erican

The Sind
That Could

synagogues are

Manhattan

synagogue is

trying to change

a model for

to satisfy a new

renewal, but

can it be

hunger for

replicated?

JULIE WIENER

spirituality.

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Staff photo by Krista Husa

Therapy Process
Rabbi Danny
tion processes
school classes,
Hope Shepherd,
Zemel, whose
do spawn proj-
and a cadre of
Transformation and
Marlene Zeitlin
Washington
ects and initia-
members is
renewal can be difficult
and her daughter,
congregation
tives, like
being trained to
concepts to get your
Caryn, make
was among
Agudath Israel's
teach in the
hands around.
Shabbat candle-
Synagogue
spiritual journey
Hebrew school.
Proponents say it can
holders at
2000's
first
group.
The
Reform
create trusting atmos-
Congegation
cohorts,
Rabbi
Zemel's
congregation,
pheres and spur long-
B'nai Moshe in
Edgar
Rabbi Larry Temple Micah
described the
which a board
term discussions that
West Bloomfield.
Bronfman
Hoffman
process as "the
now invites
member, Jane
might not have other-
most energizing, enlivening
congregants observing a
Saginaw, says
wise occurred. Skeptics won-
process I've ever been involved
loved one's yahrzeit to give a
was once "lovely, but staid" is
der if those who are attempt-
in as a rabbi."
short memorial speech before
now constantly experimenting
ing institutional change are
He said he frequently gets
the synagogue includes that
with new services and pro-
simply holding a lot of meet-
calls from other temples want-
person in the Kaddish prayer.
grams, such as a twice-monthly
ings to decide on common-
ing to know "what's changed"
Temple Beth Am in Los
Friday night family service that
sense practices.
as a result of the process, but
Altos Hills, Calif, which was
uses a congregant-created
Rabbi Larry Hoffman, who
"it's not like that."
involved in the ECE project,
prayer book and consists pri-
founded Synagogue 2000 in
"It's about studying, it's a
made such changes as offering
marily of singing.
1996 with Los Angeles-based
process and things happen, or
a family Shabbat school and
University of Judaism profes-
might even change but it's not
hiring a full-time staff person
sor Dr. Ronald Wolfson, fre-
Added Intensity
like
dominos,
one
thing
falling
to coordinate adult education.
quently compares the whole
after
the
next.
It's
because
the
At
Temple
Emanu-El,
an
Synagogue 2000 centers its
process to therapy in that
congregation's
involved
in
a
ECE
congregation
in
Dallas,
work
around "PISGAH," an
"you discover how to live so
process, all of a sudden it occurs
members teach — and learn in
acronym that is not only the
life has purpose and meaning,
to you to do certain things."
— a range of adult-level classes
Hebrew word for "heights,"
then you filter all that you do
Nonetheless, the transforma-
that coincide with Sunday
REMAKING on page 60
through a lens of purpose."

New York

t's a Friday evening in
the middle of summer
and casually attired wor-
shipers — many of them
young singles — are lining
up on Manhattan's West
88th Street to enter the
large Gothic-inspired edi-
fice that is B'nai Jeshurun.
Virtually every seat in
this large, recently restored
Moorish sanctuary is full

even before the rabbi
approaches the bimah, or

dais, leaving those who
arrive as the service begins

to settle for tattered sid-
durim (prayer books) and
the balcony.
Soon the brightly paint-
ed sanctuary is pulsating
with singing, the organ,
clapping. In the middle of
the song "Lecha Dodi,"

the atmosphere is akin to a
wedding reception, with
the rabbi and cantor sway-
ing and singing joyously
and strangers linking arms
to snake dance through the

aisles and onto the bimas.

When services are over,
it takes a good 15 minutes
MANHATTAN on page 62