11. APPENDIX A: METHODOLOGICAL PROJECT MATERIALS

Chapter Summary

This first appendix covers nine items – lists of presentations made as part of the COEJL Congregations Initiative, and at other times in my Jewish-environmental career; detail on interviews conducted with ten Adat Shalom activists around themes of tikkun olam / world betterment; and evaluations received from a few eco-Judaism presentations, including at JRC and the Teva Learning Center.

Introduction

This first section covers more obscure materials, admittedly of less general interest. Readers

interested in practical and congregational connections between religion and ecology would do well to

start with the materials in Appendix B, “Greening Congregations;” those most interested in classical

texts and their application in environmental directions should go straight to Appendix C, “Text Studies

(Shiurim).”1 What follows here is purely deep background and context.

The present appendix begins with the most narrowly “methodological” materials (for a project

of exposing Jews to those traditional values and texts which might help instill a stronger environmental

ethic): inventories of presentations made through the COEJL Congregations Initiative during my year

on staff in 2003-04, and another from much earlier, the 1990 Global Walk on a Livable World. That

narrower methodological focus continues with the last two entries: specific evaluations received from

others about those presentations (preceded by the 2003-04 flyer which brought about some of those

speaking engagements). In between are materials on Adat Shalom, the main context for my

ministry/rabbinate, of which this project reflects a ‘worthy slice’: background on the community from

its Statement of Principles and Tikkun Olam Guidelines, plus information on my own series of

interviews around Tikkun Olam themes (methodological reflections, and information gleaned).

1 Together these three sets of appendices form an acute isosceles triangle, as it were – points B and C, the Greening Congregations Materials and Study Sheets / Shiurim, are much like another (separated only by the amount of context provided for the ideas and texts presented therein); point A, these methodological materials, is a far outlier.

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Methodology Materials

ENTRY TITLE DESCRIPTION

A-1Presentations Made for COEJL Congregations Initiative, 7/03 – 6/04

It reads like it sounds – a 3-page listing of the city and state (10 in all), context, date, and audience for each of the over 50 eco-Jewish presentations I made during this 12-month period

on COEJL staff. A.k.a. “deliverables,” for COEJL funders.

A-2Presentations Made during Global Walk for a Livable

World, 1990

Reflecting an undiagnosed bit of OCD (and the too-large ego of a then-20-year-old American male!), I kept track that year of every presentation made, for no particular reason. But I had it, and the Walk got me started on this, so it merited inclusion.

A-3Adat Shalom’s Statement of Principles (selections) and Tikkun Olam Guidelines

Both of these documents were first written in the community’s earliest years, before I came on board; both were substan-

tively revised since I became its rabbi. These core documents are read & discussed, and capture the community’s zeitgeist.

A-4Methodological Reflections on Tikkun Olam Interviews with Adat Shalomers, 2002

One class in my D.Min. “Spirituality for Life Together” track in 2002, on ethnography as a congregational tool, was with

Wesley’s Dr. Mary Clark Moschella; following what we learned there comes these reflections on ten interviews with members.

A-5Form of Adat Shalom

Tikkun Olam Interviews, 2002

The project I completed and wrote up for Dr. Moschella’s class involved extended interviews with ten members active in our

Social Action program. Since how questions are asked affects the answers, here is the form used in those interviews.

A-6 Adat Shalom Interview Responses on Ecology, 2002

One appendix to that paper is the element of greatest interest here – their as-close-to-verbatim-as possible responses to my questions about environmental awareness. That is followed by the paper’s general summary, two pages of “implications

for congregational social action” in light of that research.

A-7Widely Circulated Flyer on

COEJL Congregational Initiative, 2003-04

Even while still a COEJL board member in the spring of 2003 about to join its staff for the one year of my congregational

sabbatical, I had to get word out of my availability, and begin to line up gigs. This flyer went out far and wide.

A-8 Evaluation from February 2004 Presentation to JRC

As noted in Chapters 6 & 8, my proudest achievement as COEJL rabbinic fellow came from a wine and cheese chat with JRC’s board in Evanston IL (evaluated here); my presentation there received credit for galvanizing their decision to “go for

the gold” (LEED gold certification); but they got platinum!

A-9Other Evaluations from Jewish-Environmental

Presentations

Another Midwest visit came though COEJL’s St. Louis chapter, with a series of visits to Hillels and synagogues, and a half-day symposium. This post-mortem email reports STL-

COEJL coordinator Steve’s appraisal of the weekend’s events.

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APPENDIX A-1: Presentations Made for COEJL Congregations Initiative, July ’03 - June ’04 (3 pages)

COEJL Congregations Initiative, July 2003 – June 2004Talks given by COEJL Rabbinic Fellow, Fred Scherlinder Dobb

Date Venue # People # Rabbis

2003

7/27 Har Shalom, Potomac MD – Synagogue Leadership Gathering, 25Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

8/14 East Hampton, NY – Shabbat evening sermon at 250 4Jewish Community of the Hamptons (Reform)

8/15 Hazon Bike Ride, NY – talk to Hazon activists & riders 150 8

8/26 Avodah Bayit, Washington DC – Talk on Eco-Kashrut 19 2

9/28 Kaua’i, HI – outdoor program with Jewish Community of Kaua’i 25

10/6 Kaua’i, HI – Yom Kippur sermon, Jewish Community of Kaua’i 100(unfalliated): “Kapu Kapu na (sacred sacred is) the Earth”

10/15 Beth El, Bethesda MD (Conservative) – adult education class 25on Israel, Jewish Identity, and Ecology (first session)

10/23 Washington DC – Energy Office, Green Faith Advisory Group 20 10 clergy

11/12 UN Plaza, NY, NY – Religious Witness for the Earth vigil 250 + press 20 clergy

11/19 Beth El, Bethesda MD (Conservative) – adult education class 25on Israel, Jewish Identity, and Ecology (sixth & final session)

11/23 Mishkan Torah, Greenbelt MD (Conservative/Reconstructionist) 60Dianne Kritt Memorial Lecture, on Judaism & Ecology

11/30 Havurah of Temple Emanuel, Kensington MD (Reform) 14

12/4 Havurah of Beth El, Bethesda MD (Conservative) 11

12/13 Falls Village, CT – Jewish activists’ gathering at Isabella 30Freedman Retreat Center, talk on liberation theology & ecology

12/16 Washington DC, Jewish Study Center – class on “synagogues 9as ethical sacred spaces”

