critical/constructive VOLUME 16 NUMBER 2 / WINTER 2015

IN THIS ANALYSIS: Missed HebrewH on Transcultural Art: ISSUE: Opportunities for CCampus: A Mosaic of Indian, Jewish Life in WWhy a American and Renewed Urban TTough Sell? Jewish Motifs Neighborhoods ARIA L. GOLDMAN SIONA BENJAMIN STEVEN I. WEISS CRITICAL / CONSTRUCTIVE Introducing the new CONTACT

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 2 / WINTER 2015 elcome to the relaunch of CONTACT, the magazine of The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life that provides critical Eli Valley and constructive commentary on the Jewish community. Editor W In its sixteen years of existence, CONTACT has offered a Ari L. Goldman Editorial Consultant forum for leaders and academics to assess programs and trends in the Jewish Erica Coleman world. Starting with this, our fifty-third issue, CONTACT will add Copy Editor journalistic pieces to the mix in an effort to investigate, isolate and uncover Yakov Wisniewski problems and potential solutions. We feel that the addition of independent Design Director voices calling out inefficiency, waste and missed opportunities will help make CONTACT a compelling force for change in the community. THE STEINHARDT FOUNDATION In addition, while in the past CONTACT was a journal devoted to a different FOR JEWISH LIFE theme in each edition, the new CONTACT will explore a range of topics. It will feature at least four sections dedicated to various aspects of Jewish life Michael H. Steinhardt Chairman today: LANDSCAPE, the structures of Jewish institutional life and borders of Sara Berman practice; LANGUAGE, the historic and current vernacular of Jewish Vice Chair expression; LIVES, personal profiles of people forging individual paths Rabbi David Gedzelman towards Jewish engagement; and LAYERS, the art, culture and joy that President and CEO defines Jewish creativity today. Overall, the goal is to mix journalism with Eli Schaap art, personal profiles and a focus on Hebrew to create a magazine that Senior Vice President inspires and provokes. CONTACT is produced and distributed by The Steinhardt Foundation We hope you enjoy the new format and find it a vehicle for new kinds for Jewish Life, 729 Seventh Avenue, of engagement. We welcome your reaction and feedback and look forward 9th floor, , NY 10019. to hearing from you. All issues of Contact are available for download at www.steinhardtfoundation.org/journal.html Individual subscriptions are free of charge and are provided as a service to the community. in this issue To subscribe, please send your name and mailing address to [email protected]. 3 ANALYSIS: MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR JEWISH LIFE IN Phone: (212) 279-2288 RENEWED URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS Fax: (212) 279-1155 Steven I. Weiss Email: [email protected] Website: www.steinhardtfoundation.org 7 POST-DENOMINATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: For media inquiries about The Steinhardt IT’S ABOUT ATTITUDE, NOT STRUCTURE Foundation for Jewish Life, please contact Rabbi W. Sirbu Dan Gerstein at [email protected]. A LANGUAGE OF LIFE Copyright © 2015 by 8 Rabbi David Gedzelman The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life. 9 HEBREW ON CAMPUS: WHY A TOUGH SELL? Ari L. Goldman The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life is dedicated to strengthening and transforming 10 THREE PROFILES Ameri can Jewish Life to ensure a flourishing, Seltzer sustainable community in a fully integrated free society. We seek to revitalize Jewish SIONA BENJAMIN: identity through educational and cultural 13 initiatives that are designed to reach out to TRANSCULTURAL ARTIST all Jews, with an emphasis on those who are on the margins of Jewish life, as well as to 14 SLAMMING IT FOR A NEW GENERATION advocate for and support Hebrew and Jewish David Zvi Kalman literacy among the general population. 15 RASHI AND THE ROLLING STONES Unless otherwise indicated, photographs in this Shira Dicker issue appear courtesy of contributors and staff. 2 2 landscape

analysis: MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR JEWISH LIFE IN RENEWED URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS by STEVEN I. WEISS ne hundred years ago, was in a building on Avenue and among the largest Jewish popula- the historic Old Synagogue just O tion centers on the planet. Some off 125th Street near Morningside Heights, Real estate 175,000 Jews called Harlem their home, there isn’t a single Jewish communal prices in Harlem and synagogues, Jewish schools and com- address in the area today. While highly- and elsewhere munal organizations dotted the landscape. engaged Jewish families make do, often by Several of New York’s most prominent con- venturing out of Harlem for prayer ser- have shot up gregations — such as Ansche Chesed and vices and other Jewish events, other fami- immensely over Ohab Zedek synagogues — were once lies are left with little Jewish connection. located right in the heart of Harlem. Due to The traditional way that Jewish pro- the past decade; a range of economic and social factors in gramming is funded doesn’t work in a at the same time, the years after World War I, however, there location like Harlem. While the typical was a precipitous decline in the Jewish Federation funding model provides grants the cost in Jew- population. Jewish communal property was to existing Jewish organizations in varied ish families left sold or abandoned and Harlem became the communities, Harlem doesn’t have Jewish without connec- symbolic center of the nation’s African- programs and institutions for which grants American community. would be applicable in the first place. tions has grown Last summer, my wife and I moved We’ve met Jewish families who have as well. with our young children to Harlem. We resided in Harlem for years but who have are part of a wave of Jewish families priced never had a real opportunity to engage out of much of Manhattan who are finding their children Jewishly where they live. Harlem to be an affordable, amiable and Even though the local Federation, UJA- Steven I. Weiss is an award-winning investigative safe place to live. But in terms of Jewish Federation of New York, spends $150 mil- journalist, and is news anchor and managing editor at The Jewish Channel. He has published in Harp- life, there’s almost no formal presence or lion a year throughout the region, it dis- er’s, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, programming. Other than a tiny Chabad perses these funds to organizations that and many more. House taking up a ground floor apartment already exist, which are almost entirely in

