Who is Listened to with Respect? A Heavy Lesson: Parashat Yitro, Exodus 18-20 by Avi West
I love word play and puns.  They build castles of meaning on a deceptively simple foundation.  Some even appreciate the humor or irony that they can generate.   The Hebrew language is particularly rich with potential word play because most words are built on a three letter root to which prefixes and suffixes are added.  Read more.

When Words are King by Avi West
On a rare free Sunday afternoon, my wife and I caught up on our downtown DC touring.  Our primary destination was the newly dedicated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the Tidal Basin.  It sits on a direct axis linking the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson memorial.  This is a brilliant location, creating a triple testament to the power of words.  Read more.

Gelt Without Guilt: Lighting the Candle of Righteousness by Avi West
It is a new tradition at Chanukah to give gifts.  The real tradition was that it was a time to give out coins (gelt), because coinage was a sign of autonomy and freedom.  When the Maccabees rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem, they also minted coins with pictures of their Chanukah heroes and words that celebrated their values, as opposed to those of the Hellenists.  Today we can add to this tradition by using coins to help bring freedom and autonomy to people in need.  Read more.

Tov Ba Teva:  Discovering the Good in Nature
After last year's Early Childhood Jewish Education Conference held by the Partnership, Temple Rodef Shalom Nursery School decided to put what they learned from the conference into practice by building a natural playscape for their children. Watch the video here.

Redecorating and Rededicating with Detective “Sure-Look Homes” by Avi West
Before any holiday, we are busy preparing, making lists and gathering everything we need for the celebration.  One way to prepare for Hanukkah this year (which means both education and rededication) and bring life to the themes of the holiday so that it will last beyond eight days is to become “Sure-Look Homes,” master detective. Search your home for signs of meaningful Jewish identity and educate yourself about how to rededicate it to important Jewish values.  Read more.

 A Square Peg In a Round Hole by James Hyman
Israel, and the role it can or should play in American Jewish identity, has been a challenge since the creation of the modern state. However, for at least the first 20-30 years of the existence of Israel, it held a cherished place in the hearts of most American Jews and certainly in the institutional Jewish community. Israel was seen as the miraculous, and to a significant degree, mythological Jewish state created in the shadow of the Holocaust and it could do no wrong. Read more.

Is Jewish Identity in America Half Full or Half Empty? by James Hyman
A recent study by the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University found that there are over 6 million people who self identify as Jews in the United States. This is a lot more than we would have predicted there would be in 2011 thirty years ago. But we also know that their identity is thin, in the sense that they don’t know very much about their heritage.  Read more.

The Tapestry of Judaism by James Hyman
A tapestry is defined as a "richly and complexly designed cloth." Colors, patterns, textures, and material can all be woven together in myriad ways to make breathtakingly complex scenes and experiences. The weaver as artist is both in control of the designs that are created, and also allows the creation to take on a life of its own. If you look very closely at any one point, it is unlike any other point on the tapestry. But stand at a distance and you see a remarkably complex, rich and fully integrated artistic expression. Read more.

A Column about Columns and Pillars
Walk around the National Mall area in downtown Washington and you will see many buildings and memorials built with classic pillars and columns.  The Jewish tradition recalls that same architecture when it reminds us that the world and each community rest on the three pillars of torah (instruction and learning), avodah (service), and gemilut chasadim (deeds of loving kindness).  Read more.

 

Water, Water, Everywhere...... by Avi West
Hurricanes, tornadoes, storm surges, flash floods… and all of this on top of earthquakes and oppressive heat. It seemed the only way to survive this summer was to “go with the flow!” Read more.
 

E-Tashlikh by Avi West

The penitential season lasts beyond Rosh Hashanah, and even past the “locking of the gates” at Yom Kippur’s close.  There are traditions that claim we have time through “The Great Hosanna” at the end of Sukkot to firmly get into a New Year’s state of mind.  We should continue to contemplate the need to acquire new knowledge and behaviors in the year to come, and also ponder the wisdom of letting go of those emotions, attitudes, and relationships that would weigh us down in the New Year. (Read more)
 
A Tale of Two Kiddies by Dr. James Hyman and Avi West
Jewish history has way too many episodes marked by limitations - lack of power and autonomy, scarce resources, and short horizons imposed by others.  This often meant our ancestors rarely left the regions of their birth, unless they were being chased by others or by extreme poverty. Read more.

 

Re-Inventing Jewish Community: a Response to Jonathan Woocher

by Dr. James Hyman

So while I agree that Jewish education needs to be reinvented, it cannot be done in a vacuum. I believe that there is a more fundamental challenge facing American Jewry and Jewish education today. Education is a reflection of the values and beliefs of a particular community. (Read more)

 

JYPI Alumni, Where Are They Now?

The Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning’s Jewish Youth Philanthropy (JYPI) program has been inspiring teens to give back to those in need and become part of the Jewish community from its inception in 2000. Since then, more than 2,100 teens have participated in the program, awarding more than $725,000 in grants to 180 non-profit organizations and completing over 11,000 hours of community service. (Read more)

 

Back to School Countdown by Avi West

As you count down to the beginning of the school year, check out this article on top 10 ways to make the last days of summer more fulfilling for you and your family. 

 

My Home is My Sanctuary by Avi West

The more popular expression for Americans, wary of the abuses of power and weaned on the Bill of Rights, is "my home is my castle."  The metaphor conjures up images of moats and high walls, and a defense system to guard your turf against invaders.  It goes along with the sentiment "nobody's the boss of me," and the ideology of rugged individualism.  Like with all things, these ideas have their roles in moderation, but can become problematic in the extreme (think about Agnew’s challenger for governor). (Read more)

 

A Collaborative Model of Education

The Partnership for Life and Learning has developed a new approach to sharing proven teaching techniques with the community. Building on the success of its Jewish Youth Philanthropy Program (JYPI) in connecting young people to the Jewish community through real-life philanthropic experiences, the Partnership is providing content and expertise to local congregations to help them create their own Jewish youth philanthropy groups. (Read more)

 

The Complex Challenge of Evaluation by Meredith Woocher, Ph.D.

Last week on this blog Rabbi Aaron Bisno challenged us to have a “courageous conversation” about the realities of Jewish life today: “Let us begin by acknowledging that every expectation upon which Jewish life has long relied is now suspect. And as the assumptions upon which we have built our financial models, budgets and future prospects for sustainability are undermined; as new patterns of affiliation and new demographic and sociological realities redefine what we can expect going forward… the sacred ground upon which we have built our house is shifting beneath our feet.” In other words, the Jewish world is highly complex and unpredictable, and simple, straightforward solutions to our problems are no longer sufficient (if they ever were). (Read more)

 

Free Engraving by Avi West

I have walked past the kiosk in the mall countless times. But this time, a couple of weeks after Passover, the sign over the shelf of gold, silver, and glass tchotchkes caught my attention. The booth sold items one gives to mark special occasions under the title of "Memories & More." They offered free engraving to personalize the gift. (Read More)