A Spiritual Renewal

Remaking The S1111 1111

N

EW EFFORTS ARE UNDER WAY TO RE-ESTABLISH THE SYNAGOGUE AS THE CENTER FOR JEWISH UNITY.

IN SOME CASES, THE EFFORTS CROSS DENOMINATIONAL LINES, IN OTHERS THEY FOCUS ON

STRENGTHENING THE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND IN OTHERS THEY LOOK AT WAYS TO

MAKE THE LEARNING COMPONENT OF THE SHUL MORE MEMORABLE. SOME ARGUE FOR REINVENTION OF

THE SYNAGOGUE, OTHERS FOR SIMPLY IMPROVING THE INSTITUTION.

IN ALL CASES, HOWEVER, THE EFFORT SEEKS TO REAFFIRM THE ROLE OF THE SYNAGOGUE AS BET TEFILA,

BET MIDRASH, BET KIVESSET, THE HOUSE OF PRAYER, THE HOUSE OF STUDY, THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

THE REPORTS IN "REMAKING THE SHUL" EXAMINE THE STATUS OF THE SYNAGOGUE IN 21ST-CENTURY

AMERICA AND EXPLORE SOME OF THE CREATIVE IDEAS FOR MAKING IT BETTER.

— Jonathan Friendly, national editor

JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic agency

New York

ongregation Agudath
Israel in Caldwell,
N.J., is definitely not
your parents' syna-
gogue. Twice a month, more
than 100 members gather to
talk about their "spiritual
journey." They break off into
groups of 25 people, gather in
members' homes and discuss
things like family peace and
caring for the ill, using Jewish
texts and their personal lives
as springboards.
Derided as too touchy-feely
for some tastes, programs like
"spiritual journey" are promot-
ed by their advocates as a way
to keep Jews interested and
active in their synagogues.
"It ties members to the syn-
agogue when you have intense
experiences with a small

participatory, to devel-
synagogues have
efforts —
group of congregation
op healthy lay-clergy
done wrong,"
Synagogue 2000
members," says Amy
partnerships, to focus
says
Rabbi
and the
Lipsey, 40, a self-
on the education needs
Sidney
Schwarz,
Experiment in
described "seeker" who
of adults and not just
founding
leader
Congregational
says the group inspired
children, and to take
of
a
suburban
Education
—
her to pursue a mas-
on serious spiritual
Washington
have guided a
ter's degree at Hebrew
issues like the nature
congregation
number of con-
Union College-Jewish
Charles
Rabbi Sidney gregations hun-
of God and purpose of
and author of a Michael
Institute of Religion.
Steinhardt
Sch ust erman new book call-
life. (Please see Special
gry for transfor-
Agudath Israel's "spir- Schwa rz
Commentary,
page 74)
ing
for
synagogue
change.
mation, and both are expand-
itual journey" group is one of
Also
toward
this goal, a tri-
"Jews
are
fueling
it
because
ing their reach.
several innovations growing
umvirate
of
mega-philanthro-
they're
looking
for
spirituality
Change
is
necessary,
say
the
out of this Conservative syna-
pists — Charles Schusterman,
that exists within Judaism but
Synagogue 2000 and ECE
gogue's transformation project.
Michael Steinhardt and Edgar
has been successfully masked."
proponents, because too many
The congregation was one of
Bronfman — have pledged to
In most congregations,
synagogues remain stuck in
the first to participate in an
spend $18 million over the
writes Rabbi Schwarz, liturgy
old patterns that do not res-
effort called Synagogue 2000.
next five years through an
is not accessible or engaging
onate with contemporary
Scores of congregations have
organization
called
and
most
members
are
only
American Jews. While earlier
launched similar efforts.
Synagogue
Transformation
marginally
involved,
joining
generations
joined
synagogues
With many Jewish leaders
and Renewal (STAR) this
simply so their children can
as "ethnic hangouts," they say
criticizing synagogues for
winter. A major part of its
attend Hebrew school and
younger Jews are often on
being uninspiring, synagogue
program is challenge grants
have a bar or bat mitzvah.
spiritual quests that could be
transformation is becoming
for transdenominational
Like Synagogue 2000 and
answered — but usually aren't
something of a buzzword in
projects and training con-
ECE proponents, Rabbi
— in a synagogue.
American Jewish life.
sultants
to assist in changing
Schwarz
calls
for
synagogues
"American Buddhism is
In the past decade, two
synagogue
procedures.
to
make
their
services
more
flourishing because of what
national synagogue-change