theOPTblog

May the door to this synagogue...

2012-01-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

May the door to this synagogue be wide enough
to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for fellowship.

May it welcome all who have cares to unburden,
thanks to express, hopes to nurture.

May the door of this synagogue be narrow enough
to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity.

May its threshold be no stumbling block
to young or straying feet.

May it be too high to admit complacency,
selfishness and harshness.

May this synagogue be, for all who enter,
the doorway to a richer and more meaningful life.

Mishkan T’Filah, p.124

In 2001, a little more than 10 years ago, we opened the new wing to our building and added much needed space. In the years since, we've grown in to it! Now there are times where groups have difficulty finding space anywhere in the building for their activities. Irritating, when that happens, but a great problem to have, nonetheless. Oak Park Temple is bursting with activity. We are not simply aspiring to be a vibrant Jewish community; we are a vibrant Jewish community.

2011 was an exciting year at Oak Park Temple. We have seen growing attendance at our worship activities onFriday evenings, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Our new worship initiatives have been well received: Shabbat Kehillah Services, with music by Tsimmis, on 2nd Fridays and Kabbalat Shabbats on 4th Fridays with Cantor Green accompanied by guitarist, Aaron Bernstein. On Sunday mornings, the Rotunda is abuzz with activity and people and our community hall has been full to over flowing for events including honoring James Crowder, the OPTY Spaghetti Dinner and Dessert Auction, as well as our recent Chanukah Menorah Lighting service.

This past year, as a community, we celebrated births, mourned deaths and illnesses, rejoiced in recoveries, and supported one another in public and private ways. Members of Ozerim provided support and solace to many. We welcomed newcomers and said farewell to others.

Tsimmis, Koleinu, Kolot, Zimrei Ha'am, Mameloshn, the High Holiday choir, Cantor Green,the congregation … the "halls" were alive with the sounds of music!

In 2011, in no particular order, Oak Park Temple found itself energized, informed and sustained by:

A wild Purim Party celebrating Cantor Julie Green’s Bat Mitzvah Year at OPT

We held a joyous Torah Restoration celebration

OPT’s Annual Congregational Retreat was held again at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Rabbi Weiss led a Congregational Tour of the Jewish Deep South

A delegation of eight of us went to the Union for Reform Judaism Biennial in Washington, D.C. where we heard the new President of URJ, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, present a vision for Reform Judaism going forward and we were addressed as a movement, for the first time in history, by the President of the United States

Jewish FAQ were answered by Rabbi Emeritus Gerson

We had regular Adult Education and study sessions with Rabbi Weiss

Ongoing Torah Study groups met weekly

Social Action activities occurred, providing support to those in need and disseminating important information to the community

We continued to deliver shelter, one night a week through the P.A.D.S. program

An Urban Garden was created and nurtured by our Green Chaverim

Sisterhood ran another successful Annual Rummage Sale that raised funds to assist in the many activities through which they support our congregation

Bagel Boys continued to provide sustenance for our bodies in the form of bagels and schmeers

The Annual Hausman Brunch informed us

We began planning for a renovation of our Harlem entrance, the doors desperately needing replacement

We approved projects for the maintenance of our building, particularly masonry and windows

We began planning future capital needs of our congregation

We began the work of preparing for our biennial Auction, to be held on February 4th that will benefit Oak Park Temple and the Glasser Preschool

We’ve begun planning for the 150th Anniversary of our congregation in 2014

We heard from notable speakers:

Jeremy Ben-Ami, Founder of J-Street

Rabbi Jonathan Greenberg, Midwest Director of AIPAC

Authors Alex Kotlowitz, Anita Diamant and our “own” David Sokol and David Ansell

Alex Ciselsky, a founder of Kibbutz Lotan and The Center for Creative Ecology

Debra Shore, a Commissioner on the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago who discussed threats to our precious water supply

Congregant Daniel Block addressed disparities in access to food in local urban settings

Rebetzen Emeritus Carol Gerson discussed fascinating challenges in Bioethics

We hosted Echad al Echad, 12 Israeli visitors from our sister congregation in Kiryat Tivon

Cantor Green led another congregational trip to Israel

We wrestled as a community with the difficult issues of achieving peace in the Middle East through the "Israel – Can We Talk About It?" series, with speakers from: AIPAC, the Israeli Consulate, J-Street

We played at an OPT Summer Shindig Picnic hosted by the Membership Committee

We held a Social Action Day

We hosted the regional NFTY Retreat

There were regular Chevre Hiddur Mitzvah Arts group activities

Mel’s Movie Matinees entertained and informed us with films relevant to Jewish life

We celebrated Shabbat outdoors with our Nature Shabbat
…

I'm sure that this list is incomplete. There is so much!

Prayer, study, music, social action and community... Reform Judaism is alive and well at Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion, but let's not be complacent. Together, let's maintain, support and enrich our Jewish community going forward.

L' shalom,

Jeff Blaine

History and Benefits

2011-11-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

Auction 2012: "Maxwell Street to the Gold Coast, Rags to Riches". Cutesy title, right? But what does it have to do with Oak Park Temple?

Our congregation's "first building was erected on Des Plaines Street between Madison and Washington streets..." That was only 1.3 miles from the Maxwell Street Market! You'd better believe that Maxwell Street was a big part of OUR history!

Beginning in the 1880s, "Russian" (i.e., Eastern European) Jews became the dominant ethnic group in the Maxwell Street neighborhood, which remained predominantly Jewish until the 1920s. This was the heyday of the open-air pushcart market for which the neighborhood is most famous. Given the timing of the decline of Jewish prominence in the area, it should come as no surprise that it was in 1918 that our congregation purchased the land for the Washington Boulevard Temple, 6.3 miles northwest of the market. Much further away. And, with the move to our current location in Oak Park, we're now 11 miles away.

