HEArtbeat

HEArtbeat of Adult Education

On the heels of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as we ready ourselves to celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah, we move from the gravity, seriousness, and contemplation of the High Holidays to the Joy of Sukkot and the celebration of our Torah.

You shall hold a festival for the LORD your God for seven days, in the place that the LORD will choose; for the LORD your God will bless all your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy" (Deuteronomy 16:14-15).

Simchat Torah reflects this very same joy. While we often think of the Torah as the scroll we are familiar with, its richness and depth are unlimited. The word 'Torah' in Hebrew means teachings.Torah's expansive meaning is not just the written word in the scroll but also the vast writings and expanded interpretation and explorations of our texts. In every generation, our sages added layer upon layer to our understanding and comprehension of the written and spoken word, providing new perspectives and approaches to our traditions.

We are now continuing in this tradition of offering chudushim (new understanding and ideas) with our HEAdult Education program.

Starting in October, we will offer different opportunities to engage in learning, from text study to more experiential practices, all to inspire lives of meaning through lifelong learning.

Our offerings include the following:

• Talmud: A weekly study of the Talmud tractate.
• Musaf: A weekly Musaf - Shabbat class led by various rabbis and scholars on the Parasha.
• Outdoor Adventure: Monthly outdoor activities combined with the opportunity to connect with Jewish values and concepts.
• Sacred Texts: A monthly study of Jewish texts led by HEA scholars and rabbis.
• Lunch & Parasha: An exploration and discussion of the weekly Torah portion using traditional and contemporary commentaries with Rabbi Gruenwald.
• Family & Parenting: An every-other-month discussion on teaching, practicing, and instilling Jewish values.
• Cooking: A monthly cooking class with various chefs.
• Holiday Journeys with Rabbi Gruenwald: A monthly opportunity to learn about the history, theology, traditions, and customs of every holiday and discuss innovative ways to celebrate and honor them.
• Rabbi Dollin Series: A six-part series focused on the work and writings of Phillip Roth.
• Issues of Our Times: A monthly lecture series about the social, cultural, and political issues that impact the Jewish community.
• Life Stories: An informal monthly conversation with HEA congregants who have led extraordinary lives.
• Light & Easy: An informal monthly educational offering designed to bring people together for conversation, fun, and laughter.
• Beginning Hebrew Conversation: A twelve lesson series designed for beginners to cover basic and entry-level Hebrew.
• Tefillah Hebrew: A twelve lesson series highlighting the understanding of prayer by identifying reoccurring verbs, other grammatical rules, and sentence structure.

We encourage you to start the new year with a commitment to live richer and fuller lives through immersion in Jewish learning and expression. Any of the above classes, series, and lectures are an excellent place to start.
For more information and to register for any of these courses, please go to the Adult Education tab of the HEA website HERE or the HEA calendar HERE.

Shabbat Shalom!

HEArtbeat of High Holiday Sermons

When I was in college considering the Rabbinate, I spoke to a local rabbi about becoming a rabbi myself. He was leaving the pulpit and I wanted to know why. He said that the main reason was having to write High Holiday sermons every year. He said he would lose 20 pounds in the month of Elul trying to come up with new material. He said that at times, writer's block was no less than terrifying! I must admit that I have been more than a little uncomfortable in late summer knowing that I would soon be on the bema speaking to 1800 adults.
 
It has been a little easier for me to write sermons as my career progressed. But I always wonder if I am reaching people with words that I spend a hundred hours writing and 20 minutes delivering. If you truly want to be kind to your rabbis, send them an email after the Holidays and tell them you loved their sermons. If you don’t like the sermons, look forward to enjoying the next sermon to come that will no doubt be a great one!
 
Your rabbis do have great sermons for these High Holidays. On Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Gruenwald will talk about how mindfulness and meditation can help us in these troubled times. In my Rosh Hashanah sermon, I will reflect upon 35 years in the rabbinate, what I will take with me in retirement and what I will leave behind.
 
At Kol Nidre services, Rabbi Gruenwald will speak about how we can return to relationships and community in a post-pandemic world.
 
