Rabbi's Message

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Read about the Rabbi
July-August 2007

“The Vision Thing”
Our community of learners in action

We have created an amazing place here at our little shul!
In the past year, we have expanded our learning opportunities for families, children and adults through our Shabbat B’Yachad program; succeeded in both our first-ever congregational Israel mission and our first-ever Shabbat Retreat; hired and integrated an Education Director (Kim Bodemer) into our staff; sponsored our first Fall Fair, our largest-ever Mitzvah Morning and numerous other programs and managed to pull ourselves out of budget deficits to pass our first balanced budget in recent memory.

In short, Congregation Agudas Achim of the Attleboros is a hopping and happening place! Elsewhere in this newsletter, Deb Mandell reviews some of the new and exciting opportunities for next year. I would like to take a moment to look at the “Why” of what we are doing - What is the source of our energy and success?

I believe the roots of our success are two-fold. First, success breeds success. Any one of our programs would have been a wonderful addition to the community’s roster this year. But taken as a whole, we have multiplied the energy exponentially. Through our programs, people have connected with one another, made friends and learned that they like to be with each other – people come to our programs now as much for the social component as for the content.

Secondly, we have “The Vision Thing.” Yes – the “vision thing.” That is to say that the leadership, members, teachers, staff of this community have rallied around and put forward a vision of what our community can and should look like and have become excited about making the vision a reality.

What’s the vision? We say some of it in our mission statement: “By integrating religious, social, and educational programs, our goal is to enable every member to become a learner and every learner a teacher.” We really do believe in the notion of a learning community – that Judaism both encourages and depends on lifelong learning and that each of us has something to contribute and something to gain in the process.

No, not everyone has participated or bought into the idea. But our core of active members who have had their lives personally enriched – even transformed by an experience here is growing. Many of us now understand that Judaism and our Jewish selves is not a discreet part of our over-stretched and over-committed lives – but in fact that our Judaism and our Jewish community form the framework for the meaning making in all aspects of our lives. Those of us who have made these connections understand that we are better people - better human beings - because of the learning we do here.

This is our vision in action. We now own the fact that our educational programs aren’t about school and children but about our entire community and taking responsibility for one another.

To some of us, this sounds like a burden. “They want me to attend more programs?” or “Do I have to go to Hebrew School with my child?” This may sound like another well-meaning organization demanding of your time and energy in an increasingly competitive world. But here is something really funny:
Our Spring survey asked families to rate how often they participated in the congregations educational programs (Not at all; Somewhat; or A great deal). A surprising percentage of people – families that we have seen at almost every Shabbat B’Yachad program – checked “Not At All.”

To me, this could only mean one thing. Most of those 75 plus individuals who came at 9:00 once a month for an elective or the 100 plus people who came to those services and stayed for lunch had no idea that they were participating in an “educational program!” They just thought they were having fun, or praying, or meditating, or schmoozing, or socializing.

Learning isn’t a burden in our new atmosphere. It’s where many of us want to be and are drawn to for a host of personal and idiosyncratic reasons in our lives. For those of you still on the outskirts – not quite ready to step in or a little unsure about your participation here, I urge you to open yourself up to the possibility that you can find meaning, friendship, community and deep learning here that you will truly value in your life. I encourage you to see that Judaism might not be something that you “do” when you “come to services;” but might instead be the frame through which your life and the life of your family takes on meaning and brings you in touch with others who also seek to build meaningful lives connected to our little shul.

Have an enjoyable summer and see you in September!

B’Shalom
Rabbi Elyse

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