Join us in a stroll back to the old neighborhood. And, while we're there, let's raise money for Oak Park Temple and the Glasser Preschool. Let's eat, drink and have fun in a way that would make the old neighborhood proud.

And, if the word "gribenes" doesn't make you think, "guilty pleasure" and "heartburn heaven," you haven't lived. You simply have to come to further your 'Jewish delicasies education!' (Gribenes is frequently mentioned in Jewish stories and parables. Gribenes = A favored food in the past among Ashkenazi Jews.)

SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012

OAK PARK TEMPLE & GLASSER PRESCHOOL SILENT AND LIVE AUCTION!!

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT!!

COME AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS!!

THIS IS GOING TO BE "THE" FUN RAISING/FUNDRAISING EVENT OF THE YEAR!!

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!

L'shalom,

Jeff Blaine

2011-10-31T19:43:00.000-07:00

"Hillel said: 'Separate not thyself from the community'..." Pirke Avot, 4:7

Back on Rosh Hashanah morning, I encouraged you to “be a part of what makes Oak Park Temple special. Add the secret ingredient, ‘you!’” In addition, I attempted to motivate you to join in the many wonderful programs offered by our congregation and to “make them yours.”

Many of you who are newish to our community, or even those who have been here for many years, may find joining in and making sense of how it all comes together confusing or intimidating. When we go to a new school, or begin a new job, it’s reasonable to expect an orientation of one sort or another. How else can we be expected to understand the inner workings? And, while we might be able to participate without too much effort, to lead and be an active member of any society requires an understanding of the “big picture.” Fortunately, Oak Park Temple has an exciting and effective program to help orient members and to create new leaders for our congregation. It’s called Derech Eretz (literally, “the way of the land”).

In 2009, an effort by a group of congregants, spearheaded by Monte Lewis, working with Rabbi Weiss, created a Leadership Development Program that is designed to ensure that there are well-informed volunteers to lead our congregation into the future.

Comments from prior Derech Eretz participants have included:

“Everyone should do this just to understand how OPT works.”

“Now I feel a part of things.”

“Some of the things that didn't make sense before, I now understand.

Derech Eretz is a series of workshops held on the third Thursday of each month over the six months beginning in January. Topics include the workings and history of our synagogue and the Reform Movement, being a Jewish leader, and skills of successful leaders. At the end of the series, the Derech Eretz committee will help connect participants with activities of interest within Oak Park Temple.

Everyone is welcome to participate in Derech Eretz. I encourage all congregants who are interested in becoming more actively involved to take this as their first step.

For more information, contact Anne Sperling or Sue Blaine.

At Rosh Hashanah, I said, “We all come to Oak Park Temple for different reasons. And, sometimes, we come for one reason and then find other reasons.” Perhaps you can find those other reasons here.

L’shalom,

Jeff Blaine

2011-09-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."

It probably should not have surprised me, but serving as President of Oak Park Temple has provided me with opportunities to learn - about Judaism, about our congregation, about all of you, about myself. Probably the most important thing that I've learned though, is that I didn't need to be President of the congregation to avail myself of the many opportunities to learn and grow that are here for ALL of us at Oak Park Temple.

Earlier this year, I began a regular practice of attending Pirke Avot study (Chapters of the Fathers) on Shabbat mornings with Rabbi Weiss and a small group of thoughtful, but sometimes irreverent, fellow congregants. We wrestle with the ethical and moral principles offered by our sages, and we do so in a manner that is thought-provoking and stimulating. Laughter is common. I have come to recognize that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Learning is often thought to be the province of the young. To be sure, Oak Park Temple has stellar programs for the young beginning with the Glasser Preschool program, the OPT Religious School with Gan for our kindergarteners, primary education leading to b'nai mitzvah preparation, Kabbalat Torah study and confirmation for our high schoolers. But, it does not end there. Our OPTY group offers our kids the opportunity to stay connected to Judaism in a fun, safe, and open environment, as well as doing the work of Tikkun Olam.

Showing up is the best way to begin and, once here, the ways to learn are extensive. Listen (I mean really listen) to a sermon, attend a workshop by Rabbi Weiss, Rabbi Gerson, or one of the many speakers brought to Oak Park Temple by our committees. Attend one of the Torah Study groups, Adult Hebrew, Torah cantilation class, the annual Hausman Brunch. Listen to the excellent speakers at our JUF and Israel Bond luncheons, or attend one of the monthly "Mel's Movie Matinees." Prefer a little peace and quiet? Curl up with one of our many good books in the library.

Read, and think about, the 'parsha' summary in Cantor Green's Weekly e-mails, check out the 'Book' section on our Temple website, attend worship services and, most importantly, be curious and ask questions.

Judaism has survived for thousands of years because we are a people that cherishes learning. Indeed we are commanded, in the V'ahavta from Deuteronomy to "teach our children..." We can't teach what we don't know. If we don't continue to learn throughout our lives, we cut ourselves off from the profound richness of our Jewish heritage.

Show up. Take a taste. Be nourished.

L'shalom,

Jeff Blaine

2011-08-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

"May you live in interesting times." Chinese proverb or curse. Sounds Jewish to me.

The world can feel like a chaotic place at times, or hadn't you noticed?

Torrential rains, flooding, oppressive heat, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes ... To quote Dr. Ray Stantz of the Ghostbusters, "What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff!"

And then there's Washington, D.C., the financial markets...sigh... and, of course, our own personal travails of all sorts - illnesses of loved ones, losses, the vulnerabilities and challenges we all face.

An ever present reality of the human condition is that we are often powerless over forces larger and stronger than we are. No one likes to be confronted with feelings of defenselessness and uncertainty.

