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Relearning Ritual

Temple Israel's Jewish personal trainers
go to members' houses to teach about observance.

LYNNE MEREDITH COHN
Staff Writer

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lt was just a little, innocuous
analogy, intended to make a
major point.
Rabbi Harold Loss, in a
'Yom Kippur sermon at Temple Israel
in 1993, noted how many Jews pay
close attention to improving their
physical stature via personal trainers,
but don't pay equal attention to
developing their spiritual selves. Too
bad there were no Jewish personal
trainers to help us along, he intoned.
Great idea, said Jay and Paula
Korelitz, active temple members.
This fall kicked off a new program
at Temple Israel — Jewish personal
trainers, members who are trained to
help other members learn about
observing Jewish rituals.
There are 20 personal trainer vol-
unteers says Kari Provizer, director of

the temple's Family Life Center. They
more observant communities, but less
help with things like "learning bless-
excited about Judaism. Sam was
ings, Creating a Jewish library, build-
raised Orthodox,. but turned off to -
ing a sukkah."
what he saw as a cold religion. Randi
There is no cost to temple mem-
grew up in a Conservative home, but
bers. They simply call Provizer, speak
"we were holiday Jews," she says.
with her for a few minutes about
"I'm more observant today."
who they are and what they're look-
The Simkos are personal trainers
ing for, and she matches them with
who love to teach about Shabbat.
the personal trainer closest
"The committee comes from
to their age and situation.
all different backgrounds,"
Paula an d Jay
To accompany Shabbat
Randi explains. For exampl
Korelitz p ose in
instruction, Temple Israel
Sam learns Torah at Temple
their sukk ah.
recently produced a 30-page
Israel every Sunday. He and a
manual that explains and
few other men lay tefillin
teaches the rituals and reasons for
before davening.
Shabbat, from sundown Friday
The personal trainers present "a c
through Havdalah. A member may
non-threatening way to enhance peo-
only ask to learn how to do the bless-
ple's lives with Judaism. This is about
ings over candlelighting and
approaching your religion, have it in
Kiddush, but the trainers will leave a
your home, not be afraid of it. Most
booklet in their home for future ref-
people don't know it's OK to ask,"
erence.
Randi Simko says.
Randi and Sam Simko grew up in
Ida Nathan, a personal trainer who