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Date Venue # People # Rabbis

2004

1/10 Reiserstown, MD – Jewish Reconstructionist Federation regional 30biennial; Torah study with ecological themes

1/17 Bethesda, MD, for Wesley Theol. Seminary – educate ministers on 8 clergyeco-friendly congregational design & program, following services

2/6 Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston IL – talk with 18board and building leadership about green design

2/6 Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston IL – sermon at 120Shabbat / Tu B’Shvat service and program

2/7 Anshei Emet, Chicago IL (Conservative) – Tu B’Shvat sermon 350

2/9 Shir Tikvah, Troy MI (Reform) – high school & family program 80

2/11 Beth Emeth, Ann Arbor MI (Reform) – area-wide J-E talk 60

2/12 Kehillat Israel, Lansing MI (Reconstructionist) – post-Tu-Bshvat 90

2/13 Temple Israel, West Bloomfield MI (Reform) – ecological sermon 450at Shabbat evening service

2/14 Congregation Techiyah, Royal Oak MI (Reconstructionist) – 30Eco-davenning & sermon, Shabbat morning

2/14 Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Havurah, MI – eco-havdalah 25

2/15 Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit, MI – youth program/s 40

2/22 Boston, MA – discussion with COEJL rabbis & rabbinic students 7

2/22 Boston, MA – dvar Torah at COEJL Institute 100

3/2 JCC, NY, NY – talk at Hazon rabbinic advisory group 25 10

3/20 Reconstructionist Havurah of Greater Washington, Bethesda MD 15

3/31 Washington, DC, Wesley Seminary – meeting to set up a greater 10 5 clergyWashington Interfaith Power & Light project

4/27 St. Louis, MO, Jewish Environmental Initiative – half-day panel 30 4 rabbison green synagogues, with reps from 9 synagogues & 5 agencies 8 execs

4/27 Washington Univ. Hillel, St. Louis, MO – eco-Jewish program 11252

Date Venue # People # Rabbis

4/27 St. Louis, MO, Jewish Environmental Initiative – eco-Kashrut 25

4/28 St. Louis, MO, Jewish Environmental Initiative – rabbis meeting 5

4/28 Solomon Schechter Day School, St. Louis, MO – two classes; 336th grade on climate change, 8th grade on eco-Zionism

5/2 Reiserstown, MD, Pearlstone Retreat Center & Camp Milldale – 60Federation Mitzvah Day tree-planting event; Jewish context

5/13 Central Synagogue, NYC (Reform) – “Reform Jewish, Naturally” 10

5/14 Watertown MA – Religious Witness for the Earth, COEJL/NRPE 10 8 clergy

6/1-3 Falls Village, CT – Teva Learning Center, Jewish Environmental 130 (counting eachEducator Training: 10+ sessions on greening synagogues, session separately)wildnerness, liturgy, blessings, COEJL, climate change, etc

6/9 Washington, DC – Jews United for Justice, text study: ‘Gleaning’ 19

6/12 Front Royal, VA – Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation, 40annual retreat, session on Judaism & climate change

Summary totals: over 50 presentations in 10 states, for 17 agencies or organizations plus 18 synagogues (8 JRF, 6 URJ, 3 USCJ, 1 N/A), reaching some 2200 people, including 100 clergy

Other Noteworthy Communications, 2003-2004:

* Created multimedia presentation for Synagogue 2000 Gemilut Hasadim curriculum, Fall 2003

* Phone conversations and one-on-one meetings with dozens of other rabbis and synagogue leaders from four movements, insights from which are summarized in internal COEJL memos

* Numerous articles written and posted to the web for public access; wrote and edited over 50 webpages to create an entirely new, thorough, “Green Shuls” section of the COEJL website

* Much media exposure – profiled in Detroit, Washington, and St. Louis Jewish newspapers; multiple radio interviews; wrote article for The Reconstructionist journal; etc

* Interfaith work – materials prepared for NRPE’s Interfaith Climate & Energy Campaigns; input offered on NRPE’s Creation Care Awards and survey project; more

* Aided Northwest Jewish Environmental Project on “End Idle Worship” synagogue campaign

* Helped with two major local interfaith campaigns: on steering committee of Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light; wrote introduction for DC Energy Office’s Interfaith Green Guide

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APPENDIX A-2: Presentations Made during Global Walk for a Livable World, 1990 (TKTKTK pages)

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APPENDIX A-3 Selections from Adat Shalom’s Core Documents – Statement of Principles and Tikkun Olam Guidelines – from www.adatshalom.net (3 pages)

Excerpts From Adat Shalom’s Statement of Principles (revised June 2002)

Inclusive Community

We strongly affirm the principle of inclusivity in all areas of Jewish life by welcoming all Jews, regardless of their sexual orientation, as full participants in the religious practices of our congregation. We also welcome as members interfaith families, families with adopted children, people with disabilities, and individuals of all ages. While we affirm the importance of the family in Jewish culture, we also strive to fully integrate singles, single parents, and childless couples into Jewish life and to make them full, active participants in our community. We understand Jewish spirituality as a shared journey from which no one should be excluded.

Removing attitudinal barriers is as important as removing architectural or procedural barriers. Moreover, Torah—which we emphasize as ethical instruction—is for everyone, regardless of disability, economic status, ethnic origin, gender, or sexual orientation. Although the American Jewish community’s legacy of homogeneity has created barriers for adults and children of non-European ancestry, we explicitly welcome, not only Jews of Sephardic and Mizrachi backgrounds, but also Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and African-American Jews, as well as interracial families. We encourage our non-Jewish members to participate actively within our community’s religious, social, educational, and organizational life, including alternative practices in cases where tradition limits non-Jews’ involvement in religious rituals.

Social and Community Responsibility

Our tradition bids us to align our values and beliefs with the ways we conduct our daily lives. Central to Judaism’s codes of ethical conduct is the notion of Redifat Tzedek, pursuing justice in every aspect of our lives and our communities. Jewish ethics that help to create a more just world can be divided into three traditional areas: Tzedakah, in its narrow sense of supporting good in the world through financial contributions; Gemilut Chesed, performing acts of lovingkindness for others; and Tikkun Olam, repairing the world through social action.

