Recognition of Philanthropic Giving

After class the other day I kept thinking a lot about our class discussion. To be honest, it's something that I think about quite often. As a Jewish Studies major who is obtaining a certificate in non-profit management, this discussion really seemed to suit me.

Jewish communal services are absolutely incredible. Seriously. Amazes me. There are so many different types of Jewish organizations that exist. To consider that Jews are a big minority in the US (and the world) and then to consider all the "Jewish" services available for those communities just makes me say "wow". I know that when the day comes (oh no) to find a real job and to be a real person, I will be able to find a job that I love and that allows me to do what intrests me becuase I will be searching for a job within the "Jewish" world. There are so many options.

And with this comes the realization that I will be one of those people asking for money. It will undoubtedly be part of my professional career. Making the ask is always the hard part of the deal; congratulating and honoring the donor is the easy part. But why is it so hard for me? In class I refered to Ram Bam's (Maimonides is way too hard to spell) principles of mitzvot (commandments). He said that giving in a way so the the donor and the recipient are blind as to where the money went/came from is the best type of giving. This could mean giving in a monetary sense or another sense (ie. through service). I think that Ram Bam was just a guy who valued modesty. There are definately some people who give to causes and then praise themselves and let everyone know about it; these people are needed in communities because, we'll let's face it....they help the greater good.

There are also the people who give publicly in order to convince others to do so as well. We briefly discussed this in class on Monday. Last year, after Hurricane Katrina, millions of Americans stepped up and became civically engaged by donated time, money, and materials to relief efforts. Celebrities and others of wealth were some of the first to come out and make donations. The causes that received these public gifts were the ones who raised the most money overall and were able to provide more relief services and action to the affected areas. Without the publicity of Jennifer Aniston or Oprah (etc...) some people would not have thought to give to the United Way or to Red Cross. The gifts in this sense served as an advertisement of how dollars could be spent serving the public. Had these people listened to Ram Bam there is no telling how much of a negative impact it could have had on fundraising efforts for rebuilding lives on the Coast.

To end with a Jewish twist: Rabbi's of the Misnah say that if you destroy a life you destroy a world, but if you save a life you are saving a world. Donors and supporters of any kind take part in a role which saves lives. And a world that is saved can't be bad no matter how you look at it.

Cultural Judaism

I found today's discussion of Cultural Judaism to be very interesting. My first thoughts upon hearing the concept of "Cultural Judaism" was, "I didn't realize that's a real movement!" I have always heard friends/acquaintances refer to themselves as cultural Jews because they observe traditions but perhaps don't believe the background. I had never heard of an organized movement or organization of people who identify as Jews based solely on their cultural observance. My reaction to that is "great"! In 1990 a survey came out that said 50% of Jews in America will intermarry. Personally, I am terrified by this fact. When I look at the setup of the Center for Cultural Judaism, I see Jews who are struggling to hold on to their Jewish roots despite their inability/skepticism to believe in the religion. They reach out and hold on to one of the strongest facets of Judaism: the culture.

In class, we also briefly discussed Israel's cultural Judaism in comparison to America's. Here's my thought on this (which are most likely biased as I am from the Bible Belt where religion is life)... In America, it's so important to be Jewish because Jews make up such a minority. It's as if Jews must stand out because they are the only ones. Take a look at the Christians around us. It seems that all of my friends from home (once again...the ones from Mississippi) claim to be Christian though they never go to Church (except for Christmas and Easter or when their parents make them) and most of them probably couldn't answer simple questions about the church to which they belong. And when they get married you better believe they will be wed in a church with a priest. I consider them to be Cultural Christians; they go through the rituals, but maybe don't have the beliefs. It's the same thing for Israeli's. In Israel, Jews are the majority. You don't have to act like a Jew because for the most part it is expected that you are one. When everyone is similar then you don't have to stand out. If you put a secual Israeli in Mississippi I can promise you that they will go searching for a synagogue within a month (I've seen it happen several times).

My point is that Cultural Judaism is a valid practice of Judaism because it keeps alive Jewish Culture, and reminds cultural Jews of their background and history.

Generational Gap in Reform Judaism

My great-aunt and great-uncle recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. All of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren came in to town for the event. As my synagogue only has 7 members, I convinced my dad that he should put together a Friday night service since this could possibly be the last time that a minyan comes together for a happy occasion in our synagogue. He finally consented to do so (after other family members agreed). Since I'm the "Jewish Studies" student in the family he always asks me to look over everything Jewish that he does...when I looked over his service, I found that he had left out many essential prayers in the service. His response was of course, "Sarah, we're reform so it doesn't matter." This is one of my biggest pet peeves in a religious argument. We argued for a bit and eventually I won. But it really made me think about the two different types of Reform that he and I practice. It wasn't until Monday that I was really able to put a label on these types: my father is classical reform and I am today's reform (though I do not like labels at all). When we began reading through the Reform Movement's platforms it all began to make sense to me. My synagogue at home is completely ran by older lay leaders...and an organ. We only pray in English. While my brother and I (and even my mother) had the opportunity to learn Hebrew at a synagogue 60 miles away, my father still only knows six words in Hebrew: Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohainu Adonai Echad. Five words really...since one is a repeat. I also had the opportunity to go to Jewish camp evey summer to get a better Jewish education. My father on the other hand ended his Jewish education after his confirmation, which happened before the 1976 Platform. In class on Monday I realized that this explains why he can't understand my desire to move to Israel upon graduation. He was never taught to love and support Israel as I was in Religious School and at camp. With the newer (1999) move towards more Hebrew in services and the more recent move towards spirituality it seems that Reform Judaism has completely changed it's focus since my father's time. And it makes my father and I two completely different Jews. I still appreciate going home and attending services with the organ. I also enjoy using the 1967 Union Prayer Book and singing from the red hymnal ( "G-d is in His Holy Temple" still remains the favorite of the congregation). I think it helps now that I understand the differences between us.