Jerusalem has not one, but two holy mountains: The Temple Mount in the east, and Har Herzl in the west. Har Herzl, or Har haZikaron, “the Mountain of Memory” has a very deliberate architecture:

Herzl's grave at the top of Mt. Herzl

On its highest point rests Herzl’s grave. It is surrounded by the graves of Israel’s presidents, prime ministers and leaders. On the slopes of the mountain is the national graveyard for fallen soldiers. Follow the path down the mountain to the west, and you’ve arrived at Yad VaShem, Israel’s Holocaust museum. Take the winding road down from the Yad VaShem museum, and you are at the bottom of the mountain in the “Valley of the Communities,” representing the exilic communities of the Diaspora that were destroyed in the Holocaust.

Topography is used to tell a story, embedding an ideology in the mountainside. When you hike this mountain, you are climbing the contours of an argument: from the depths of exilic reality, doomed to destruction, through the flames of anti-Semitic hatred, up past the sons and daughters of the nation who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and onwards to the top, where a visionary’s dream is enshrined in black marble: an autonomous Jewish state.

Two. Israel’s Holy Week

There are moments when the Jewish calendar opens the faceless ticking of time to reveal a beating heart at its center. Secular life barely uses time in such a way – this approach is normally left to the religious and their holy times. But in Israel, the secular state created a “civil religion” with its own High Holy Days. Israel’s “Yamim Noraim” fell last week, the seven days between Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust Memorial Day, and Yom haZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s eerie pair of Memorial for Fallen soldiers, which at nightfall becomes the Day of Independence, celebrated this past Thursday.

While the way these days flow into each other was a kind of fluke of history, they create a powerful statement. There are seven days between Yom haShoah and Yom haAtzmaut, as if the entire country sits shiva, mourning the loss of the Holocaust, and then arises to be comforted by the existence of the State of Israel. Add Passover to the mix two weeks before, and you have a full ideology, as Prof. Don Handelman has shown, one that is often evoked in the speeches given by Israel’s President and Prime Minister on these days. As Israel’s Prime Minister, Levi Eshkol, put it in 1964:

“Holocaust memorial day falls between the ancient Festival of Freedom and the modern day of Israel’s Independence. The annals of our people are enfolded between these two events. With our exodus from the Egyptian bondage, we own our ancient freedom; now, with our ascent from the depths of the Holocaust, we live once again as an independent nation.” (Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, Holocaust day Address, 1964)

Yom haZikaron opening ceremony at the Kotel, 2012

Yom haZikaron begins with a blaring siren which is sounded across Israel at exactly 8pm, piercing walls and hearts, and a nation stands still to commemorate those who fell in its honor. It is the most powerful time to be in Israel’s public space: stores close, communities come together, and the radio plays the saddest Israeli songs. The nation turns from a collection of citizens into a family that together remembers their fallen.

Like the mountain, the chronology makes a powerful argument: the tragedy of the Holocaust has taught us that Jews need their own state in order to be free and to be safe. In order to achieve that independence we must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice – our sons and daughters in exchange for independence. Only after that lesson has been engrained, can we celebrate our independence.

Three. Fissures

Of course, in reality, this clean narrative is riddled with question marks:
Is the Holocaust really to be owned and subsumed by the State of Israel? Zionism existed before the Holocaust and is more than simply a response to anti-Semitism. Perhaps the Shoah should not become a point in an ideological argument, but a historical memory that belongs to humanity as much as to one group of victims.

Yom haZikaron claims to turn the nation into a family, but soldiers of minorities struggle with the Jewish face of this day, and the country is increasingly facing the fact that a diminishing demographic is doing the work while Ultra Orthodox and Secular elites skip out.

Yom haAtzmaut is challenged both on the left, by anti-Zionist Israelis who seek to release Israel from its ethnocentric bias, and on the right, by religious groups, betrayed by the evacuation from Gaza, who see not the 1948 secular declaration of independence, but the 1967 unification of Jerusalem and greater Israel, as the high point of the narrative. This ideology subsumes Herzl’s mountain back under the Temple Mount.

