JEWISH LITERACY INITIATIVE READY TO LAUNCH!
By Rabbi Daniel B. Syme
In my Kol Nidre sermon this year, I called upon the members of Temple to join in an enjoyable program of Jewish Study and experience that would lead us all to a greater sense of Jewish identity and learning.
We have dubbed this effort “The Jewish Literacy Initiative”, and established “credits” with the input of a large cross section of our congregational membership.
This is not a rigid academic curriculum that will require endless hours of classes! It is, rather, a personal “checkup”, strictly on the honor system, of your involvement in Jewish life here at Beth El.
Credits are easily obtained. For example:
Bar/Bat Mitzvah at 13 25 Credits
Bar/Bat Mitzvah as an adult 50 Credits
Life Experience Up to 25 Credits
Blessing the Candles, Kiddush 3 Credits a week
and Motzi in your home on Friday night
Attendance at Services 1 Credit
Weekly Torah Study 1 Credit
Adult Education Classes 1 Credit
Reading Torah at Services 10 Credits
An Aliyah at Services 5 Credits
A Temple Trip to Israel 5 Credits per day
The list goes on and on. Before you know it, you will be closing in on the
target of 360, and be recognized in a special service during the spring of each year.
All you have to do is call the Rabbis’ Study and ask for your “workbook” to
be mailed to you, one per person. Or you can stop in at the Rabbis’ Study and
pick yours up personally.
It has been deeply gratifying to see the interest and excitement already
generated by the “Jewish Literacy Initiative”. I hope that each of you will
participate as we launch this newest Beth El adventure.