At Yom Kippur morning services, Rabbi Gruenwald will speak about the HEA’s first rabbi, Rabbi Manuel Laderman (z”l) and his history of civic engagement and how we might use that as a model for our own work on behalf of others (this sermon will take place in the Main Sanctuary). I will be speaking about “Knowing What We Don’t Know” and using the practices of curiosity, listening and humility to move us closer to the truth (this sermon will take place at Bethany).
 
We hope you will find these sermons meaningful and inspirational. If you are not able to hear these sermons in person or online, rest assured that the texts will be posted on the website for you to peruse later.
 
Shana tova. See you all soon.

HEArtbeat of the HEA Preschool: Colorado Shines

HEA Preschool is happy to announce that we have been rated Level FOUR by Colorado Shines, the state’s quality rating and improvement system for early care and learning programs.
 
We are committed to providing a high-quality learning environment that supports your child’s development and gives him/her a strong start on the path to lifelong success. Our Colorado Shines rating is one way that HEA Preschool demonstrates our commitment to quality and continually improving the services we offer. 
 
Our Colorado Shines rating of Level FOUR reflects our efforts to support children’s health and safety, ensure our staff is well-trained and effective, provide a supportive learning environment, and help families be active in their children’s learning.

This score would have been unobtainable without the efforts of our entire preschool staff, especially our Pomegranates and Junipers classes, Dani Wynn and Jamie Lambert.

Looking for tools and tips to support your child’s learning at home? Reading to them or trying out activities from the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines website  (earlylearningco.org) are easy ways to help your child grow!

If you have questions about the HEA Preschool and our Colorado Shines rating, please contact me.

Shabbat Shalom!

The HEArtbeat of Healing from Rabbi Dollin

We were all disappointed when Simone Biles left the competition this week, citing the enormous pressure on her to be essentially perfect. The Olympics were postponed a year, and there was nobody in the crowds; there was no energy except what the “stressed out” athletes brought for themselves. The last 16 months have taken a toll on even the best athletes in the world.  All the more, it has taken its toll on us.
 
In the Talmud, we learn the story of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the great 2nd-century mystic who Tradition says wrote the Zohar. When he was declared an enemy of the Romans, he and his son, Rabbi Elazar, fled and hid in a cave for 13 years. When the Roman Emperor finally died, the two rabbis emerged from the cave. Tradition says that Rabbi Shimon was so powerful when he left the cave that he was able to burn trees by just looking at them. Rabbi Shimon became a towering figure in Jewish history, and his grave on Mt. Meron is a site of pilgrimage to this day.
 
In Tractate Shabbat, however, we learn that all was not well with Rabbi Shimon after he emerged from the seclusion of the cave. When his disciple brought him to the bathhouse in Tiberius, one could see that his skin was covered with scabs.
 
The Talmud says that Rav Shimon had scabs, but the warm waters of Tiberius soothed him and healed his wounds.  I would say that we are all in need of healing after these past many months (and as we learned this week, the pandemic is far from over). Where will we find the healing waters of Tiberius in our own life?
 
Tammy and I are taking off a few weeks for rest and relaxation. We have the privilege to travel to Oakland to celebrate Tammy’s mother’s 90th birthday with the whole family present.  Perhaps healing can be found in these kinds of simple and meaningful moments.
 
We look forward to seeing everyone in shul for the High Holidays. Enjoy the rest of the summer, and remember to take care of yourself and find healing waters where you can.

Shabbat Shalom

HEArtbeat of HEA: 

High Holidays

There is a Chasidic teaching that says, “When a person sings, he cannot raise his voice. But when someone comes to help and sings strongly, this in turn gives the first person the ability to raise his own voice. This is the secret of uniting us all, soul to soul.” This year, I ask that we embrace this teaching. Let us come back together this year stronger because we are lifting each other’s voices. For this reason, we are so excited to begin a new chapter of HEA music–our High Holiday choir! Led by our fearless leader, Leah Peer, the choir will incorporate music, both new and old, into our traditional high holiday services. We look forward to bringing this music to you, in person or online.