We fulfill the Mitzvah of Tzedakah through Ma’aser (tithing), the traditional obligation to withhold part of our income for the advancement of righteousness and justice. With so many demands on our financial resources, we take to heart the high priority Jewish tradition places on supporting those causes and individuals closest to us—including the support and maintenance of our own spiritual community. We also take seriously our responsibility to give financial support to the larger Jewish community here and abroad as well as to organizations working for social justice in our communities and around the world.

We fulfill the Mitzvah of Gemilut Chesed by welcoming visitors to our services (Hachnasat Orchim); visiting the sick and assisting them and their families (Bikkur Cholim); and comforting bereaved congregants through practical assistance and consolation (Nichum Avelim). We resist the tendency to leave the performance of these Mitzvot to professionals. Members are challenged continually to expand the ways in which they fulfill this Mitzvah.

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The Mitzvah of Tikkun Olam obliges us to work toward the prevention of hunger, homelessness, disease, ignorance, abuse, and political oppression among all people as well as to work toward preserving the health of the global ecosystem upon which all life depends. We recognize that while charitable acts have great value, Tikkun Olam may be best achieved by empowering those who are disenfranchised. We seek to reach out to, and work in partnership with, others with whom we share a common vision.

Ultimately, the true measure of our commitment to the advancement of righteousness and justice in the world is our actions, not our words or prayers. We emphasize that acts supporting social justice, alongside prayer and study, are an essential part of our spiritual practice.

Tikkun Olam Guidelines (ratified May 1995):

The concept of tikkun olam or repairing the world through social action, is one of the traditional categories of tzedakah (righteousness and justice). The word "tikkun" first appears in the book of Ecclesiastes (1:5; 7:13; 12:9), where it means "setting straight" or "setting in order." The most notable early rabbinic source for the phrase tikkun olam is the Aleinu prayer, where the phrase expresses the hope of repairing the world through the establishment of the kingdom of God.

The obligation to repair the world emerges from various Jewish sources. Some, including many of the ancient prophets, see the obligation as originating primarily from the commandment to emulate God's holiness, for, in their view, God is the model for human righteousness.1 Others see the obligation to engage in social action as arising chiefly from the Jews' historical position as an oppressed people.2 Still others believe that engaging in acts of tikkun olam is the primary means of satisfying the need to create a sense of Jewish community and identity. From this perspective the commitment to tikkun olam is a calling, a vocation, and it is unlikely that the Jews could survive, and it would be unseemly if they did, except as a community organized around values and committed to tikkun olam.3 However its wellsprings are conceived, tikkun olam is central to Judaism, and to our Adat Shalom community.

The freedom that we enjoy in America provides us with an opportunity to carry out Judaism's ethical obligations. As Americans, we have the freedom to pursue courses of action of our own choosing. As Jews, this enables us to fulfill our commitment to improving our community. Acts of tikkun olam provide us with channels through which we can apply our Jewish response to contemporary issues. Adat Shalom can and should provide a link between the ethical mandate of the Jewish tradition and the desire of members of the congregation to address themselves to some of the major issues facing our society.

According to the Statement of Principles of Adat Shalom, the mitzvah of tikkun olam, "obliges us to help alleviate hunger, homelessness, disease, ignorance, abuse, and political oppression among all people. In addition, we have a responsibility to preserve the health of the global ecosystem upon which all life depends."

Particular vs Universal

A Jewish community like ours is continually challenged to strike a balance between exclusively Jewish concerns and concerns of a more global nature. Should the balance in Adat Shalom's institutional activity reflect the balance manifest in the lives of its members, or, because Adat Shalom is a particular community, should its activities be more Jewish in nature?

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This very tension plays itself out in the Jewish tradition. Many rabbinic authorities of past generations viewed non-Jewish society with suspicion, if not with contempt. This yielded a fairly parochial view of the world, in which there was little obligation on the part of Jews to come to the aid of non-Jews. By contrast, other rabbis insisted that the religious obligations of compassion applied equally to Jews and non-Jews. This tension is reflected in the different interpretations given to the meaning of "neighbor' in the verse "You shall love thy neighbor as yourself." (Lev. 19:18)

Jews today are fully integrated into American society. We at Adat Shalom are drawn to the more universal teachings of the Jewish tradition requiring care and concern for any suffering people. At the same time, no Jewish institution need be apologetic about giving priority to the needs of Jews, both at home and abroad. In this spirit, Adat Shalom seeks to maintain a balance between its particular concerns to be active on behalf of the Jewish people and its universal commitments to help bring about world repair.

Types of Involvement

Adat Shalom promotes tikkun olam by encouraging and facilitating individual participation in a variety of activities. Our Social Action Committee is primarily responsible for this process. This committee identifies areas of interest and develops programs to provide a framework for membership action. Frequently this involves interaction with other organizations that share our interests. Individual members are encouraged to present to the Social Action Committee any ideas they might have concerning new issues or projects they believe merit congregational involvement. The Social Action Committee schedules several programs throughout the year where such issues may be addressed. The congregational newsletter or other special publications should be used as a way to give wider dissemination to social action projects or to the expression of opinion about particular issues.

At Adat Shalom, particular emphasis is placed on individual volunteer activity. Accordingly, donations of time, labor and financial support are the primary forms of personal involvement. As citizens in our free society, we may engage in additional means of self-expression such as individual membership in other organizations and political activity. However, the congregation currently does not intend to pursue its obligation to tikkun olam through collective political action, except, perhaps, in extraordinary circumstances involving clear violations of our fundamental principles of justice and equality. Such cases will, by definition, be rare, and action in the name of the congregation shall not be taken without Board and congregation-wide approval

Social issues and the preferred ways of implementing action may change with time, particularly as our congregation matures. Accordingly, we believe that it is important to revisit periodically the questions associated with tikkun olam on a congregation-wide basis. We encourage each member to explore the ways in which a commitment to repairing the world expresses his/her identity as a Jew and as a member of the world community.

---- 1. "Ye shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy." (Leviticus 19:2) 2. "You shall not oppress a stranger for you know the heart of a stranger as you were slaves in the land of Egypt." (Exodus 23:9). See also Nathan Glazer, Jews and American Liberalism. 3. Leonard Fein, Where are We? The Inner Life of America's Jews (New York: Harper & Row, 1988), pp. 205, 207.

These guidelines, were approved by the Adat Shalom board on 2/19/95 and ratified by the Congregation on 5/21/95. Members of the congregation had opportunities for input to this statement throughout the process of development.

