Danielle Kuffler
with some of her
students.
Discovering Spirituality
Young adults figure out what - Judaism means to them
and how to fit it into their lives.
LYNNE MEREDITH COHN
Scene Editor
IV
hat are spirituality,
Judaism and God?
Those are big ques-
tions with long, pro-
found answers. And for twenty- and
thirty-somethings who are trying to
build a career, find love and succeed at
this thing called life, spirituality and
religion throw a curve ball into the
mix.
Detroit's Jewish young adults range
from secularly involved to religiously
observant and everything in-between.
They donate money to Jewish causes,
join Teva for environmentally spiritual
connection, daven on Shabbat and gath-
er with friends for holiday meals.
Quite often, Jewish young adults
search and question before they figure
out what makes sense. The answers are
different for each person but always
bring a sense of relief and belonging.
Wendy Starman •
After visiting Reconstructionist, Conser-
vative, Reform synagogues, churches
and Jews for Jesus, Wendy, 33, found
solace and inspiration in Temple Shir
Shalom's founding rabbi, Dannel
Schwartz.
"He's been a profound inspiration
that has really opened my eyes and my
heart to asking myself new questions
about my spirituality" says the freelance
TV producer who lives in Keego Har-
bor. "He uses his spirituality to include
others and embrace all spiritualities, and
to me that's critical. If you're excluding
people by observing your religion, that's
the antithesis of spirituality."
For Wendy, It's not enough to be
raised in a religion and practice it
because you were raised in it. To me,
you practice a religion and experience
your spirituality by believing something
and holding it close to your heart.
"I came to a point where I realized,
while my ancestry and heritage is
beautiful, I had not at the deepest
level really explored my own feelings
about it.
"There came a point where I felt that
in order to really practice it and to feel
the most connected to the world and
other people and God, I need to know
what I believe and why."
The University of Michigan and
Northwestern University graduate
"wants to pursue my Judaism in a com-
pletely different way than I ever have,
and the only way I can pursue it and be
true to my heart is reach out to people
in other religions." She was particularly
inspired by a service involving Trinity
Missionary Baptist Church in Pontiac
and Shir Shalom.
"Differences in faith should make
you feel even stronger about your own,
and sharing your faith with others can
bridge those differences," says Wendy.
What does spirituality mean to you?
"Everything that I think is spiritual is
a belief in God that you apply to life
and to yourself"
What does God mean to you?
"God means a power of goodness
that's biKer than mankind."
What does Judaism mean to you?
"Judaism is a connection through
birth and belief to God."
How does it fit into your life?
It's a struggle for me. A struggle
because spirituality means everything to
me, and I'm struggling with how to
place something that's so important into
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