Be on the lookout for a special Elul Journal to get you ready for the High Holidays.This journal will help guide you through the month of Elul along with our Elul in the Shul program, which we will offer again this year. This special opportunity is designed to help us prepare for the High Holidays with a personal and intimate experience. It will be a moment to reconnect as we share HEA’s story, past, present, and future, with our community.  We look forward to hearing you say: “Hineni, Here I Am.” The Elul Journal also includes the High holiday service schedule on the back cover and is our first High Holiday mailing of the year.

Other updates regarding high holiday services:

• On Rosh Hashanah Day 1, we will have a young family service, a family service (K-6), and a Teen service led by the Mile Chai board.
• On Kol Nidre, we will have a young family service at a nearby park.
• On Yom Kippur, we will have a family service (K-6) and a teen service led by the Mile Chai board.
• There will be a fabulous community tashlich hike on Sunday, September 12.
• We will not be offering babysitting this year.

Stay tuned for more emails with updates as they become available. We are excited to be providing such amazing programming this year and look forward to bringing in the new year with all of you!

Shabbat Shalom!

_______________________________________

Bring your own picnic and bring in Shabbat at HEA! Register for the service HERE. The service will also be livestreamed.

HEArtbeat of HEA: 

HEA's New Senior Rabbi

It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I share with you that the HEA Board of Trustees voted this week to offer Rabbi Gruenwald a contract as our next Senior Rabbi. After serving our congregation for the past 13 years with deep commitment, passion, and humility, Rabbi Gruenwald will draw upon his wealth of knowledge about our community to usher the HEA into its 91st year and continue to strengthen our reputation as a hamish and welcoming Conservative congregation.
 
I want to thank the Transition Team (Lisa Soicher, Mark Alpert, Jill Levy, Mona Jacobson, Ceci Lowinger, Wendy Dworkin, Fred Karp, Beth Toth, Shelley Lazear, and Laura Intfen) for their commitment to running a thorough and transparent process and for their insightful feedback and perspective throughout. They worked diligently to engage all of our important stakeholders and provided a way to collect valuable feedback from our members. Furthermore, they developed a job description that reflects HEA’s values and empowers the Senior Rabbi to lead the congregation by putting our members at the core of our sacred work. 
 
The decision to offer Rabbi Gruenwald this position was based on both the positive and specific feedback from our congregants, as well as from community members and leaders. There was a strong consensus that Rabbi Gruenwald reflects the values and ideals of Conservative Judaism and a belief that he would work diligently and with sincerity to strengthen relationships in our shul. His commitment and heartfelt devotion to HEA families, coupled with his compassionate, caring manner, have endeared him to many in our congregation. The feedback in support of him ranged from gratitude for his genuine and empathic pastoral care to his commitment to social justice and inclusivity. His many strengths will provide HEA with the spiritual and inclusive leadership it needs to thrive.
 
We are thrilled that Rabbi Gruenwald will lead the next chapter of HEA’s long and important history.

HEArtbeat of HEA: 

Bursting Out of the Gate

David Brooks, in his column in the New York Times today, speaks of our country bursting out of the gate as it reopens after Covid. People were mostly home for the past 16 months. They didn’t travel, they didn’t go on vacation, they saved their money. But now, the restaurants are filling up, we are going to the mall, and we are getting on airplanes en route to distant destinations. Things are looking up in the US after a terrible year and a half.
 
I have pondered for months about what this pandemic has to teach us. David Brooks writes: “The biggest shifts, though, may be mental. People have been reminded that life is short. For over a year, many experienced daily routines that were slower-paced, more rooted, more domestic. Millions of Americans seem ready to change their lives to be more in touch with their values.”
 
Aligning our lived experiences with our values… a very Jewish concept. When we awake in the morning, we say, modeh ani, “I am grateful to you Lord, for returning my soul to me.” Before our feet even touch the floor in the morning, we express gratitude for life itself. We acknowledge that just being alive for another day is a miracle.   
 
We also say in morning prayer, “these are the deeds that yield immediate fruit and continue to yield fruit in the time to come: honoring parents, doing deeds of lovingkindness, attending the house of study, providing hospitality, visiting the sick…attending to the dead…making peace between one person and another…” The fact that we say these words every day attests to our Tradition’s insistence that we spend time daily in pursuit of living these values we hold.
 