WINTER 2015 3 better-known Jewish neighborhoods. Har- Already, a great many families have lost lem’s Jewish families, therefore, benefit very the opportunity to connect to the Jewish Already, a little from the programming that such community due to the failure of commu- great many funding provides. As a result, locations like nal organizations to identify and accom- Harlem—as well as other parts of New modate Jewish families in these newly families have York City such as the Lower East Side, Bat- popular urban areas. tery Park City, Crown Heights, Bedford- UJA-Federation doesn’t see it this lost the Stuyvesant and many more newly develop- way. Emily Kutner, the director of public ing areas—need an alternative investment relations for Federation, said that the opportunity to in Jewish growth. The few organizations purchase of real estate is not high on the that exist in these areas are Orthodox and organization’s agenda. It’s got to start connect to the do not meet the needs of many of the from the bottom up, she said. “Our expe- young people and families moving in. rience in Jewish community building has Jewish Finding venues is a problem. In Har- taught us that it requires a combination lem, a non-denominational, egalitarian of indigenous bottom-up grassroots community minyan borrows space in churches and energy coupled with support and guid- mosques. On the Lower East Side, non- ance from us that sparks the most likely due to the Orthodox Jewish parents organize to rent energy to create new communities,” she out playrooms in apartment buildings for said. “Often the new institutions emerge failure of seasonal holiday events. In Battery Park later and real estate is the outgrowth of City, the best anyone can hope for is the many years of new programming, leader- communal long walk to the Museum of Jewish Heri- ship development and many new services tage, which hosts a few events a year for and activities.” organizations young children. The need in Harlem and these other In order to serve these communities, communities is too great to wait for this to identify and Federation can’t simply fund existing bottom-up approach. While waiting to do accommodate programs; it should consider procuring so, the cost of entry has skyrocketed. The real estate that can incubate Jewish pro- opportunity to buy cheaply in Harlem has Jewish families gramming in these communities. long passed. Real estate prices in Harlem I’m convinced that putting even a and elsewhere have shot up immensely in these newly tiny portion of UJA-Federation’s $900 over the past decade; at the same time, million investment portfolio into real the cost in Jewish families left without popular urban estate endowments in these communities connections has grown as well. Real estate could have had real impact on the prices will in all likelihood continue to areas. growth potential of a community. creep higher in the coming decades -- as The lack of communal real estate is will the cost of failing to act. By the same stunting this growth opportunity. token, investing now or at any point in

4 landscape

the near future will perhaps provide strong communal core would find that “there Dream is Moving (Portfolio, 2013). In financial growth, and assuredly provide was not a lot of infrastructure to hold it 2010 and 2011, Gallagher notes, there strong communal growth. together.” They “died off” because not was a huge reversal. “The rate of growth A Jewish communal building in Har- enough had been invested to keep them in cities had outpaced the rate of growth lem, Battery Park or Bedford-Stuyvesant involved. The real estate program has in the suburbs for the first time in more could anchor Jewish life for the many stemmed that outflow. than 90 years,” with “most of the growth young families moving in. It is an invest- Sokolsky’s team drafted an ambitious in building activity” in “multi-family ment that will yield big dividends on plan, thinking that “if we built a commu- housing.” Through November 2013, both a financial and a communal level. nity campus here, and people could walk according to data from the U.S. Census With their real estate costs covered by to shul, walk to school, walk to the JCC, Bureau, construction of multi-family a long-term communal investment, local and walk to Jewish restaurants ... it could housing had roughly doubled since 2009; communities could fund the creation of recreate the experience our parents’ gen- single-family housing construction had programming. A diverse board could eration had in the old immigrant com- barely grown at all. establish priorities and seek out ideas munities downtown.” Today, their Jewish “Whether it’s millennials or aging from the larger populace. These commu- campus has 70,000 Jews living around it, baby boomers, everyone’s emphasizing a nities are already self-organizing and cre- with a strong growth trajectory ahead. It’s walking environment,” Gallagher ating leadership structures; what they also important to note that Toronto Fed- asserted. “Walkability” as a category lack is a communal home in which to eration played the role of real estate ascribed to neighborhoods and housing is truly prosper. investor, having sold some of the raw an increasingly important part of real land it had purchased at a profit. estate listings, which now often promi- The Toronto Model The need for this kind of thinking nently feature a property’s “walkability At least one other North American city goes beyond cities like New York and score.” For Gallagher, the desire for a has taken steps to ensure that there is a Toronto. All over the United States, an walkable neighborhood is “human Jewish infrastructure where the local Jew- urbanization trend is shaking up our nature: it’s more interesting when you can ish population would like to grow. Over a ideas of typical American life. People are take a stroll and be in a beautiful, inter- 15-year period in Toronto, the Federa- moving back to the cities in record num- esting space, and where you can bump tion, working alongside residential real bers. Communal Jewish organizations into other people.” estate developers, made what turned out and their leadership are mostly missing It’s an idea that’s consonant with a to be a huge real estate investment. The this trend. Jewish tradition that has emphasized Federation raised $300 million to create a gathering for prayer, study, meals and walkable Jewish village somewhat past The Walkability Score communal functions. It’s no accident that where the Jewish community and city “It’s happening in cities large and small, in some urban areas that have seen the had expanded up to that point. Accord- outside of cities large and small, includ- decay of most traditional Jewish institu- ing to Ted Sokolsky, the former president ing the suburbs,” explains Leigh Gal- tions, it is the Orthodox, and especially and CEO of UJA-Federation of Greater lagher, an associate managing editor at the ultra-Orthodox — who have forever Toronto, until ten years ago new commu- Fortune magazine and the author of The emphasized walking on the Sabbath — nities that tried to grow outside of the End of the Suburbs: Where the American who stuck it out even through the trend

