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Dear Synagogue Leader,
We
live in extraordinary times, times of apprehension and
uncertainty. But despite the multiplicity of challenges
we face, I do not fear for the Jewish people. We are,
and have always been, sweet survivors of history, bearers
of an ancient covenant, and copartners with God in healing
a hurting world.
At
the Boston Biennial, I addressed two interconnected challenges
facing our Reform Movement: The need to improve our congregational
religious schools and the shortage of Jewish professionals.
And I called on you, the leadership of our congregations,
to be active partners in our efforts to respond.
Together
with our sister organizations, we have created materials
and initiatives to assist you in achieving these goals.
These materials were included on a CD that we distributed
at the Biennial. This information is also posted on the
UAHC Web site .
A
quality religious school alone cannot guarantee that our
children will be Jewish, but religious schooling is the
key that opens the door to the grand adventure of Jewish
learning and Jewish life. We must not rest until our schools
are a place where our children hear God’s voice and
see Torah as a tree of life.
And,
while the shortage of professionals is a complex problem
requiring responses on many levels, one thing that we
must do is create in our synagogues a true partnership
between volunteers and professionals. Only in this way
can we ensure that we will have the rabbis, cantors, educators,
and administrators we need to provide the synagogue with
its inner pulse and power and to light our Jewish lives
with the flame of faith.
Rabbi
Eric H. Yoffie
December 8, 2001
23 Kislev 5762
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