Whatever anxieties we carry, about things real or imagined, there are comforts, as well. The rhythm of the seasons, the end of summer and the approach of the High Holidays are comforts on which we can rely.

Whatever the challenges of the past year, and whatever the year ahead holds for each of us, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur offer us an opportunity to connect and collectively reflect on our lives. As you prepare yourself for this time emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, rejoice in the knowledge that we do this as a kehillat kedushah, a holy community.

I am grateful that we share this journey together. My family and I wish you and yours L'shanah tovah tikatevu v'taihatem. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

Ken y'hi ratzon. May it be God's will.

L'shalom,

Jeff Blaine

Tikkun Olam

2011-07-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

Justice, Justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that Adonai your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 16:20

Ask someone you know what they hope to accomplish with their lives and you will often hear, "I want to leave the world a better place than how I found it." What better goal than to have lived a life that matters?

Oak Park Temple has a long tradition of engaging in acts of "Tikkun Olam," repairing what is wrong with the world. At Oak Park Temple, our dedicated Social Action Committee has been the most visible manifestation of that tradition. In recent years, committee members have helped heal the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, raised awareness of the on-going humanitarian crisis in Darfur and advocated for accessible and affordable health care. With the deep recession and the rising number of foreclosures, they have encouraged us to turn our attention to housing and homelessness. Mitzvah Days, Project Sandwich, P.A.D.S and our program of support for our sister community in Daugavpils, Latvia have led us to reach out to those in in greatest need in our communities, near and far.

I am certain, though, that these are not the only ways that the spirit of tikkun olam is expressed at Oak Park Temple. There are many, many members of our congregation who are engaged in daily acts of social justice and tikkun olam in their professional, volunteer and philanthopic activities. Recently, OPT member, Dr. David Ansell, published his memoir, "County: Life, Death and Politics at Chicago's Public Hospital." In his book, David describes his work addressing the healthcare inequities that have led to shortened lives and suffering born of the politics of race and poverty. Thank you for all of your efforts, David. But, I know that you are not alone in your good works. There are many others at Oak Park Temple who make tikkun olam an important part of the fabric of their lives. We just don't always know about these activities. Wouldn't it be nice to know? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could join with others in supporting important work that will improve the world? Think of the added power that our collective efforts could bring to bear on conditions in need of repair.

To allow for this sharing of knowledge, connections and energy, we are conducting a "Tikkun Olam Inventory." Please go to the questionnaire that will be on our temple website in the very near future, http://oakparktemple.com and let us know how you express your impulse to “…leave the world a better place." Please understand, I am not encouraging this effort in order to engage in mutual self-congratulation and admiration. I make this invitation to allow us all to know of the myriad opportunities that we have within Oak Park Temple to make the world a better place. Perhaps someone in the congregation shares a passion that you have, might wish to learn more from you and would like to join you in your good works.

Rabbi Tarfon used to say: "It is not for you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it. Pirkei Avot 2:21

Let's do the work of tikkun olam together.

L'shalom,

Jeff Blaine, President

A Moment to Reflect...

2011-05-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

The rhythm of the academic year makes this a season filled with endings. Graduations occur, kids get promoted, parties happen and we move into the more laid back days of summer. In the midst of this hubbub, let's take a moment to reflect.

This month, a community-wide effort to fulfill one of our tradition's most sacred duties, repairing our Torah, will be completed. This year-long "Torah Project", culminates with the return of our fully repaired, Sefer Torah. Rabbi Yochanan Nathan, our sofer ("scribe"), has educated us about the intricacies of creating and repairing a torah. In the process, we've been reminded that Torah defines us as a people, ties us to one another and to our ancestors. To all who have supported this sacred task, todah rabah and yasher koach (thank you very much for using your strength in this way!)

This year has also seen creative changes in our worship. The worship initiatives suggested by our congregational survey, created by the Worship Committee, in concert with the efforts Rabbi Weiss and Cantor Green, have led to new engaging opportunities for communal worship. Our 4th Friday Kabbalat Shabbats and new Shabbat Kehillah dinners, on the 2nd Friday of each month, have filled us with ruach ("spirit"), song and connection. If you've not been to Shabbat services in a while, you're missing some very special times. Don't be a stranger. And did I say, 'you never call!'

At the High Holidays, Rabbi Weiss asked us, "Israel, Can We Talk About It?" This year we've had three, well-attended opportunities to listen, learn and discuss very difficult issues relating to Israel and peace in the Middle East. Most importantly, the dialogue that occurred was respectful and thoughtful. Thank you to all who participated and especially to the ARZA committee for its work in creating a safe place for the dialogue to occur. I look forward to many such opportunities in the future.

And finally, to James Crowder, who has faithfully served Oak Park Temple for more than 25 years, we extend our sincere gratitude. Our thanks to you for all that you do, and have done, with efficiency, warmth and good humor to make Oak Park Temple the special place that it is.

L'shalom,

Jeff Blaine
President

Not an "island"...

2011-04-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

News flash! Jews are a minority in our country and in Illinois! We make up approximately 2.2% of the populations of both the U.S. and Illinois. In 2011, it is estimated that approximately 97% of the Jewish population of Illinois is in the Chicago metropolitan area. Most of us living near Oak Park Temple know that we are a small pocket of Judaism in the Western Suburbs. Concentrations of Jews are greater North and Northwest. It's not hard to feel that OPT is a bit of an island. However, we are really not as much of an island as you might think.

In the last few weeks, I have had remarkable experiences in connecting with a much larger community of Reform Jews in North America. I had the privilege to attend the Scheidt Seminar, conducted by the Union for Reform Judaism for Presidents and Presidents-Elect of URJ congregations. I spent four days with 81 presidents, 21 of them from congregations with between 350 and 500 members, very much like Oak Park Temple. This seminar was easily one of the most meaningful professional development experiences of my entire career. I took away useful information, made valuable contacts and I feel in a much better position to understand and navigate the resources of the larger Reform Jewish community of North America for the benefit of Oak Park Temple.