The good that might come out of a terrible year of illness and fear is that it made us slow down: less time commuting, more time with family. Less time at a desk, more time reaching out to friends. Less time at meetings, more time talking to our spouse.
 
The question that faces us now: as the world speeds up again, will we continue to live the lives we crafted in the past many months?  Will the lessons learned continue to guide us as we return to a harried world?
 
Will the values we discovered be the values we live in the year to come?
 
Have a great summer!

HEArtbeat of HEA: 

Our Preschool

At risk of sounding like a broken record, this has been such a year at HEA Preschool. I look forward to the day when the words virtual, Zoom, Covid, masks, vaccines, and social distancing are not part of my everyday conversations, and I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to our team of educators who navigated the absolute unknown of pandemic preschool all with 10-12 children in tow. Let’s just assume they were always smiling under those masks! 

Last week we had the pleasure of “graduating” another group of 4–5-year-olds as we send them off to Kindergarten in the Fall.  The mood of this year’s celebration was just that, celebratory. Our graduation led by Francie Anderson and Mara Singer was a perfect reflection our school values, the personalities of the children in their class and their joy! I would love to take a moment to tell you about our Pomegranates. 

When we reopened last summer, a conversation I had with a Pomegranate parent stands out in my memory. Her decision to send her child back to school was driven by the need to have other children to “play family” with as her two real sisters were unable to meet her expectations.  

The Pomegranates have created their own family. In this class we have children who have been at HEA before they were even born, some that joined our class this year and everything in between. 

Regardless of the prompts and set ups the teachers planned for, the dramatic play usually turned into “family” and there was always a cat. 
When children play “family” they are creative, express their feelings, establish rules and expectations, communicate, make plans, cooperate, and when they don’t--solve conflicts, develop empathy, and take care of each other and the cat. 

As with each class of children we graduate, we look forward to lifelong connections among friends and families. Always remember, preschool is just the beginning not the ending to your HEA experiences, visit often, keep having babies and tell your friends. 

Speaking of lifelong connections, I wanted to recognize Staci Kenworthy for 10 years of dedication and service to the children, families, and colleagues of HEA. If you were lucky enough to have Staci as a teacher, you know how blessed your children were to receive her warmth and love. I was fortunate to work as Staci’s teaching partner and have her as Quinn’s 2s teacher. Staci and her husband Mike are thrilled to be retiring, spending time with their family and traveling the world in their RV.  
 
​​​​​​​Shabbat Shalom!

HEArtbeat of HEA: 

Our New President

It remains a strange time as we begin to emerge from the pandemic restrictions and separation from one another over the last 14 months. I imagine this disequilibrium mirrors what many of you may be feeling about the transitions happening in our congregation. As I have in my response to Covid restrictions, I am choosing to focus on the silver linings and opportunities rather than the challenges we may confront. And I always try to start with a little gratitude.
 
I want to thank the leaders of our congregation, whose contributions have helped to shape where we are today.To our current and outgoing Board members who have contributed countless hours of work and expertise, to Lynn Geller who has transitioned out of her Past President and Interim CEO roles, both of which were critical to our continuity and success, and to Seth Davis who provided invaluable leadership during this time of unexpected challenges. 
 
Seth has gone above and beyond anything we could have expected from a synagogue president...from leading us through a pandemic and a CEO transition to most recently when he guided us through conversations related to Rabbi Dollin’s retirement. Seth will continue to support the Board’s work as he moves into the role of Past President. And finally, I want to acknowledge and thank our dedicated clergy and professional team, who have worked tirelessly and creatively, meeting every challenge head-on this year. 
 
At the Annual Meeting last Sunday, I spoke about how critical action is to moving us forward, particularly at a time of transition. I shared my belief that action must grow out of process and collaboration, carefully considering the viewpoints of our members. As I begin my term as HEA’s President and together with our board members and professionals, we will listen, we will be thoughtful, and we will act. 
 
While we are at a critical inflection point, our Board, clergy, and professional team are committed to action that will ensure HEA’s vitality; continuing to inspire lives of meaning for years to come. I look forward to working with this Board which represents a true cross-section of our HEA community--with diversity in experience, skillset, and demographics. We are committed to working in an intentional manner; through transparent processes and decision making that is grounded in the values of this congregation. We will ensure that communication to you occurs with every step.
 
