Each night, as I watch the moon I am reminded that the days of Elul are waning; Tishre and the Days of Awe are fast approaching. Together – as families, as communities, as a Jewish people – we stand at the precipice of a new year – each one of us (hopefully) cautiously optimistic as we anticipate the next steps we will take on our journey. No matter our marital status, profession, age, or stage of life, it is a journey we take as friends, family members, learners, role models, facilitators, and guides.
Long ago Moses reminded the people that they, too, stood at a pivotal moment in time. This week’s parsha begins with just these words “You are standing here today, all of you, in front of Adonai…”
Moses was speaking to a generation that had not known slavery. They had been born in the wilderness, followed their leader for nearly forty years, and were now being charged with the responsibility of freedom. Community leaders, woodcutters, men, and women were all there listening to last minute directions before they took steps into the Land that had been promised to their parents and generations past.
This group had traveled through the wilderness their entire lives. They needed to enter into their own covenant with G-d; a partnership relationship that would shortly not include Moses as their leader. One can only imagine their feelings – eagerness, exhaustion, and fear.
When their parents had stood at Mt. Sinai 40 years prior, they entered into a covenant with G-d, accepting the teachings of the Torah. At that moment these individuals became a covenantal community with a shared ethical road map.
Now this generation – children and grandchildren of those who left Egypt – stood at the edge of the Jordan River ready to cross into Israel. It was time for them, as adults, to make their commitment to this covenant. They needed to agree to take the next step, not only into The Land, but also in their relationship with G-d.
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Prior to her position with the Grinspoon Foundation, Iris served as a synagogue educator in Syracuse NY, the Central New York PJ Library Program Coordinator and as a national consultant for PJ Library.
Iris holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education, a master’s degree in Special Education and Reading, and Advanced Certification in School Leadership and Administration. Her experience as a secular educator and educational leader in congregational and community settings spans over 20 years. She is also a lay leader in Jewish organizations on the local and national levels. Iris served as the President of CAJE – the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education, which was the largest member organization for Jewish educators in the country.
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