Read it online!
The Winter 2008 issue of JRF's magazine, Reconstructionism Today (RT) - "a voice for creative Jewish living" - was mailed to members of JRF congregations. Read more to see what's inside.
In this issue:
- Men In Transition: One Synagogue's Response by George Dreisen
- JRF and the Next Generation by Carl A. Sheingold
- You Do What? Liturgy Serves Many Functions by David A. Teutsch
- Harmoniyah Raises the Roof: The First North American Reconstructionist Music Network Retreat by Joysa Winter
- Mitchell Silver's A Plausible God reviewed by Eric Caplan
- Experiential Learning, Barbie Dolls, and Fondue: Reconstructionist Educators of Americca (RENA) Conference by Sarah Chandler
- Reconstructionist Teens Return "Home" to Israel by Isaac Saposnik
Men's Study Group at Temple Beth Zion Brookline, MA
Your lead article on the men’s group at a Bethesda, MD synagogue exposes a critical need for most shuls- a safe and supportive place where men can develop a “different” kind of relationship with each other. By “different”, I mean, a relationship that supports ongoing openness and intimacy as well as builds connectedness. I have learned this way of connecting by attending the Jewish Men’s Retreat at Elat Chayyim (founded by Yosaif August and Reb Shawn Zevit-now in its 17th year) and have carried these lessons to other contexts in my life.
Our study group grew out of a suggestion four years ago by a member of the education committee to have a group for men who would study together (a comparable Rosh Hodesh women’s group had recently been formed and was facilitated by a female rabbinic intern). I’ve had experience working with men and facilitating men’s groups, so I agreed to coordinate the group in consultation with other men. We did some marketing and “button-holing” and held our first session in the Fall 2004.
It has taken us some time to find our way. We are lay-led. We’ve probably had over 50 men cycle through the group-some come once, others stay for several meetings (we meet every 3 weeks and break for the summer months). Our core group has grown from 6-8 men to 12-14 and we have developed a profoundly close relationship that extends beyond our meetings (we meet every third Shabbat after Kiddush for about 2 hours). We use the texts we study (including Reb Zalman’s “Jewish With Feeling; Robert Pinsky’s “Life of David” and Peter Pizele’s “Our Father’s Wells”) to raise important issues about our own lives. The goal is always to personalize what we read and discuss.
Our group recently hosted a talk by Robert Pinsky on his book about King David (with a luxurious breakfast) and also organized a daylong men’s gathering (open to the community) in May 2007 to delve into the many facets of King David’s life. All of these activities have strengthened our connections with each other and strengthened our participation in the life of Temple Beth Zion. Our rabbis (Reb Moshe Waldoks and Rav Claudia Kreiman) support our work and appreciate the benefits of the men’s study group to the life of our community. Feel free to contact me at salasala@comcast.net.
Allen Spivack
Jamaica Plain, MA