Community Views
A Student Re-Examines
The Traditional Role Of Rabbi
STACIE FINE SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
As a rabbi in train- meaningful action. Rabbis will master classical Jewish texts,
ing, I spend a good have to both do and teach this.
but our training should also nur-
deal of time think-
Rabbis will need to increas- ture us as philosophic guides,
ing about the ingly draw upon skills as facili- spiritual leaders, groupTacilita-
future of the rab- tators and role models and will tors and ethical leaders. My hope
binate and the need to draw upon reserves of would be for increased dialogue
changing role of flexibility, creativity and inven- among the seminaries, more op-
the rabbi in Jew- tion as never before in Jewish portunity for rabbis in training
ish life.
history. Jewish identity will be to learn about other expressions
Historically, drawn not only from Jewish lin- of Judaism, to form friendships
rabbis have been scholars, teach- eage but from the experience of across "party lines" and to be bet-
ers, prayer-leaders, ceremonial- being part of the Jewish com- ter versed in the many forms of
ists and congregational guides. munity and becoming literate in Judaism in the community.
Historically rabbis have been Jewishness.
Any career choice must be
male, heterosexual and
usually married.
Rabbis of the future
will have a different face,
and, I believe, a different
role. The rabbis of the
next century also have
an unprecedented op-
portunity to shape and
forge a vibrant, lasting
Judaism. One of the rea-
sons for this new oppor-
tunity is that for the first
time in Jewish history,
we have the opportuni-
ty to train rabbis who
reflect the real demo-
graphics of the Jewish
community: rabbis who
are married and single,
heterosexual and gay or
lesbian, women and
men, traditional and sec-
ular/humanist.
The effect of this di-
versity of leadership, I
believe, may be a chance
for us to re-examine our
leadership role in the
community. Dr. Byron
Sherwin, director of the
Doctor of Jewish Studies Pro-
Intercultural marriage will seen in the context of a vision for
gram at the Spertus Institute in provide a fresh opportunity for the world. When we begin with
Chicago, expressed this idea in us to explore the broadest mean- an interest in a vision for the
a recent seminar. Part of our job ing of Jewish civilization. The in- world and then find our place in
as rabbis is to make Judaism ac- creased presence of women, it, our work takes on a deeper
cessible, welcoming, vibrant and same-gender couples and non- meaning and significance. Even,
relevant to the Jewish commu- traditional families will also in the words of Wordsworth, the
nity — all of the Jewish com- cause us to be innovative and dy- little nameless, unremembered
munity, including those who namic in shaping new paths to acts of kindness and of love can
have been historically alienated Jewish identity. In short, the be seen in the context of this
or denied their rightful place rabbis of the 21st century must larger vision. How much the
among us.
be expert scholars and facilita- more so this should be for the re-
How will these changes affect tors of group process, in addition ligious and philosophical leaders
the role of the rabbi? Rabbis will to the traditional roles we have of the Jewish people, the rabbis.
continue to be experts in Ju- filled.
My hope for the rabbis of the
daism, meeting the ceremonial,
Successful rabbis of the 21st future: May that which is high-
educational and congregational century will be role models of tol- est and best and most loving
needs of their members, but I be- erance and diversity, reaching within us guide us to be the kind
lieve there will be increased at- across movement lines to open of moral, philosophical and eth-
tention to spiritual needs of Jewish dialogue with a commu- ical role models we each hope to
congregants and unaffiliated nity-wide agenda, transcending be. May we find the strength to
Jews.
parochial loyalties while main- oppose the forces of division and
A healthy Jewish spirituality taining the integrity of the many hatred and the courage to act
means that we cultivate and ex- voices of Judaism in our com- from a place of truth, justice and
perience moments of meaning, munity. This is no small task love. May we always remember
connection and transcendence and will require a kind of per- the deeper reasons we wanted to
wherein we fully experience sonal inner vision and strength, become rabbis. And, as it is writ-
what it means to be alive, and as well as courage to stand ten in Talmud Berachot: May
then we turn those experiences strong in the face of the histori- your vision be on a straight path
back out into the world through cal tendency toward division and before you and may you trust in
hostility in the movements.
