Blogging the CCAR convention

Rabbi Bloom's Blog at the CCAR Conference in Long Beach, Ca.
Good Afternoon to all my friends and congregants. Yes I have arrived in Long Beach to attend the annual CCAR convention. And as you know it is my practice to share with you my experience attending the convention. Since you are generous to enable to attend it is my  feeling that you should have a sense that I am actually getting some really important insights that enhance my professional growth. Of course I enjoy the interaction with many colleagues especially when we have so few rabbis in our region. It is a real m'chayah!
Today we can connect over the internet and skype but there is no substituting for the face to face contact between us all. we have lots of issues to discuss that are critical to Reform Judaism. There is  also great value in enjoying the opportunity to study  with a great teacher whether it is in the area of Talmud, Bible or History. Just to sit in a conference room and learn together is a a beautiful thing and rejuvenates the soul.

The theme of this year's Conference is "Rabbis Leading the Shift:  Jewish Possibility in a Rapidly Changing World" This morning there was a  session called Justice in the City:  Acting Like God not Like Pharaoh. and Changing World:  Two Talmudic Models.
We will have the opening program of the Convention including the Opening Night Dinner (We are staying at the Westin and I am not a big fan of hotel banquet food.). But tonight we will be watching a film called Connected by Tiffany Shlain. I'll find out more about that.

Teruma

We come upon a Torah portion which is a Jewish fundraiser’s dream text for encouraging people to donate to their religious institutions. Talking about giving money to a congregation or to any non-profit institution is a sensitive issue. There is nothing more personal, except for partisan political issues, then how people spend their money and how they feel about how important money is to their lives.

Our congregation deserves special commendation from being able to summon the courage and communal will to build this new synagogue. We take great pride in what has been achieved not only in terms of aesthetics of the building but also from, hopefully, the quality of activity that continues to emerge each day from the chemistry between us all. People give of their time and their sweat equity and their financial resources to make a difference in the world. It is truly a mitzvah.

The Torah portion Terumah is all about the feeling of giving of our own free will to the building of a different kind of sanctuary. Here the Torah records the story of the ancient Israelites giving their jewelry and anything else of beauty and value to the construction of the Tabernacle or the Mishkan in the desert. What can we learn from their experience of giving of their own free will and how has that influenced Jewish giving down through the ages? Finally how do we finally instill a spiritual sense of joy from giving thereby embracing a culture of philanthropy in our congregation without getting distracted into too many ego issues?

You will see that the verse I am focusing on is, “The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying:  Tell the Israelite people to being Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved” (25:1). Our sages saw the meaning of giving to the community and especially to the building of religious institutions through these verses.

Medieval commentator from Spain Ibn Ezra clarified the meaning of the verse by saying, “All contributions to the Tabernacle were voluntary except the half shekel, which was required of all.  Contributions in kind were left to generosity.”

In the Midrash of earlier times it is written on verse 1, “God said:  Take me gifts.”  For when Israel acquires Torah and Tabernacle it acquires Me too.”  Skipping over history to the 18^th century the sages said in Europe that giving is the heart and substance of the Torah:  tzedakah and good deeds.”

And the most pertinent of genres of Jewish spiritual literature called Musar sees in this verse a combination about taking and giving. In fact the two are placed side by side. This should remind a giver how it feels to accept a gift.

Judaism is telling us to that God wants us to approach our giving to the synagogues and other causes with a proper mind set. Many of us do and give for altruistic reasons. At the same time people give for all kinds of reasons sometimes altruistic and other times self serving. The challenge is to create a temple where the culture of the congregation establishes a pattern where the community affirms the principle that giving to the temple is a good thing and we embrace and appreciate everyone who gives to the welfare of the congregation.

This state of mind requires education and it says that balance is what it is all about. The most sensitive issue is about balance in our attitudes towards people who desire recognition or those who do not request it for their contributions. I can remember the first congregation I served as an assistant rabbi in Palo Alto which prided itself on the beautiful complex they built. They refused in those days to establish a naming program for donors for fear of how it would dominate the culture of the congregation. Decades later they finally gave in and changed that policy.

