February 2006
Dear Friends,
Sometimes we feel somewhat isolated as Jews and as a Jewish community here in rural Vermont, but that really shouldn’t be the case. Many interactions speak of our larger community. As many of you know, this past fall brought significant flooding to the Keene, NH area. Greatly affected was the Keene synagogue. While their prayer books appear to be unharmed, they did suffer other library losses and to the extent we can, we will be donating some books to help rebuild their library. In the midst of their own cleaning up and repair, we recently received a message from their Board. Having heard of our impending move, they wanted to know how they could help! They offered to recruit helpers from their own congregation to come here to help. At the right time, we will accept their kind offer.
We also stay in touch with Jewish congregations in Greenfield, in Bennington, in Manchester, as well as in Keene and other places as we try to create policy and practices that will work for us. How much are the dues and on what basis are they collected in Manchester? What kind of food policy works in Greenfield (Kosher? Vegetarian? Only chicken soup in the meat category?)? What is the role of the active, non-Jewish member at services in Burlington? As we update our cemetery policies, how have issues of burial been resolved in rural congregations similar to our own? How has Mishkan Tefilah, the new prayer book (which we will be using soon), been integrated at services where it has been introduced already? Not only can we avoid having to reinvent the wheel on countless issues large and small, but also we foster a bond with our neighboring communities by maintaining contacts with them.
In a larger sense, we are also brought together by the Union for Reform Judaism, which is our nationwide representative body, and the URJ Northeast Council, which addresses the issues of our region and brings us together. We have quarterly meetings, we have regional and national biennials; we have workshops for synagogue musicians; workshops about creating caring communities as well as creating meaningful services; meetings and materials relating to events in Israel and worldwide. URJ – national and regional – is not only a database of modern Jewish thought and action, but also a place to go to get questions answered and relevant advice on both practical and religious matters. Through URJ, there are list-serves which connect us electronically to hundreds of congregations at the press of a key, to share both questions and advice regarding worship, financial matters, membership and outreach, interfaith families, governance, small congregation concerns, etc.
Being a Jew in rural New England need not be defined by a sense of isolation. There is Jewish community everywhere. I hope, as we devote significant resources to creating our own home, that we also can grow our bonds with other communities in the region.
B’Shalom, Paul
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