Tuesday, August 2, 2016

הפילוסופיה של קלי

To get ready for my first year of rabbinical school, I've been taking a 6 week intensive Hebrew course this summer. For our final presentation, we have to (in Hebrew) speak about our beliefs as future rabbis.
After spending 3 weeks preparing for this project, I am excited to share my thoughts and slideshow pictures with the world (or those who actually read what I write.)
Fancier English translation follows the simplified Hebrew: 

הפילוסופיה של קלי
(Kelly's Philosophy) 
 
 
 אני אוהבת להיות מחנכת בעולם היהודי. אחרי הלימודים, ארצה להנחות את החברים בקהילה שלי לחיים יהודיים בעלי משמעות. במרכז העשייה יהיו לי קשרים עם אנשים, אלוהים, לימוד טקסטים ואת הקהילה. על ידי בניית הקשרים האלה באמצעות מוסיקה, חוויות יהודיות ותפילה, אני רוצה לבנות זהות יהודית לדור הבא. אני רוצה להיות דוגמא יהודית טובה. אני מקווה לעזור לילדים יהודים לאהוב את היהדות שלהם ולהעביר אותה מדור לדור.
I am a passionate Jewish educator dedicated to guiding my learners toward a meaningful Jewish life. At the heart of my teaching are relationships with people, God, text study and community. By building these relationships through music, prayer and engaging experiences I build Jewish identity and creatively engage the next generation. As an authentic Jewish role model, I hope to inspire Jewish youth to embrace their Judaism and pass it from generation to generation.
 
(Picture of me with my students not posted because of public forum) 
הסיבה שאני רוצה להיות רב היא כי דרך היהדות, אני רוצה לתקן את העולם, כך שהוא יכול להיות רלוונטי ומשמעותי עבור האוכלוסייה היהודית המגוונת שאנחנו רואים בעולם היום. בונים קהילה קדושה על ידי קשרים אישיים. כאשר אדם יודע ומרגיש שיש שם מישהו שרואה אותו ושהוא שם בשבילו, אז הקשר מתחיל. באותה הדרך בונים קהילה. אני רוצה לבנות קהילה קדושה ובית רוחני לכל מי שרוצה וצריך את זה.
The reason I want to be a Rabbi is because I want to use Judaism as a way to heal the world, making it relevant and meaningful for the diverse Jewish population we see in the world today. To build a sacred community, one on one relationships are essential. When someone feels heard and seen, a relationship begins. This is the same for a community. I want to build sacred, inclusive and accessible communities- a spiritual home for all who seek it.
 
 
    אני מאמינה שכל האנשים רוצים להתחבר לעצמם ולאחרים. אני מאמינה כי שמירת השבת יכולה לגרום לשינוי. אני מאמינה שמוסיקה יכולה להרים את הנשמה. בשבילי תפילה היא לא רק עם ספר. אני מאמינה שגם לעשות מעשים טובים בשביל העולם, זה גם סוג של תפילה. אני מאמינה שאתה ואני באמת יכולים לשנות את העולם. אני מאמינה שחשוב לבנות קשרים אישיים ומשמעותיים. אני מאמינה שביהדות יש הרבה חוכמה על המצב האנושי.
I believe that all people have a deep desire to connect with themselves and others. I believe that Shabbat observance can be transformative. I believe that music can elevate the soul. I believe in praying with my feet. I believe that you and I can really change the world. I believe that the hevruta relationship is a mirror for the kinds of relationships we should always strive for- to have people in our lives who can push us to be the best that we can be. I believe that Judaism has a wealth of wisdom and insight into the human condition.

   חשוב לי שמה שאני עושה יהיה כמו הערכים שלי. חשוב לי תמיד להכיר את כל מי שאני פוגשת. אני חושבת שלכל אחד יש משהו ללמד אותי, גם אם הם לא חושבים כך. חשוב לי לעמוד על האמונות שלי תמיד להילחם על הצדק בעולם.
It is important to me that my actions reflect my values. It is important to me to always learn from everyone I meet. I think that everyone has something to teach me, even if they are unaware of it. It is important for me to stand up for my beliefs- to fight for justice in every sense of the word.

    אולי זה ישמע מוזר, אבל אני מרגישה שלהיות רב, זה הייעוד שלי בחיים. זאת השליחות שלי. אני רוצה לשרת את העם היהודי לעבוד בשביל הקהילה שנותנת לי הרבה. אני רוצה שהדור הבא של העם היהודי יבין מה יכולה היהדות להוסיף לחייהם, וכדי לראות את הקהילה היהודית כמו בית.
While it is not often considered a Jewish thing to be "called", I feel called to be a Rabbi. I want to serve the Jewish people- to give back to a community that has given me so much. I want the next generation of Jews to be inspired by what Judaism can add to their lives, and to see the Jewish community as vibrant, warm and welcoming.
 