Some feel threatened by these dissenting voices, which find issue with the argument put forward by the Memorial Mountain. I’d rather see in this the natural and healthy debates of a country that is trying to do many things at once. These voices should not be pushed out, but rather seriously engaged. We need to have this debate together, and the calendar and topography must be used to further this discourse.

Four. 50 Days

The timeline of Passover-Yom haShoah-Yom haZikaron-Yom haAtzamut needs to be extended to include one other holiday: Shavuot, the anniversary of the Jewish people coming together to become part of a covenant. The secular Zionist calendar loved Passover, renaming it the Festival of Freedom, but had no patience for the rabbinic Shavuot, the festival of Torah and its exilic progeny, Halakha. In the early days of the State, Shavuot was returned to its Biblical agricultural roots as a celebration of first fruits. Now that agriculture got sidelined in Israel all that is left for most Israelis is a consumerist celebration of dairy products.

But to me, Shavuot represents the day in which we get to discuss and decide what we want to do with our previously achieved freedom and independence. Sefirat haOmer, the quirky ritual of counting 50 days from Passover to Shavuot, represents exactly that process: the move from Freedom to Covenant, from childhood dreams to mature decision making.

Israeli independence, and the celebration of its achievement, is important. But it is not sufficient. We need to continue the process, counting up the days to the time where we discuss, agree and sign a covenant of what we – Israel’s stakeholders: citizens and diaspora Jews – want Israel’s existence to be about. Har Herzl is not enough.  We must find Israel’s new Mt. Sinai so that this exciting project can take flight.

By Rabbi Mishael Zion, Co-Director, Director of Education, The Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel.

Thursday, May 17, 2012
at 7:00 in the evening
Temple Emanuel Rose Chapel

Please join the graduates and their families for
a dessert reception following the graduation ceremony

Morgan Fins, son of Deborah & Daniel Fins
Joshua Kapiloff, son of Ellen & Perry Kapiloff
Samuel Shuster, son of Marcy & Fred Shuster
Zoe Summit, daughter of Susan & Jeffrey Summit
Evan Swartz, son of Rebecca Brownstein & Daniel Swartz
Alice Waters, daughter of Amy & Simon Waters

Submitted by Sue Summit, Principal, Worcester Hebrew High School

]]> http://jewishcentralvoice.com/2012/04/graduating-class-of-hebrew-high-2012/feed/ 2 http://jewishcentralvoice.com/2012/04/becoming-a-bat-mitzvah-at-18-years-old/ http://jewishcentralvoice.com/2012/04/becoming-a-bat-mitzvah-at-18-years-old/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:47:07 +0000 Lisa http://jewishcentralvoice.com/?p=1818 My name is Shahar Peleg, and I’m one of the Israeli Young Emissaries in the Central Mass Jewish community this year.

It seems like I’m supposed to know a lot about Judaism coming to this job and working with hundreds of Jewish kids and youth.  But I actually came to the States with a lot of knowledge about Israel, obviously, and not about religion.

It felt strange being here in the beginning of the year.  Within the first month it was Rosh Hashanah and I went to a service in one of the synagogues with my new American family. It was a normal Rosh Hashanah for everyone… except me. Only today I realize how nervous I was at that service. As a secular Jewish Israeli, I had never been to a service in a synagogue before. When I attended service on that day, I didn’t know what to do, how to dress, how to act… I didn’t know the prayers, or the songs…

For those of you who wonder now, how it is possible, the simple answer is the different concepts between the 2 countries – USA and Israel.

Shahar leading Israeli dancing.

I came from a secular house, with a secular family, in a secular village, (Ram On, in the Gilboa) and went to a secular school.  It’s not that I wasn’t Jewish – we always had our Jewish traditions – we celebrated the holidays, had a big family dinner every Friday night and learned Bible and Jewish holidays at school.