WINTER 2015 5 landscape of suburbanization in the 20th Century. on reaching young people who, in line the city more broadly has to offer, with Alongside all of the people moving to with the nationwide trend, are moving minyanim taking place in parks. cities, companies — and, thus, jobs — to urban centers. The 33-year-old Hey- are moving as well. Gallagher notes that demann’s efforts are directed through an What Can Be Done? “a lot is happening in Chicago,” where organization she founded called Mishkan What if various larger Jewish non-profits United Airlines, Archer Daniels Midland Chicago, named after the tabernacle that saw their role as focused not exclusively and Hillshire Brands have all moved the wandering Hebrews used for prayers on funding existing operations through their headquarters from the suburbs in the wilderness of the Sinai Desert. grants, but rather in investing wholesale back to the urban environs. Even gather- And wander the young Jews of Chi- in communal growth and creating the ing spaces like sports stadiums are mov- cago do, as the homes they claim in facilities and infrastructure to allow that ing to the city: the Nets are now playing denser parts of the city — prized by to happen? at Barclays Center, where biking and younger folk for their walkability and Communal organizations could access to urban life diversify their endowments by investing — have little if any in real estate that would not only add What if various larger Jewish non- access to existing value to their portfolios but could be profits saw their role as focused Jewish institutions. directly used for the enhancement of What synagogues Jewish communal life. not exclusively on funding existing and other establish- As Jews move to urban areas, the operations through grants, but ments of Jewish life Jewish community isn’t meeting the exist in those places demand for Jewish life there. And while rather in investing wholesale in for these young grants for the operation of Jewish activi- communal growth and creating the Jews to gather, ties are helpful, the overall sentiment build community, that many urban Jews feel as they invest facilities and infrastructure to allow pray or teach their their futures in denser areas is that Jew- that to happen? children? “For the ish communal institutions are not will- most part, there are ing to invest alongside them. taking public transit to events is empha- none,” Heydemann notes. It’s a problem for these burgeoning sized over driving. Gallagher notes an Atlanta, America’s capital of exurban Jewish communities that will only get informal study found that of “23 recent sprawl, is another great example. Eliana worse as real estate prices have skyrock- ballparks built since the mid-’90s, all but Leader is Executive Director of the Young eted over the past decade. In places like one or two of them were built in the Israel of Toco Hills, the suburban syna- Harlem, East Rogers Park and Virginia downtown.” gogue she attended as a child. But she Highland, the real opportunity to pur- Overall, “there’s this tremendous doesn’t want to live there. Instead, she chase cheaply occurred a decade ago. transfer of wealth out of the exurbs and and her husband chose Vir- suburbs, and into urban areas,” Gal- ginia Highland, an old lagher says. urban core originally devel- Communal organizations oped in the early 1900s. could diversify their Behind the Times Leader says she and Except in the Jewish world. For many her husband knew in mov- endowments by investing in familiar with the glacial pace of change ing there that they’d be real estate that would not only in the Jewish community, it’s perhaps no making a choice between surprise that Jewish organizations are access to Jewish resources add value to their portfolios many years behind a popular trend that and “whether we were but could be directly used for has seen major developments across going to live in a place that both residential and commercial invest- we wanted to live in, in the enhancement of Jewish ment. But this lag serves to highlight the terms of city life — in communal life. plight of Jews who have lost the oppor- terms of walkability.” In tunity to generate a sense of Jewish nearby Midtown, “there used to be a But those prices will be higher still in a engagement for their young children. JCC that was an active place when I was decade or two, and the need will be An enterprising young rabbi in Chi- a kid in the ‘80s,” but in that decade, even more urgent. cago perfectly illustrates this problem. “they gave up the building, sold it and Realizing that these urban Jews need One recent day, I was talking with Rabbi decided to invest in a neighborhood far- communal space, just as they lust after Lizzi Heydemann as she was zipping ther north, really in the suburbs.” As a more closet space for their wardrobes, is around downtown Chicago on roller result, the de facto Jewish community of what can transform today’s Jewish organi- blades. She is a mobile Jewish commu- young urbanites moving “in-town” (what zations into the angel investors in the Jew- nity organizer with a mission: gathering Atlantans call their denser urban core) ish life of tomorrow. Jews will continue to mostly young Jewish adults for program- has “put together more independent, move to these areas; the only question is ming and prayer services in the denser chavura-type groups” that have no Jew- whether the traditional markers of Jewish parts of the city that haven’t seen Jewish ish-owned building in which to meet. life will be there to welcome them and development for decades. She is intent Instead, they’re taking advantage of what help sustain their Jewish lives. ■

6 POST-DENOMINATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: landscape IT’S ABOUT ATTITUDE, NOT STRUCTURE by RABBI REBECCA W. SIRBU

rans-denominationalism and post-de- methodologies to help rabbis navigate the about the concepts of rest and rejuvenation in a nominationalism are great words. They changing religious and cultural atmosphere. 24/7 society? What value is there in a family com- T sound big and important. “We are enter- There are three key traits we believe rabbis and mitting to gathering once a week for dinner ing a new post-denominational age,” the Jewish other Jewish leaders need to cultivate to lead us together? What meaning is there in placing our pundits declare. Often this declaration is meant into the next phase of Judaism: p,pluralism, hands on our children’s heads and blessing them to scare people. We are entering uncharted water; meaning-making and a oonce a week? These ques- the great Jewish institutions of the 20th Century positive outlook. ttionsi are human questions. are crumbling. We don’t know where we are Pluralism is crucial to TThey speak to human needs headed. Ahh! Watch out! adapting to a changing aandn are not hampered by Okay, reality check: we have been here before. denominational structure. ddenominational divisions. We are masters at navigating change. The Twelve The Rabbis Without Bor- We cultivate a culture Tribes of Israel become two Kingdoms, North and ders Fellowship, our sig- oof “Yes.” We encourage our South. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and nature program, brings rarabbis to read context gen- countless other sects morphed into Rabbinic Juda- together a group of about eerously. Often as rabbis and ism. Rabbinic Judaism survived the Exile, creating 20 rabbis a year. They span ththe ddenominational i ti l as hhhhumans, when we hear about something dif- Babylonian and Yerushalmi centers of learning. and post-denominational spectrum. They repre- ferent from us, from our practice or from how we Schools of Hillel and Shammai argued with each sent different geographic areas, ages and kinds understand something, our knee-jerk reaction is other for generations and then eventually gave of rabbinates. They learn together and challenge to say “No.” No, we can’t do that. No, it is not way to new schools of thought. We are an ever- each other’s preconceived notions about who done that way. No, they can’t join us if they are changing and growing people.p No doubt that each theyyy are. They learn to cultivate curiosity and to like that. Think about the opportunities that of these historical transfor- leleave their assumptions at present themselves when we don’t give an auto- mations resulted in some ththe door. They grow to matic “No,” especially when, for example, we loss, but it also helped us aappreciate that rabbis who look at the diverse beliefs and backgrounds of hone the skill that would aare “Reform” or “Orthodox” people who are part of Jewish families. If we carry us from era to era: ddon’t fit neatly into the pause, ask questions, ask why people are doing resilience. Our resilience bboxes these labels repre- something differently, it gives us an opportunity lies in the fact that we take ssent. Within our midst we to learn about them, to create a relationship and the best of what has come hhave an Orthodox rabbi to find out what need we might help them meet. before and build on that too wwho is bringing together For too long, the Jewish community has been respond to the needs of neww generationsgenerations. Jewish settlers and PaPalestinians to forge relation- obsessed with defining people as being “in” or In fact, that is how the denominational ships and work towards peace. We have several “out” of the community. We label people as structure came to be in the first place. The three Reform rabbis who identify as Republican, and “core,” “marginal” or “intermarried.” Like denom- major Jewish denominations were created in self-identified feminist rabbis who observe the inational labels, these too are changing. People response to the needs of Jewish immigrants to family purity laws. define themselves. For the first time in Jewish America struggling to make sense of a new world We are all human and have multiple valances. history, people actually want to attach themselves and their place in it. Jews could affiliate with Rabbis mirror communi- ttoo the Jewish people and see whichever movement most closely mirrored their ties. None of us is easily JeJews positively. This is personal practices and beliefs: Orthodox, Con- labeled. All of us have somee uunnerving for a community servative, Reform, Reconstructionist and the vari- kind of hyphenated identi- tthath has been persecuted for ations on those themes (Renewal, Ultra-Ortho- ties. We learn to accept ggenerations. We are not dox and Modern-Orthodox). There was enough people whoever and wher- uused to non-Jewish relatives of a range to choose from. The Jewish denomina- ever they are on the spec- aandn others wanting to see tional model flourished in a society in which the trum of Jewish life. This is tthemselvesh as part of our largely Protestant Christian population also an incredibly useful skill ccommunity. Instead of say- divided itself into various denominations among when rabbis are encounteringng an increasingincreasinglyly ing no to themthem, letlet’s’s taktake this moment to explore traditionalist and liberal lines. larger range of people in their communities. It what Judaism has to offer them as well. These divisions no longer serve the needs of allows for an expanded definition of what a Jewish Challenging our borders, though, is not the a growing group of Jews. We are not an immi- community is and allows a community in transi- same as eliminating them. Every individual has grant population anymore, but a highly accultur- tion to be more fluid, able to change, grow and borders and every community has borders. But in ated, cosmopolitan and successful group within transform while serving the needs of its members. this time of transition, I believe we should the larger American scene. Our religious leaders Serving the real needs of people is hugely explore these borders, understand why they are will best be able to serve us when they under- important at this time. To quote my colleague there and ask what purpose they serve. This stand the context individual Jews and Jewish Rabbi Irwin Kula, “What is the job that Judaism applies no matter where one is on the spectrum. communities operate in today and focus on the needs to get done?” For years the Jewish commu- We also need to let go of the idea that Jews are best of what Jewish wisdom has to offer to help nity has focused on giving people a “Jewish iden- the ever-dying people. We are not dying. We are us flourish in this time. tity.” Focusing on giving people a Jewish identity uniquely adept at transforming ourselves to meet Leading a community during a transition is per se is not the issue. We need to give meaning to the needs of the current generation. Yes, there is not easy, and there is not one blueprint for people’s Jewish identities. At Rabbis Without Bor- loss during times of transformation, but we remain doing so. At Rabbis Without Borders, a program ders, we teach rabbis to do what generations of resilient. The loss of a particular institution does of Clal — The National Jewish Center for Learn- rabbis in the past have done: look at the context in not mean that Judaism itself is dying out. ing and Leadership, we have developed several which we are living, delve into our tradition and If rabbis and other Jewish leaders can cultivate uplift the wisdom and practices that speak to peo- pluralism, meaning-making and a positive, open Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu is the Director of Rabbis Without ple’s lives. As institutions and structures fall away, outlook, we will be well situated to move in to a Borders at Clal—The National Jewish Center for Learning we need to ask why Shabbat practices, for post-denominational or trans-denominational age. and Leadership instance, are meaningful today. How can we teach I look forward to seeing what the future holds. ■