Monday, April 11, 2016

Discernment

Kaeley, Heidi and I after leading an interfaith chapel at Union.
         This semester, I am taking a class at Union called “Faith Journeys and The Religious Education of Adults.” We read a memoir a week, and use our class time to reflect and explore themes that each book brings up. As I sat down to begin reading the first assigned book back at the end of January, I felt like I needed a dictionary with me. What was “vocation”? What was “discernment”? These were not words that I had in my Jewish vocabulary. I asked my roommates Kaeley and Heidi to define “discernment” for me so I didn’t look like a fool in class the following week. Neither of them jumped up to give me an answer. From what I understand, everyone defines “discernment” in their own way.
    I will be graduating from JTS next month with a Master’s in Jewish Education. In June I am moving to Boston to begin Rabbinical School at Hebrew College. During my rabbinical school application process this past fall (which might have been considered a process in my discernment?), I had the opportunity to reflect on the path I had taken to get to the point where I felt ready to send in my application.
There were numerous highs and lows throughout this process. My biggest “low” was when I got rejected from the first rabbinical school I applied to. It made me question if this was the right path for me. Maybe I wasn’t meant to be a Rabbi? Lots of tears, second guessing myself and conversations with various mentors in my life helped me work through the awful feeling of being rejected, and helped me move to a place where I could focus on my next application. The obvious high I experienced was getting accepted into rabbinical school after having an interview that was so pleasant I almost didn’t want it to end. One of the most rewarding “highs” I experienced was the process of editing all of my admissions essays and preparing for my interviews. Heidi and Kaeley both spent time reading my essays, giving me thoughtful feedback and listening to me practice the sermon I was expected to give at the start of my interview. As Heidi, Kaeley and I have been going through the process of discernment together over the course of this academic year, I have been constantly inspired by their reflectiveness, commitment to their religion and their desire to make the world a better place.
I never expected to get involved in interfaith work. My first time coming to Union was the day I moved into McGiffert this past August. As I’ve become friends with Kaeley and Heidi, I see how much people of different faiths can teach me and add meaning to my life. I know that my rabbinate will include interfaith work, thanks to my year of living and learning with the Interfaith Women’s Residency program. The relationships I have begun to build this year will not only continue as friendships, but will be the foundation for interfaith bridges as we all eventually go out into the world and build our own faith communities.


Friday, February 12, 2016

Pinch me

I feel like I'm dreaming. Yesterday was the first day in my life that I woke up and was able to say that I am going to be a rabbi, instead of I want to be a rabbi.

During my interview at Hebrew College, I was asked to share a Jewish text that was significant to me. I wholeheartedly believe in what I said, and am feel so blessed that an institution believes in me. I can't wait to bring my Torah to the world.

Here is some of what I said:

Right before graduating college, Shalom Kantor, my Hillel rabbi at Binghamton University, gave me a book, dedicating these words to me, really capturing who I was as a person:
אמר רבי אלעזר: כל פרנס שמנהיג את הציבור בנחת זוכה ומנהיגם לעולם הבה.”
(Those who lead the community gently, merit to lead them in the world to come- Sanhedrin 92a)
I have tried to live by these words, working to understand what it actually means to live by these words. What does it mean to lead with gentleness? Being able to guide and not direct. The ability to share conversations and not control them. The ability to listen. Not to rush things. To be careful. To be sensitive. To slow it down and to pause and to reflect. Leading with gentleness implies that a leader’s decisions takes into account the needs and desires of a kehillah. Leading with gentleness may be seen as a challenge to a traditional models of rabbinic authority. Perhaps it is counterculture.
Who are strong examples of compassionate leaders? The first person that comes to mind is Debbie Friedman. Many summers ago, Debbie was the artist-in-residence at my camp. Debbie modeled for me what it means to be compassionate. Debbie was a songleader. She had no interest in a hierarchy of leadership. She saw her role as a democratic leader, interested in a partnership with her community. When she would begin to teach a song, she never had people repeat back lines to her. Instead, she just invited them to sing. I too, want to invite people in a partnership, and to just sing.
Another example of a very different compassionate leader was Abraham Joshua Heschel. Being a student at JTS and living at the Union Theological Seminary, both places where Heschel has taught has inspired me to take his messages to heart. When people think of the great Jewish leaders, charismatic leaders often come into focus. I am drawn to Heschel because he was able to speak powerfully without fanfare. He did not seek notoriety. And yet, his voice was heard. He was able to channel the words of the prophets. Heschel said, “A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.” It is my hope that I can bring my compassion to the rabbinate, using the model of gentle leadership to build Jewish community.