Partners In Education
B'nai Moshe and Shir Tikvah educators share resources and ideas.
JULIE WIENER STAFF WRITER
T
hree years ago, Rita
Abramson had just started
working as B'nai Moshe's
director of education and
was a little overwhelmed.
Abramson was starting up a
new program on a shoestring
budget with minimal staff, and
she yearned for the companion-
ship of a colleague. So she called
up someone she didn't know, but
who she had heard faced similar
challenges: Janet Moses, who
was implementing a new educa-
tion program at Congregation
Shir Tikvah.
It's a phone call she's glad she
made. After three years of shar-
ing ideas and launching joint pro-
grams, Abramson and Moses
have become close friends, grown
professionally and forged rela-
tionships among their congre-
gants and staff.
"It's wonderful to have some-
one to bounce ideas off," said
Moses, explaining that the two
meet once a month to discuss cur-
ricula, organizational issues and
even synagogue politics.
In addition to planning an an-
nual curricular theme which cul-
minates with an end-of-the-year
joint program, the two share les-
son 'plans and resource materials
and help each other develop in-
ternal programs. Last year they
got their teaching staff together
for a day-long retreat of brain-
storming and lesson planning.
"We work together on almost
everything," said Abramson.
"There isn't a piece ofthe job that
we don't bounce off each other."
Abramson and Moses say the
support of their rabbis — Elliott
Pachter at B'nai Moshe and
Arnie Sleutelberg at Shir Tikvah
— enhances the partnership.
'They're sideline cheerleaders,"
said Moses, adding that while the
rabbis don't always have time to
participate in planning, they of-
ten offer suggestions and always
play a role at joint events, which
include an Israel Fair this year
and a program at the zoo last
year.
"Sometimes Rabbi Pachter will
say, 'When you meet with Janet
Abramson and Moses have found
a lot of common ground. "Her
venue is Reform and mine is Con-
servative, but education is edu-
cation," said Abramson. "I
obviously teach more prayer than
she, but things like brachot
[blessings] and mitzvot [good
deeds] are the same."
Another commonality, says
Moses, is that both congregations
are relatively small and stress
family involvement in education.
At Shir Tikvah, parents attend
classes once a month with their
children, while B'nai Moshe has
next time, suggest such and
such,' " said Abramson.
The two synagogues seem —
at first glance — to be an odd
couple. B'nai Moshe is Conser-
vative and in very Jewish West
Bloomfield. Shir Tikvah is Re-
form and located in Troy,
far from the hub of Detroit
Yiddishkeit.
In addition, the congre-
gations have very different
histories. "People who come
to B'nai Moshe are from far y.
more traditional back-
grounds," said Abramson.
"Our congregation has a lot
of history in the reaping of
tradition."
In contrast, Shir Tikvah
— founded only 14 years
ago — is a young congrega-
tion looking to create new
traditions. Many of its
members are interfaith
families looking for a more
informal environment, one
which is non-threatening,
says Moses.
Despite the differences, Janet Moses and Rita Abramson: Bouncing ideas off each other.
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replaced its Sunday school with
a Shabbat school requiring par-
ent participation.
Both Abramson and Moses feel
there is far too much competition
between most synagogues in the
Detroit area and urge other syn-
agogues to follow their lead of co-
operation. In addition to making
their jobs easier, they say the re-
lationship helps build bridges
within the community.
"If nothing else, this is a way
of demonstrating to the commu-
nity that first and foremost we're
all Jews," said Moses. Cl
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