metro
MAKIN'
MEMOPIE5!
scholar-In-Residence
JTS' Chancellor Eisen brings passion
for Conservative Judaism to town.
Barbara Lewis
Contributing Writer
PJ LIBRARY, PIZZA
& PASSOVER
The Barbara and Douglas Bloom
A
mold Eisen is not a rabbi,
but he's passionate about
Torah Judaism, which seems
only appropriate for the chancellor of
the Conservative movement's Jewish
Theological Seminary (JTS).
"I can't imagine life without it and can't
imagine living with Torah in any other
way than having the totally free, honest,
open passionate discussion about Torah
that seems distinc-
tive to Conservative
Judaism:' he said.
Eisen will bring
some of that passion to
Detroit March 28-29 as
scholar-in-residence at
1
Congregation Shaarey
Arnold Eisen Zedek in Southfield. He
will speak at a dinner
open to the community on Friday, March
28, on "Conservative Judaism, Today and
Tomorrow:' following a musical "Thank
God It's Friday" service at 6 p.m.
At Saturday morning services, Eisen
will deliver a d'var Torah, and then
speak at a congregational lunch-and-
learn program on "Judaism in the APP
Generation:' He will discuss the new
priorities and new Jewish leaders required
by the massive and rapid changes in our
society and our community There is no
charge, but reservations are requested.
WEDNESDAY
April 2
il
6-7:30 pmj
Matzah Factory
Jewish Community Center
D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum
Jewish Community Campus
6600 W. Maple Road
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
RESERVATION?"
REQUIRED
by March 28 at
jewishdetroit.org/
pjmatzah
130 1:4
There is no charge for the Matzah Factory
event, which has been graciously sponsored
by Barbara and Doug/as Bloom.
AAP te iktly
JEWISH BEDTIME &roams & Sou.
IN METROPOLITAN DETROIT
For more information contact
Gail Greenberg at greenberg@jfmd.org
E■■ 111
THE CENTER
MEW
Sara & Morris Tugman
Bais Chabad
Torah Center
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ishederator
OF METROP OLITAN DETROIT
Alliance for Jewish Education
eleganza
boutique
www.shopeleganzaboutique.com
6393 Orchard Lake Rd • Inside Orchard Mall
West Bloomfield • (248) 737-2666
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March 20 • 2014
Making Changes
Eisen was appointed chancellor of the
Jewish Theological Seminary in 2006.
Since taking office, he has expanded
the digitization and online accessibil-
ity of JTS resources. He also launched a
website — www.learn.jtsa.edu — that
provides Torah commentaries, lec-
tures, classes and podcasts for students,
scholars and the general public. He also
discusses Judaism, Jewish education,
philosophy and values in his blog, On My
Mind, Arnie Eisen.
Eisen introduced dual-track degrees
for rabbis and cantors, and new pro-
grams to train educators. He directed
the development and accreditation of
the interreligious Center for Pastoral
Education and the Milstein Center for
Interreligious Dialogue. And, just a few
weeks ago, JTS announced a new mas-
ter's degree program in Jewish ethics.
He also started a project called
Reframe to transform Jewish education.
The program's goal is to take the most
successful educational aspects of Camp
Ramah and reframe them for congrega-
tional schools. Detroit's Shaarey Zedek is
one of five congregations nationally that is
piloting the program starting next fall.
Eisen said he's always happy to come
to Detroit because this community has
always been such a strong supporter of
JTS. The first call he made after becoming
chancellor-elect was to the late William
Davidson, a longtime JTS supporter
who established the seminary's William
Davidson Graduate School of Jewish
Education more than 10 years ago.
His first speaking engagement as chan-
cellor was at Detroit's annual JTS dinner.
"A man came up to me and said, 'The most
important thing you can do for rabbis is to
teach them how to read a budget!"'
He took that advice to heart and imple-
mented a component to train student rab-
bis and cantors in practical skills, includ-
ing contract negotiation and budgeting as
part of leadership development.
There are 41 JTS degreed alumni,
including teachers, living and working in
Michigan. Eleven more have completed
non-degree programs at the Davidson
School.
"I wish there were more communities as
active and committed as Detroit:' he said.
Eisen said he didn't need the recent Pew
Research Center report to know the num-
ber of Americans who identify as non-
Orthodox Jews is declining. But he's not
sounding a death knell for Conservative
Judaism.
"Conservative Jews are just beginning
to create a more effective structure to
respond appropriately to what ails us and
take maximum advantage of the many
things we do exceedingly well: Ramah
camps, day schools, revitalized syna-
gogues, adult learning; he said.
"If I had to chart a future for Jewish life
in North American, and guess what path
is most likely to secure that future, I would
put my money on a model of Judaism
that sees the world through an egalitar-
ian lens, accepts the best that modernity
has to offer, appreciates science and the
arts, respects other faith communities and
other Jews, and understands that, while
good fences make for good neighbors, it
relies for its survival upon low walls and
high regard for others:' he said.
"We don't need to change what we stand
for. We need to do a better job of giving
what we stand for to a whole new set of
people. There are so many
opportunities!"
❑
Charges for the Friday night dinner are $25
for adults, $5 for children. For reservations,
contact Tobye Bello at (248) 357-5544 or
tbello@shaareyzedek.org.