WINTER 2015 7 language Creation. Gordon was clearly aware from A LANGUAGE OF his religious background and education that the word Havaya was used in Hasidic tradition to pronounce the four letter name of God related to the Kabbalistic notion of how the Divine flows into and constitutes existence. Gordon’s naturalization and humanization of the theological in the coining of a word represents a world view that puts tremendous faith in what human beings can achieve if they are in healthy LIFEby RABBI DAVID GEDZELMAN relationship with the cosmos. This fit his odern Hebrew reflects many trialized world was one in which the Hac- role in inspiring a generation of Zionist pio- innovations of language that arah was disconnected from the Chavaya neers to see Jewish settlement in the land Mwere purposely developed and and overshadowed it. Modern human as a creative human enterprise rather than introduced by a range of thinkers, writers beings were all intellection and objectifica- something that needed to wait for Divine and leaders in the context of one of the tion cut off from their root in nature. This supernatural action. Zionist movement’s greatest achievements: unnatural human condition contradicted Although the subtleties of Gordon’s the resurrection of the Hebrew language. the ideal Gordon posited, by which the philosophical views and teachings were One of those thinkers was Aharon David Human is at one with the cosmos, making not understood in a widespread way, the Gordon, who came to the Land of Israel nature more beautiful rather than using use of this new word caught on and during the Second Aliyah in 1904 at the the mind to pollute and corrupt the natu- became part of the Modern Israeli vocabu- age of 48 and who was a significant spiri- ral environment. When human beings lary. Israelis use the word Chavaya to tual teacher for the founders of practical achieve a more natural relationship to mean an experience of intense feeling or Zionism and Labor Zionism. He lived out nature, the Chavaya feeds and fuels the to reference an event in which one feels his years at Degania, the first Kibbutz. In true potential of the Hacarah and human the power of life in an intense way. With- his expansive collection of Hebrew essays intelligence perfects and enhances the nat- out necessarily being conscious of it, by called HaAdam veHaTeva, The Human and ural environment; human enterprise and using a word which structurally means Nature (1910), he laid out his thinking on technology contribute to the majesty of “life-existence” to speak about intense how building a new life for the Jewish nature rather than being a blight on it. In experience, Israelis reveal a cultural predi- people in the Land lection for life and liv- of Israel could ing with intensity. manifest a more Without necessarily healthy and natu- understanding the com- ral relationship plexities of Gordon’s between human philosophy, the use of potential and the this word in common majesty of nature parlance reflects a civili- than what he zational commitment to believed was hap- living a bigger life. As pening in the Ari Shavit argues in the mechanized and conclusion to his recent unnatural trajectory of the industrial describing this utopian vision, Gordon ref- book, My Promised Land: The Triumph world. At the center of Gordon’s teaching erenced a verse from the Hebrew Bible and Tragedy of Israel, what Israel has to was a two-fold notion of the Human, calling the Chavaya “oil for the lamp” of offer is “the intensity of life on the edge” which comprised two essential anthropo- the Hacarah (Ex. 25:6) — an allusion to (Spiegel & Grau, 2013, p. 418). He goes logical elements: 1) the visceral element of the Biblical Menorah that is meant to illu- on to say, “I think Zionism was about human experience that plugs directly into minate the world. regenerating Jewish vitality. The Israel tale the pulse and flow of nature in an unme- In creating this new word, Gordon is the tale of vitality against all odds.” diated way, for which Gordon coined the interposed the Hebrew word for being or Those of us who have spent time in Israel new Hebrew word, Chavaya, and 2) the existence, Havaya, with the Hebrew word know what Shavit is talking about. A.D. conscious element of human experience for life or alive, Chai. In so doing, he Gordon coined a word over a century ago that gives people the ability to analyze, changed the initial letter of Havaya from a to put forward a beautiful view of how the perceive and objectify the world around Heh to a Chet, yielding this new word reconstitution of Jewish life and the them, and which Gordon called Hacarah, which puts life and existence together, Hebrew language in the land of Israel intellection or perception. identifying the earthly phenomenon of life could better the overall human condition. For Gordon, the problem of the indus- as the ultimate expression of all existence. That goal is still a work in progress, but it By seeing the Chavaya as the gut element is one that is reflected and expressed of Human experience, Gordon viewed through the innovations and evolutions of Rabbi David Gedzelman is President and CEO of The ■ Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life. Human beings as the highest realization of the Hebrew language.