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APPENDIX A-4: Methodological Reflections on Interviews with Adat Shalomers on Tikkun Olam (World-Betterment), from 2002 Paper for Dr. Mary Moschella (3 pages)

Interviews (Methodology)

To better understand these questions of motivation, hope, and faith – and to gain a sense of the issues from those on the ‘front lines’ – I began a series of interviews with Adat Shalom activists. Deciding whom to interview proved difficult, less because of ‘synagogue politics’ than as a matter of research design. Knowing that I would only have time for about ten in-depth interviews, I had to choose among many questions worth exploring2. In the end, the advantages of shared experience and vocabulary won out: the people with whom I spoke were all rather deeply involved, including many current or past leaders of the Social Action Committee. The study, then, would focus on why we do what we do, rather than why we don’t do what we don’t.

The process unfolded according to the practices outlined in the Ethnography book, as modified for congregational use in Studying Congregations, and through in-class discussion. Knowing that summer is a hard time to connect with Washingtonians, I began with a group email to fifteen Adat Shalom members who are or were active, in one way or another, in congregational social action efforts3. Most responded; with ten of them it proved possible to schedule a mutually convenient interview during the specified one-month window. The email specified that responding to me and agreeing to an interview meant consent for their names and responses to appear in print; at the beginning of each interview I had them sign a short statement to the same effect. I am grateful for their full, thoughtful, and most eloquent cooperation.

I strove for what the authors of Studying Congregations (206) call “the semistructured interview. It allows for planned questions around specific issues and general items but also employs the freedom of an unstructured approach.” Before the first interview I generated a sheet of questions to serve as a loose guide for the conversations, but based on where the conversations had taken us, I ended up “reflexively” altering it after nearly each set of interviews4. Having neither tape recorder nor laptop computer, all responses were written down by hand, in full but with some shorthand5. Most

2 For instance, Adat Shalom has many individuals who do profound social change work in the larger community (both professionally and avocationally); a comparison between those whose primary activism is within and without the synagogue might reveal much, but was beyond my resources. Likewise, much might be gained by interviewing both those involved and not involved in congregational social action – but I feared than only five of each would not produce significant results. The door remains open, however, to expand this research at some point by asking similar questions to members who are less-, un-, or differently-involved.

3 See Appendix II. ‘Reflexivity’ suggests that my own connections with these people makes for a biased sample: I sought diversity within the rather narrow band of “Adat Shalom tikkun olamniks”, yet my own familiarity and relationships with these folks, and respect for them, no doubt affected their inclusion.

4 This document – here Appendix III – was in my computer as “Evolving Research Memo.doc”!5 This did appreciably slow down the conversation at times, though never to the visible consternation of any

participant. Of course the punctuation marks and italics that appear in the quotations below are my own best estimation of how to record inflection as well as words; these marks, and perhaps even an occasional word choice as transcribed from my shorthand, may be somewhat suspect, though on the whole I tried to and believe I did record each response as faithfully as possible.

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interviews were conducted at the synagogue; for convenience’s sake, two were in congregants’ homes, one in my home, and one in a courtyard outside a coffee shop.

As many clergy had predicted in a class discussion on the subject, there were challenges and limitations to the interviews themselves due to a multiplicity of connections with each person. I had officiated at one’s wedding and one’s daughter’s bat mitzvah, and converted one’s husband. I had been arrested with one6, briefly employed another, co-chaired an outside conference at which one presented, been in half their homes and vice-versa, counseled them, and knew their stories. As their rabbi I was, to varying degrees, their employee, confidant, counselor, officiant, teacher (and student), leader (and follower), co-conspirator, admirer, nudge, neighbor, and yes, friend.

No interview lasted less than the predicted one hour; some approached two. Though advised to begin “with informal and casual small talk” and then wait for a lull “or another verbal bridge into the formal interviewing”7, little tends to be casual or small about conversations between active congregants and their socially engaged rabbi! The ‘chit-chat’ that preceded and followed each interview dealt with event planning, synagogue politics, counseling, updates on ailing parents, and much more. All this supports the contention that “it is often better if interviewers are not the senior leaders of the congregation”8. I remain skeptical about the utility of ethnography for clergy-conducted congregational studies, since we clergy are deeply invested in our communities, while an “ethnographer needs to be intellectually poised between familiarity and strangeness…the ethnographer is typically a ‘marginal native’… The comfortable sense of being ‘at home’ is a danger signal… Ethnographers, then, must strenuously avoid feeling ‘at home’.”9

That said, structured conversation around predetermined subjects of import proved both interesting and helpful. The authors of Studying Congregations were quite right in forewarning that “the information gathering process will never seem finished; there are always a few more people to talk to or meetings to observe. Nevertheless, institute a firm ending date…”10. Though I wish there were more to draw upon, there is actually plenty of fodder from the ten lengthy interviews that did take place….

The interviews took place in July and August of 2002, with eight women and two men – a ratio which roughly mirrors that of the visibly active members doing social action work. The age of the interviewees was rather evenly divided among thirties, forties, and fifties. They included people who have been members for most of the congregation’s 15-year history, and those who just joined Adat Shalom in the last year or two. Seven are currently married and three single, with one in each category having been previously divorced. Five have children at home; two have grown children; three have no children. The educational attainment level was uniformly high: all have completed college, and most have advanced degrees as well.

Within Adat Shalom, the interviewees held posts ranging from Vice President to ‘line volunteer’. Most spent a great deal of their discretionary time with the synagogue in one capacity or

6 Nothing immoral! It was an interfaith, civilly-disobedient prayer vigil at the US Department of Energy in May 2001, protesting the Bush Administration’s energy policy and inaction on climate change.

7 Ammerman, et al, op cit, 204.8 Ibid.9 Atkinson and Hammersley, op cit., 112, 115.10 Ammerman, et al, op cit, 233.

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another, often not social action related. Other volunteerism was concomitantly, and almost surprisingly, limited. Many cited leadership or involvement with professional organizations that do important work; others spoke of writing checks to good causes. A few mentioned periodic projects like the DC Jewish Community Center’s “Jews volunteering all over so others can celebrate” effort each Dec. 25. Tovah was almost apologetic, saying “at different times in my life, I was definitely more involved in the greater community. And Gail, who does much tikkun olam in each of the three realms she mentioned, nearly scoffed at the idea of additional volunteering: “I have kids, I have work, I have Adat Shalom – my friends say the shul comes before they do these days!”11

All of the interviewees work, eight of them full-time, many in explicitly activist fields or in helping professions: they are a psychiatrist and a psychologist (Loren and Beth), a writer and an education policy specialist (Marc and Ellen), a health care marketer and a book publicist (Carol and Gail), a solar energy professional and a union organizer (Sheila and Andy), a domestic violence prosecutor and an environmental lawyer (Tovah and Louise). It is, in short, a remarkable bunch.