Since I have been in America, I have found myself exploring and learning a lot of new things about Judaism and really enjoying this. I love going to Shul on Shabbat, meeting new people, love how every week I knew a little more of the service by heart. I love the calm Friday night atmosphere that is taken for granted in Israel, but here it is so special, when everyone else in the country is still running around keeping busy.

So in the middle of the year I made a decision – I’m going to become a Bat Mitzvah.  As with all of the female students that I teach here, I’m going to experience this too and see what becoming a Bat Mitzvah is all about.  In Israel, most of the boys, also secular, become B’nai Mitzvah, as my younger brother Ron did.  But because my Bat Mitzvah in Israel was just a party, I thought that this would be the right place and the right time to have a have a traditional Bat Mitzvah – here, in Worcester, my new home for the year, with my new friends and families.  I thought it would be perfect.

People say that the emissaries always come here Israelis, and go back home Jewish – and I totally agree. It doesn’t mean that I am more observant, or more religious – but it means that I learned and experienced so much this year, and I am definitely leaving America with a new perspective about me being Jewish. It means a whole other thing to me now.  I feel proud to be Jewish and I’m not taking it for granted as I did during the past 18 years living in Israel. It just feels special and meaningful to me now.

I have been learning with Debbie Fruchtman, who is a Bat /Bar Mitzvah tutor at Congregation Beth Israel and I love it!   Debbie is also my mentor with whom I am working at Congregation Agudat Achim in Leominster. The lessons are fun. I love the challenge in learning all the tropes and the blessings and it feels so good knowing more and more new things.

As the date gets closer and I keep practicing and I can’t wait for this day to come!

My Bat Mitzvah is going to be on May 26th, at Congregation Beth Israel… You are all welcome to come and celebrate with me!

By Shahar Peleg, 2011-12 Israel Emissary, JFCM

While I was at TribeFest, there was a small camera crew going around interviewing the attendees.  They asked, “If you could describe TribeFest in one word, what would it be?” Some of the my companions answered, “Awesome” or “Educational” or “Inspirational,” and while TribeFest was all those things – I answered with the first thing that came to mind – “Jewish.”  They looked at me weirdly and moved on, but we were Jews, at a Jewish event, learning about Jewish topics – what could be a better one word description?

Saturday Night Live alum Rachel Dratch addresses the 1500-person crowd at TribeFest saying, “I’m in the desert, I’m with the Tribe, and I’m home.” Photo by JFNA

For those of you that don’t know, TribeFest is a gathering of Jewish Young Adults held to “Connect, Explore, and Celebrate” and I think that is an apt description.  There were 1,500 Jewish young adults who attended the convention in Las Vegas on March 25-27th.  The days consisted of speakers, workshops, and meeting new people from across the country; the nights consisted of Israeli bands, nightclubs, and spending way too much time at the craps table.  It was great – you should have been there!  Let me tell you why:

First, the speakers were amazing.  There was a great assortment of speakers, talking about a variety of topics – but each was interesting and inspiring.  Rachel Drench of Saturday Night Live fame talked about how she came to realize the importance of her Judaism only after having a child.  Talia Leman spoke of how her belief in the power of one person allowed her to start and run an organization that has raised over 11 million dollars in charity.  And did I mention that she is only 17 years old!  Hades Malada-Matsree told us of her journey from her home in Ethopia to Israel.  Now she is a medic in the Israeli air force and a mentor for other Ethiopian immigrants.  David Siegel, the Consul-General of Israel for Los Angeles, also spoke.  Listening to these incredible individuals share their stories was quite amazing and very inspirational.

TribeFest-goers packed the 'Jewish NextGen in the Shark Tank' session where judges awarded $1000 to the winning charitable idea. Photo by JFNA.

Second, the workshops were great – the perfect mix of entertaining but educational.  There were numerous workshops offered during the course of TribeFest, covering a wide variety of subjects.  My favorite was called “She’s Wearing a Wedding Dress in her Dating Profile?” which was exactly what it sounds like: a session on internet dating.  It was a fun session.  We discussed profile no-no’s like telling everyone that your friends made you sign up for online dating.   And of course everyone told stories of their worst online dating experience which was nothing short of hilarious.

