NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 CHESHVAN/KISLEV/TEVET 5775 FROM RABBI ZEMEL Ari Shavit at Micah: NEW QUESTIONS TO RECREATE JUDAISM Thoughts on Israel, DEAR FRIENDS, New Questions. American Jewry and the Our Judaism will be alive if we learn to ask ourselves new questions. Doing Jewish Future so will help us become what I like to think of as religious artists. By Shelley Grossman Artists are people who ask When Ari Shavit, the best-selling was a big deal for Temple Micah and new questions. How many Israeli author of My Promised Land: The Shavit indicated the whole experience times have you been to an Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, spoke at has been a big deal for him, too. art gallery or museum and Temple Micah on Nov. 2, he had just “I’m so into your country!” he seen the ordinary or mun- dane turned into stunning spent several weeks traveling the United exclaimed. He had been to Washington art? Think Warhol soup cans, States addressing Jewish organizations many times in his capacity as a jour- Calder mobiles, Oldenburg… in every region. He acknowledged the nalist—Shavit is a reporter and colum- everything. Artists take the deep impression this experience made nist for Haaretz—but he didn’t equate everyday and make it into art, causing on him, which in turn influenced his Washington’s mostly liberal Jewish com- the rest of us to say, “Why didn’t I think talk about the history, the current munity with other Jewish concentra- of that?” situation and the future of Israel—the tions around the country. He marveled An artist learns the disciplines of the themes of his book and the original that American Jews “have managed to past and uses them to create something reason for his tour. His perspective has create a Jewish home. You maintain a new. That’s what we need to do with been broadened, he said. Jewish life on a voluntary basis. I am our Judaism. “The Jewish future. That is my deeply moved.” Much of the surprise On Yom Kippur I referred to this as the balancing act between histori- main passion,” Shavit said. And that in this revelation is most likely due cal fidelity and contemporary meaning. future intimately involves Israel, North to how little he—like most Israelis— Contemporary meaning is birthed when American Jews and the relationship knows about Judaism in America. Israeli we ask new questions. As I write this it between them. schools don’t teach about Diaspora is Sukkot, which provides a good exam- The book itself is “the must read Judaism and there is no real incentive ple. Historically, the sukkah itself was a Jewish book of the last 25 years,” Rabbi for Israelis to learn about it on their temporary hut that a farmer built in the Zemel said in introducing Shavit a few own, Shavit acknowledged. Indeed, the field to live in during harvest season. At days before heading to Israel with 34 classic Zionism that built Israel all but some point, some creative Jewish mind temple members on the latest Micah dismissed the Diaspora. asked a new question: “Can this hut also Mission to Israel. The rabbi had been But a vibrant Israeli future—in which be a symbol for the dwellings of our in negotiations to schedule Shavit’s talk Shavit believes wholeheartedly, he ancestors who wandered in Sinai?” Still later, someone who was not a farmer since last November and was rewarded says—depends on a more equal relation- built a sukkah in a village. What was the with a full house of eager and appre- ship with America built on two-way meaning of the first urban sukkah? We ciative audience members. And, not understanding and trust. He indicated do not know, but the people who built everyone had to show up in person. The that American Jews could teach liberal it were asking new questions. temple used this event to launch its new and centrist Israeli Jews a lot about I long for us to recreate our Judaism program to live stream servicesSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER and politics and lobbying, for example, 2012 and in the mold of Adam Two, the spiri- other important gatherings. (An audio only half-jokingly endorsed the idea of tual voice that is inside each of us. As tape of the full presentation and a video an “Israeli AIPAC” to steer the Knesset you might recall from my Yom Kippur of the last 45 minutes are available on toward more favorable U.S. policies. The CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 ; the Temple Micah website.) The lecture CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 ; 2 CHESHVAN/KISLEV/TEVET 5775 PRESIDENT’S COLUMN “ Every person shall sit under his grapevine or fig tree with no one to make him afraid.” MICAH, CHAPTER 4, VERSE 4 B’NAI MITZVAH: ENRICHING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US Vine By Jodi Enda Vol. 50 No.2 The year started last November with tinue once or twice a week until their TEMPLE MICAH— Thomas and ends this month with b’nai mitzvah. In fifth grade, they begin A REFORM JEWISH CONGREGATION Dylan. In between, another 28 of their attending Machon Micah on Tuesdays 2829 Wisconsin Ave, NW seventh- and eighth-grade classmates after school, in addition to Sunday morn- Washington, D.C. 20007 would become a bar or bat mitzvah at ings and random other days for all-com- Voice: 202-342-9175 Temple Micah. munity events. Fax: 202-342-9179 Email: assistant@templemicah.org My daughter, Ilana, Seventh grade is the crunch year, the vine@templemicah.org fell somewhere in the year many of our kids sacrifice most or Web: www.templemicah.org middle. all of their outside activities to pre- There is a consider- pare for their big day. They still attend Daniel G. Zemel RABBI able amount of contro- Machon Micah on Tuesdays and Sundays versy about b’nai mitz- and other days for all-community Esther Lederman ASSOCIATE RABBI vah in the United States events. They still have Skype tutoring these days. There is a once a week. In addition, beginning six Rachel Gross EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR fair amount at Temple months before their bar or bat mitz- Micah, as well. vah dates, they meet with cantor Meryl Josh Beraha RABBI, DIRECTOR OF They’re too much work and too Weiner or music director Teddy Klaus CONGREGATIONAL LEARNING time consuming, too indulgent and once a week to learn their Torah and Meryl Weiner waaaaayyyy too expensive. On Saturday Haftarah portions. They meet every CANTOR mornings, temple members are outnum- other week with teacher Ken Goldstein Teddy Klaus bered by students’ friends and rela- to explore the meaning of their Torah MUSIC DIRECTOR tives; it doesn’t feel like a real Shabbat. and Haftarah portions. They practice American synagogues have become bar their chanting most every night at home. BOARD OF DIRECTORS and bat mitzvah mills. Starting several weeks before their bar Jodi Enda To be sure, some of the criticism is or bat mitzvah, they also meet once a PRESIDENT valid, in full or in part. And at Temple week with one of our rabbis. They pose Ed Lazere Micah, we have changed the way we a question that the rabbi will address in VICE PRESIDENT prepare for and conduct b’nai mitzvah a sermon and discuss other things that Marc Levy services to address members’ concerns they don’t necessarily share with their VICE PRESIDENT and, I expect, will continue to do so. parents. At home, they write their D’var David Diskin We do not want to be a b’nai mitzvah Torah, a lesson about their portions. SECRETARY assembly line, a place where people On top of all that, they attend Shabbat Joel Korn check off a box and move on. We also services many Fridays and Saturdays, TREASURER do not want to lose Shabbat in all the both to lead prayers and to support Martha Adler hullaballoo that can surround a bar or their classmates as, one by one, they are Larry Bachorik bat mitzvah. called to the Torah. Sheri Blotner But the criticism doesn’t tell the For that six months, our kids practically Patty Brink entire story. It overlooks the most live at the temple. It’s a whirlwind for the Jeff Davis important part of the whole shebang: students and for their families, a crazy- Marina Fanning Helene Granof the meaning. And I’m not just talking busy time—and also an emotional one. Victoria Greenfield about the meaning for the student or I attended many b’nai mitzvah this Alison Harwood the family. Our b’nai mitzvah services past year. At every single one, I either carry a larger meaning for the whole teared up or cried outright when grand- VINE STAFF community of Micah and for the greater parents and parents passed the Torah Dorian Friedman community of Jews. to their children and grandchildren. I sat CO-EDITOR Honestly, it’s not all about the party. with other parents from the class, and Shelley Grossman Our kids spend years learning Hebrew many of them were wiping their eyes, CO-EDITOR and studying Judaism. Most enter too. To us, this was it. L’dor v’dor. We AURAS Design Machon Micah, our education program, knew the kids would chant well, because PRODUCTION in kindergarten or first grade. In third all our kids do. We knew they would grade, they begin one-on-one Hebrew give a good D’var Torah. We knew we’d tutoring via Skype, which they will con- CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 ; NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 3 YACHAD HONORS MICAH STALWARTS By the Editors Every spring for two neighborhoods throughout decades, Micah volunteers Washington.