To that end, I want to share a few important updates. The first is that our Board of Directors met last night and voted to invite Rabbi Gruenwald to engage in an interview process for the role of the Senior Rabbi. This process will include opportunities for our congregation to hear from Rabbi Gruenwald about his vision for our shul and how he would like to lead the congregation in the coming years. It will also include meeting with our Board and a newly assembled “transition team,” comprised of Board members and congregants. We will create a process for collecting feedback from those who attend these sessions with Rabbi Gruenwald.  The sessions will take place in June; please stay tuned for dates and plan to join us for the opportunity to hear from Rabbi Gruenwald.
 
Our Board, clergy, and professionals are also meeting this Sunday for a leadership retreat with the goal of clarifying our vision and direction. This will help us in articulating the desired qualities, characteristics, and expectations of our next senior rabbi. We plan to communicate with you and share the outcomes of our work. 
 
Finally, because we want to hear from you and better understand what you are thinking about and hoping for from your HEA experience, you will be receiving a congregational survey in the coming weeks. Please take time to thoughtfully complete the online survey so that we can integrate your thoughts into our work moving forward.  
 
Thank you for your dedication to and support of HEA. We look forward to welcoming you back for more in-person experiences and meaningful opportunities to connect with us and each other in the coming months.
 
​​​​​​​Shabbat Shalom!

HEArtbeat of HEA: 

Oh, The Times, They Are A-Changin' …

“Come gather round people, wherever you roam.”  Bob Dylan, from the song The Times, They Are A-Changin'

It has been about a year since you have heard from me from here in your inbox.
And oh, what a year it has been.

• COVID came to town.
• Cancer came to me. 
• We learned that Cantor Green will be starting the next phase of her life in NYC.
• We learned that Rabbi Dollin will be starting the next phase of his life in October 2022. 

Transitions are never easy. Even when the change is viewed as positive, the process of leaving, spending time in the wilderness, and starting something new requires energy, clarity, and hopefulness. All items, it seems, have been in short supply this past year.

But here we are. And let’s review where we are:

• COVID is leaving town. Banished due to vaccines and diligent adherence to science and faith. HEA is dedicated to welcoming you home, here within our walls, safely, securely, warmly, and with ruach. 
• Cancer has left me. Banished by chemotherapy and faith, the support from the HEA community, and the love of my family and friends.
• Our new, dedicated Board of Trustees and our amazing staff and clergy will be guiding us through the upcoming clergy transitions. We will be gathering your thought as well as assessing and communicating our process, all with the goal of keeping HEA dedicated to inspiring lives of meaning.  

 We, the HEA community, are in the wilderness, in between endings and beginnings. Not a bad place, really. We have the tools we need to be here. The reaction of the HEA community to the pandemic, my recent cancer diagnosis and treatment journey, and the good wishes expressed to both Cantor Green and Rabbi Dollin upon their announcements proved that we are a community of compassion, intention, tenacity, resilience, bravery, and hopefulness. These are the mana that sustains us in our journey as an organization while we look to define ourselves and move through the yet unseen future forks in our roads.

• We will be coming back together in person this year.
• We will be throwing open our metaphorical (and literal) doors allowing for new members, traditions, and connections.
• We will be entering a new phase of HEA with a different spiritual leadership team. 
• We will be welcoming new lay leaders on our board and will benefit from the gifts of leadership they bring to us.   
• We will work together to envision a new timely reality for a HEA comprised of infinite dreams. 

Are you prepared for the work? We have had both clergy, and members at large lay the groundwork for our community to look at the changes on our own horizons as we come together to steer HEA through upcoming transitions. Our member Shelley Lazear led a small group focused on a personal transition that many of our members will be facing soon or are facing. She steered HEA members’ minds and souls through the life change of retirement. 

Rabbi Gruenwald began a class recently on ritualizing benchmarks in our life. I  have joined this class as I look to begin work again after my cancer treatments and begin a healing process dependent upon myself now that my chemotherapy treatment is complete. 