And finally, the nightlife – what would Vegas be without the parties and the clubs?  Every night there was a “Mash-up” where there would be live music, hors d’oeurves, dinner, and an open bar.  The food was great but the music was even better.  Kosha Dillz, Hatikva 6, Moshav and others rocked out, bringing everyone out onto the dance floor.  After that, there was a nightly club where TribeFest attendees received special deals.

My decision to go to TribeFest was a pretty spur of the moment choice.  I really hadn’t heard too much about it, none of my friends had ever gone and I didn’t know a single person going.  So I landed in Las Vegas not knowing at all what to expect, certainly not expecting to love it.  But I went, I saw, I danced, I partied, I gambled – and I guess my connection to my own personal brand of Judaism got stronger too.  It was a great event and I encourage everyone to go.  Where else can you hear from famous and interesting speakers; attend sessions about topics you care about; and party with Israeli bands?  All in Las Vegas too!  I guess the better question is… why not going?

Ira Salitsky lives in Shrewsbury and works at Salitsky Alloys.  This was his first time attending TribeFest, but he is very excited about attending future events.

If you have recently moved into the area, or are new to the Central Mass Jewish Community, then please come join us for a dessert reception to meet your new neighbors and welcome you into the Central Massachusetts Jewish Community.  All are welcome!

 When:   Thursday, June 7th, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm               
 Where:  The Lakeshore
                65 Lake Avenue 
               “The Party Room” on the 2nd Floor
               Worcester, MA  
 RSVP:    Monday, June 1st to Mindy Hall
@ 508.756.1543 or email mhall@jfcm.org  or through www.jewishcentral.org 
     Hosted by:  Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts’ Shalom Newcomers
  
Look forward to seeing you soon!!!
 
Please let us know if you require any dietary restrictions.  Thank you.

In Jewtopia, stereotypes collide, cultures clash, and chaos ensues! It’s the outrageously funny, boy-meets-girl, equal-opportunity satire, the longest running Off Broadway comedy in history.

The story of a gentile who wants to marry a Jewish girl….so he’ll never have to make another decision!!

SAM WOLFSON, BRYAN FOGEL and LORRY GOLDMAN in Jewtopia.

JEWTOPIA holds the record as the longest running comedy in Off-Broadway history. After record-breaking runs in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Florida, and Toronto, co-creator Bryan Fogel and co-star Jeremy Rishe make a one-night-only appearance in Worcester. Comedy, multimedia and audience participation combine to create a hilarious and irreverent comedic extravaganza hailed by critics as “Unstoppable!” (NY Times); “Outrageously Funny!” (LA Times); and “Irresistible” (NY Post).

Saturday, May 5 at 8 PM

Tickets $25 – $45

To RSVP for group tickets with the Young Adult Division, please go to www.facebook.com/groups/centralmassyad/

Limited VIP tickets available for $118 with preferred seating,

For all others, please reserve your seats today by clicking here:
http://www.thehanovertheatre.org/shows/showDetail.php?showID=371

Proceeds Benefit Jewish Family Service of Worcester
www.jfsworcester.org 508-755-3101

For more information on this production, go to http://www.jewtopiaworld.com

Join us for a rousing concert featuring Shir Ba’Emek, the internationally acclaimed, award-winning singing ensemble from Afula-Gilboa, Israel. Our own community choral group, Shir Joy will also be performing on its own and together with Shir Ba’Emek.

Celebration
We will salute our Young Emissary Program which this year is celebrating its 13th (Bar Mitzvah) anniversary. Our community has participated in this program for the past 10 years.

Community Library
This concert will benefit the Afula’s community library in our Partnership
Together Community in Israel. The Library will help revive the community for its residents, many of whom come from socially and culturally deprived neighborhoods. The library will serve as a community gathering place, creating a public space that enriches the community and serves as a center for learning, culture and art.

Event sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts.

