, Center Rabbi Roni Handler, ’11, Director, Community for Jewish Ethics, RRC Learning, RRC; Editor, Ritualwell.org How do we make “Jewish decisions” today? Delve into this repository of tradition and The answer goes back to the days of the innovation; join a community of ritual creators Roman rulers. and users. Workshop delivered at RRC Day of Learning Jewishrecon.org/handler RRC.edu/AR15/teutsch.html

New Prayers in Contemporary Israel (audio) A Most Welcome Minority: Adina Newberg, Ph.D., Director, Israel Being Jewish in America (audio) Engagement, Jewish Reconstructionist Rabbi Deborah Waxman, ’99, Ph.D., Communities President, RRC Discover poetry and songs that Israelies are “Let us assert that being Jewish in the 21st using as prayers in their rennaissance of century is about preserving Jewish distinctiveness progressive Jewish ritual. and…opening ourselves to transformation.” Jewishrecon.org/newberg Lecture delivered at New York City Day of Learning RRC.edu/AR15/waxman.html

Your support makes it possible for us to • train rabbis who will lead progressive Judaism into the future, and YOU MAKE A • nurture Reconstructionist communities across North America DIFFERENCE Here are just two examples of how your gift can make a difference:

The Kleinbaum Congregational Internship honors RRC graduate Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, ’90. It celebrates her many significant contributions to social justice in the larger Jewish community; her outstanding leadership of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in Manhattan; and her creation of, and support for, a program of practical rabbinical training that has become a model in the field. The internship generally rotates among Reconstructionist congregations so they can experience its value first-hand. It also serves as a wonderful incentive for congregations to establish and fund their own internships, increasing the overall number of intensive congregational experiences available to RRC students.

This year’s Kleinbaum Congregational Internship involves especially poignant relationships, because the recipient’s father, Rabbi Daniel Kamesar, z”l, was a classmate of both the mentoring rabbi and Rabbi Kleinbaum.

Meet this year’s intern and mentor as well as the funder!

Nathan Kamesar, Intern at Society Hill Synagogue Working in a congregation has allowed me to connect with people in meaningful, spiritually enriching ways. For instance, in the adult education classes I’ve taught, I’ve had the opportunity to explore my own spiritual inclinations while accompanying congregants on small parts of their journeys. In classes like one on Abraham Joshua Heschel’s rich book The Sabbath, or one investigating our tradition’s varied viewpoints on theodicy (i.e., “why bad things happen to good people”), we engaged in the process of delving more deeply into the questions our ancestors also struggled with.

The opportunity to compose and deliver divrei torah on a somewhat regular basis has allowed me to engage in a creative process I didn’t realize I was yearning for. Everyone should be so lucky as to find work so meaningful for them!

In the process of building up the young adult (20s and 30s) presence at Society Hill Synagogue, I’ve gotten to work with peers on what feels meaningful to them. I even found myself teaching a class in which we compared Megillat Esther to Quentin Tarantino films, and Purim to Mardi Gras!

The whole experience has been incredibly meaningful to me, in no small part because Avi as well as Sharon were classmates of my father’s at RRC. I feel incredibly grateful for this experience.

RRC.edu/giveonline

Rabbi Avi Winokur, ’91, Society Hill Synagogue YOU MAKE A I am forever indebted to Bill Fern for his visionary leadership in establishing this internship. To have Nathan Kamesar as the Kleinbaum Congregational Intern has a special personal significance for me. Both Sharon DIFFERENCE and I were RRC classmates of Nathan’s father, the late Rabbi Daniel Kamesar, z’’l. Daniel’s sudden death within a year of graduation was devastating for me, Sharon and the rest of our classmates. Sharon was very close to the Kamesar family, and though Nathan was just a youngster when his father died so tragically, he has fond childhood memories of Sharon. I had not seen Nathan for over 20 years and was deeply moved to think that, like his father, he was becoming a rabbi. Furthermore, like me, Nathan practiced law in the San Francisco Bay Area before entering rabbinical school. Everything about this has been especially meaningful to me.

Nathan’s introduction to our community occurred through his divrei torah on the High Holidays. He was superb, and I was inundated with accolades for him. Every time he has led services, his talks have been of the highest quality. Nathan’s work on expanding our young adult membership has been a real boon to me. Most fulfilling has been my mentoring role, the conversations and feedback about the conduct of services, and sharing with him some of the more private aspects of the rabbinate—including how to shape rabbinic leadership so that it is at once effective and also empowers and energizes lay leaders to succeed.

Nathan’s instincts are unusually compatible with the congregational rabbinate, and the idea that I am privileged to have a role in his development is most gratifying. In fact, our community is so delighted with Nathan that we have found a way to have him return next year in a new internship that we devised with RRC. This fulfills another goal of the Kleinbaum Internship, and it is a blessing for our community.

Bill Fern, RRC Supporter and Internship Founder I am always seeking to create opportunities for our students to grow. Although I have funded many internships, the Kleinbaum Congregational Internship holds a special place in my heart. Rabbi Kleinbaum shaped my Jewish home, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, a remarkable community of LGBTQ Jews and their allies in the heart of New York.