Not only was this an inspiring leadership development experience, it was a meaningful Jewish experience, as well. Praying, singing and studying with my fellow Presidents and Presidents-Elect strengthened my connection to our shared spiritual heritage. The things I saw and heard moved me deeply.

The Scheidt Seminar was like getting a view of being a temple president from 35,000 feet. Many more things make sense. I was comforted to realize that there are numerous ways that Oak Park Temple excels as a congregation. However, I also was able to learn things from other presidents, and our gifted faculty, that can help us to improve. Most importantly, the problems that we face are shared by other congregations and are not unique. There is a vast network of assistance into which we can tap. If your committee has a challenge, let me know. The “wheel'” has probably been invented before, many, many times.

After the Scheidt Seminar, I flew directly to New Orleans to join the Oak Park Temple group of 25, led by Rabbi Weiss, on a "Tour of the Deep Jewish South." The South is a part of Jewish America of which many of us on the trip had had no knowledge or experience. It was informative, enlightening and fun. We saw synagogues, important sites in southern Jewish culture, places of historic significance in the civil rights movement in our country and the home of the Blues, the Mississippi Delta. Oh, and did I tell you we ate? It's a very Jewish thing to do, you know! From New Orleans to Memphis, we saw a different slice of the Jewish world and history. My view of who “we” are as a people has expanded. We’re not such an island.

So remember, Oak Park Temple is part of something big, very big, and wonderful.

L’shalom,

Jeff Blaine
President

Community

2011-03-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

This has been a time filled with activity at Oak Park Temple. So, you ask, what’s different about that? Probably not much, but I have a sense that something wonderful is afoot. The new Board of Directors convened some weeks back for a five hour retreat. Rabbi Weiss, using a verse from Pirke Avot, led us in discussion of the value of joining the study of Torah with work. We shared our personal goals for service on the Board and our visions for Oak Park Temple going forward. If there was any one common theme, it was that of our shared hope to expand, support and cultivate a strong sense of community at Oak Park Temple and, indeed, there are many indicators of that work in progress.

Our new worship initiative, 4th Friday, got off to an incredible start on February 25th with a sanctuary filled to the brim with a multi-generational congregation sharing connections of prayer, song, food and fellowship. It was thrilling to see the beginning of a new tradition at Oak Park Temple. Every month, on the "Fourth Friday", there will be an early gathering for wine, cheese, crackers, juice and cookies beginning at 6:00 p.m. A time to connect at the end of the week; a time to welcome Shabbat. A brief, but beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat service filled with music and prayer will begin at 6:30 p.m. and we will conclude at 7:15 p.m. For those with small children, the early time will prevent disrupting bed times and for those with greater flexibility, there will be time to go home, or out, for a Shabbat dinner with family and friends. Community.

Our annual Oak Park Temple Retreat at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was a huge success, enjoyed by all and another example of community in action. This year’s theme was “Reveal, Rejoice, Redeem: Party Hearty in the Torah!!!” One hundred and seventy-three members of our congregation fought through Friday afternoon traffic and less than ideal weather to spend two delightful days kicking back enjoying one another, participating in educational and entertaining workshops run by talented members of our congregation, and joining together in song, food, laughter, ruach (spirit) and Sabbath prayer. There are few things on our calendar that I enjoy more than the Retreat. This was my fourteenth Retreat and I’m looking forward to my fifteenth next year. I would like to extend my very sincere thanks to all who made the Retreat such a success. A great deal of work made it happen, and many relationships were created and strengthened. Community.

We are now preparing for Purim celebrations for adults and kids. We are honoring Cantor Green’s bat mitzvah year at Oak Park Temple with a 70’s style Purim Disco extravaganza, and we’ve prepared a wonderful Purim carnival, Megillah reading, and entertainment. Insider tip: Purim is one of Rabbi Weiss’s very favorite holidays; the potential for rabbinic mischief is high! Orange alert! These are all further opportunities for us to play and connect. Community.

Right around the corner, on April 18th, Passover begins. Passover is the holiday that is most observed by Jews the world over. It marks our deliverance from slavery and the beginning of our journey together as a people. Community.

So, in the days, weeks and months ahead, be a part of the Oak Park Temple kehilla kedusha. Our holy community.

Connections

2011-02-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

As I assume the presidency of Oak Park Temple, I feel compelled to reflect on almost 32years as a member of the congregation. When I first walked in to OPT in 1979, I entered a congregation that I didn't think I needed, filled with people I didn't know.

Today, while there are many, many more people I do know, there continue to be many people who are unfamiliar to me. In such a situation, some “old timers” like me might react in dismay with, ‘where did my temple go?’ Instead, I am personally thrilled by the new faces. It means that we are a vital, ever-evolving Jewish community.

Coming in to OPT is like coming in to the middle of a conversation which has been in progress for some time and will continue into the future. We enter, become oriented, listen, contribute and learn. Long after we leave, the ‘conversation’ continues. When those in the conversation are known to us, it’s easy to join in. When they are not known, it may feel awkward and take some time to feel comfortable with the repartee.

Connections take time to create. With apologies to NIKE, “Just Do It!” Get involved in small and big ways. Show up. Come to the Congregational Retreat, this year, next year and the year after that. Wear your name tag! Allow yourself to be known and come to know others.