8 n the late 1700s, Ezra Stiles, the president nity.” Last summer, for example, she said she Netanyahu, more professorial, stood his language of Yale, urged his students to study had almost 100 applicants for programs in ground. “He spoke Aramaic, but he knew Hebrew.” I Hebrew lest they get to Heaven and not Middlebury’s Hebrew at the Center Institute. That cordial exchange may not send col- understand the Psalms that the angels are According to the Hebrew professors’ group, lege students rushing to study either language. singing to God. He would be “ashamed,” one Hebrew is taught at 175 American colleges and Why take Hebrew today? Dr. Leibovitch, who of Stiles’ students wrote, “that any one of his universities, including many state schools, is based in but prefers to speak pupils should be entirely ignorant of that holy Christian colleges, elite private universities and, Hebrew to anyone who will understand him, language.” of course, rabbinical seminaries. But professors gave several reasons. The argument of Stiles, a Christian Hebra- in many schools report that the programs in “Hebrew is not just a language,” he said. “It ist, did not carry much weight back then. Stu- Hebrew are often underfunded, do not attract is a culture, a key for Jewish history. It is the connection to Israel. The importance of this language for keeping our nation alive cannot be overemphasized. For me, the revival of HEBREW ON CAMPUS: Hebrew is a miracle no less than the establish- ment of the state of Israel.” WHY A TOUGH SELL? In fact, the revival of Hebrew preceded the establishment of the state in 1948, said by ARI L. GOLDMAN Alan Mintz, Chana Kekst Professor of Hebrew Literature at The Jewish Theological Seminary. dents complained so much about Hebrew that many students and cannot find a secure footing Hebrew was a primary goal of Zionism and it was soon dropped as a requirement at Yale, at the school. They are sometimes placed in represented “a portable part of Jewish nation- and most everywhere else. Classics departments, sometimes in Oriental alism,” he said. Ever since then, it seems, educators have Studies or Middle Eastern and Asian Studies, In his book Sanctuary in the Wilderness been trying to come up with reasons for the sometimes in Religion. (Stanford University Press, 2011), Dr. Mintz academic study of Hebrew. While its popular- Last year, the World Zionist Organization traces how Hebrew in America moved from the ity has waxed and waned on campus, it seems (WZO), working with Israel’s Education Min- province of Christian educators in the 18th Cen- to be facing a special challenge today. istry, established a Hebrew Language Council tury to the province of a small band of American “Hebrew in academia, much to my sorrow, is dedicated to the promotion of Hebrew among Jewish Hebraists in the early 20th Century. in a crisis,” said Gilead Morahg, Executive Diaspora Jewry. The council’s mandate is to On the American college campus, interest Vice President of the National Association of upgrade the state of Hebrew everywhere, from in Hebrew arose after Israel’s victory in the Six Professors of Hebrew. “It is really dangerous pre-schools to Jewish summer camps to adult Day War of 1967 and grew as other groups, because this is where the future leadership of education. Among its most difficult challenges such as African-Americans, feminists and later the American Jewish community is forged.” are university campuses, said Simcha Leibo- the LGBT community, began to establish pro- “Keeping Hebrew alive on campus is criti- vitch, the WZO Executive’s representative in grams that reflected their interests. It took cal,” Dr. Morahg added. “This is the last stage North America. decades for programs centered on Israel, of identity formation.” “There is a great deal of anti-Israel senti- Hebrew and Jewish studies to take root. These The numbers are troubling. According to ment on American campuses,” Dr. Leibovitch programs especially flourished in the 1990s, the most recent figures from the Modern Lan- said. “And people identify Hebrew with in part fueled by philanthropic and founda- guage Association, 8,245 students are studying Israel.” While Israel is not beyond criticism, tion support, but they’ve taken a hit in recent Modern Hebrew on American campuses, a drop he added, campaigns to isolate and punish years, corresponding to the declines in the of 14 percent from three years earlier. Biblical Israel, such as the BDS Movement, are mis- study of the humanities and the liberal arts. Hebrew is faring somewhat better, with 13,807 guided. They take an unfair toll on Israel as Dr. Mintz said one of the problems with students, but these numbers too are in decline. well as on Hebrew language on campus. Hebrew instruction on campus is that it often Of the students enrolled in Hebrew At the inaugural conference of the Hebrew focuses too much on the spoken word. “The courses, there are nearly twice that number Council, held last year in New Jersey, organiz- expectation of oral fluency is the greatest stum- studying Arabic and three times that number ers asked a group of university professors to bling block,” he said. Understanding the build- studying Chinese and Japanese, all of which come up with ways to improve the teaching of ing blocks of the language is more important have experienced record growth. Spanish, Hebrew on campus. Several professors said than speaking it, he added. French and German topped the MLA list. that Israel, which has one of the world’s lead- “Once you show them a word stem, the Not everyone is pessimistic about Hebrew ing high-tech sectors, has not developed the shoresh, like [the letters] bet tet chet — and on campus, however. “If you define crisis by best technology for the teaching of Hebrew. demonstrate that its permutations create the numbers there’s a crisis,” said Dr. Vardit Ring- The materials, labs and sites for teaching more words for security, insurance, religious faith vald, Director of the Middlebury Hebrew at the popular languages, such as Spanish and Chi- and bodyguard — you can see the neurons Center Institute for the Advancement of Hebrew nese, are far more sophisticated. They called light up and down the whole chain of Jewish Language. “But it’s not a crisis in that there is less for more development in this area. historical knowledge.” interest in Hebrew. Interest in Hebrew remains But more important than the technology, But Dr. Ringvald said that both fluency and high.” It’s just that universities have been cutting several said, is the rationale. They are trying to understanding are within the reach of students. back on the humanities and liberal arts, “and the take the argument for Hebrew beyond Ezra In fact, she said, there are those who relate better first place they cut is in languages.” Stiles’s invocation of the angels in Heaven. to the spoken word than they do to concepts. “I don’t believe there’s a lack of interest” in Certainly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “The shoresh approach is very narrow,” she said. Hebrew, she said. “There’s a lack of opportu- Netanyahu was making a pitch for the impor- “I am surprised to see how many people are tance of Hebrew when Pope Francis visited the interested in learning the language. They want to Ari L. Goldman, a professor at the Holy Land in May. “Jesus was here, in this communicate with Israelis. They want to under- Graduate School of Journalism, is an editorial consultant for land,” Netanyahu told the Pope when they met stand the Hebrew culture, both past and present. CONTACT. He is the author of four books, including The in Jerusalem. “He spoke Hebrew.” They know that if they want to be connected to Search for God at Harvard and The Late Starters Orchestra. “Aramaic,” the Pope interjected with a smile. this culture, language in the key.” ■

WINTER 2015 9 lives In each issue, Contact will profile young Jews and their individual paths towards Jewish life — on their own terms. In this issue we look at three THREE young people who’ve found their Jewish expression through writing: one of them through comedy, a PROFILES second through fiction and a third through journalism. PROFILES by SARAH SELTZER