Most interviewees showed a well-developed class consciousness12. Most noteworthy for me was the lack of significant variation – none were “ruling class”, but none fell below “upper middle class” either. I might have guessed this, in a predominantly suburban synagogue with sizeable dues paid in full by most members, in which only isolated individuals (of whom I know) ever require public assistance. One respondent, who recently left a leadership position in her field to become a consultant, spoke eloquently about the social capital she knows she enjoys: “As long as I keep having work coming in, I’m very comfortable! And if this doesn’t work out, I can always get a job, and [even] make good money if I’m willing to move.” In the end, class was sufficiently homogenous among this group to render it ineffective as a variable against which to check responses to questions. The data which follow must stand independently, and unstratified….

11 Sheila offered a most amusing anecdote in addressing her other volunteerism: “I’m involved in a number of things – helping individuals, environmental work, checkbook activism [laughs], civic engagement, volunteer work for groups like Amnesty… Oh, and I just tried organize a union at the hairdressers! I said ‘it’s a beautiful day, be sure to go outside during lunch’ – the hairdresser said ‘are you kidding, we don’t get lunch, just five minutes to eat in back.’ We talked, I found out they were unhappy with their wages and benefits – I asked them ‘do you know what a union is?!’, and gave them tips on organizing…”

12 Dutifully asking each interviewee about their “self-described financial comfort level,” I received an interesting array of answers within a narrow range: “comfortable”; “very comfortable”; “middle class [with a wink] – isn’t that what everybody says?!”; “upper class”; and so on. A few mentioned recent appreciable dips in the stock market with ironic humor, while one who is looking toward retirement said “I’m anxious at the moment – and it’s unfortunate that I feel that way, but I do… but we don’t really lack for a great deal – we certainly don’t lack any necessities.” One, remarkably self-aware about class issues, acknowledged that “people always want to have more than they have… it’s a question not just of numbers, but if you’re comfortable with the choices you’ve made, the sacrifices…”. Another, commenting on the surprising number of affluent people in her neighborhood who did not earn their own wealth, noted with some anti-materialistic pride that she has “Enough for me – not enough for what my kids’ friends’ parents have!”

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APPENDIX A-5: Form for Adat Shalom Tikkun Olam Interviews, 2002 (2 pages)

Name: | Date: |Notes: |

||

Fred Scherlinder Dobb – Evolving Research Memo (as of 8/15/02)Social Action at Adat Shalom

Intro –A) Again, as suggested in the email, what you say may be quoted in the write-up of this project, perhaps even published, and be seen by others. If OK, please sign here: __________________B) Core questions: Why do you do what you do toward social action? Are you putting in what feels like the’ right amount’ of effort? If it feels like more would be appropriate, how might you and/or others be helped / goaded / supported toward that goal?

I. What motivates you? (open-ended responses here:)

A. Spirit

What for you is the connection (if any) between spirituality and social action? (* Does Adat Shalom do enough to highlight such connections?)

What’s the place of halacha/chovah/obligation in your activism? * How do you understand ‘mitzvah’?

B. Importance / Centrality

How central is Social Action* to you personally (* to the community) * why / not?

(How central) Is tikkun olam in your sense of* being a Jew (* being an American) (* being a human)

When you think about being part of Adat Shalom – now and/or when you joined – (how much) do you think of our tikkun olam guidelines, and relevant values in our Statement of Principles?

( * Can you identify structural challenges with SAC that affect your involvement?) ( * If so, how might these be addressed?) ( * Other models for tikkun olam?) ( * Willing to take leadership?)

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Name: | p. 2Notes: |

|||

II. Are you happy with your (and the community’s) level of tikkun olam?Should it be more, less, or the same?

(* Thoughts on How We Might Determine ‘How Much is Enough’?)

III. What Might Help / Coax / Support You & Others to Reach Right Level?

A. TimeWhat’s the relationship between work life & prof’l commitments, and tikkun olam? * Can / do you incorporate work & activism?What’s the relationship between family life & commitments, and tikkun olam? * Have you done family SA progs; if so, how helpful in this regard?

B. SpaceDistance you live from shul? From LWC, Luther Place, etc? How affect? (* Commuting patterns? Drive vs Metro? Would carpooling help?)

C. Other outletsWhere else engaged in TO outside shul – work, larger JC orgs, secular world? (* What else in life do you think of as TO, even if others don’t see it that way?)

D. Type of Tikkun OlamHow do you feel about presence of “politics” in spiritual home?* How feel about AS TO guidelines in this regard?* Would IAF help or hinder your desire to plug in?

IV. Final Questions, Time-And-Mood-Permitting:Importance of public recognition for you? Others? How best to recognize? Anything else at AS, structural or atmospheric, that might preclude involvement in TO? How fix?Other on-the-spot questions: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Centrality of Environmental issues? How large they loom in your life & activism?

V. DemographicsAge? ‘marital’ status? Kids?Financial comfort level? Employ? Other salient info?

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APPENDIX A-6: Adat Shalom Interview Responses on Ecology, and General Implications for Tikkun Olam from that Research Project, 2002 (3 pages)

Interview Responses vis-à-vis Ecology, 2002

Andy: The main thing I really do to get grounded is to go into the wilderness. That’s the foundation of my environmentalism – part of my world-view. It’s central not only to my social justice work but to my identity – being a creature on Earth. But in terms of my own activism, I haven’t done that much.

Beth: It is sort of an intention versus action question – as an intention it’s there; we go hiking with the kids and pick up trash, we talk about it… On the action level we recycle, and turn off lights, and bike or Metro or walk when we can – we could certainly do more. We wrestled with disposable diapers… But I don’t live in a solar-powered house, and do drive a lot…

I wrote a paper in senior year of high school on zero population growth. We wrestled with it for a long time, and made the decision to have our third because of the Holocaust – it caused me to wrestle with two very core values; I came down on the side of more kids. Being a post-Holocaust Jew definitely had an impact on that issue that I felt so strongly about for so long.

