This Week

Thinking Outside The Box

Creative solutions are needed to propel Judaism into
the next generation, speaker tells AJE audience.

DIANA LIEBERMAN
StaffWriter

A

"I agree 100 percent about what he
said about the need to reform Judaism
to make the music and the practice
more compelling for the next genera-
tion," said Dorit Eidut of Huntington
Woods, a teacher in the AJE's
Opening the Doors special-education
program. Eidut said she will begin
studying for the rabbinate next year.
Another Opening the Doors teacher,
Debbie Stybel of West Bloomfield, said
Rabbi Freelander had provided many
things to think about changing for the
new millennium. "Because I've been in
the religious school, I've seen how the
students respond to someone like
(Jewish singer/composer) Debbie .
Friedman. Maybe this is the way we
need to go," Stybel said.

merican Jews are a stubborn
bunch, Rabbi Daniel H.
Freelander told a crowd of
about 150 educators at the
June 19 annual meeting of the Agency
for Jewish Education of Metropolitan
Detroit.
They find a way to teach their chil-
dren, govern their synagogues and sing
Arts Specialists
their prayers — and are reluctant to
Maintaining the arts past b'nai mitz-
change. Now the time has come for
vah age would help keep young people
new innovations to keep Judaism
involved with Jewish education, said
flourishing into the new century,
Allan Gale, who teaches at Temple
Rabbi Freelander said.
Israel as well as serving as assistant
"The future is very hard to sell in
director for government relations at
our community. But if we don't bring
the Jewish Community Council of
about a future that is different from the
Metropolitan Detroit.
past, we are doomed to failure," he said.
"We transmit culture very well —
Held at Temple Israel in West
song, art, theater, music — in the ear-
Rabbi Daniel Freelander, right, speaks at the AJE annual meeting with Arnold
Bloomfield the AJE annual meeting
lier grades. The kids love to sing; they
Weiner, B'nai ffrith Youth Organization senior executive regional director.
honored more than 100 Jewish sup-
love to cook. You have to build on it;
plementary school teachers who com-
you
don't just toss it out," he said.
Rabbi Freelander was national associate
going to synagogues for programs or
pleted the 1999-2000 NIRIM
Federation's
Alliance for Jewish
director of NFTY (North American
meetings, that's a very powerful teach-
Professional Enrichment Program for
Education
recently
received a grant
Federation of Temple Youth) and also
ing tool," he said. "Basically, our kids
Jewish Educators. Special education
from
the
DeRoy
Testamentary
served as regional director for the 58
imitate us."
teachers in both day and supplemen-
Foundation to establish just such a
synagogues in the UAHC's New
Financing for schools and syna-
tary schools also received recognition,
program. The two-year renewable
Jersey-West Hudson Council.
gogues is another area needing
and officers were elected for the AJE's
grant will supply up to $55,000 annu-
And,
for
more
than
20
years,
he
has
improvement in most communities,
2000-2001 year.
ally for specialists in art, music and
composed
and
performed
popular
Rabbi Freelander said.
As keynote speaker, Rabbi Freelander,
drama. They will work with pre-teens
Jewish melodies with his musical part-
Under the current system, based
national director of program for the
and teens at Jewish supplementary
ner, Cantor Jeffrey Klepper.
largely on dues, these institutions run
Union of American Hebrew
schools.
A proponent of continuous change
the risk of pricing themselves out of
Congregations, told his audience the
In addition, the Jewish Family
in the type of music used in syna-
the market. Instead, the rabbi recom-
synagogues they support and the schools
Education
Project, which gets under
gogues, Rabbi Freelander said the
mended that more synagogues aggres-
they serve are in need of renewal.
way
in
September,
will place Jewish
Jewish worship service has always
sively seek endowments. That will
He challenged them to think out-
family
educators
in
synagogues to cre-
sounded and looked like the culture
make possible paying professional
side the box, to transform Jewish insti-
ate
unique
projects
for
families with
that surrounded it, "but 50 years later."
salaries and improving services while
tutions in the 21st century as did com-
young
children.
A
partnership
The prayer melodies we have today
keeping or even increasing member-
munity leaders in the 20th century.
between the Alliance and synagogues,
were
largely innovations of the Young
ship. Detroit institutions are among
"The Agency for Jewish Education
major funding for the project comes
Israel movement at the turn of the
the leaders in seeking and obtaining
is a Jewish institution that has success-
from the Madeleine and Mandell L.
century, he said. Before that, each Jew
endowments, he said.
fully transformed itself," Rabbi
Berman Family Life Fund.
davened (prayed) separately.
Freelander said. "If it was doing the
AJE President James Jonas said
The tradition of mixed choral
same things as it did in 1950, we
Detroit's
Jewish educators and lay vol-
singing in Reform Jewish congrega-
Targeting Music
wouldn't be here tonight."
unteers
are
committed to re-examin-
tions gained its strength at the start of
In two decades with the UAHC,
Instead of running its own school,
ing
all
their
goals and methods. "Let
the century as well.
which represents 902 Reform congre-
the AJE now provides services to syna-
us
ask
ourselves
what we have or what
"We assume the melodies that
gations, Rabbi Freelander has taken
gogue and day schools. Programs are
we
can
do
to
make
a place where peo-
motivated us 50, 60 or 70 years ago
leadership roles in every aspect of syn-
expanding in every direction, to
ple
truly
want
to
be,"
he said.
will motivate our children and grand-
agogue life. In addition to his UAHC
include toddlers and adults, special-
"The
old
models
are
less and less
children in the next generation," he
work, he is also director of the Reform
needs students, parents and teachers,
attractive,
relevant
and
satisfying,"
said. "That is an example of extreme
movement's Joint Commission on
both in formal and informal situations.
Jonas said, adding that the AJE cannot
hubris."
Synagogue
Music
and
Religious
Rabbi Freelander emphasized the
be complacent. "Good enough is not
Audience
members
were
receptive
Living.
importance of involving parents.
good enough." ❑
to Rabbi Freelander's message.
During his tenure with the UAHC,
"If kids see their parents studying,

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