JONJ DANFORTH-APPELL TheT Golem Nebbech

hen he was grow- very rich and more conserva- ered. He also felt discouraged, ing up, Jon Dan- tive, and very Zionist.” again, by matrilineal descent W forth-Appell didn’t At the same time, he got his rules. “It’s problematic that I knowk some people would con- hands on the newly-formed wouldn’t be considered Jewish siders him non-Jewish. Raised in hipster Jewish publication, there,” he says. “It’s supposed to thet Washington DC suburbs by HEEB magazine, and it blew be a homeland for all Jews, a Jewish dad and a mom who his mind. “Their ‘Passion of the which is kind of not true.” wasn’tw born Jewish, Danforth- Christ’ issue was super influen- But what he did feel was a Appell, 28, wasn’t exposed to tial for me,” he says of the mag- renewed desire for Jewish com- traditional laws about matrilin- azine’s controversial Mel Gib- munity. “What’s great about eal descent determining Jewish son-spoofing spread, featuring Birthright isn’t the trip to Israel, status. “I just assumed I was a nipple-pierced Mary among it’s that you forge connections,” Jewish,” he says. “I didn’t know other provocative features. “You he says. With a (now ex-) girl- that your mom had to be Jew- saw this snarky irreverent Jew- friend he met on the trip, he ish.” Danforth-Appell consid- ish tone, and it wasn’t just began making a video series ered his family Reform, and he being aimed at other Jews.” called “Jew on This.” attended a Hebrew school that Ultimately, those college “We’d seen Jewish comedy taught Yiddish as well. experiences defined his later videos online, like the Macca- When he was thirteen, Dan- adult journey towards being a beats and ‘Bubala Please,’” he forth-Appell’s mom converted, Jewish comedy writer who says. But they found these series and his family started keeping intertwines his Jewish identity way too “cheesy” and “vanilla.” “somewhat kosher.” Still, he with his passion. “I prefer being “To use surreal comedy that was says, he didn’t share many of Jewish as a jumping off point strange and edgy and have it the cultural signifiers that oth- for your identity rather than the aligned with Judaism felt dan- ers used to demarcate their whole thing,” says Danforth-Ap- gerous because so much of Jew- Jewish identity. “I didn’t have pell, who fittingly uses the twit- ish comedy is schmaltzy,” he kugel until I was 18,” he jokes. ter handle @GrouchoMarxist. says. Now, as a copywriter in And later on he began to “It’s the difference between a Los Angeles trying to break into resent some of the messages he Judd Apatow or Woody Allen TV comedy, Danforth-Appell received from Jewish authorities. film and a Judaica store. Judaica says “I try to write [characters] “Since I was a product of an stores are so single and narrow. as explicitly Jewish, even more interfaith marriage, it got awk- But in these films, Jewish iden- than Judd Apatow.” ward when rabbis gave speeches tity is just one part of you which As he forges forward with about marrying Jewish.” influences who you are.” his career, making vegan mat- Entering college at the Uni- He didn’t participate in com- zah ball soup and sporting a versity of Southern California, munal life for much of his 20s, tattoo that says “golem nebbech” Sarah Seltzer is a Danforth-Appell was influenced but when Danforth-Appell went in Yiddish — standing for writer of contest-winning in two directions. He stopped on a Birthright Israel trip at age strength and neuroses — his fiction, essays, journal- keeping kosher and decided to 26, he felt “reawakened” — but focus is on using his Jewishness ism, listicles and more. She’s based in New York avoid campus Jewish life. “I not in a religious or nationalist as a fuel for creativity. “The City, where she grew up. tried to get down with the Hil- sense. “I’ve met Israelis, and most energy I put into negotiat- Find her on twitter lel but couldn’t,” he said. “Like they’re not us,” he said of the ing my Jewish identity is in my @sarahmseltzer. USC at large, everyone was cultural differences he discov- work,” he says. ■

10 CHANEL DUBOFSKY lives From Secular to Religious and Back Again

t was her Hebrew school She was grateful, if some- rat race” depressing. Eventu- classmates that initially what bewildered. “I had no ally, she began to make her Iturned Chanel Dubofsky idea what was going on,” she break from organized Juda- off.o Dubofsky, 34, grew up in say. “Literally. People were ism, dropping out of religious WesternW Massachusetts with asking me if I wanted a shiva observance and, eventually, veryv little Jewish involvement. minyan and I was like, ‘Sure, after her contract at the non- “I“ went to day school for a but what is that?’” profit was up, going back to minute in third grade,” she At the same time, she get an MFA and committing says. “And then Hebrew began pursuing Jewish stud- fully to writing fiction and school until fifth grade. But I ies. She was obsessed with journalism. quit because it was too hard her Jewish women’s studies Her work can be found at socially for me.” In particular, professor, she recalls. “I was the Forward, Lilith, and Jews- she now realizes, the wealth genuinely excited about Jew- chool, the radical blog she co- of the students in her Hebrew ish academia, and feminism edits with a “collective” of school compared to her own was always important for me. volunteers. Their willingness family’s financial situation So it was a natural fit.” to publish criticism of Israel’s made it hard for her to fit in. Her interests became even policies and mainstream more serious. “I decided I Judaism is important to might want to be a rabbi Dubofsky because of the line- It’s vital that because I could be a profes- toeing she’s seen in Jewish sional Jew and write and spaces. “It’s vital that there be there be a learn,” Dubofsky says. She a space where you can speak began to keep kosher, observe without repercussions or cen- space where holidays and wear skirts — sorship,” she explains. and went to work at Hillel For now, Dubofsky’ explo- you can speak after college. “I tried really ration of Jewishness is mostly hard to fit in,” she says. “But it taking place in her writing. In without reper- didn’t work. The fronting got her fiction work-in-progress, really tiresome after a while.” she says, Israel is a key setting cussions or After getting laid off in a and Jewish identity a theme. round of cuts, which she said “My characters are Jewish. censorship. was devastating, Dubofsky The main character was more began freelance writing, observant, now she’s not,” she Without a Bat Mitzvah but which opened up a whole says, in a case of art imitating with plenty of bacon, she was new world for her. “I just life. not particularly primed for wanted to make stuff, create,” In some ways, she’s satis- major involvement. “Obser- she says. “Once I began get- fied with her life as a secular vance didn’t matter as long as ting in touch with that side of Jew weaving Judaism into her you knew you were Jewish,” myself again, I couldn’t go art, but in others, Dubofsky she says of her family’s back.” still frets about her future approach. But she still needed to pay involvement. “The Jewish But then, at college at the bills, so she accepted a world has this really effective UMass Amherst, she sought position at a social-justice way of making you feel like out Jewish community at Hil- minded Jewish nonprofit. For it’s easy to never work in it lel and elsewhere. “It was a a while, Dubofsky also lived again,” she says. “I worry huge school and I wanted to on the of sometimes that if I’m out of find people like me,” she Manhattan, in a Jewish neigh- line, saying things critical of says. “And then my mom borhood where she says “the the status quo, I’ll never get a died, and it was a place I pressure to be observant was job in a Jewish organization went to for community.” crushing,” and “the marriage again.” ■