Loren: You’ve (Fred) been a real leader in this, in ways you don’t even know – folks joke about ‘don’t tell Rabbi Fred!’ when using disposable items, which means at least their consciousness has been raised.

In personal consciousness ways, it looms large – we have multiple recycle bins [for instance]. I now bike ride here for board meetings sometimes – you provide plausibility and comfort for that.

Marc: It would be great to do more things as a synagogue on this… advocacy: easier to find consensus on environment than on other issues.

Yes, there’s a gap – consumption… CNAD [he bring it up] – “there’s a group we can do more with.” Holiday simplicity, tzedakah.

Ellen: There’s nothing more important than environmental issues – and what am I able to do about it?! Very little. [holds head] I hold my head because my behavior is horrible. It’s a terribly difficult moral dilemma – I appreciate your being there and holding it up as an issue.

Louise: It’s hard to say they’re more important than poverty, education, or other issues – I do think they’re more important than some other kinds of tikkun olam work… and in some ways they seem greater than any other issue that exists.

I’m passionate about it – but I don’t do much environmental activity outside of work, if any. For balance in my own life, since I also believe in helping people directly, I do that “outside” of work.

Sheila: “You can say ‘we gave at the office’ – we do a lot through work. But there’s lots more we could do to live smaller, live more lightly on the Earth. [laughs]. There’s so much we all could do, isn’t there?! It’s a challenge…”

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“My career has revolved around renewable energy and the environment, so I guess I have a great awareness of and dedication to it. It doesn’t have as much of a religious connection as some other parts of my social action interests – I’m not aware of too many Jewish teachings related to that subject [but open to changing that!]”.

“I think it’s terribly important of course – the issue is sustainability, which has become a buzzword and a cliché by now – But the idea of actions now to keep a better world for our kids is very spiritual, very religious. I think of intergenerational stuff, of clean air and water, as religious issues. It definitely has a place in congregational social action programs.

And personally, I haven’t walked the talk as much as I should have, and can’t even get [my] Fred out of the car and onto the Metro, even though he works right by Dupont Circle – so there’s lots more we can do.”

Tovah: “In terms of the social action program here, I think people are generally very dedicated to it. I personally have little experience with environmental social action – I need to know more. It’s definitely very important.”

“I tend to think of socio-economic stuff [first]. The environment is not not important, I just don’t think as much about it. I’m generally cognizant of environmental issues, but not super-involved – like I don’t bike everywhere, but I don’t have an SUV either!”

Carol: It is a large part – if you talk about tikkun olam as repairing the world – repairing the damage we’ve done, and preventing future damage… I haven’t been very environmentally-active – it doesn’t loom large in my own practice…”

“’Progress’ for so many years was bound up in that high standard of living. Progress was always focused on as being good and desirable. When do the things that progress brings us become un-desirable, and how do you get that message across?”

“And it’s so huge: [people seem to feel] ‘you’re not going to get everyone to do it, so why should I bother?!’ Breaking it down into what’s manageably easy, then building up into what’s more difficult…”

Gail: “For many years environmental issues were both the most practical and daily things I could do, and yet something I couldn’t do very much about at all – does that make sense? They’re always so big and overwhelming. But it’s very central to me – many of my spiritual feelings are very hooked in to the planet... [yet] It never felt really immediate to me, like feeding people; I always gave money to the environment as much as on any issue, but I rarely got personally involved.

Fred [author/researcher]: The order of questions, including how I placed the ones about environment, is significant – “Pay attention to which questions you ask immediately prior to which others”, with the example of getting “different answers depending on which of the following two statements you put first: ‘Caring for the earth is essential to being a good Christian’ and ‘Recycling should be a social priority for our church.’” (Studying Congregations 226)

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From Adat Shalom Tikkun Olam Interviews, 2002: Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

from unpublished Wesley Theological Seminary Paper for Dr. Mary Clark Moschella, completed 8/26/2002numbers in parenthesis refer to page numbers in the original paper

Each of eight major themes from the interviews offer suggestions for how Adat Shalom’s Social Action Committee – and perhaps those of other synagogues as well – might do things. In some cases these ideas are “more of the same,” or a strengthening of what may already be in place. In some cases, the ideas are new entirely. The listing that follows should both summarize the interview responses, and offer conclusions and recommendations emerging from them.

1. Motivation: respondents located their inspiration for social action in their families of origin, children, privilege, generational ethos, sense of anger and urgency, social connections, enjoyment, and conscience. Each of these motivations may apply not only to those self-identifiedly interested in social action, but also to those we hope to involve in our programs: Genealogical workshops, memorial services, and other times when ancestors are invoked might serve as reminders of what they stood for, and how we carry it on. Children, and the kind of world we leave for them, are a perennial favorite theme among those who seek to motivate others toward social action. Privilege is an issue that needs to be raised from the bimah (pulpit), in adult and youth education, and in numerous other settings. And so on, through each of these categories. Volunteers working on synagogue-based social action can use these proven motivations in crafting programs, and even publicity, in order to bring new people into the social action orbit.

2. Judaism and Spirituality: the most significant finding here was that one’s religious upbringing and/or history of adult Jewish affiliation and identity correlated positively with religion motivating people toward social action. In other words – and this point is especially important for those focused on “Jewish continuity” to hear – meaningful Jewish identity naturally leads to tikkun olam, and (as is seen later) vice versa. This can be a mutually reinforcing cycle, as when Carol (19) comes back to the community as an adult to learn the textual basis for activism that she missed as a child. Such an awareness helps social action volunteers work more effectively within the larger synagogue structure, and to better interface with other committees (including “religious” and “education”) so that social action can truly pervade congregational life.

3. Importance of Tikkun Olam: the range of opinions expressed here was remarkable. Though the interviewees were all active in the congregation’s social action program in one way or another, there was tremendous variation in the relative centrality of tikkun olam within their lives and identities. To me this is a hopeful sign for outreach: there is no monolithic profile of those who get involved in social action; one needn’t be a “super-Jew” or “super-activist” in order to get substantively involved. We should embrace the folks on a Social Action Committee who admit to “jogging more than doing activism,” and hold them up before the congregation as real people who are offering real and accessible models for all to follow. Moreover, the continuity value in an activist like Andy saying “I love it! I’m proud to be Jewish” (21) cannot be overestimated.