There are wonderful ways to be connected. On Friday, February 25th, we will inaugurate a tradition at Oak Park Temple that I think will be cherished for years to come. "4th Friday Kabbalat Shabbat" will be a wonderful way to welcome Shabbat, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with some wine, cheese, juice and cookies, a short Kabbalat service filled with song and prayer and concluding at 7:15 p.m. to allow us to have Shabbat dinner at home. In March, we have the Retreat the weekend of the 4th -6th, Purim celebrations that will include a carnival, Megillah reading, adult party honoring Cantor Green’s “Bat Mitzvah” year at OPT, social action, adult education, torah study, havurot and Sisterhood events, Bagel Boy Sunday morning bagels and “schmeers,” the list goes on and on and on… But wait, there’s more! There is a wealth of activities for our kids too.

So, as you are planning your ways to be connected, consider this. Someone who has just walked in to our rotunda for the first time may become a future president of OPT. Hopefully they will feel at home in the bosom of a thriving, welcoming Jewish community. It's not science fiction. It happened to me.

I am excited to be on this Jewish journey with all of you. Together, I believe that we can find a special kind of joy that none of us can find alone.

L'shalom,

Jeff Blaine,
President

2011-02-09T13:56:00.000-08:00

This has fortunately been a pretty unstressfull year at OPT. As far as I know, there have been no major disasters, no scandals, no threats, no fires, no one on the staff has quit, and the roof hasn’t caved in. Unlike in the beginning, when I thought my entire presidency would be marked by transition, we’ve had a remarkably stable year. While our finances could always look better, we’re holding our own. People are attending services and we use every inch of space we have on Sundays. New events have brought us together and many more are planned for the future. All in all its been a pretty good year. You can read about it in my message in the Annual report, so why waste your time now?

After more than 31 months (not that I was counting), I’m finally being replaced as President of this congregation. As your next president, Jeff, mentioned at the last Board meeting, it looks as though I have held the job longer than anyone else in our congregation’s history. Sometimes it has felt like I’ve been doing this my whole life and other times, I felt as though I just took over the job. While only my hairdresser knows for sure how much grayer I’ve gotten during the last 2 ½ years, I certainly know how much I have gained from the experience. Aside from loosing my fear of public speaking, and maybe a few hours of sleep obsessing about certain issues, I have made so many new friends I couldn’t begin to count. And as I’ve mentioned time and again in speeches and in writing, I’ve truly found a home that I can’t imagine ever leaving.

There are many people that have helped make the job of the president easier, and I’d be here way passed the first kick off if I started mentioning them all, but a few deserve extra attention. I’m proud to admit that I was involved in hiring Danielle Sandler, and with out her, this place would definitely not be as stable as it currently is, both literally and figuratively. Our almost daily conversations, which often took place even on her vacation and sick days will be missed. However, I hope that now we can be friends since I will no longer be her employer. One past president, Marsha Cooper, really stepped up as my mentor and friend, thank you. And especially my friends who listened to me kvetch, especially those of you who met me for lunch weekly for “therapy”.. I owe you. Finally, I’ve been blessed with a terrific exec board who whipped this place into shape and made it almost easy to be a leader. Thank you all.

And now my final story…

At last year's URJ Biennial, I attended a gathering of congregational leaders. There, I overheard one man asking a woman, who looked to be my age, how it was that she came to be President. Well, she responded matter- of -factly, "When you join my temple you get a beautiful silk bag filled with glittering glass marbles. And each time you volunteer you return one marble to the temple office. When you have finally lost all your marbles..... they make you President!"

So, when you go home, check your bag of marbles… you may be up here soon.

Finding your way at OPT

2010-12-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

Since I’ve been President, I often hear Board Members, and especially past-Board Members complain that they never found their “voice” while they were on the Board. This also holds for congregants who are looking to find community here at Temple. Well… after almost 20 years as a member, 6 years on the Board and 2 ½ years as President, I have the answer. VOLUNTEER. JOIN. BE HERE.

I too spent some time as a “drop-off” parent. You know who you are. You drive by, open the door, let your child into the building and then drive off. You can’t get involved that way, and you can’t complain about not getting connected if you never enter the building. Each week we send out an email that lists activities in the building. It also has information about committee meetings and events that need workers. If you want to get something out of your membership, you have to put something in. In you want to find a support system within the congregation, you have to be where others are. If you work on a committee you meet the other members, same thing with helping out cooking a dinner or organizing an event. We currently need committee chairs and volunteers to organize events for Tu B’shvat, Purim, Pesach, and the up-coming 150th Anniversary of our congregation. There’s a Used Book Sale in January that needs lots of help, too. The more you do, the more you get. Yes, you can just drop off your kid, but there is so much more we have to offer. We can’t go to your house and drag you in. And once you are in the building, we need to know who you are. Are you a great organizer, a great cook, can you decorate like Martha Stewart, or do you just take directions well. We need to know what you can do and what you want to do before we can get you to the right place. And sometimes things don’t work out exactly as you thought they would but so what, you tried. Try again with another group if you don’t like the first one, or even the second or third.

So when you get that email that says “WE NEED HELP”, help!
When someone calls you and says “WE NEED HELP”, help!
When someone comes to you and says “WE NEED HELP”, help!
Or stop kvetching that you can’t find your place… We really are talking to YOU!

Written with hope,
Lauren Levrant
President

Faiths and communities unite in thanksgiving :: News :: PIONEER PRESS :: Oak Park Leaves

2010-12-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

Faiths and communities unite in thanksgiving :: News :: PIONEER PRESS :: Oak Park Leaves

Find your talking donkey

2010-09-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

And now a story…

During a Friday night service this summer, Rabbi Weiss did a sermon on Balak and Balaam. For those of you who missed it, and that means most of you, I 'd like to give a brief recap.

