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Area Reform synagogues
offer Taste of Judaism class as outreach
to Jews as well as gentiles.

JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR
Special to the Jewish News

C arol Cooper is offering a
morsel of something many
in the area find satisfying.
Cooper is the local
organizer of the national program,
Taste of Judaism: Are You Curious?,
sponsored by the Union of Ar •erican
Hebrew Congregations' William and
Louie Daniel Commission on Reform
Jewish Outreach.
The class, broken into three ses-
sions, will take place in each of the
Detroit area's seven Reform congrega-
tions in May and June.
The class allows participants to
explore what may confuse or intrigue
them about Judaism and to discuss
the relevance and response of Jewish
tradition to modern lifestyles, said
Cooper, of West Bloomfield.
Enrollment is open to unaffiliated
Jews as well as gentiles.
Taste of Judaism began seven years
ago,
b when it was seen as a "barrier-
free" way of attracting interfaith cou-
ples to more active Jewish practice,
said Kathryn Kahn, associate director
of outreach for UAHC.
Unlike a 16-week Introduction to
Judaism course, there is no home-
work, no final exam, no hefty fee,
Kahn said. In fact, the S75 fee per
participant is absorbed by UAHC.
"In Taste of Judaism: Are You
Curious? we are not asking if you are
ready to sign on the dotted line, are
you ready to join a synagogue, Kahn
said. "We just want to know if you
are curious about Judaism and want
to know a little bit more."
So far, the classes have been attended
by 33,000 individuals in 45 stares —
including Hawaii and Alaska. In

Michigan, classes were held in Ann
Arbor last year. Although attendance
statistics vary with location, about half
of those who attend are Jewish by birth
or conversion. In the Detroit area, the
class is seen, in part, as a way to draw
the unaffiliated to a congregation.
According to the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit's 1989 study
of the local Jewish community,
approximately 20 25 percent of Jews
in the area are not affiliated with a
congregation.
But the reasons people attend Taste
of Judaism are varied, Cooper said.
"The classes are open to everyone
interested in learning more about
Judaism, Jewish or not. Some partici-
pants were born Jewish, but for some
reason, moved away from Judaism
and would like to get reconnected to
Judaism, or they just want to learn
about their Jewish roots. Some prac-
tice other religions but are curious
about Judaism," she said.
"Some participants are involved in
an interfaith relationship or are chil-
dren of interfaith relationships who
want to learn more. Some are not
Jewish but have Jewish business con-
tacts or have grandchildren who are
Jewish; and still others have said they
have always been drawn to Judaism
and are considering conversion."

-

Effective Class

Subjects for the two-hour classes
include spirituality, values and using
text study and discussion, said Rabbi
Joseph Klein of Temple Emanu-El in
Oak Park. Rabbi Klein, who began
his three-week class May 10, original-
ly taught the program at his previous
post in Chattanooga, Tenn.
There, he saw classes of 40-45 peo-

g

Rabbi Joseph Klein
of Temple Emanu-El
is one of the instructors.

ple, about a quarter of whom were
Jewish.
"I don't know if it was the syna-
gogue, if it was me or if it was
Chattanooga, but there was an
incredible turnout," he said.
Most were church-going Christian
people interested in the roots of the
religion. Another three or four were
people interested in converting; three
went on to complete conversion.
Of the Jews, many were intermar-
ried but a few were just interested in
what the rabbi had to teach. Two
families affiliated following the class.
"We didn't deal with show-and-tell
or how-to. I didn't bring our a shofar
to blow," he said. "It was an introduc-
.tion about the foundations of what
Judaism means through my eyes."
Because of the class, Rabbi Klein
was invited to be a scholar-in-resi-
dence at an Episcopal church for five
weeks. There, he taught Torah to the
membership.
His own congregants begged him
to teach a variation of the Taste of
Judaism class to them, even though it
is geared toward unaffiliated Jews. He
borrowed part of the curriculum and
created the class for his membership.
The results of the brief class have
been remarkable, Cooper said. Of
those who have taken the class so far,
about one-third have gone on to
enroll in a full-fledged Introduction
to Judaism class; another 13 percent
have gone on to convert. About one-
fifth of the Jews attending the classes
have joined a synagogue or temple.
For Rabbi Klein, the thrill of the
class comes from teaching the founda-
tion of Judaism to people who were
hungry to hear the information.
"I really look forward to doing it
again," he said. El

Taste Of
Judaism
classes

To sign up, contact Carol
Cooper at (248) 851-5541.
There is no charge.

Temple Israel
Thursday evenings
May 24, 31 & June 7
June 7, 14, 21
7:30-9:30 p.m.

Temple Kol Ami
Monday evenings
June 4, 11, 18
7-9 p.m.

Temple Beth Emeth
Monday evenings
May 21, June 4
7:30-9:30 p.m.

Temple Beth El
Tuesday evenings
June 5, 12, 19
7:30-9:30 p.m.

Temple Emanu-El
Thursday evenings
May 24

or June 7, 14, 21
7-9 p.m.

Congregation Shir Tikvah
Monday evenings
May 21
7:30-9:30 p.m.

5/18

2001

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