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The Charlotte Jewish News - November 2005 - Page 25 Temple Beth El Sends Seven Participants to the Union for Reform Judaism Biennial Convention in Houston To Do What’s Just and Right: a powerful command that echoes through many aspects of our lives. How do we care for the poor, the aging and the needy in our midst? What personnel policies are appropriate for our synagogue staff? How do we introduce the concepts of mitzvah and tzedakah to our children? And how does our Judaism inform our daily lives, whether at home, at work, or in our interactions with our neigh bors and friends? “To Do What’s Just and Right: God’s Challenge to Reform Jews” is the theme of the 68th General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, a time when thousands of Reform Jews will, together, try to answer God’s call. This November, some 5,000 Reform Jews will gather to answer God’s challenge. The Union for Reform Judaism Biennial is that once-every-two-year time to become totally immersed in our Judaism and our Jewish communi ty. Away from the everyday, time is taken to explore synagogue life and gather new ideas; study with scholars and celebrate with friends; learn from the pros and each other; and sing and schmooze. The Biennial Convention has a wealth of speakers who were invited to inform and inspire par ticipants. Speakers include Madeline Albright, former secre tary of state; Barry Scheck, founder of the Innocence Project; Ruth Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service; and Rabbi Eugene Borowitz, Temple Beth El HUC-JIR professor. Seven representatives from Temple Beth El are attending the Biennial: Rabbi Judy Schindler, Cantor Andrew Bernard, Executive Director Sara Schreibman, Interfaith ' and Outreach Coordinator Stephanie DiPaolo, Youth Coordinator Holly Gainsboro, President Fred Dumas and First Vice President Jonathan Howard. In addition to this large contin gency, three of Temple Beth El’s staff are serving leadership roles at the convention, as they were asked to present and lead with their voices, prayers and wisdom. Cantor Bernard is conducting the choir which will perform during the Shabbat morning worship and the Saturday evening program. Rabbi Schindler is leading the Friday morning worship service. Rabbi Schindler and Stephanie DiPaolo are serving on the speak er panel of a session entitled Interfaith Families: Beyond the Welcome. They will be sharing our successes as a congregation and plan to include the Ladders of Learning program, the interaction with the Merkin Institute, the Conversion Program and the recent play, Through the Water by Stan Merkin, in their discussions. Rabbi Schindler says that she has been to the Biennial more times than she can count. She describes the convention as an awe-inspiring event, especially the Shabbat services and says that she is especially excited about Cantor Bernard leading the choir for the 5,000 attendees. She also looks forward to the address by the President of the Reform Movement, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, saying “He will share his vision for the movement for the next few years. In the past. Presidents have laid out visions for education, for reaching out to interfaith families, and for issues of war and peace on an international level. These days, the President’s vision also comes with clear pragmatic implementa tion, with resources available to bring this vision back to our com munity. During the convention, there are dozens and dozens of programs that give us ideas and help us reflect so that we can lift our work as a congregation to a higher level. Each of the Temple Beth El participants will attend different sessions in order to bring back varied ideas and best prac tices.” Norm Levin has attended the Biennial three times. He said, “ When I attended the Biennial and arrived at the Friday evening serv ice, I walked into the room for the first time and there were 4,000 Jews all doing the same thing - praying together. It was an over whelming moment, and the begin ning of an awesome experience. When I was there as our Temple President, it was amazing to talk with other Presidents about having the same highs and lows, the same happiness and sadness, and the same problems and accomplish ments. It was so rewarding to share experiences with other Jews in the same situations but in entirely different locations. The euphoria of the Biennial is conta gious, and I will never forget the experiences I had and the wisdom I gained by attending.” Rabbi Schindler’s December column will capture Rabbi Eric Yoffie’s vision from the Biennial and her reflections on how to implement this vision to bring our congregation to a higher level. All congregants are invited to attend future biennials. For more infor mation, go to www.urj.org/bienni- al. O Rabbi Steven Greenberg: Author, Scholar, First Gay Orthodox Rabbi Chavurah Keshet is Sponsoring the Alan Rosenberg Inclusion Shabbat Educational Weekend. Rabbi Steven Greenberg received his B.A. in Philosophy from Yeshiva University and his rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Since 1985 Rabbi Greenberg has served as a senior educator for CLAL, a think tank, leadership train ing institute and resource center. He has conducted hundreds of programs for communal lay and professional leaders of Jewish Federations, synagogues and phil anthropic institutions in over fifty cities in North America. In 1993, while still in the clos et, Rabbi Greenberg wrote a ground-breaking article entitled, “Gayness and God: Wrestlings of a Gay Orthodox Rabbi,” published in Tikkun Magazine. In response to this arti cle, Greenberg received many sup portive letters from Orthodox and non- Orthodox Jews, ga>^ lesbian and straight. In 1996, Rabbi Greenberg was recognized as a master educator and was awarded a prestigious Jerusalem Fellowship which pro vided him two years in Jerusalem to study and to research the bibli cal and rabbinic attitudes towards sexuality. 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The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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