Jerusalem Diary Erev Shabbat

Woke up at 5am to go to the restroom and then spoke on the phone to Deborah.
Fell back asleep until after 9. Eventually made my way downtown. Went to Mahane Yehuda to buy rugulach at Marzipan Bakery. After fighting the crowds, I made my way to the midrehov to stop by Dahab to pick up necklaces from the girls. For those who joined late, Dahab is owned by my Beduin friends Issa and his brother. I need to come back Sunday.

Then, grabbed some pizza (the good schwarma place had already closed) before catching a bus to spend Shabbat with Aryeh Bernstein (friend from JTS, Israel, etc. and brother of my friend and colleague Eddie Bernstein). Aryeh agreed to host me last minute and even lined up dinner tonight. Tonight we will daven at Minyan Shivyoni Bakka and tomorrow I meet Noam Raucher (a Hofstra student from when I worked there who also worked at Ramah New England) at Kedem before lunch.


Now talking about Egalitarianism with Aryeh (who works for Mechon Hadar and also teaches Talmud at the Hartman high school).

Bye for now. Shabbat Shalom,
Bruce

Independent Minyanim and the Role of Rabbis

There was a recent JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) article about independent minyanim. Although some scholars have brushed it aside as a fringe movement, they are many non-denominational (or at least non-affiliated) prayer groups that meet in major urban areas and college towns. They attract a highly Jewishly educated and involved crowd that (at least in the earliest stages) included many friends and fellow Jewish travelers (from Ramah, Pardes, JTS, and Hillel).

This recent article has stoked the fires of the Jewish blogosphere and led to a derivative discussion about the role of the Rabbi in these communities.

The campuses in which I work (Smith and Amherst) have small, highly-educated Jewish students. In many ways, they mirror the composition of these indy-minyanim (although perhaps not in the level of Jewish education and identity). Therefore any discussion on how a rabbi functions in a non-hierarchical community is important.

It happens that this past Friday night was the first time I attended Smith Shabbat dinner at the Kosher K this year. In my brief dvar torah I mentioned that I view myself as a resource and a guide. Rabbi means teacher but for few students will I ever be a teacher in a formal class setting. I teach by guiding students, helping them solidify their Jewish identity. It is not up t0 me to determine their path but to help them move further along it. I do this by sharing events with them, opening my house to them, and by being around when they need it. I also do this through brief divrei torah at shabbat, hagim, and in public campus settings.

If you are a student, I encourage you to read about these minyanim and how rabbis play a role in these nuanced communities. Then email me and lets discuss it.

Shalom,
Rabbi Bruce

Back to School

It has been a very busy week.
Orientation started at Amherst on Sunday and I participated in pre-Orientation at Smith.

This shabbat I was at Amherst until just before candle lighting and then went to Smith to welcome the new students and their families today.

If you are a new students ('10, transfer, or Ada) or an upper-class reader, welcome back.

Bruchim ha-ba'im and Shavua Tov,

Rabbi Bruce