shel emunah (those who care for the faith needs of the Our students also represent a wide spectrum of community). The nomenclature, what to call such a ideological and halakhic differences, ranging from person, will emerge in due time. In the meantime, for the traditionally halakdzical2-y observant to liberal. They agree Bureaus of Vital Statistics, “The Rev. Mr./Ms. Ploni to learn from each other and to do the hard internal Almoni, Bachelor of Engaged Torah” will do. + struggling that it takes to sort out one’s beliefs in the face of differing but intellectually and spiritually valid posi- tions. Our fundamental and fundamentalist position is that Q religiously inclusive environment is the Jewish now and the Jewish future.

Rabbis And Cantors As Partners A rabbinate for clal yisrael- All too often animosity and lack of support between ‘and cantors impact negatively on the healthy the academy for jewish religion functioning of communities. As in a marriage, Shohama Wiener partners bring different strengths to the relationship, and an underlying attitude which seeks to empower each A vision of peace we pray for embodies unity in the other’s work is vital to satisfaction and productivity. The Jewish community and in the world. It is clear that a Cantorial program at the Academy was added in 1992 to major problem in achieving Jewish unity is the bickering, train cantors to serve clal yisrael, and to give our divisiveness, and sometimes even hatred that prevents the rabbinic students an opportunity to learn to work as denominations from cooperating with one another. This spiritual partners with cantors. Because we believe that affects not only communities but families, where parents the cantor and the serve as klei kodesh (holy and children, brothers and sisters often treat each other vessels), we give (ordination) to our cantors as with disrespect and non-support because of differing well as our rabbis. ways of dealing with religious issues. The “I’m right, you’re wrong” philosophy is a lose-lose situation. And Healing As Priorities-Personal, The Academy for Jewish Religion was founded forty Communal And Global years ago with a mission to educate rabbis who would have an appreciation for the strengths of the various philosophies The goal of tikkun olam (fixing of the world) has long and approaches within , and who would know how been a Jewish mission. To achieve this we must person- to help Jews find win-win ways of living a meaningful and ally have a strong sense of self-esteem and a wholeness spiritually vibrant Jewish lifestyle. that allows us to manifest the love we seek for ourselves. Since very few Jews are raised in an atmosphere of Above all, we must learn to access the power of spiritual- religious tolerance and pluralism, we believe that semi- ity and faith, the power that brings “miracles” of Red Sea nary years are the crucial time to form and reform magnitude. American Jews are now openly hungry for attitudes, and that this is best done by learning with and this. forming intimate relationships with Jews from across the Spirituality cannot be learned from books alone. In spectrum. Students often teach the way they were taught, Healing into Life and Death, Stephen Levine tells the and therefore learning in a setting that models respect is following story: important. Because of this conviction, our faculty are a “[There was] an intellectual youth who felt he could balanced mix of learned men and women representing learn everything from books. He read about the stars Conservative, Reform, Orthodox, Reconstructionist and and became an astronomer, he read about history and Post-denominational approaches to Torah and Jewish became an historian, he read about swimming and observance. They agree to teach passionately their drowned. ” approaches to Judaism, and to create a classroom atmo- Because we understand that text study is essential but not sphere in which differing opinions are treated with sufficient, for the past decade the Academy has been adding respect. to its curriculum courses and workshops on spirituality such as Jewish meditation and healing, personal prayer, personal theology, persona9 mwsm (ethical development), and issues RABBI SHOHAMA WIENER, D. Min., is President and Mashghch Ruchanl in spiritual development. of the Academy for Jewish Religion. She Is editor of The Fifiy-Eighth We have been revisioning the role of mashgiach Century; A Sourcebook (Jason Aronson, 1996), and a widely-known teacher of Jewish spirituality and healing. ruchani (spiritual director) so that it means one who has

6 Sh’ma 271528 the wisdom to guide individuals with differing needs on the various pathways in Judaism. Our hope is that our rabbis and cantors, having experienced the growth and healing that comes from spiritual guidance, will then be able to offer this mentoring to the and communities they serve.

ample Of Spiritual Healing Spiritual healing can manifest in many ways-in healing of faith, mental attitude, heart, or physical illness. This story is about the healing of a relationship, which re- quired a shift in the first three categories. Robert (not his real name) was a cantorial student in my msar (ethics) class. He complained of the terrible way that the rabbi he worked for treated him, always finding a way to put him down, or refuse his requests. Believing that insensitive behavior is a result of personal pain, I suggested that he meditate for his rabbi’s welfare, and pray that his rabbi receive whatever it was that he needed. At first Robert thought the suggestion preposterous, but I held my ground, and insisted that he try. Within two weeks, the relationship had shifted. The rabbi began to be a little more understanding, breaking the downward spiral. This breakthrough evolved into a wonderful partnership and friendship, and continued until Robert was ordained and left to take another position.

We know that within every synagogue and Jewish organization, there exist people with varying Jewish needs. “One size fits all” does not work in the area of religion and spirituality. For example, in the area of prayer, some want traditional dawening, some want creative personal rituals, some want meditation, chanting, and silence. For this reason, we expose our students to teachers who are gifted in reaching out to Jews, whether in the manner of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (~“0,Rabbi Marshall Meyer (z “I>, or Rabbi Roly Matalon, and Rabbi Shefa Gold. Whether our students serve in affiliated or independent synagogues, chaplaincies or educational institutions they can offer ways for the community to bond together while meeting the divergent needs of their constituents.

Providing For Today’s Needs The best way to prepare a spiritual leader is to educate It is so p;ainful to see the tensions that individuals, that person on the inside as well as on the outside. A families and communities are experiencing, here, in rabbi whose sense of self-esteem is strong, who is able Israel, and around the globe. At the same time, it is to give and receive love, and who experiences Jewish life inspiring to note the resurgence of interest in faith, in as a nurturing, life-enhancing path will be a magnet for good works, and in tikkun ohm, building a better world. all Jews. -4-

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