The Israelites are traveling thru the desert, despite popular belief, they are actually battling there way thru populated lands and they’re winning! Balak, king of the Moabites, is afraid of them and tries to hire a powerful prophet, Balaam to curse this powerful group who has come out of Egypt, so that his army can conquer them. Balaam talks to god and god tells him “Don’t do it”, so he refuses. Once again, Balak sends officials to Balaam, this time with the promise of great rewards. Balaam once again asks god what he should do. This time god says its ok for him to go with Balak’s officials, but he can only do what god tells him to do.

Without giving him a chance to do more than saddle up his donkey, god gets angry seeing Balaam on his way, and sends a sword bearing angel to block the donkey’s way. The donkey veers off the road and gets hit for his troubles. On they go, and this time the angel forces the donkey against a wall and Balaam’s leg gets scraped. And the donkey gets hit again. The third time the angel is right in front of them, and the donkey lays down. Once again, smack.

Only this time, the donkey asks Balaam “Hey, why are you hitting me?” I repeat, the donkey says “why are you hitting me?” Imagine that, a talking donkey.

Now our rabbi is a great story teller and while he is telling us this story, it truly sounds like a Disney story, complete with a talking donkey. I'm there, thinking Shrek. Then I remember, this was the very first story I read when I joined my Torah study group back in 1993.

Can you imagine? Before that day, I'd never read the bible, and I walk in and they're reading a story featuring a talking donkey! I was hooked!

Of course, its not always that much fun. Sometimes we read long lists of names, we never skip a word. Sometimes its a travelog naming all the wells and stone alters the Hebrews passed on the way, but then you get something amazing...something that reads like a movie script... mothers bewailing that their sons are marrying shiksas. More variations on incest than you can imagine, battles, angels, god gambling with satan, and don't forget that talking donkey!

Now, in my torah study group we each read from whatever version grabs our attention on that day. Some of us use the Plaut version that you should all be familiar with, or the King James. There are versions written by Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox jews, poets, scholars and many more. But they all tell the same story. The thing to remember is that they are all translations of the same scroll that is housed in the Ark right behind me.

This morning you've heard several of our congregants chanting from that scroll. I've had the honor of doing that on several occasions, and I can attest to the power of that experience. The scroll is a work of art. It is hand written with an incredible amount of reverence.

And this brings me to the reason I’ve just told you about my love story with the torah. This year we have a unique opportunity to participate in the repair of our Torah scroll. The very one that our children read from when they become b’nai mitzvah.

You will be getting information about the project and how you can get involved. Our hope is that there will be 100% participation.

There will be educational sessions with the sofer who will be doing the work. There will be social events celebrating the scrolls, and you will each be given the chance to support the work in a very personal way.

This will be a year long process, so watch for information about how you can be a part of this exciting experience. And don't forget, the torah is a scroll, but it is also our story. Get involved. Think about joining a torah study group, its the best way to be introduced to our book, and we have 3 of these groups meeting every Sunday right here in this building who would welcome you with open arms.

I encourage each of you to find your own talking donkey and follow him into the magical world of our Torah.

Because we are Jews

2010-09-13T16:37:00.000-07:00

Because we are Jews, we are here tonight. Something impels us to worship with our fellow Jews on this occasion. We may embrace it with enthusiasm, or we may not even be sure why we are here. Because we are Jews, we come, knowing that we belong. And being here honors our mothers and fathers and grandparents and all who came before us back into the dim corners of our collective past.Tonight, I am asking you to live a bit more Jewishly. Light Shabbat candles. Collect tsedakah in your home, and distribute it where it is needed. In my laundry room I keep a box by my washer and put in any money that gets left in pockets.

If we can’t be bothered, to remember, to live Jewishly, what message will our children and grandchildren receive? And make no mistake: living Jewishly is not a matter of juggling the schedule. It is a series of actions born of deliberate choice.Once we choose to live more Jewishly we can then work on re-vitalizing our congregation. I have a vision of Oak Park Temple. I see this temple as a vital expression of who we are as Jews. As a place that ripples with the passion for life that is central to what it means to be a Jew. A place that transcends generational boundaries. The more families we have with children and grandchildren, the more brimming with life the Temple will be.
I visualize weekly Shabbat services vibrant with sacred meaning that comes not from sitting back and mouthing the words but from jumping in, heart and soul first. Worship only works to the degree we invest ourselves in it. You can’t sidestep the leap of commitment and expect any meaningful benefit. I invite everyone here to attend Shabbat services at least twice within the coming year. And when you do, take a chance. Participate with kavanah, with spirit. It may take some practice, but you’ll get the hang of it.
I see our education programs stimulating and rewarding for children and adults. Continuing learning is central to what it means to be a Jew. If you crave more Jewish learning and are not getting it, whatever your age, ask. I bet there is someone here who can teach it to you.

Mostly what I see in this vision is our engagement. Yours as well as mine. We each benefit from the gifts of our fellow congregants. If you’ve got something you’d like to share, please come talk to me. Serve this community and help shape it. Be counted.
Finally, when you come on a Friday night, there is a prayer you may hear, that I would like to share:
May the door of this synagogue be wide enough
to receive all who hunger for love,
all who are lonely for fellowship.
May it welcome all who have cares to unburden,
thanks to express, hopes to nurture.
May the door of this synagogue be narrow enough
to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity.
May its threshold be no stumbling block
to young or straying feet.
May it be too high to admit complacency,
selfishness, and harshness.
May this synagogue be, for all who enter,
the doorway to a richer and more meaningful life.
kanye yehi ratzon
May it be so

transition to the new year

2009-12-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

2009 was an amazing year for all of us at Oak Park Temple. We filled the house more times this past year than I can remember! From the Annual Meeting where we voted to accept the Rabbi Search Committee’s recommendation to hire Rabbi Weiss to the dinner honoring Rabbi Gerson, and then Rabbi Weiss’ installation, we all gathered in record numbers. In between those events there were so many other dinners and occasions to pray and celebrate together that I can’t even try to list them all. But, I do want to thank everyone who participated in them, both the volunteers and participants who made them so successful.