4. Adat Shalom: The extent to which these interviewees consider social action a central part of their synagogue affiliation may be instructive. It was not the sum total of anyone’s interests, and it did not even comprise the plurality of some people’s connection with the community. As above, this

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demonstrates that social activists are indeed cut from the same cloth as those who get involved in any other facet of synagogue life – meaning that those currently involved only with these other facets may be persuaded in turn to add social action to their dockets. Yet to the extent that tikkun olam was a necessary if not sufficient precondition for their affiliation, here we have another ‘talking point’ for how a strong social action consciousness is good for everyone.

5. Sufficiency: Thomas Merton warned activists about the trap of overwork; these interviewees share his concern. Social action organizers must respect the clearly-defined limits that volunteers set forth, and especially must recognize the profound time and energy limitations of many (most?) parents of younger children. A common theme was that each person may be more or less active over the course of a lifetime, a decade, a child’s education – organizers need to take the long view, and allow for the ebbs and flows of one person’s involvement. Ellen’s point (24) about “optimizing” the use of people’s time, rather than expanding it, bears consideration as well.

6. How to Reach ‘More’: Many good ideas are contained in this section, including Sheila’s four-part approach to mobilizing people (25 – pulpit, adult education, concrete steps toward one or two issues, in small chunks), seconded by Louise’s recollection (26) of manageable social action work being handed to her early on. Beth’s suggestion of a theme that incorporates both direct service and advocacy opportunities is useful, and it parallels Rabbi Rebecca Alpert’s draft paper for the Reconstructionist Tikkun Olam Committee suggesting something similar as a way around the “service vs. advocacy” conundrum within which many social action efforts are trapped13.

7. Work and Family: The examples given here prove that both can, and must, be fully integrated into the life of the synagogue. According to these interviewees all kinds of jobs –obvious (union organizing) and less so (health care marketing) – can have an activist orientation. Perhaps the “outside” social change work that people do, professional and volunteer, can be recognized before the spiritual community as well – such as with an aliyah (Torah honor) or candle-lighting honor, and a moment to share something about their work from the bimah. As for family life, everyone can do what the parents among these respondents have done –create a norm of involving one’s kids in the life of the community and of the world. Bolstering family social action programs is one way, but not the only way, to do so.

8. Politics and Spirituality: There may never be unanimity regarding congregational political involvement. Because of that, spiritual communities must decide what their values are, and how firmly they believe in acting those out in the larger world. They must establish clear processes (ala Gail’s suggestion, 30) for making decisions, and respect the process as it unfolds, without allowing the futile search for 100% consensus to delay and derail any real action. Educating the congregation is a vital prerequisite for the success of any political or advocacy work. And as Andy suggests, being boldly political may bring in new people and new energy, as well.

13 Further useful suggestions were found among “Generalizations about Embodying Change” offered in Studying Congregations (op cit, 205-06) that might be applicable here: “The more a congregation’s members are able to name their core values and claim positively their identity, the more likely they are to be open to change that affirms rather than threatens their core values and identity.” … “Change that involves the congregation (or members of it) in social ministry within its context will more likely be accepted when leaders are perceived as giving equal attention to internal congregational needs, including member pastoral care. (One congregation that we have worked with called these ‘out house’ and ‘in house’ ministries!).”

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APPENDIX A-7: Widely Circulated Flyer on COEJL Congregational Initiative, 2003-04

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) engages Jewish institutions and individuals in bringing the moral passion of Jewish tradition and social action to environmental stewardship in order to preserve the integrity of creation, advance social justice, protect future generations, and strengthen the Jewish community

How Your Synagogue or Havurah Can Get Involved: Dedicate one Shabbat as an “Eco-Shabbat” – next Tu B’Shvat is on Shabbat (Jan. 17-18, 2003). Give a sermon or D’var Torah on environmental themes; lead an ecological text study; hold

services outside; host an organic vegetarian meal or kiddush. Participate in the Interfaith Climate Change and Energy Campaign in your state, our leading

advocacy effort on behalf of Creation (see www.coejl.org for a complete listing). Conduct an eco-audit of your synagogue. How can you green the practices and day-to-day

operation of the building (which might even save money)? See www.coejl.org for resources. Teach about the connections between Judaism and the environment in Hebrew school; offer

ecological programs for youth groups. See www.coejl.org for resources. Incorporate environmental activities such as park clean-ups and restoration projects into Mitzvah

Days, tzedakah projects, and social action committee agendas. Get outside! Organize a hike or bike trip; celebrate Havdalah outside; study texts outdoors. Join with others! Send a delegation to COEJL’s annual Mark & Sharon Bloome Jewish

Environmental Leadership Institute – March 27-30, 2003 in Utica, Mississippi.

How COEJL Can Help: Contact the COEJL Regional Affiliate in your area (see www.coejl.org for a complete listing) for

local events, educational activities, advocacy initiatives, and resources. Take advantage of our content-laden website (www.coejl.org), organized into “Learn,” “Celebrate”

and “Take Action” sections. You’ll find program tools, resource materials for sermons and synagogue newsletters, advocacy campaigns, holidy program ideas, and much more.

COEJLAction – Join our new web-based action-alert system, an easy way to make your voice heard on environmental issues (sign up at www.coejl.org)

Receive various publications, available for order from COEJL: o “Guide to Speakers on Judaism and Ecology”o “Caring for the Cycle of Life: Creating Environmentally Sound Life-Cycle Celebrations” o “Operation Noah” campaign materials on biodiversity and endangered species o Educational materials and videos (see www.coejl.org for listing)o COEJL newsletter, policy platform, and outreach materials (free

of charge – just send your email and/or street address to COEJL) Remind members that your movement (in fact all major movements – USCJ, OU, JRF, UAHC) is

affiliated with COEJL, and on record supporting the environment – you’re connected already! COEJL staff is happy to help brainstorm and plan with you – please feel free to call or email us!