Wherever Kleinbaum Interns may be serving, each is invited to speak at CBST—both to honor Sharon Kleinbaum’s congregation and to have yet another experience before a highly discerning audience. When I heard what a particularly fine d’var torah Nathan Kamesar gave for Shabbat morning at CBST, I felt truly gratified by the gifts of this still-young student. He is the kind of emerging Jewish leader who encourages teachers and mentors of rabbinical students, and makes all of our efforts worthwhile. RRC.edu/giveonline

Thanks to your support, RRC attracts world- class scholars and deeply committed educators. YOU MAKE A Our newest faculty member is Talmud professor DIFFERENCE Rabbi Mira Wasserman, Ph.D. She brings immediacy and vibrancy to texts dating back to the seventh century.

Rabbi Mira Wasserman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Rabbinic Literature I’m inspired by the Talmud and firmly believe that traditional Jewish texts can help guide our 21st-century lives. The final exam for one of my classes took place amid a tumultuous time of violence and protest in our country. Therefore, I asked the students to relate talmudic discussions of rabbinic law to highly publicized cases of police shootings of African-American men. I challenged the class not only to interpret our traditional sources and wisdom, but also to make them relevant today. This is what they will have to do when they become rabbis. I was deeply gratified by the insights and passion I saw when I read their answers.

You have many ways to get involved. Your gift can help provide: • Congregational support and consulting • Rabbinical internships in congregations, on campuses and in chaplaincy settings • Social justice organizing faculty and internships • Multifaith study programs and internships • Scholarships for rabbinical training • Vibrant campus life • A top-notch library at RRC RRC.edu/giveonline

Board of Governors Chair David Roberts Rabbi Amy Joy Small, Morristown, NJ YOU MAKE A St. Louis, MO Rabbi Avi Winokur, Haddonfield, NJ DIFFERENCE Vice Chair Susan Beckerman New York City, NY Exofficio Treasurer Howard Kerbel Jennifer Abraham, Philadelphia, PA Upper Montclair, NJ RRC Vice President, Administration Secretary Karen Kolodny Loren Amdursky, Bethesda, MD New York City, NY Chair, Youth and Education Commission Chair Emeritus Donald L. Shapiro Hon. Abraham Clott, New York City, NY Naples, FL Chair, Congregational Services Committee General Chair Aaron Ziegelman Rabbi Joel Hecker, Bala Cynwyd, PA New York City, NY Faculty Representative Danielle Leshaw, Athens, OH Members of the Board of Governors Interim Executive Director, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Hillel Becker, Montreal, QC Association Howard Blitman, Scarsdale, NY Rabbi Joshua Lesser, Atlanta, GA Barry Brian, Walnut Creek, CA Chair, Tikkun Olam Commission Joseph N. Cohen, Los Angeles, CA Rabbi Nina Mandel, Selinsgrove, PA Carol Feder, Potomac, MD President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association William H. Fern, Ph.D., Westport, CT Michael Mitchell, Toronto, ON Meet our donors Hans Grunwald, M.D., Greenvale, NY Chair, Movement Growth and Financial Health Commission RRC.edu/donorthanks David Kuney, Potomac, MD Josh Peskin, Ph.D., Philadelphia, PA Herbert Krasnow, White Plains, NY Vice President for Strategic Advancement Daniel Levin, Winnetka, IL Rabbi Amber Powers, Abington, PA Joshua Levin, Washington, DC Vice President for Student Development Harold Magid, White Plains, NY Diane Tracht, Philadelphia, PA Jonathan Markowitz, Evanston, IL RRC Student Representative Mark Nussbaum, La Jolla, CA Rabbi Isaac Saposnik, Philadelphia, PA Rabbi Debra Rappaport, Golden Valley, MN Director, Camp JRF Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben, Ph.D., Pacific Palisades, CA Judith Spatz, Davie, FL John Riehl, Laurel, MD Representative, Jewish Reconstructionist Camping Corporation Miriam Roland, Montreal, QC Elsie Stern, Ph.D., Philadelphia, PA Seth Rosen, Larchmont, NY Vice President for Academic Affairs Eric Rosenbaum, New York City, NY Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., Elkins Park, PA Myrna Sameth, Saugerties, NY President RRC.edu/giveonline Myrna Sigman, Edwards, CO

Camp JRF is deeply committed to diversity and to creating a Jewish camp culture that is open, inclusive and welcoming to the full spectrum of the Jewish community. This image of the Eco-Village is designed to help you meet some of the kinds of youngsters who see Camp JRF as CAMP their “second home.” For our campers, this is the place where they deepen their Jewishness every summer and recharge connections that last all year long. JRF Who Is a Camp JRF Camper? A study by Brandeis University showed that Jewish summer camp is the number one transformative activity for Jewish youth. It enhances Jewish continuity more substantially than year-round youth programs, Jewish day school or even trips to Israel. Now entering its 14th summer, Camp JRF has been recognized by the Jewish press as one of the “Top 10 Jewish Camps.” Reaching beyond campers to touch their families and congregations, Camp JRF plays a key role in learning, leadership and commitment for Reconstructionist youth and the movement at large.

