42 Friday, February 4, 1977

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

American Jewish Life, Human Potential Movement

By ALLEN A. WARSEN

How to make religious

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life more meaningful has
been a problem confront-
ing the American Jewish
community for a long
time. To solve it, numer-
ous proposals were ad-
vanced and programs
tried. But the problem did
not disappear.
The most recent prop-
osals based on modern
educational philosophy
and psychological theory
were made by Dov Peretz
Elkin in "Humanizing
Jewish Life: Judaism and
the Human Potential
Movement" (A. S. Barnes
and Company):
The book, composed of
essays, speeches and
programs of activities, is
divided into three parts: ,
1. Humanizing the'
Synagogue;' 2. Humaniz-
ing Religious Education:
3. Humanizing the Inner
Life.
As the title indicates, the
- author's approach is
humanistic. ". -. that
does not mean ethical cul-
ture, God-less religion or
anything of the kind. It
means, simply put,
person-centered."
The synagogue, is re-
garded by the author as a
growth center, a place for
personal and religious
fulfillment.
To give form and sub-
stance to this humanistic
views, Rabbi Elkin
created a Family Life
Council and organized
"havurot" and "mis-
hpahot" in Temple Beth
El, Rochester, N.Y.,
where he serves as
spiritual leader.
The objective of the
Family Life Council is "to
foster a sense of warmth,
trust, openness, and
mutual respect within
the temple community."
The "havurot" consist
either of single or diffe-
rent age groups. Their aim
is to provide opportunities
for meaningful friend-
ships, and help "overcome

the loneliness and isloa-
tion of modern society."
The "mishpahot" are
made up of entire
families, including chil-
dren of all ages, and
adults of different gener-
ations.
They serve as vehicles
"for strengthening
Jewish family life and for
overcoming much of the
alienation and anonym-
ity of modern life."
Applying modern edu-
cational theory to Jewish
education, Rabbi. Elkin
distinguishes between
cognitive Jewish learning
(they study of Hebrew,
Bible, history, and other
subjects) and Jewish
hunfanistic education
(transmission of values).
Regarding the latter,
he writes: "Judaism is a
religion of great emotion,
of color . . . and above all
of high moral behavioral
standards. If we don't at
least attempt to educate
in that direction, we are
not really teaching-
Judaism!"
As an illustration of
Jewish humanistic edu-
cation, the author cites
this hasidic tale:
An avid student rushed
to his master one day and
shouted excitedly, "Rabbi,
I went through the -whole
Torah this week." Where-
upon the Rabbi replied,
,:`Yes, but how much of the
Torah went through you?"
In like manner, Rabbi
Elkin applied humanistic
psychology to Jewish
spiritual values, -and
compiled a glossary of
words expressing "Joy of
life, the fulfillment of
human potential and
self-actualization."
Included in the glos-
sary are:
• HESED Altruism;
self-transcendence; love;
mercy; compassion.
• .NEFESH — Person-
of
absence
hood;
dichotomies.
• BRAKHA — Awe,
gratitude.
• KAVANA — Inten-
tion; concentration; ac-
tive listening.
• LE-HAIM — Joy of
living; physical/spiritual
wholeness.
Humanistic psychology
also profoundly influ-
enced. Rabbi Elkin's
preaching, and helped
him relate more easily
the lives of biblical per-
sonages to himself and to
phis congregants.
he
when
Now,
preaches, he, for in-
stance, interprets
"Joseph as an example 'of
sibling rivalry, Korach 'as
an example of personal

and social conflict, Elija
as an example of passion-
ate radicalism, and Ruth
as a searcher for mean-
ing."
"Humanizing Jewish
Life" contains innovative

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Folks Farein Plans
Anniversary Event

The Yiddish Folks Fa-
rein will have its 65th an-
niversary dinner-dance 7
p.m. Feb. 27 at Cong. Beth
Achim.
The evening will fea-
ture comedian Eric Man-
nering and Eric Rosenow
and his Continentals.
Cocktails will be served.
For information, call
Esther Achtrrian, 543-
2827; Belle Bassin, 538-
4022; Betty Haimovitz,
255-1274; or Irene
Schwartz, 548-3266.

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