Spirituality

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Eilu v' Eilu
Rosh Chodesh minyan is
joined by new Detroit-area rabbi.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff Writer

a

A reflective Rabbi Amy Bolton during a dis-
cussion session at Shaarey Zedek ffnai

Iftrnth Jewish women across America from
VIIF
iliatio n and obser-
vance joining
ning regular
levels of
Rosh
aff Chodesh services
and study groups, comes new publications
designed to enhance the holiday's spiritual,
intellectual and personal experiences:

Jewish women today, such as women rabbis,
feminism, modesty, independence of women
in Israel and issues involving the tights and
responsibilities of Jewish women.
Citing a parallel between the monthly
cycles of the moon and the rhythm of a
woman's fertility, the authors offer a month-
by-month curriculum of study for learning
about Judaism and the Jewish peo-
pie. They also incorporate a tool for

ccording to a Biblical midrash [parable], God gave the
women of Israel the holiday of Rosh Chodesh as a reward
for their refusal to be a part of the creation of the idola-
trous golden calf.
Moonbeams: A Iladassah Rosh Hodesh
For the past five years, the female participants in the Eilu v' Eilu
Guile by Leo ra Tmenbaum, Claudia Chernor
women's minyan program have shared the honor of observing the
and Hadassah ii-opper; edit-
holiday that marks the start of each month on the Jewish calendar.
ed by Carol 1)thiliei2t,
Rabbi Amy Bolton became the minyan's leader in August and her
Ph. D, (felvish Lights
first order of business was to rename the program from Eilu v' Eilu
Publishing, $20) was creat-
Rosh Hodesh Women's Learning Minyan to Kedushat HaHodesh, or
ed by members of the edu-
"Sanctifying the New Month."
cational leadership of
Citiodish. (. 4 t,/
,Q
The program is held once a month on Sunday mornings for
Hadassah: The Women's
4-
1 2
Zionist Organimtion of
women and post bat-mitzvah girls in the library of the Applebaum
Cs-
America.
Parenting Center at Congregation Shaarey Zedek B'nai Israel. It
Tine book addresses
includes prayer, text study and discussion following each service.
topics of relevance to
"The minute we found out about Rabbi Bolton coming to metro
Detroit, we contacted her to give her information on Eilu v' Eilu
and invite her to get involved in an ongoing way with our Rosh
Chodesh programming," says Nancy Kaplan, Eilu Eilu program
MRS 4:1,4'
In the past,
gbining
coordinator.
various women
"She asked me [leading] about the series," says Rabbi Bolton, a May 2000
in the community, all lay members of
graduate of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies of the University of Judaism
Conservative congregations, had led the min-
in Los Angeles, who works with various Jewish agencies here. "It sound ed per-
yan. A professional Jewish educator or lay vol-
fect for me. I am very interested in creating space for women in an ega l itarian
unteer would facilitate the study and discussion
setting — to express ourselves Jewishly in our uniquely feminine way."
following.
Since Rabbi Bolton has led many different kinds of services, Kaplan sees her
Rabbi Bolton conducted her first two sessions on topics that include femi-
capable of "introducing the group to many facets of tefilla [prayer] experience."
nine imagery in the Book of Eicha and contrasted classical and modern com-
She has a background in Reform Judaism, but attended both a Reform (one
mentaries on women of the Bible.
year at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion) and Conservative
"I am 100 percent committed to egalitarianism, with the inclusion of tradi-
(U of J) rabbinical school. She also spent time in Orthodox synagogues and
tional Judaism, focusing on what men and women can do with separate
classes.
spaces," Rabbi Bolton says.
"I bring wide experience with different kinds of davening [praying] and
singing," she says.

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