I saw then back in the late 80s how divisive that issue could be. I have worked at other congregations where the culture of the congregation allowed a policy of naming all kinds of structures and names of donors were scattered all over the congregation.  Ultimately I did not see that one congregation was spiritually better than the other one based upon their naming policy of contributions to a capital campaign fund. In the ideal it takes recognition quite often of donors to encourage them to be generous financially. At the same time it also takes a perspective that encourages donors take the moral high ground and be accepting of divergent practices with regard to recognition of contributors. I think sometimes people go overboard in their need for recognition as those who can equally be a distraction for going overboard in fearing the idea of giving recognition.

This congregation worked through those issues in the capital campaign several years ago regarding naming opportunities. We are still working on that issue with regards to the Friends Campaign. So the real issue is not about whether it is right or not to give names and plaques on the walls. The question is how can we celebrate and give affirmation to those who give and how do we create the widest tent of affirmation to people who choose to give out of the goodness of their hearts?

We can do this by initiating more adult education on Judaism’s views towards donating financially. We can also do this by disciplining ourselves not to indulge the temptation to be overly judgmental about other people and their needs to receive recognition versus those who feel it is a danger to the well being of the temple to recognize givers of financial resources. If we could identify some core principles in our congregation about how we feel about giving I believe in it would go a long way to setting the pathway and letting those principles guide us for future giving at Beth Yam.

The Torah tells us that it is important to feel good about what people give to the congregations they support. Our goal should be teach that multiple ways of being generous exist in Judaism. It is up to us to learn them and teach them to the children of Israel.

For the Torah says, “for every person whose heart is so moved,” which could mean whatever we do it is important to help our congregants to feel good about their generosity. The rest will work itself out.

Shabbat Shalom

Shalom to everyone. I have included the link from my column in the Island Packet. I hope you will take the time to read it and offer any comments. I truly appreciate reading comments pro and con concerning the columns. You see from this column how all kinds of issues come forth.
By the way we had a very rigorous discussion on gun violence at our Hot Topics Shabbat services yesterday. We had an expert in constitutional law and a physician turned deputy sheriff speaking on behalf of gun owners. It was a high level discussion with passionate viewpoints on all sides. The dialogue continues. something must be done.
brad
http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/02/16/2382318/matters-of-faith-interfaith-prayer.html#storylink=misearch

http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/02/02/2364085/rabbi-brad-bloom-lets-be-on-right.html

Shalom and Shavua Tov,
I have provided you with the link to my most recent newspaper column. I invite you to read it and always enjoy reading your comments.The issue of Gay and Lesbian Americans was front and center in the President's Obama's inaugural address. Here is a commentary on how clergy struggle with this sensitive issue.
Shalom
Bfad

A national non-violence day?

http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/01/19/2346908/rabbi-bloom-time-to-start-national.html#storylink=misearch

Shalom to all. I have included this link to the newspaper column I now write twice a month. It is a piece about the violence we see in America and relates to Dr. King's message of non violence. Isn't time we say enough already?

Tell me what you think?

Brad

Shalom,
I have taken a respite from my work and enjoyed some traveling. I have also resisted commenting on the situation at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut. Below you will find a link to my newspaper column on religion in the world. I wrote on the topic of gun violence related to Newtown and my family's brief experience with a student in public school with a gun. Tell me what you think?
Shalom,
Brad
http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/01/05/2331136/rabbi-bloom-its-time-to-take-a.html

http://www.islandpacket.com/2012/12/08/2304878/rabbi-bloom-a-look-at-ancient.html#storylink=misearch

Museums are great places to learn about ancient religions. I encourage you to read my newest column in the newspaper that came out on the Sabbath. What do you know about Shamans and South American religion? Come take a brief excursion with me to the Carlos Museum at Emory University.  Shamanism is not just a fade for new age bookstores. There is a venerable history of Shamans who still exist today in these cultures. Thank you for taking the time to read the article and give me your viewpoint.
Brad