For more information and RSVP: www.jewishcentralmass.org or 508.756.1543 or, sign on to our social website at www.jewishcentral.org.

Wendy Wilsker

Originally from New Jersey, she has lived and worked in Massachusetts over the past years working in various Jewish organizations including fundraising for the Boston Federation (CJP). She has energy, enthusiasm and donates her limited time to our synagogue putting her fundraising experience to work for us.  Last year, she took on the role of Development Committee Chair running a successful fundraiser both this year and last, and now in the process of organizing a spring golf tournament “fun-raiser” with a wonderful fundraising committee devoted to CBS’s community life. Wendy also serves on the CBS Board of Directors. She is married and has two children. Her husband also has 2 children.  They reside in Westborough.

By Abby Mayou
Temple Administrator of Congregation B’nai Shalom

Rabbi Gurevitz comes to the American rabbinate by a somewhat unconventional route.  Born, raised and educated in London, England, she received her Bachelor of Science and Ph.D. from University College London before entering rabbinic school at the Leo Baeck College.  In 2003 she transferred to Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York – from where she was ordained in May 2006. From there she took the associate position at B’nai Israel, where, over the past 6 years, she has been mentored by Rabbi James Prosnit.

As well as pursuing her academic studies, she also gained worship, educational and pastoral experience by serving a student pulpit in Winter Haven, Florida.  In addition, she worked with teenage leaders of NFTY as Program Director of URJ Kutz Camp in Warwick, New York.  She also served as prayer leader and a member of the management team at Elat Chayyim, a trans-denominational retreat center in upstate New York.

Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz

Rabbi Gurevitz received numerous prizes and awards while in rabbinic school, including those for “Most Deserving Student” and for “Liturgy and Spirituality.” She has done considerable work in the field of social and environmental justice, publishing several papers in the field of ethics and environmental education.  In 2011, following a string of devastating tornadoes in Alabama, Rabbi Gurevitz led a contingent of adults and youth from B’nai Israel to Cordova, AL to assist in the clean-up.

In addition to her liturgical duties at B’nai Israel, Rabbi Gurevitz has been an 8th grade teacher in the religious school, and has also assumed the role of activities leader and resident storyteller in the lower grades. She is highly praised by professional associates and congregants alike as someone who connects easily and meaningfully with all age groups within the synagogue community.

Rabbi Gurevitz writes a wonderful blog for Congregation B’nai Israel entitled Sh’ma Koleinu – “Hear Our Voices”  (http://shmakoleinu-hearourvoices.blogspot.com/), which offers its readers inspirational thoughts, poetry, spiritual reflections and practices, and holistic approaches to a centered life. She describes it as an online center for spirituality and connection.

Of particular importance in this day and age, Rabbi Gurevitz is well known in the Greater Bridgeport community as someone who continually reaches out to all denominations, striving to keep open the lines of communication, and increase understanding and cooperation among the many religious communities in this demographically-diverse area.

The Rabbi Search Committee at Congregation B’nai Shalom sought to conduct the most open and transparent process it possibly could in our search for our next rabbi. As such, many temple members got to meet Rabbi Gurevitz during her several visits to the synagogue, both informally at an open-invitation dinner and amidst the Sunday school rush in the main hallway, as well at the pulpit for Torah readings, Havdallah service, brief sermons and several other samples of her Bimah presence. The feedback was highly positive.  Members were very impressed with her sincerity, her sense of spirituality, and the intelligence and thoughtfulness that went in to each piece she prepared.

When asked about her goals and visions for CBS and the Central Mass Jewish Community, Rabbi Gurevitz replied, “My vision for Congregation B’nai Shalom is to see us becoming a community whose presence is felt both inside and beyond the walls of the Temple.  Belonging is about experiencing the power of community as we work together in acts of social justice, celebration, and coming together in prayer and learning.  But, as a holy community, I hope we will reach out further, making a positive contribution to life in Westborough and the surrounding towns.  We can do that through collaboration with other organizations and communities, and by providing some of what we offer as a spiritual hub beyond the walls of our building, meeting people where they are.  I’m very much looking forward to this wonderful opportunity.”

