TRANSITIONS by Cantor Andrew Bernard
Late spring is a time when we become acutely aware of transitions. Anyone who works on or whose life is affected by the academic year pointedly experiences the change. Although our Jewish liturgical year is based on the agricultural cycle — and thus we have just passed the beginning of a new year — modern synagogue life functionally operates on a High Holidays-to-Shavuot season. This applies to our programs, our fiscal year, and clergy staffing — all of which begin anew on or about July 1st.
Truthfully, though, our world is always in transition. Perhaps we feel it most viscerally when our schedules change or when people move into or out of our lives. But we as individuals and the institutions that influence our lives are always in transition. Transitions — whether they are obvious or subtle, eagerly anticipated or scary — are simply part of life. That is one reason why we are Reform Jews, not Reformed Jews. We institutionally embrace change and evolution, whether it is easy or daunting.
This year’s plan for summer services (read below!) at Temple Beth El reflects the transition happening in synagogue life movement-wide. By now, many people have heard the phrase “relational Judaism.” While this is a relatively new movement, the principles are actually a throwback to an earlier Jewish experience. There was a time when the synagogue was the center of Jewish life. After World War II, as much of the middle class community moved to the suburbs, synagogues changed from being a hub of Jewish life to the superstore for all your Jewish needs: Jewish education, lifecycle, ritual/holiday observance, social justice or Israel advocacy, etc. Jewish life went from the covenantal model — where commitment to and involvement in the community, both as a whole and as a collection of individuals, was paramount — to a fee-for-service model, in which people sought out the synagogue for specific needs like b’nei mitzvah preparation, lifecycle officiation, adult education classes, counseling, or hospital visitation. This is not to say that people were not passionately dedicated to their synagogue communities; only that the primary nature of the connection was through the institution, the programs, and the services, rather than direct personal connection with the individuals that make up the community.
Relational Judaism returns us to the notion that the synagogue is central for connecting with the individuals and the community as a whole rather than as the place you go to fill specific Jewish needs. Interestingly, that does not mean that the synagogue is the physical location of those connections, but that it is the resource through which connections are made. This means that you can interact with fellow congregants both at Temple as well as at home or other “off-site” locations.
SUMMER SERVICES AT TEMPLE BETH EL
Our new summer service model is based on our desire that on Friday evenings, Temple Beth El fulfill the central meaning of “synagogue” as a place of assembly, and the central meaning of “Shabbat” as a time to stop/rest/refresh. Jewishly, Friday evening — the onset of Shabbat — should be the moment of transformation from the workweek to that time of stopping or resting. While traditionally it is an important time of worship (and has become the primary worship time in the Reform movement), it is also an important time to gather with family and friends in an atmosphere of gratitude and appreciation for the many gifts that fill our lives. While we would be delighted to have you participate in all of our Friday evening offerings, what we truly hope is that you will “tag” Temple Beth El as the meeting place and catalyst for moving from the workweek to Shabbat.
Our preneg with Kiddush wine bar begins at 5:15pm. Twice a month there will be a 5:30 Songfest for the little ones and their families. Our informal, family-friendly worship will begin at 6:00pm and finish by around 7:10 so you can go off to Shabbat dinner or other social activities. Once a month, the Service of Healing & Comfort will follow the Shabbat evening service.
During services, the preneg and Kiddush wine bar will continue to be available in one of the social halls just off the Sanctuary for those who arrive late or those who want to continue to sit in a more casual space with friends and family. That area will have tables and a kid-friendly activity center with the wall to the sanctuary open so that you can continue to be connected to our worshipping community.
Stuck in traffic? We know some people are frustrated that they can’t be at Temple for the start of services. If you bookmark our streaming services you can listen to the start of worship in your car — and when you arrive, join us in the Sanctuary for the service or relax in the social hall with food, drink, and prayer.
Our motto for summer services is “Come as you are. Come when you can. Leave early or stay. Shabbat your way!” Let Temple Beth El be your meeting-up place. Whether coming from work or the pool, meet us for a nosh with friends — and then head out for dinner or stay for services. Little ones can’t sit through the whole service? — then the twice-monthly pre-service Songfest will be a lively beginning for Shabbat and you can slip out when it is most appropriate for your family. Want to leave behind the stressful workweek and embrace the peace of Shabbat? — enjoy the warmth of Shabbat worship with our clergy and our community. Need a quiet time to find strength for a difficult time in your life? — let the monthly Service of Healing & Comfort be the calm, safe, and nurturing space for you.
We understand that every individual has different needs, and that those needs change from week to week. Come and let Temple Beth El be the source and the catalyst for what Shabbat means to you — and may you truly experience Sabbath rest and joy with friends and loved ones.
