Thinking Torah Blog

This is the moment the journey begins. For more than two years, the Israelites have been sitting at the foot of Sinai, but the journey to the promised land begins today. God tells Moses that a cloud will cover the Tabernacle, which will be a message to camp and stay put on this journey, but when the cloud lifts, Moses and the people will know to start moving. The metaphor might take us in several different directions, but we can all relate to moments of darkness, uncertain of what or where to go next, when the cloud suddenly lifts, and we see the path forward.

I’ve recently been told that sometimes our communication at TBE can be a bit opaque; sometimes, we are not the best at helping people see the path forward in our congregation. Communication isn’t as easy as writing an email or telling people what is happening with an announcement. However, I want to share two paths that are revealing themselves right now, one personal and one communal.

Next Sunday, I am leaving for about three weeks as I embark on a fellowship with Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. I will study in Jerusalem with some of the leading thinkers in Jewish life from North America and Israel. It is a program that is framed deeply around pluralism and peoplehood; I firmly believe that Hartman's thinking will lead the Jewish people for the next generation. I am honored to participate in such a prestigious fellowship with Reform, Conservative, and Modern Orthodox colleagues, and I look forward to sharing aspects of my learning with our congregation in the coming months and years.

Our new Sacred Aging Institute (SAI) is the second path revealing itself now. Working with Cantor Annie last year in our joint class, Getting Good at Getting Older, we knew our senior members had so much wisdom to share. Together with Rabbi Chelsea’s creative mind, we came up with the SAI, a series of programs and opportunities for shared study, meaningful discussion, and creative exploration. SAI is meant to foster connection, growth, and mutual support for older adults as we create a sacred community within our larger TBE family. If you want to learn more about SAI, follow this link and sign up for the email list!

The path forward looks exciting and meaningful at TBE. Of course, there are many more paths as well, as the doors to the TBE community swing wide to encourage all who are interested to join our thriving Jewish community.