Our members Bruce Likoff and Rob Novick have gathered and run multiple focus groups for our members to answer the question of “When you think of HEA, what do you think of?” You can help HEA’s future path by working through your own transitions. Our website has sign-ups for all of our classes, worship opportunities, and small groups.

Try something new here at the HEA. As we open up, why not come in for one of our “in-person” Friday night Azamra services? Join our Safety/Greeter team that welcomes people and keeps us safe on Shabbat mornings. Start a new habit and bring food donations for the new collection barrel in front of our building that was placed there by our Tikkun Olam small group. Submit a question online from our website to be answered at our Annual Meeting on May 16; then, attend the meeting. 

In Dr. William Bridges book, Transitions, he introduces and explores three stages of transitions. Transitions are comprised of endings, a neutral zone, and beginnings. He writes, “Endings make us fearful. They break our connections with the settings in which we have come to know ourselves.” In looking at the neutral zone, or what the Jew in me calls the wilderness, he writes, “The neutral zone is that apparently empty in-between time when everything feels up for grabs, ... But it is actually a very important time. During your time in the neutral zone, you are receiving signals and cues ... you are slowly being transformed. It is in transition that we are most completely alive.” 

Dr. Bridges shares in the book that, whether you are an individual or an organization, these two phases are essential for new beginnings. So as we look to the future from where we are, whether we are going through personal transition or being a part of the HEA transitions (or both), we do the very Jewish work of standing on the shoulders of those that came before us and then gathering what they have taught us. All this so that we can be the best HEA community that we know how to be.  As I have learned from this cancer, and as we have learned from COVID, as we have learned through past congregational transitions, we can get through this if we do it together. 

What will your role be in our future? HEA cannot get from here to there without you. Everyone has a gift to give, and all resources are welcome here. Be sure to join us at our HEA in-person and virtual Annual Meeting on Sunday, May 16, 11:30 a.m., so you can meet our new Board members, to stay “in the know” of what is going on, and see what your role in our future can be. Whether you want to be on a committee, be a part of a small group, take a class, teach a class, participate in worship or governance, or give an extra financial gift, I look forward to seeing you at our Annual Meeting and receiving an email from you at laura@HEAdenver.org letting me know you are ready to be a part of HEA’s future. 

Those words of Bob Dylan that we all sang a thousand times still ring true on this day.

As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin'…
For the times they are a-changin'

May we embrace each of our HEA transitions as authentically as we will soon be embracing each other.

On a personal note, there are no words that I know of to show my appreciation for all of the love, support, meals, notes, texts, messages, and prayers from HEA that were received during my illness. I am grateful to God for all the tools that God provides for healing. The love and support shown by this community take up much of that toolbox. I am grateful every day for the space you have made for Tim and I here. An extra todah rabah to your amazing HEA staff and especially to Lynn Geller for taking care of me at the same time they all are taking care of HEA. I have now received both of my COVID 19 vaccinations and will be back in the building to welcome you to Shabbat services starting tomorrow, May 8. Thank you and See you soon.

Laura Intfen, CEO

HEArtbeat of HEA: In-Person Azamra

As many of you know, Rabbi Gruenwald and I have been working hard to create an engaging and musical 6:00 p.m. Friday night service online called Azamra. If you haven’t seen it, feel free to check it out on the HEA Youtube page​​​​​​​! The word Azamra means “I will sing” and it references Psalm 146, telling us to sing with our entire being. I thought this would be a beautiful way to open up every Friday evening service because we should always strive to sing with our whole selves.

It has been a great way for us to introduce some new tunes and a little Torah, all under 45 minutes. But as we begin to see HEA open up its building little by little, we want to take this opportunity to move Azamra to an in-person service. I am very proud of the service we created, but I never wanted to be a TV star!
             
Starting Friday, May 7, we will begin our in-person Azamra service outdoors. Yes, they will all be livestreamed, but we still encourage you to experience it with us live. A number of these services will involve a dinner afterward, including May 7. If you are interested, please sign up on our website HERE.
 
In addition, please feel free to listen to some of the music that I use for Azamra on our website on the Music/Tefillah page HERE.
 
