Engaging a new platform....

Well...it's been 8 months since we've joined Shirat HaNefesh. I think I feel pretty good about being here. It's a special place. I initiated this text during Passover (though am posting it later). Partly, I'm reflecting now because our board has produced a poster that we could share with friends, telling them to join us. Further, I brought this blog to the attention of a friend, and recently he's asked me when I would update it...so this is further time. Overall, with respect to Shirat HaNefesh (SHN), I'm caused to reflect on whether I'd recommend this place or not...

Because we're small, at least, I'm pretty involved. I'm a memberof the Tikkun Olam committee, Education Committee (possibly just also became co-chair of that), and more recently, I'm an Avodah Committee member. Most recently, I volunteered to be on our Nominating Committee, to select replacement board members. I initiated this text during Passover, but we're really in the thick of this process now.l

Passover is always a special time otherwise. I enjoy preparing by considering what Hagaddah to use. I had been curious to see what Temple Shalom was scheduling for their community to recognize the holiday. This seems like a good place to note that in leaving Temple Shalom, we wrote to the principle folks in the administration there...the Rabbi, President, Treasurer, explaining what we were doing (leaving) and some of how we would like to do it...that is hoping the community would feel all right about not closing this door to us especially since Evan would continue to be invited to his friend's Bar Mitzvahs for a time. I offered, consistent with this, to continue to pay on the last year of our 5 year pledge to support the capital fund we had committed to 4 years earlier. And further, I offered also to pay an additional incremental amount to keep getting the monthly Shofar newsletter.

But when signing off that way, back then, Rabbi F was quick to both positively comment about my willingness to honor my commitment, and also share that creative thinking would have to be engaged by the Temple Treasurer to accomplish my request, since he knew of no system whereby a non-member could engage in this way, i.e., be billed monthly for payments to a building fund.

Apparently no such creative effort was mounted. The synagogue didn't need my money enough to figure out a way to capture it, nor did the Shofar arrive.

But, I could go to their web site. I saw nothing remarkable about Passover, however, I did see that -- during Sunday school, the previous week Rabbi F had offered a session dedicated to understanding the liturgy, and it included a discussion of Mindfullness in the heading. I wrote to Michael to ask him about his session, which would have just happened, and to inquire about what success he had with it. I did not hear back from him.

Let's continue forward. Today it is early May 5th. For Passover, I did select as a Haggadah the text created by the Velveteen Rabbi, and I was very pleased with it. We did our usual family Passover, first night at our house with Chinese food, but just us (that was a disappointment...we like to have the boys cousin and their Aunt/Betty's Sister over, but it wouldn't work out this year). The second night, we went to Bubby's.

Now, we're in the thick of this nominating process. Like with any organization, there are administrative details, and I'm not necessarily fun to engage with on such things in any organization, so why should it be any different here? This Wednesday, we'll meet as a committee for a 3rd time, and may pick our new members, in substance. Then, this Sunday, our Avodah Committee will meet for its 4th time, to discuss not only the hours of service, but also, to consider, and grapple with...what does it mean to make a minyan. At the end of this month, we will have our very first retreat.

We'll need to see how the summer looks. Our programming is such that it is easy to go to services. Saturday morning is when we have "Saturday" school for Adam, and that's when I go to services. Friday has always been hard to get to, and it continues to be...but we do commit to going to the 4th Friday night, because that's when we both have a Pot Luck, and also, when our family collects the food gathered, and brings it to Manna. Possibly...the summer will simply have other activities we'll engage in, and this will help make for our pattern of connection with our community. Some things may remain the same this way, as they had been with Temple Shalom.

At Temple Shalom, as documented earlier in this blog, I had struggled to find meaning in working with the text of the liturgy. This struggle continues. This connection is not profoundly different from now, than it was before.

What anyone might ask of themselves, I suppose, is how they find themselves engaged in their synagogue community. Well...they might ask themselves many things, of which this is one aspect. I do find that there is grist for the mill. Given the nature, and depth of connection that I had with the clergy, that included Gerry particularly, at Temple Shalom, it was too much of a wrenching without background for me for there to have been any easy landing pad to continue at the Temple, given the changes that happened in the summer of 08. As documented here, we did look at other alternatives last summer. Given a combination of things, including the selection of a siddur that features an attempt to "speak itself," and provide meaning, an opportunity to continue our relationship with clergy that we not only had a connection with, but who we thought represented a good example for our selves and our children, and further...given the continuity that this choice represented for our family, we did make this our home, and this place is further becoming for us.

For those who may be reading this, who have not had a chance to visit Shirat HaNefesh, and who may wish to do so...I hope you will feel welcome to do this. We do mostly meet at the school across from the Parkway Deli. At least...at this time. It is possible we will move, too, this summer, so stay tuned.

Atmospherically, practically, SHN is a special place. Hopefully...it will not be a Brigadoon. We do not have a building. It could be wistful this way. We are a bit like sukkot...surviving in temporary shelter. Presuming we have a long life, these years will be seen for what they are in our life cycle...tender and really precious years. The community is diverse....and consistent with this, self defined as pluralistic. Folks who davven with us are from reform and conservative backgrounds. The service is in fact pretty traditional, and for some, I do see this is a challenge.

We are evolving. And, with respect to this blog, for now, it remains about this spiritual Jewish Journey that I and my family are engaged with. We'll continue to see how it goes...