Rabbi Gurevitz will be residing in Westborough with her spouse, Suri Krieger, who is also a rabbi. They have four grown children from Rabbi Krieger’s previous marriage. We welcome them both to the community.
We are looking forward to Rabbi Gurevitz’s arrival at Congregation B’nai Shalom, and to many years of working closely with her as our spiritual leader.

By Jeff Govendo, Chair of Rabbi Search Committee, Congregation B’nai Shalom

Change is in the offing, and Me’ir Sherer, the newly appointed Director of the Worcester Community Religious School, could not be more excited about it.

“I hope it will reshape the community in a way that it will be stronger moving forward,” says Sherer, who has been Director of Congregational Learning at Congregation Beth Israel since 2009, a part-time position he will retain. “I think Worcester can be a model for other communities like it.”

The new school, which opens in September, will bring together kindergarten through seventh grade students from all over greater Worcester and southern New England. It exemplifies the concept of pluralism, an inclusive approach that welcomes all, wherever they happen to be in their Jewish journey.

“I don’t even like to use the word ‘religious,’ says Sherer, who has an extensive educational and professional background in both the Reform and the Conservative movements.  “It’s a Jewish, pluralistic, education center: the Worcester Jewish Education Center.  We’re bringing families who are all differently affiliated:  they are unaffiliated, JCC-affiliated, synagogue-affiliated, Reform, Conservative, and open to other movements.”

The school emerges from a multi-year process of reviewing the educational needs of the Worcester area, culminating in the approval of the community model by the boards of Congregation Beth Israel and Temple Emanuel in March 2011; Temple Sinai’s board followed suit this winter.

A transition board, chaired by Merilee Freeman and Mary Jane Rein, has spent the past year preparing for the school to open in the fall.  A key part of that process has been a search for a director, undertaken by the transition board’s Human Resources subcommittee.

Subcommittee co-chairs Marcy Shuster and Jodi Hirschman note that the ideal candidate not only had to have a background in Jewish education, preferably in running a school, but also needed to be comfortable with the language and concept of pluralism.

“We wanted a visionary – we know that what we’re putting in place will evolve,” says Shuster.  “It probably won’t look anything the same in a couple of years, and that’s hard.”

Given this fundamental shift in approach, notes Hirschman, “we wanted to make sure the person was aware that change is difficult. In particular, we wanted someone who could address the parents’ concerns effectively.”

The subcommittee included representation from BI, Temple Emanuel and Temple Sinai, including Michael Cole, Cynthia Cohen, David Coyne, Phyllis Spatrick, Sarah Jacobson and Susan Mack.  They received 14 applications and brought three candidates in for first round interviews; a fourth candidate withdrew before the interview.

Of the three, only Me’ir Sherer went on to the second stage, which included interviews with Rabbis Matthew Berger, Steven Schwarzman, Scott Saulson and Cantor Kim Singer, as well as Howard Borer of Federation and Rein and Freeman from the transition board.

Me'ir Sherer

“In a very strong field, Me’ir stood out as the strongest candidate,” says Marcy Shuster, who notes that the subcommittee recommended his appointment unanimously.  “He is caring and wonderful, uniquely qualified.”

“He was the candidate who was the most able to articulate enthusiasm for a community, pluralist school and the need to educate everyone – students, parents, and faculty – about how we talk about this, what we’re creating,” says Jodi Hirschman.  “He has worked in both Reform and Conservative synagogues or environments and people from both environments expressed real affection for him, a sense of closeness to him. He understands what kids want to do and how they think.  That came through in the interview with the committee as well.”

Indeed, part of his vision for the new school involves taking pluralistic education to a new and vibrant level.  He envisions developing a “positive partnering with the JCC” as well as relationships with local organizations in the area, including “the colleges, dance studios, karate studios, the WPI computer lab, etc.,” so that “the children are able to develop skills in specific areas at a high level in a Jewish context.”