I can’t wait for many weeks of outdoor singing, and I hope that you will join us.
​​​​​​​
Shabbat Shalom!

HEArtbeat of HEA: Counting of the Omer

From the second night of Pesach until the night of Shavuot, Jews count 49 days in commemoration of the Omer ritual in ancient Israel. It is the “waving” offering of a sheaf of ripe grain, ending with a celebration of the first fruits of the trees, which happens on Shavuot.
 
This is all about the agriculture of Israel that the ancient Israelites saw as blessings from God. Many Jewish traditions align with the harvests of the Holy Land, but, over time, the traditions took on deeper meanings and values.
 
Rabbis of the Talmud began to see the counting of the 49 days to be parallel with the ancient Israelites' 49 days of walking out of Egypt to Mount Sinai where they received the Torah (on Shavuot). The Rabbis of the Kabbalah saw these 49 days as 49 levels of impurity that the Israelites needed to shed from Egypt in order to be worthy of receiving the Torah. In all cases, the story seems to be the Jewish People beginning in ganut, oppression, and finding their way to cherut, freedom, and redemption, even one day soon, the coming of the Messiah.
 
For the Bible and for Jewish traditions that followed, history moves towards redemption. There are dark days in the lives of any people, but light always returns, and light will be our future. Light, in fact, will be our destiny. 
 
I am so encouraged to hear from members of our congregation that more and more people are being vaccinated. The staff of the Alliance received their second shots two weeks ago. Most seniors who I have talked to are fully vaccinated. Now that almost everyone is eligible, my children have made appointments for their shots. We just need to hold on for a few more of the dark months, being careful, wearing masks, and keeping our distance. Let’s look at these days ahead as our counting of the omer. We may begin in slavery, but we will end in the Promised Land.
 
From darkness to light. There are good days to come.
 
Chag Sameach

HEArtbeat of HEA:  Announcing Rabbi Gruenwald’s Spring Learning Group
Practicing Judaism:  A Spiritual Prescription for a Post-Pandemic World

What will a post-pandemic world look like? I believe that, in time, the world after Covid could look a lot like the world before Covid. People are people; and fundamental human behavior and social structures have changed very little over the course of human history. So I believe that soon we will revert to our defaults. But perhaps that isn’t good enough. After all, there were a lot of social factors that contributed to the slow-moving catastrophe we’ve been living through: a diminishing trust in institutions and expertise, and a culture of rugged individualism that inhibited our ability to cooperate for the common good. Perhaps we should strive for better than the pre-Covid world. 
 
What are the tools and practices that we need to strengthen our souls in order to come back stronger as individuals and as a society? I’ve been asking this question for months and thinking about what role spirituality and communal religion can plan in the mid-21st Century. I believe that Judaism, along with other faith traditions, is poised for a period of revival and that the toolkit that Judaism provides us will help us rebuild ourselves and our culture in healthier ways. 
 
I’m launching an experiment to test out my theory that a community that shares mindful Jewish practices will be better equipped to navigate the years ahead. I am looking for people to join me in this experiment.  Starting on April 6, I will be facilitating a five week laboratory in which participants will commit to adopting Jewish practices with the kavannah (intention) of growing our souls and strengthening our fellowship. 
 
This is not a class, in the conventional sense. Each session will include a period of meditation and prayer, text learning, practice, and reflection.  Together, we will investigate five foundational practices: Prayer, Shabbat, Kashrut, tzedakah, Torah study. There will be homework. Each week, the group will commit to adopting new aspects of these practices and integrating them into our lives with renewed spirit and curiosity.  At our gatherings, we will learn and reflect together to strengthen one another’s practice. 

I hope you will consider joining us. Click HERE to learn more and register for the group,

Shabbat Shalom

HEArtbeat of HEA:  March Madness

So it is March Madness time again, but this time, less mad. All 67 games will be played in just one city, Indianapolis. The NCAA has brought back the big events after canceling them all last year. I hope all college basketball fans have a great month. After 12 months of pandemic, it is good to be mad once again.
 