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)443 Park Avenue South, 11th floor New York, NY 10016

Tel. 212-684-6950 x216, Fax. 212-686-1353 www.coejl.org, info@coejl.org

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APPENDIX A-8: Evaluation from February 2004 Presentation to JRC

Evaluation for COEJL Congregations Initiative presentations 2004

JRC “wine and cheese” - 3 pm Friday, February 6, 2004

1. How effective was the presentation? What worked best, and what could be strengthened? This was a low key question and answer which worked well for the group that attended. Rabbi

Fred’s presentation gave a sense of what his congregation went through and described the realities of undertaking a “green” project. His handouts reinforced his information. It would have been nice to project the pictures of Adas Shalom somehow so everyone could see at once. But in this type of presentation, it’s not realistic. (Sybill Appell)

Well communicated a brief overview of COEJL ideals. Enjoyed the slide presentation at end. Would like to see a longer presentation of COEJL values, though I realize that the group was probably more interested in ideas and products used in the building project. A longer slide presentation would have been great too. (Michael Nolan)

2. How appropriate was the presentation for the age, interest, and knowledge level of the group?

This was a knowledgeable adult group and the presentation was geared to them. He made the accurate assumption that most of this group had a working background of the green issues and those that were new were defined. (Sybill Appell)

Fine (Michael Nolan)

3. Please name one Jewish-environmental insight you walked away with. As a “born again reconstructionist,” (we joined JRC after Jordan expressed desire to become a

Reconstructionist Rabbi), I have grappled with defining this movement to others. The phrase, “the past has a vote not a veto,” helped to put many concepts into proper perspective. (Sybill Appell)

Renewal and reuse or recycling (beyond the paper in the office as you said). Obviously this group was very interested in the building product used in the building of your own synagogue. The reuse of materials from the existing building was an interesting concept to me; though I am not entirely sure if there will be useful materials to recycle from our present building. This is an option that we will try to investigate further as our own project progresses. (Michael Nolan)

4. Please name one new environmental action you are taking because of what you’ve learned: I am energized by the possibility of actually building a “green” building at JRC. Rabbi Fred’s

approach conveyed a common sense approach, not a pie-in-the sky dream: one which the temple leadership could appreciate. His honesty/insights about expenses, realities and compromises, were made a powerful positive impression on the board and building committee. (Sybill Appell)

Use of energy saving product, avoiding vinyl products, recycled wood products. The direction I really hope we will be able to pursue would be the use of renewal able resources such as solar power, photo voltaic and wind generated power elements. (Michael Nolan)

5. Do you see the Jewish-environmental synthesis as a natural one? Please explain: Yes. If one goes back to the Torah, there are many references from the very beginning to the

Jews responsibility to the earth. This responsibility should be a core to our beliefs and fundamental to any Deconstructionist’s life. (Sybill Appell)

This is an interesting question that I would hope goes beyond a Jewish arena. I hope it is an issue that human kind live in synthesis with nature. As a contractor I hope to see more elements of recycled material and renewable resources being used toward construction of new and existing buildings. Though I also believe that this will only really change with political force and economic change. (Michael Nolan)

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APPENDIX A-9: Other Evaluations from Jewish-Environmental Presentations (2 pages)

Evaluation for COEJL Congregations Initiative presentations in St. Louis, May 2004

Subject: St. Louis UpdateDate: 5/24/2004 12:06:53 PM Eastern Standard TimeFrom: jeistl@ mindspring.comTo: RabbiFred@ AOL.COMCC: fischrob@ earthlink.net, randycrc@ accessus.net

Shalom Fred-- Thanks for the final information on your travel costs.  I have cleared it all with the powers that be at JCRC and a check for the full amount will be on its way to you hopefully by the end of this week (it should be in the mail by Friday).  This week or next, at the latest, we will also be making a contribution to COEJL in honor of your excellent work here!

Thanks again for your wonderful visit.  As previously mentioned, the attendance at a couple of the events was disappointing but the content was not!  I thought the workshop and the student events-- both the pizza dinner at Hillel and your two presentations at Schechter—were fantastic.  I'm sorry we didn't get more rabbis to the breakfast and more of the public to the forum, but that's their loss- they were both informative events!

…Anecdotally, I heard the Federation is buying new carpeting and they have contacted the carpet company (DuPont [!]) that was at the workshop about recycling the old carpet and buying a new one made from recycled fibers.  Chalk up one victory for greening!  …

Thanks again for everything!  I certainly hope that even though your COEJL position is winding down that we can stay in touch and turn to you for guidance and ideas.

Best wishes in your return to Adat Shalom!

Steve

Evaluation for COEJL Congregations Initiative presentation at Teva Learning Center, June 2004

Subject: Fwd: Seminar Teacher EvaluationSent: 6/7/2004 2:27:54 PM Eastern Standard TimeFrom: lisa@ tevacenter.org

Dear Rabbi Fred, Thank you for coming to teach at the Teva Training Seminar. Below you will find feedback from participants as described in their evaluations. We look forward to learning with you again and we hope you have a great summer.

You recieved an average of 4.77 out of 5 from the Teva Participant Evaluation Forms. Comments made were:

"So interesting and inspiring." "Contagious enthusiasm." "Amazing-can adapt all his programs to anyone's institutions." "Good at creating constructive, interesting, discussion." "Amazing to listen to, very insightful. Helped me grow spiritually."

Melanie Seigel Administrative Intern Teva Learning Center

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Evaluation for presentations at Teva Learning Center, June 2007

Subject: Joining Us Again, and 2007 Seminar Teacher EvaluationSent: [April 2008]From: leora@ tevacenter.org

Hi Rabbi Fred,I would like to invite you to be an educator at the Teva Seminar this June 2-5 th at Surprise Lake Camp in Cold Spring, NY.

Participants had this to say about your sessions in 2007 (on a 1 to 5 scale):

A Grand Unification Theory of Jewish Environmental Education 4.825Well Done. Handouts of all terms he mentioned would be helpful. Would have liked some type of summary from him at end.He is awesome.Don’t change a thing. Loved this speaker!He ‘s amazing. Bummer to only have Fred one day.Awesome speaker! Fantastic overview for entire seminar! Very smart guyGreat intro. Wish he could’ve spent more time with us.

Ethics       Ecological Eschatology: Redemption, Liberation, and the Universe in Jewish Thought (in one hour) Average= 4.3Somewhat hard to follow He’s so clear and exciting This went overtime which shows his enthusiasm, but I missed the Awareness Hike Great info and discussion Good teacher a bit rushed, oversimplified. Also wonderful but it was too esoteric for immediately after lunch…Not enough time

Congregational        We Can’t Afford to Throw Out the Styrofoam!? Making Good Environmental Decisions in Your Synagogue Average= 4.5 Best session I went to.

Ethics/Congregational             Shabbat: Halacha, Aggadah, and Ecology Average= 4.0710!!! Why I came to Teva – Yay!Too many tangents                 

If you are interested in teaching again this year, and it might be a possibility, I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas and set up a time to talk. When would be a good time for you? Looking forward to working together,Leora Mallach, MEd.

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