Now, we need to sustain the enthusiasm that was generated by the events of last year. New in 2010 will be the Derech Eretz Leadership Development Program. We always need new leaders and this is a great way for everyone to learn more about how OPT works. There will be presentations by many of our members and others from the Jewish community. Please check out our ever-improving website to get more information about this program.

Another chance for us to “pack the house” again is this month at the Silent Auction. On January 23 the Community Hall will be transformed for “How Sweet It Is” featuring a multitude of desserts, auction items and music. What a great way to start the new year surrounded by your Temple family.

Don’t forget that our 2010 Annual Meeting will be on Sunday, January 31. Although we don’t have anything monumental to vote on this year, our new Board members still need to be voted in and your attendance is always appreciated.

As always, think about attending just one more service, participating in one more class, or joining in one more committee than you did last year. You won’t regret it.

For those of yo who missed my Kol Nidre message

2009-09-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

To quote a famous 20th century sage, Dorothy of Kansas, “there’s no place like home”. But what is home? Is it where we sleep at night? Is it where our parents and siblings congregate, the place where we revert to old roles and behaviors? Is it the place our ancestors left, to find their way to someplace else? Is it “an assembling place for the wise”, to quote the Pirket Avot”? Is it the place where we feel safest and most comfortable? The correct answer is yours to choose.
We take care of this place, our “home”. We try to keep it clean, safe and comfortable. We make it a haven from the outside world. We fill it with things that we need, things that make us happy, things that remind us of other people and of places we have been. We collect, we TRY to discard. We take care of the people in our homes. We try to keep them out of trouble, and we try to help them when trouble comes along. Home is where we try to listen to and hear our important people, where we hope that we can be heard. Home is noisy and quiet, busy and calm, soothing and disturbing. Sometimes home is all of these things at once.
And, as members of THIS PARTICULAR community, we hopefully have 2 homes. One we will be leaving for shortly and one here at Oak Park Temple. Hopefully, this is NOT a place where we do too much sleeping. But it IS a place where we spend time, where we can learn and do, where we can be with our parents and children and friends, where seniors and infants can sit side by side. Hopefully, EVERYBODY can be comfortable here.

We need YOUR help to keep this place as a home for all of us now, and for generations to come. Like any home, this one has its issues. The acoustics are awful, the boiler may give out at any moment, and the front doors need replacing. Please keep these things in mind when you pick up your Yom Kippur Appeal Envelope out in the Rotunda. If you are a guest or very new member and there is no envelope with your name on it, please take a blank one. I encourage you to give as generously as you can. If you want to keep this home heated and cooled, staffed and clean, offering amazing programming for both children and adults, and you want us to be able to continue with our flexible dues model, which allows those unable to afford the target dues, to be able to maintain their membership, then please share what you can. Our home here is not as new as it used to be and it is in need of constant repair. Please remember that your dues only cover so much, we count on the funds we collect during this Yom Kippur appeal to keep the roof over our heads from flying off and not onto one of Dorothy’s munchkin land friends.

So, I’d like to conclude by saying “Welcome home” to those of you who are joining us for the first time. And welcome home to those of you who are joining us for the hundredth time. And welcome home to those of you who we haven’t seen since last spring, and to those of you who we haven’t seen for even longer. Welcome home to the regulars and to the sometimes-ers among you. Welcome home to our founders and to our newest members. Welcome home to you who work and teach here.

I’m really glad that you’re all here.

2009-07-21T12:09:00.001-07:00

This space is usually reserved for my thoughts on either what has recently happened at Temple or an invitation to an upcoming event. This month, I have a plea. Please help us fill the gap left by the death of our friend Jean Wood. If you have ever attended a Friday night Shabbat Service, or come during the High Holidays, you would have met Jean. She was almost always there. She handed out prayer books and service announcements. She greeted you and asked how you were doing. She watched out for visitors and pointed them out for attention. She watched the door for latecomers and she sat in the rotunda but knew where we were in the service so that she could open the doors just before we were ready to exit.

Jean was our friend. For those of us who attended services somewhat regularly, she knew everything about our families, including the names of our pets. She kept up to date on our children’s educations and social lives, she was truly interested in knowing us and she cared deeply about each of us. And the only reason she was here was because she wanted to be with us.

If you didn’t know her well, you probably didn’t even know that she was not Jewish. She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of River Forest, and acted as a greeter there too. She became part of our congregation when she began ushering with her dear friend Marsha Pollay, and when Marsha passed away, Jean just continued on, because it was what she did on Friday nights. She didn’t drive and when she couldn’t get a ride, she walked here, no matter what the weather, she just knew we needed her, and she was right.

As president of this congregation, I know will never be able to replace her, but I now need your help. I have previously asked the members of the Board to volunteer as Friday night greeters and Saturday morning ushers, and many have stepped up, but there are lots of openings still available. The jobs are easy. On Friday nights all you have to do is hand out books and say “hello,” letting everyone know they are welcome. On Saturdays, it much the same, but we also ask that the ushers watch for things that might be disruptive to the service, such as cameras being used, texting being done and “inappropriate” behavior by young and old alike. The Cantor and Rabbi would be happy to explain the job more fully, but it really is something any of us can do.
This is a great way to be involved in our congregation and do a mitzvah at the same time. Please contact me (slevr@aol.com) if you are interested.

The hole left in our congregation and in our hearts by Jean’s passing will never be filled, but the example of her charity and love can always be followed.

May her memory be a blessing.