In the summer of 2014, Camp JRF opened a one-of-a-kind Eco-Village for teens. Designed with camper involvement and an eye on the environment, the Eco-Village takes the first step toward sustainable living at Camp JRF and in campers’ families and synagogues, as well as the wider community. The innovative educational possibilities of life in this new village stretch far beyond the seven weeks of summer.

Meet these campers on page 16. *Footnote: These are composite profiles—inspired by, but not representing, actual campers.

I’m Joey, from Chicago. I’m Sam, from Long Island. This is my first summer here, and the scholarship I My mom’s black and my dad’s white. My parents CAMP got is awesome. Since my mom is a social worker picked this camp for my brother and me because JRF and my dad teaches public school, they needed there are other kids who look like us. I think some help, and we worked it out. I’m really into the that’s cool, but what I really I love about Camp ropes course and the environmental stuff. Before I is spending so much time outside, swimming, came here, I’d never even heard of a yurt! running around and hanging out with my friends.

I’m Jaime, from New Jersey. I’m Jake, from Philadelphia. I’ve been going to Camp for five years and I love it Sometimes I have a hard time fitting in because I because of how connected I feel to Judaism, without have Asperger’s. My moms chose Camp JRF even trying. It’s just…part of everything. It’s fun! because they knew from our rabbi that Camp Even my mom—who isn’t Jewish—thinks this is the works to include everyone. I’d never spend greatest camp ever! summer anywhere else!

I’m Noah, from Maryland. I’m Avi, from California. I feel like I fit in at Camp more than any place else When I came out, my mom was totally cool in my life. Being adopted is just no big deal here— with it, but I think she worried when I got some everyone is totally down with me being who I am. hassling at school. Then she heard about Camp I wish every place was like camp. JRF from friends who said it was incredibly open. They were right—I even got a scholarship! I’m having the best summer ever!

Note: These are composite profiles—inspired by, but not representing, actual campers.

Learn more about Camp JRF! campjrf.org

ASSETS FINANCIALS Cash and Equivalents 2,947,121 Accounts Receivable, Pledges Receivable and Other Assets 4,164,556 Beneficial Interests in Trusts 3,647,367 Investments Operating Funds (including Restricted Funds) 712,570 Endowment and Trust Funds 14,968,325 Land, Building and Equipment 5,975,697

Total Assets 32,415,636

LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES

Liabilities Accounts Payable and Short-Term Liabilities 109,314 Deferred Revenue and Other Liabilities 114,622 Note Payable 3,236,580

Total Liabilities 3,460,516

Fund Balances Operating Funds (including Restricted Funds) 9,998,018 Endowment and Trust Fund Balances 18,957,102 Total Fund Balances 28,955,120

Total Liabilities and Fund Balances 32,415,636

Statement of financial position (audited) as of August 31, 2014.

Find a Find out more about TAKE Congregation our rabbinical ACTION! program Jewishrecon.org/directory RRC.edu/admissions

Make a gift! Explore innovative Participate in RRC.edu/giveonline and traditional rituals lifelong learning on Ritualwell Jewishrecon.org/virtual-bet-midrash Ritualwell.org

Subscribe to Sign up for Inquire about Recon Torah e-newsletters, Camp JRF RRC.edu/recontorah publications and updates Campjrf.org/parents/application RRC.edu/signup

Many people generously contributed their time and talents to this rethinking of our annual report. Thank you to all of our faculty, students and staff who had a hand in bringing it to life. Special thanks to Rabbi Deborah Waxman, ABOUT THIS Ph.D., for her continued leadership and vision in communications for the movement. ANNUAL REPORT Josh Peskin, Ph.D., executive producer, creative director Wendy Univer, producer, website writer Janis Smith, producer George Wielechowski, RRC ’15, script and creative consultant Amanda Lyons, illustrator, whiteboard artist Chaim Bianco, videographer, video editor Andrew Cantor, web design and programming

Readers: Rachael Burgess The Reverend Dr. Katie Day, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia David Eber, RRC student Rabbi Alan LaPayover, ’02 Ora Nitkin-Kaner, RRC student David Piver, President, Mishkan Shalom Elsie Stern, Ph.D. Beverly Vitek Rabbi Deborah Waxman, ’99, Ph.D.

Additional script and website consultants: Jennifer Abraham Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer, ’82, Ph.D. Tresa Grauer, Ph.D. Michael Kolodner Barbara G. Lissy Rabbi Amber Powers, ’02 Eric Rosenbaum Rabbi Isaac Saposnik, ’08 Elsie Stern, Ph.D. Rabbi David Teutsch, Ph.D.

19 RECONSTRUCTIONIST RABBINICAL COLLEGE and JEWISH RECONSTRUCTIONIST COMMUNITIES