Stacie Fine is community
generations past and those yet
All of this will necessitate to be.
development director for the
changes in how rabbis are
Society for Humanistic
By the way, have you met my
trained. We will still need to husband, the rebbetzin ?
Judaism .
Editor's Notebook
You're Paying Big
So Why Not Go
PHIL JACOBS EDITOR
When I kept an
It's not enough for any one of
eye on the school us to show up at a township or
board in a farm school board meeting on the
town called Snow back of a decision. It's also not
Hill (pop. 2,000), enough for us to show up late in
there was once the game and say because we
an issue of Mrs. pay taxes we're entitled to ....
Pruett's corn
We pay taxes, and some of us
dryer sitting on choose not to use the public-
property that the school systems available to us.
school board insisted belonged That's a decision we've made.
to the great county of Worces- Yet, if we're paying thousands
ter (pop. 19,500).
in taxes each year and we
The county voted to get its choose not to use the public-
land clear of the corn dryer. Old school component of those tax-
Mrs. Pruett wasn't at the meet- es, it is still our responsibility to
ing. The commissioners contin- know what is going on in the
ued with the next agenda item. board rooms and meetings, even
Mrs. Pruett got the message if it's boring or even if we don't
when guys started disassem- have the time.
bling the corn dryer eight weeks
Don't you think it's interest-
later.
ing that each one of us pay thou-
Then she complained, but s ands of dollars of our money
there was not much she could e ach year to our cities and town -
do about it.
hips, yet we don't know the
Several weeks ago, parents first thing about the people
of Bais Yaakov students showed making the decisions.
up at the Southfield School
For most of us, as long as the
Board. The parents, myself in- trash gets hauled and the snow
cluded, were there to question i s cleared, that's the sum total
the board's decision to stop the o f local government at work.
busing of our daughters on Not only that, but this is all we
Southfield buses to Bais c are about. Quick, name three
Yaakov, which is located in Oak city councilmen. Probably can't.
Park.
ut these people can influence
Due to cutbacks in available h ow much money you pay in
finances, Southfield Public t axes or how your money is
Schools was forced to make the u sed.
cutback not only to Bais Yaakov,
Imagine how the Southfield
but also to Brother Rice and s chool board felt when 20 Or-
Marian in Birmingham. In th odox Jews showed up to take
short, Southfield was cutting is sue with its policy change on
service to private schools outside th e Bais Yaakov bus. If I were
its borders. Officials explained o n that board, I would have
to the roughly 20 parents in at- b een asking myself quietly,
tendance that the policy of bus- `Where have you guys been on
ing outside of its borders was a menu of other issues?" I think
pretty much exclusive to South- they would have been right to
field. Ostensibly, because of fis- think that.
cal restraints that are choking
My suggestion: Let's not be
school districts all over the coun- s trangers at these public meet-
try, teachers and staff had been in gs. First, what a great labo-
laid off and programs cut back. r atory for our children to see
For Southfield, the numbers w hat government and taxes do.
included over 150 teachers and Go vernment is not about lawn
staff in the past handful of years si gns every four years. It's about
and severance of programs such d ebate, about votes, rules of or-
as elementary instrumental mu- d er, people using methods of
sic. po ssibility thinking and, hope-
All of this, however, we fu lly, accountability. I'm not
learned while attending the sa ying go to a meeting once a
school board meeting that one week or even once a month. But
Tuesday in August. For the go
most part, the parents who
It's an opportunity to partic-
spoke to the school board were ip ate as citizens.
thankful for all that Southfield
Participate a little bit. Learn
had provided in years past. A who represents you. Introduce
couple of parents were angry, th ese leaders to your children.
one even couching his concern
Then go back again.
in us-vs.-them terms.
Take issue in the debate.
There is no us vs. them, how-
You'll see. It feels good to
ever. The overwhelming major- kn ow what's really going on.
ity of Bais Yaakov parents in
And for our local politicians,
attendance came away under- be they in Southfield or West
standing that. What I hope we Bl oomfield, to recognize you in
all learned could be a lesson for th e audience is powerful. That
Jews, whether they live in al one can make them work
Southfield, Oak Park, West har der, especially if they know:
Bloomfield or anywhere else.
You'll be back again. ❑