Living in 21st century America all too often feels like a race for the next best thing. We are constantly bombarded with information and asked to do far too much far too fast. As Jewish educators, we have learned that unless we quickly capture the attention of learners and then engage them in serious, relevant experiences they will head off to find something else, somewhere else.
It’s actually similar to the situation in this week’s Torah portion. As Parshat Ki Tissa begins we find Moses at the top of Mt. Sinai. He is with G-d, learning more about community organizing, the challenges ahead, and how he can best lead and nurture the growth of the 600,000 people who left Egypt with him. He is actively engaged in learning.
The people left down below, however, become scared and feel abandoned. Even though they have recently seen the miracle of the Sea of Reeds, find manna at their tent door each morning, and, just in case that isn’t enough, have witnessed G-d’s presence at Mt. Sinai they are still not fully engaged.
Though they had experienced awe-filled moments, the “ordinary” Israelites had not yet learned enough to own this new faith; it just didn’t feel comfortable or comforting. So, feeling lost, they searched for a quick, familiar solution and built an idol – the Golden Calf – to worship.
Today the less engaged might not be building golden calves, but they are seeking relationships, comfort, and fulfillment beyond the Jewish community. If this is to change educators, clergy and lay leaders must commit to moving beyond creating “magical awe-filled” moments by ensuring that each moment can be the gateway to sustained engagement. Rabbi Kerry Olitsky of the Jewish Outreach Institute teaches that if we are going to do the work of outreach we must have attractive compelling paths to deeper engagement already laid out.
At a time where there are far more choices and demands on our time than our ancestors had at the foot of Mt. Sinai, it is not easy to help others to see that there is more to their world view than the “I” of “I-phone,” “I-pad,” and “I- need.” Yet, we must help individuals of every age and stage of life learn to find relevance and meaning in their faith and tradition. There is nothing less than the future of a vibrant pluralistic Jewish life in America at stake.
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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