For me, not such a great fan, my March Madness is usually Pesach. I remember last year streaming our Seders, not even imagining that we would be zooming people into our dining room two years in a row. So be it. Come attend our Seder on the first night of Passover. Grab some wine and lots of matzah. And don’t forget those dessert jellies which pretend to be fruit. Jewish tradition requires us to eat at least one of them before the Afikomen (just kidding).
 
It has always been our tradition in the Dollin family to have the youngest of our children stand on a chair and recite Ma Nishtanah. Vivi will be home again with us for the seders, but she now refuses to stand on a chair (she is soon to be 22, Keinahora). 
 
We can learn something from having our children recite the prayer. Small children have what I would call “New Eyes.” They see things we do not see. While we are worrying about the world,  they focus on the simple, that which is right in front of them. When they ask, “Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights?” it is less for them and more for us. They ask of us to keep the night at bay and focus on the light of redemption. What are we grateful for? What has 12 months at home taught us? What values have come forward to push us to see the world and our lives differently? How can we go from our narrow places (a consonant of mitzrayim, could be tzar, which means narrow place, restricted and confining) to the wide-open places of salvation (family, friends, community). That most of us have remained healthy and safe during this pandemic is its own miracle (which still means we have to remain vigilant: masks and distance, please;  and appreciate the front line workers and the healthcare community for treating those who have fallen ill). From slavery to freedom, from degradation to redemption. That is what our children ask of us. They look at the world with new eyes and teach us to look forward with faith and anticipation for a better world to come. Why is this night different from all other nights?  Because this night is about optimism despite a difficult world. 
 
Chag Sameach V’kasher (have a wonderful Pesach)

HEArtbeat of HEA:  

Take the Shot

The Torah commands us to “Be careful and watch yourself,” (Deut. 4:9), which is understood by the Talmud to mean that we should avoid danger whenever possible (BT Brachot 32b). Throughout the Torah, we see examples of the duty we have as individuals not only to protect ourselves, but also to mitigate harm to others. 
 
In last week’s parsha–Mishpatim–we find a litany of civil laws that deal with the most pedestrian aspects of life. For instance, the Torah gives the example of someone’s ox goring a person. If it’s a one-time event, the owner of the animal is not held responsible, but if the ox has a history of aggression, the owner can be prosecuted (Exodus 21:28).
 
Just as the owner of an aggressive ox cannot claim innocence when his animal gores another human being, we are called upon to take action wherever possible to prevent harm to others. Jewish law, therefore, would respond to our current pandemic by demanding that we take preventative measures to mitigate harm, like wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining physical distance from others. My teacher Rabbi Elliot Dorff is considered one of the country’s leading Jewish bio-ethicist. In his book, Matters of Life and Death, he writes:

With its strong sense of community and duty, the Jewish tradition would have us use communal measures to preserve our lives and health as much as possible. It would be a violation of Jewish law, for example, for a Jew to refuse to be inoculated against a disease, at least where the inoculation has a proven track record of effectiveness. Jews, on the contrary, have a positive duty to have themselves and their children inoculated against all diseases where that preventative measure is effective and available.
 
In other words, putting ourselves and others at risk of deadly diseases like measles or COVID is tantamount to standing idly by the spilled blood of another. It is socially irresponsible.
 
Recently, much of our HEA staff received the COVID vaccination thanks to The Efshar Project–a local organization that provides professional development to Colorado Jewish early childhood centers. Along with our preschool teachers, I was fortunate to receive my first dose of the vaccine, and I look forward to getting my second shot in a few weeks. When I received the vaccine, I said a prayer composed by a colleague, based on Jewish sources (you will be receiving this blessing in this year’s Purim mishloach manot from HEA). I am grateful for the peace of mind that I might be better protected from the virus, but I also held the kavannah (intention) that I was doing my small part to ensure the health and safety of others. 
 
I know that everyone will need to make their own choices when it comes to getting vaccinated, and I am also aware that there are many valid medical reasons why some people cannot get vaccinated. Nonetheless, I want to strenuously encourage you all to get vaccinated when the opportunity is presented. Don’t just do it for yourself–do it for others too. It’s the right thing to do and it is the Jewish thing to do. 
 
When you do receive your vaccine, you might want to offer a prayer as well. You can find several by visiting the Rabbinical Assembly website.

Shabbat Shalom!