B’shalom,
Lauren

Movies

2009-06-30T19:52:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday night a couple of dozen Oak Parkers met up in conference room 1 and watched "Someone to Run With" a really interesting Israeli movie presented by our Adult Education Committee. Two more Israeli movies will be shown this summer. You won't be wasting your time if you join us!

JOIN ADULT ED FOR POPCORN, COFFEE AND CAKE AND DISCUSSION

WALK ON WATER
Thursday, July 23, 2009 7p
This enthralling award-winning film by internationally-acclaimed director Eytan Fox explores the motives, strengths, and, ultimately, the humanity of an Israeli assassin sent to rectify a wrong committed five decades earlier. Excellent performances, intelligent script, and quiet tension will draw you into this thoughtful and emotionally nuanced movie. In English, with a few subtitled scenes in Hebrew and German. --Bret Fetzer
HILL HALFON DOESN’T ANSWER
Thursday, August 27, 2009 7p
Hill Halfon is a good-hearted satire movie about the IDF which tells the story of an Israeli reserve company.. Set in the Sinai on the border of Israel and Egypt, this riotous tale of mischief and mishaps features Israel's top comic trio Hagashash (Poli, Shaika and Gavri), Tuvia Tzafir and many other acclaimed Israeli comedy stars.

Black tie event

2009-06-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

Last night was the Black Tie Farwell to Rabbi Gerson. It was a wonderful evening. A great view of the "fire" on Michigan Ave started the event. Everyone looked great all dressed up, and the heartfelt speech made by Hank Stein was the highlight of the night. Good food, good folks, good conversation.... what else can you want?

Make sure and join us on July 31 when Rabbi Gerson leads his last serivce, which will be preceeded by a Middle Eastern Dinner.

2009-05-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

Those of you who didn't attend the Shavout Program last night really missed something. Rob Gardner and Sheila Essig cooked up a fantastic dinner. Eli's donated cheesecake and we got to hear from our seniors. What a wonderful evening!

In 2 weeks we will have the first of two events celebrating Rabbi Gerson’s 30 years at Oak Park Temple. The first will be a black tie optional dinner taking place at Club International at the Drake Hotel on June 14. Your invitation should have arrived in mid-May. In addition, there will be a congregational dinner preceding services on July 31. Please consider attending at least one of these events marking Rabbi Gerson’s transition to the position of Rabbi Emeritus.

Sisterhood Shabbat

2009-05-12T09:50:00.001-07:00

Once a year on a Friday night around Mother’s Day, our Sisterhood participates in services. This service is a departure from our regular reading from Mishkan Tifilah and while I’ve attended it before, it meant more to me this year than others. The readings themselves are lovely, but it was the voices of the women of our congregation, many of them of the “older generation”, ’ that really made this a special evening for me. Thank you Kathy for putting this together. Please consider attending this annual event next year, you won’t be sorry if you do.

Scheidt Seminar

2009-04-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

I am just back from Atlanta where I attended the Scheidt Seminar for Temple Presidents. It was an amazing weekend where I got to meet 95 Temple Presidents from North America. If you see me around the Temple or around town ask me about it. I've now got fundraising, and community building ideas for the next few years.
I look forward to speaking to all of you.
Lauren

2009-04-16T15:46:00.001-07:00

It’s Spring!!!
As I sit here writing, the sun is shining and I want to be outside more than anything. After this historically wretched Winter, we deserve a long and beautiful Spring, don’t you think?

As has become the norm, life at OPT has been busy. If you’ve been in on a Sunday you may have noticed that every room is in use. So many things are going on that we can’t even accommodate a single new meeting or event before 12 noon on any Sunday!

The Bagel Boys are still keeping us all fed, even during Passover, when they morphed into Matzo Men for the week. Also feeding us lately was the Social Action Committee who sponsored a wonderful chometz-free brunch on April 12, when they welcomed Congressman Danny Davis. Thank you to all of you who worked so hard to get that program put together and made us such a wonderful meal. Sisterhood and their Women’s Seder was another success both food and spirit-wise as was the Congregational Seder. We sang, and eat and had fun at both of these events due to the wonderful women who donated their time and talents.

Coming up this month is the Walk With Israel on Sunday May 3. We will be meeting at Scoville Park and walking thru beautiful Oak Park. In order to get us ready for this event, there will be an Israeli dinner on Friday May 1st preceding services.

As a mother of one of your Kabbalat Torah students, I’d like to invite all of you to the service on Friday May 15 when all of our 10th graders will be chanting Torah and participating in the service. There will be a special oneg following this service sponsored by the families of the students. In a day and age when there are so many distractions it’s wonderful to see these dedicated teenagers who have completed their formal Jewish education.

Our last busy Sunday of the year will be May 17. On this day there will be a Sisterhood bake sale, a Bagel Boys picnic and an OPTY car wash. So make sure you bring your appetites and dirty cars that day.

Something New! On Thursday May 29 we will be celebrating Shavout with a dairy dinner and study of the Book of Ruth. More information will be available through the list serve, on the website and in the mail, once details are firmed up.

On a final note, I know that you all received the Pesach Appeal letter last month with an explanation of our financial woes. In an effort to save money on custodial fees, we will be closing the building on Tuesday evenings from now on, and also on Sundays during the months of June and July.

Enjoy the Spring and keep events at OPT on your calendar as you plan this month and the months to come.

B’shalom

Lauren Levrant

2009-02-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

First I want to thank everyone who took part in our Warm Hearts Warm Kids fundraiser last Saturday. It was an eamazing evening. Great food, great wine, great people. If you missed it, make sure you don't miss any future events, like this Friday night, when Tsimmes will be playing at services. The last time they played at a family service it was terrific and I am sure that this time it will be no different, so eat an early dinner and come to OPT at 8:00 to welcome in Shabbat.