WINTER 2015 11 lives J.E. REICH Writing and Otherness rowing up in white and from a privileged change the world.” Pittsburgh, J.E. background, upper middle Reich is a proud resident G Reich had “one foot class,” she says. “There was a of Crown Heights, where she in one world and one in the large Jewish demographic, finds herself torn between a other.” And although both but almost all were cultural traditional Jewish community worlds were Jewish, they and not practicing.” (Chabad Lubavitch) that she clashed. Her mother’s family But even among those sees as warmly embracing was southern Jewish, living who practiced, she felt her Jewishness, and that in America since the begin- estranged. “I never got my same community’s question- ning of the 19th Century — footing in Hillel,” says Reich. able stances on civil rights a long placeholder that led a She found the scene con- and acceptance for LGBT sense of Judaism that was formist, even at her progres- Jews. When she lived in the “vibrant” and “evolving,” says sive school. She explains that area with her non-Jewish ex, Reich. Her father, however, Emerson was “where every- “I often felt both welcome was British, a child of Holo- body who is different goes to and also in the closet” in caust survivors, which added be the same.” Jewish settings, she says. “I a double layer of foreignness So Reich kept her com- was not comfortable holding to Reich’s sense of plex and evolving thoughts her hand. We were invited to self. She calls her about God and belief to her- seders and Rosh Hashanah We were dad’s version of self and felt isolated, largely dinners, but we had to pre- invited Judaism “a because she couldn’t turn to tend we were just room- museum of mainstream Conservative mates, fielding questions that to seders and sorrow.” There Judaism. In institutionalized were pushing me towards a were photos of Judaism, “There was so much nice Jewish boy.” Rosh Hashanah deceased relatives I don’t agree with, particu- Reich often feels caught lining his walls. larly in terms of interfaith between her more spiritual dinners, but we But he was “secu- relationships,” she says. “I inclinations — she prefers had to pretend lar and assimila- have probably dated more Hebrew prayers to English tionist,” while her non-Jews than Jews.” In fact, translations — and a dissat- we were just mother observed Reich’s article “Why I Date isfaction with the institu- rituals like kashrut Shiksas,” published on The tional Jewish modus ope- roommates, and went to syna- Huffington Post last year, gar- randi. She attends services gogue regularly. nered lots of attention. whenever she can but fielding This schism in Reich has written for Lilith doesn’t belong to a shul. In questions that Jewish identity cre- magazine and Blueprint, a fact, “I rarely go to the same ated a sense of New York Jewish blog, and is synagogue twice,” she says. were pushing “otherness” for currently editing and writing “The Jewish community Reich, an alienation Jewish-tinged fiction, too. In as a whole has to make more me towards a that increased her writing, Reich explores strides to be more inclusion- when her parents questions of identity, includ- ary to LGBT Jews,” she says, nice Jewish split up and inten- ing her worries about being noting that generational boy. sified when she treated as “exotic” or “com- trends away from organized realized, at age 13 modified” by the non-Jews Judaism might have to do or 14, that she “preferred she dates or befriends. “The- with this attitude, as well as women to men.” matically, the biggest thing the approach to interreli- “Hi! I’m from Pittsburgh, that ties different strains of gious dating and marriage. I’m Jewish and I’m gay,” she Jewish American literature “There was no data in the would say to people she met together is that sense of other- Pew Study, no polling about at Emerson, a private college ness and marginality,” she how people identify in terms in Boston that lacked the says. “This intersects with me of sexuality and what Jews diversity of the public as a queer writer and female think about gay rights,” she schools she’d attended as a writer, and as someone who says. “But a lot needs to be child. “Most students were likes to think writing can done in that area.” ■

12 SIONA layers BENJAMIN: TRANSCULTURAL ARTIST he artist Siona Benjamin is a Jew from who grew up among T the predominant Hindu and Mus- lim societies that make up . To add to her cultural influences, she was educated in Catholic and Zoroastrian schools. “I have always had to reflect upon the cultural boundary zones in which I have lived,” explains Benjamin, who now lives and paints in New Jersey. “In my paintings I combine the imagery of my past with the role I play in America today, making a mosaic inspired by both Indian/Persian miniature paintings and Sephardic icons.” Benjamin sees herself as a “trans-cul- tural artist” and as a bridge between the traditional and the modern. “A transcultural person,” she explains, “is rather like a cha- meleon, being able to change his/her colors according to the situation and environ- ment.” When she first started painting, the various influences in her life “seemed diffi- cult and unnecessary to apply to my work,” she said. But she learned to embrace her past. “Now I have found a way to use it, to be able to weave current issues and parts of my life in its intricacies, thus making this ornateness strong and meaningful.” The use of color is among the most striking features of her work. Benjamin has a special fascination with the women of the Torah, as reflected here in her From top: portrayal of , and Vashti. In Finding Home #81 (Fereshteh) “Leah addition to the multiplicity of identities, and Rachel” her work explores the contrasts between 25” x 20“ gouache violence and hope, past oppression and and gold leaf on board 2006. future contentment, personal pain and the redemptive power of art. Finding Home #89 (Fereshteh) “Vashti” Benjamin wants not only to make 7” x 10” gouache and gold beautiful art but to change hearts and leaf on wood panel 2006. minds. “I would like my audience to Finding Home #82 re-evaluate their notions and concepts (Fereshteh) “Joseph” 22” x about identity and race,” she said. “I believe 17” gouache and gold leaf on museum board, 2006. that transculturalism will help in artistic and other ways to be a bridge.” ■

