THE JEWISH NEWS
3 1993
A Toast
To Jewish Living
.4itostor' A Personal Voyage Of Jewish Discovery
By NANCY KAPLAN
I like to think of myself as a lifelong
learner, Jewishly speaking, but
actually that is a misnomer because I
did not really begin to learn about my
Jewish heritage in a meaningful, self-
directed way until I was in my early
30s.
The first course I took, at Hebrew
College in Boston, was on Jewish
folklore. When were were asked to
introduce ourselves on the first day of
class, I stood up, gave my name, and
announced (to myself as well as my
teacher and fellow students), "Today I
am starting my Jewish education." It's
been a voyage of discovery ever
since.
I had always felt a yearning to be
"more Jewish" than my generally
secular family seemed to be; I had
tried to teach myself Hebrew as a
child (my parents sent me to Sunday
School but not Hebrew School) and
had no exposure to religious
observance in the home other than
Chanukah candles and Passover
Seders. We went to the synagogue
as a family only on the High Holidays
or for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah or
Confirmation. We often had Friday
night dinner at my grandparents'
house, with Bubbe's homemade
challah, but without candles and
kiddush and motzi.
My mother's childhood memories
of Shabbos at her grandparents'
home were literally dark and
forbidding — "Don't do this, don't do
that." She had no happy feelings
about Shabbat to transmit to us, so
we just ignored the whole thing.
But what Judaism I was exposed
to, I took very seriously. I studied the
English translations of the prayers,
especially the silent prayer which
appears in the siddur just before the
Torah reading, and pondered how it
applied to me. I was mesmerized by
the melodies used to chant portions
of the service, especially the
Haftarah, even though I could not
understand Hebrew, and I would sit in
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A recent adult bat mitzvah graduating class from Adat Shalom: From left, Rabbi Efry Spectre, Teri Muskovitz, Beverly Woronoff, Celia Lubetsky, Jane
Anchill, Gerrie Sollish and Cantor Larry Vieder. (Not pictured: Adria Benkoff).
Adult Bat Mitvahs: A Bridge For Daughters Of Jacob
By RABBI EFRY SPECTRE
In the changing configuration of
synagogue life, there has emerged
a new education potential that may
indicate new vigor and meaningful
identity for Judaism's future — the
courses of study leading to the Bat
Mitzvah ceremony by adult women.
At Adat Shalom Synagogue,
together with Cantor Larry Vieder
and, presently, with Cantor Howard
Glantz, I have been privileged to
instruct women who have placed
their Jewish education high on an
agenda that includes raising a
family, keeping a home in "working"
order, finding fulfillment in
distinguished careers in . medicine,
law, teaching, and social sciences.
Some have been recognized for
their achievement by national and
local community governments and
organizations.
In our classroom dialogue I learn
from them. The analogies Torah
study brings forth, the insight Jewish
history sheds on their lives, the
stimulus the Hebrew language and
Israel bring to their value structure
are sources of "nachas" to a Rabbi:
The goal of the Bat Mitzvah
ceremony is ever before them but it
will be transcended, I know from
past experience, in post Bat Mitzvah
study.
In the meantime, their busy lives
take on new priorities. Suddenly I
am being asked to suggest a
supplementary reading list. I hear
from a number of students that they
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