Rabbinic Resolution
Local rabbis share their hopes and aspirations for
their congregations and the Jewish community.
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER
T
hey are not looking to shed
a bunch of weight or stop
smoking. In fact, they aren't
really interested in anything
for themselves.
Instead, some area rabbis are
making New Year's resolutions
for their congregants and the com-
munity.
Although the holiday marked
on the Gregorian calendar on Jan.
1 is secular in nature, some rab-
bis see it as a chance to emphasize
new beginnings to accomplish
within the next 12 months.
"Any opportunity to better our-
selves is an opportunity we should
take," said Rabbi Amy Brodsky, a
part-time rabbi at Temple Kol
Ami and community liaison with
the Ecumenical Institute.
And she is a prime example. As
a communal worker for the insti-
tute, she spends her days helping
people of other faiths to under-
Rabbi Amy Brodsky: Hopes for greater
understanding.
stand Judaism and the Jewish
people. She would like Jews to
take just as much interest in
learning about the religious cus-
toms and practices of their gentile
neighbors.
"I would love to see the Jewish
community become more involved
in interfaith issues, to see [its
members] actually being involved
in dialogue and going to programs
to learn more," she said.
As an educator at Kol Ami in
charge of b'nai mitzvah candi-
dates, Rabbi Brodsky also would
like to see adults step up to the
challenge of furthering their Jew-
ish education.
"I would love to see the Jewish
community become more in-
volved."
One who shares her hopes for
education is Rabbi Elliot Pachter
of Congregation B'nai Moshe. His
resolution for his congregants is
that learning will lead to a greater
end.
"My wish is that my congre-
gants will discover in the study
and practice of Judaism a sense
of peace," he said.
Rabbi Daniel Syme of Temple
Beth El is not only making a res-
olution; he is embarking on a cam-
paign for his congregants. In the
new year, he is asking congre-
gants to acquire basic Jewish rit-
ual objects.
To make it easy for congre-
gants, he has given each of the
first few months a designated rit-
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This resolution is not made
lightly, he said, considering the
fact that as rabbi he will have to
take a more active role in solicit-
ing donations, a job he does not
relish.
"To say it is painful is an un-
derstatement. A root canal would
be more pleasurable," he said.
While some rabbis are making
their hopes and wishes known for
the new year, Rabbi Arnie Sleutel-
berg of Congregation Shit- Tikvah
didn't indulge. "The secular new
year is so frivolous. It is just a par-
ty," he said. "It is not our new
year."
Instead, he prefers to focus on
Rosh Hashanah as a time for re-
flection.
"I use our new year as a time
for introspection and serious
thought about the year ahead," he
said.
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pand and renovate its existing
building, the congregation is more
than halfway to its fund-raising
goal. "My resolution for my con-
gregants is that together we will
do the unthinkable, the absolute
unthinkable," he said. "I want us
to have 100-percent participation
in the rebuilding and refurbish-
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But the acquisition is not sim-
ply for materials' sake. He wants
the congregants to make use of the
items and eventually attach feel-
ings and memories to the objects.
Rabbi David Nelson of Con-
gregation Beth Shalom is looking
for more practical goals for his con-
gregants in the new year. In the
midst of a capital campaign to ex-
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