Ultimately, he hopes that in the future “Hebrew High and the community school will become one and that we’ll have a whole array of adult education as well.”

Raised in Albany, Sherer grew up in a Conservative synagogue.  “I have identified strongly with my Judaism and with Israel for as long as I can remember,” he says, noting that losing his father when he was only nine years old “brought me closer to Judaism and synagogue life.”

He attended JCC and synagogue day camps and took on leadership roles in USY at the chapter, regional and international levels.  He graduated from Columbia University and the List College at the Jewish Theological Seminary; he also has dual master’s degrees, one in social work from Boston University and another in Jewish education from Hebrew College. His work experience has included running children’s programming at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC in Newton and a position as Family Educator at Temple Israel in Boston.  Before coming to Worcester as the educator at BI, he taught in Prozdor, Hebrew College’s high school program, and served as the Family Education Consultant at the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Boston.

“I’m not saying that I’m the only person for the job, but it fits for me,” he says, reflecting on a professional and personal background that has repeatedly taken him back and forth between the Conservative and Reform movements.  “My own observance was over there, my work was over here.  I left Conservatism for a while and explored where we fit into it.  I don’t know now whether I want to put myself in a specific box.”

That degree of fluidity has already served him well in his new capacity.

“I’ve worked on the vocabulary and language (of pluralism) – it comes naturally to me to speak to an audience that you would find at Torathan,” he says.  “When I speak with Rabbi Berger [at Temple Emanuel], I come with a certain legitimacy; with Rabbi Schwarzman [at BI], the same.”

Since Sherer assumed the director position on April 1, he has been engaged in recruiting and hiring faculty, working on the budget, and meeting with the clergy and lay leaders of the three congregations involved.  He is also in the process of organizing registration, to begin in May.  A permanent board, headed by Karen Kaufman, will also be in place by the end of May.  The school will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Shabbat.  Monday and Wednesday classes will be held at Beth Israel and Saturday classes will be held at Temple Emanuel.  Students at Beth Israel currently attend religious school on all three days, while Sinai and Emanuel students attend on Wednesdays and Shabbat. The core program will be taught on Wednesdays and Shabbat. “Monday classes will supplement what is taught on Wednesdays and Shabbat and allow children to expand upon their learning in non-traditional ways,” says Sherer.  He hopes that everyone will consider giving Monday a try. “We’re facing the challenge of bringing together a number of student bodies, each with its own set of traditions and expectations. We want all of our students to enter the new school feeling positive about the program and respected for the time they devote to their Jewish learning, whatever amount of time that might be.”

The Community Religious School will also offer family education programs, which will be offered on Sundays, as well as some weekdays.  Up-to-date information on the school can be found be going to http://www.worcestercrs.org/

“We’re facing bringing the community together in a way that people feel comfortable together and all on the same level,” he says. “If Mondays are optional for some, mandatory for others, it sets it up for a not so positive experience.”

He is looking forward to continuing to work on curriculum development, a process that he has been involved in for the past year in company with Sue Summit, current principal of the Temple Emanuel Religious School, and Danny Margolis, executive director of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Boston.

Administrative work aside, however, Sherer is most enthusiastic about talking about the school with as many people as he can in as many different areas of the Jewish community as possible.

To that end, he spent a Shabbat morning at Temple Sinai at the end of April and plans a similar visit to the Temple Emanuel Religious School.  He will soon have an office at the Federation, as well as space at both BI and Temple Emanuel, and will ask families to contact him for conversations about the school as well as contacting them himself.

He understands that, for many, the new step is “scary, it feels threatening, but it’s also very exciting.”

A familiar face in the community, he has “tremendous respect for where [people] are. It’s a hard thing; people cannot be feeling that they’re being forced to change who they are by anyone.”

At the same time, he urges: “We need to keep the history in our thinking, but we also need to move forward. We all need to remind ourselves that we have been through change before.”

For more information, go to www.worcestercrs.org

Laura Porter

Laurie Porter is a freelance writer and editor based in Worcester, MA.