Rabbi Jim: Still Learning

The Duty of Care - An Opportunity for Improvement Back in the month of June, as happens every year, stories went around about the “transitions” of Jewish professionals such as Rabbis, heads of school, and organization staff.  Hearing these stories is difficult, even for those of us who have great positions and work with wonderful people.     Some of my fellow professionals were “Went  Away’s ” - They may have been looking for a bigger/better position, seeking new challenges, moving because of a spouse’s employment needs, or escaping a difficult situation in their current job.       Others were “Sent  Away’s ” - Some didn’t have the skills for the position for which they were hired, or there wasn’t a good “fit.” Perhaps the financial realities of their organizations led to downsizing.       Sadly, some of these Jewish professionals fell victim to unclear goals and/or inadequate supervision by their boss and/or board. And yet others, in spite of yea...

There is a Jacob in Each Generation According to  Midrash  Breisheet  Rabbah  (56:7) there is a “Jacob” in each generation. Why would the  Midrash  say this?  Because Jacob is the most “real” of our forefathers in Genesis. He is the most accessible role model. Jacob is the Jew who struggles.     In this week’s  parasha  we see Jacob evolve from a fearful youth on the run into a complex individual. Neither the passive actor in Rebekah’s plot to deceive Isaac, nor the naïve groom in Laban’s schemes, Jacob finally comes into his own.     The turning point occurs when Jacob and his family flee the scheming Laban.  When Laban catches up with  them  he accuses them of stealing his  traphim  – the family idols. As he stands by silently, watching Laban search his wives’ belongings, Jacob’s anger grows until he can’t take it any more :  “ What is my crime, what is my sin?!” Jacob is through being the victim. He stands up to his father-in-law, details what ...

The Missing Covenant   In between reviewing this week’s  parasha  ( Kedoshim )  and reading several blog posts about the challenges faced by synagogues (as well as more Pew-generated “cures”) I kept thinking about covenants.   While  parashat   kedoshim  reminds us of the “vertical” covenant between God and the Jewish People, it’s pretty clear that many in the non-Orthodox world have drifted away from the original Biblical covenants of obligation. While belief in God may be relatively strong, if not consistent, the sense of  hiyyuv  (obligation) for halakhic observance has not taken hold in this group. Whether through lack of emphasis from the pulpit or in educational venues, or simply through the theological calculus of the congregants, the vertical connection has been weakened.     As the Vertical Covenant has lost its hold, I think a new one has been created; let’s call it the Diagonal Covenant. This refers to the relationship that congregants have with ...