WINTER 2015 13 layers SLAMMING IT FOR A NEW GENERATION by DAVID ZVI KALMAN The radically open nature et me explain why difficult process of translating the best ideas SermonSlam, which was (from excellent teachers, from Jewish stud- of the SermonSlam stage – L conceived in October, ies departments, etc.) into accessible and within reach of all, more 2013 as an open-mic, Jewish- entertaining language and by creating more themed performance series with venues where modern Jewish expression fun than a lecture and almost no budget and no paid staff, could find a home. We called the platform more substantive than a has been taken up by communities in Open Quorum, and SermonSlam is one of mixer – means all varieties 23 cities in four countries and has been our first programs. sponsored by rabbis and professionals of SermonSlam began as an attempt to of Jewish connection (even every major denomination, by every age reinvent the dvar torah for the web. The deeply skeptical ones!) group, and by synagogues, Hillels, Moishe internet is generally not kind to homiletics Houses, independent minyanim, JCCs, — who wants to hear a rabbi read into a now have a place where local Federations, rabbinical schools, high microphone for 20 minutes, stripped of even they can be voiced and schools and summer camps — often at the the reverential atmosphere of the synagogue, same time. Let me explain how the Sermon- when there are millions of other things to where they can be Slam concept has so quickly entered Jewish see and do? A dvar torah podcast recorded applauded (sometimes). communities across America that we, its before a live audience, we reasoned, would coordinators, are now discovering Sermon- make for a better listening experience, where ish connection (even deeply skeptical Slams popping up independently, for which one could imagine being in the audience. ones!) now have a place where they can be we are acting not as coordinators but simply The podcasts (and now YouTube videos) voiced and where they can be applauded as consultants. have proved popular, but the live events (sometimes). And the fact that there are no I believe that we are entering an age of have been more popular still. SermonSlams standards or dogmas about what counts as massive Jewish inequality, where a tiny can be recorded in a synagogue or a social “good Torah” means that SermonSlams fraction of Jews — those who are blessed venue (bar, café), and feature between 8 and don’t cut along normal denominational, with excellent Jewish educations and excel- 12 performers. The rules are simple. First, educational or age lines. All that matters is lent teachers and who live in New York or every event has a theme (“Revelation,” “Exo- sincere delivery. There is a deeply captivat- a handful of other vibrant young Jewish dus,” etc.) and all performances must relate ing power in Torah that is shared for the communities — are responsible for the vast to that theme. Second, all performances sake of exposing a beautiful and heartfelt majority of new thought, teaching and must be less than five minutes. Third, any- relationship to Judaism — even if that rela- Torah, while the core Jewish texts and ideas one can perform. That’s it. tionship is extremely complicated. for the vast majority of Jews have been Though the event is called Sermon- SermonSlam’s simplicity also makes it essentially unchanged for more than 50 Slam, many performances are neither ser- adaptable. Students at the University of Mary- years. Most new Jewish ideas will never be mons nor poetry slams. Of the 150+ people land combined their year-end SermonSlam heard by most Jews, and the majority of the who have slammed so far, we’ve seen some with an art show, pairing beautiful words individuals best suited to revolutionize Jew- sermons, but also lots of poetry, prose, with beautiful images. After reading about us ish culture in America, the leaders of the music, singing, the use of digital media, online, the director of Houston Hillel asked next generation, will largely remain known and even duets. The character of the event about running an Interfaith SermonSlam — only to their friends and colleagues, the is shaped by the culture of the city, too. In which he did, to a crowd of more than 100. emerging “1 percent” of the Jewish world. Washington D.C., many performances A high-school teacher wanted to adapt the In the fall of 2013, I co-founded an grapple with politics; in Jerusalem, they model for his students; the first annual high- online Jewish media platform together with interweave Hebrew and English. school SermonSlam was held in June. Since six friends, with the stated purpose of pop- Since registration is open to all, people every place that has run a SermonSlam has ularizing Jewish innovation and encourag- who would have never publicly shared their expressed interest in running them on regular ing its continued growth by engaging in the Torah ideas sign up, too. Many Sermon- basis, we expect the model to continue being Slams feature performers who no one would adapted and adopted for years to come. have expected to slam — or to win. Content Our tremendous and immediate success David Zvi Kalman is Co-Founder and President of Open is never pre-screened or censored, but since is a testament not to our ingenuity, but to Quorum/Jewish Public Media. By day a University of all events are competitions with prizes, and the vast and varied perspectives on Torah Pennsylvania doctoral student specializing in medieval since all performances are recorded, there is and Judaism trapped within American Jews Jewish and Islamic law, he is also the creator of of all kinds, with few valves for release. AtoneNet (atonenet.com) and Adashot (adashot.com). a strong incentive for slammers to bring David just finished designing and editing a fully-illustrated their A-game when they step up to the mic. SermonSlam is a valve, and there is now a “bencher” based entirely on medieval and early-modern The radically open nature of the Ser- rush towards it. Open Quorum seeks to manuscripts. Together with his wife and son, he serves monSlam stage — within reach of all, more create more such venues for the release of as Mechon Hadar’s Campus Scholar at Penn. To find out fun than a lecture and more substantive Jewish creative energy of all kinds. There is more about SermonSlam, go to www.openquorum.org. than a mixer — means all varieties of Jew- much work to be done. ■

14 Rashi and the layers Rolling Stones Excerpt from a SermonSlam by Shira Dicker at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, NY, earlier this year. ave you ever stood with one foot at Sinai and the other in Sin City? What if your sanctuary was also your home and H the ancient prayers pierced you to the core... like the music of Pink Floyd? I’m Shira. I was a rabbi’s kid during the wackiest, tackiest decade in American history — the 70’s — a Yeshiva Girl during the heyday of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Instructed to love God with all my heart and all my soul and all my might... while politely applauding the rock and roll revolution from my family pew... Doing the Hustle... and the hora. Stayin’ alive. You see, I’d been to Day School on a horse with no name. And heard laughter in the chrein. As a Rabbi’s Girl in the 70s my life was a meshuggeneh mash-up I like to call Gefilte Groovy: (Play That Funky Music White Boy) Rashi and the Rolling Stones Shalom Aleichem and Sonny and Cher Talmud and the Time Warp Keeping kosher and kissing boys Carlebach and Don Kirschner Birkat Hamazon and Billy Joel Star Trek and the State of Israel Soviet Jews and the Family Stone Abba and my Aba Watergate and One God in Heaven Gilligan’s Isle and Golda Meir Monty Python, Moshe Dayan Pink Floyd and Purim Bowie and Babka! Hendrix and Halvah! Getting wasted and going to shul Rambam, Ratners and the Ramones Davening and David Cassidy! They’re COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY Ha Ha!!! I didn’t need a funk band to tell me to freak out. I was a brown-eyed girl in a psychedelic world. Leah in the sky... with diamonds. I wanted Hot Stuff but settled for hot pastrami. I was Born to Run but shackled to the sanctuary. My life was totally schizophrenic. One minute I was singing “Adom Olam,” and the next, “Love to Love You, Baby.” On Friday night I blessed the Sabbath Queen but on Saturday night I worshipped the music of Queen... from my house in Queens. ■

A promoter of art and culture, Shira Dicker is a strategic thinker, master networker, activist and entrepreneur. She balances her writing life with teaching and performance art. Her Bungalow Babe in the Big

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN EPSTEIN City is literary and often irreverent, with a global readership.

WINTER 2015 15 The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life Non-Profit Org. 729 Seventh Avenue U.S. Postage 9th floor PAID New York, NY 10019 Rockville, MD Permit No. 800 Change service requested

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