open tent – The Open Tent

Sweet Beginnings

By Nancy W

Tonight begins Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year (literally, the ‘head of the year’). These are some ideas we’ll be using in our home with the family this year: baking applesauce honeycake (recipe thanks to challahcrumbs.com), reading the (free!) book of the month we received in the mail from PJ Library (sign up here), and reflecting on touching stories though the Jewels of Elul project. I know that being a first-time parent has provided many challenges this past year and also opportunities for t’shuvah — returning to a better side of myself. A few days ago, my husband and I took the opportunity to apologize to one another for any missteps, impatience, or other shortcomings in the past year and then to forgive each other, ready to start this year fresh. Try it out with your family, too. May you all have a good and sweet new year.

Posted September 8, 2010 – 9:42 am | Comments (0)

High Holiday Update

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By Marc Hurwitz, Tribe Coordinator

This is the time of year where many of us in our 20s and 30s start panicking as we have to scurry to find a place for High Holy Day services. This often makes no sense to our gentile friends, who ask why we have to pay to pray. While many of us may grudgingly agree with this view, we also know that Judaism has no Vatican, that our houses of worship are funded by the communities they serve, and membership dues are the norm to ensure our synagogues survive. This said, it does little to help the struggling young professional who can’t afford synagogue dues. While usually no synagogue will turn away anyone who asks for a ticket, it still takes some swallowing of pride to ask. Many of America’s synagogues may be in for a rude awakening when the current young professional community comes of age – we are less likely to pay annual membership dues. Our synagogues will have to find new ways to engage us to ensure their own survival.

In the short-term, we as young professionals are left to find welcoming high holy day services. For those who prefer to be surrounded by their own demographic with whom they can relate, The Tribe is really excited and proud to offer free Erev Rosh Hashanah and Kol Nidrei services at the Jewish Museum. This is no small undertaking – from negotiating with the venue, the valet services, obtaining food and wine, preparing the mahzor, etc., a considerable amount of time and money has already been spent. While we hope for 250 people, we’ll be happy with 10, so long as our guests feel welcome and spiritually fulfilled!

Check out our website for the High Holy Day services details, at www.thetribemb.org. We wish you all a very happy, sweet, and healthy New Year!

The Tribe

Posted August 27, 2010 – 1:08 pm | Comments (0)

Summer Reflections

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By Marc Hurwitz, Tribe Coordinator

The summer is upon us and we at The Tribe have a lot going on. From a new poker series to Jewish book club to planning for free High Holy Day Services, we are not feeling the typical “summer slow-down”. We love creating these events that we hope will be enjoyed by a wide range of folks.

During my recent trip to Israel, I reflected on The Tribe’s mission: “…to cultivate an open, supportive and stimulating environment for young Jewish professionals in South Florida between the ages of 21 and 39 — through business, social networking, community service, and intellectual and spiritual events.” In other words, we strive to find Jews wherever they are and bring them together, to enrich their lives on a number of levels, from social to spiritual. It’s more of a challenge doing this than in Israel, where the person selling you a falafel to the taxi driver to the Rabbi at the Western Wall, all define themselves as Jews. It’s an amazing feeling to be there and be surrounded by your co-religionists.

My observations seemed prescient as a controversy has erupted in Israel between Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party and leaders of the North American Jewish community (both pictured below) over a bill on conversion in Israel approved in committee and slated be brought to the Knesset floor. The non-Orthodox streams of Judaism (Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist) as well as many other North American Jewish leaders representing the vast majority of Diaspora Jewry have been fighting vigorously against this bill since it was introduced in April of this year. The bill, authored by MK David Rotem, would legislatively consolidate all of the power for conversion in Israel in the ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate. This bill threatens to revive the notorious who-is-a-Jew issue and drive a wedge between Israeli and Diaspora Jewry by distinguishing between Jews by birth and Jews by Choice and altering the Law of Return.

I consider the Tribe’s existence in and of itself a strong condemnation of the proposed “conversion bill”. We strive to be INCLUSIVE, no matter how you define your association to Judaism. In fact, many of us on the Tribe Board are Jews by Choice, or married to one. We take pride in the Tribe’s mission to bring Jews together in a disparate range of activities – some more religious or spiritual than others. We in the diaspora must remain unified in our mutual acceptance of each other’s definition of Judaism. We believe that The Tribe plays an important role in bringing Jews from different backgrounds together, where we can socialize, play, and learn together. We hope that the conversion bill finds its appropriate end on the Knesset floor. In the meantime, we in the Diaspora will continue to stand proud in our Judaism. And just maybe The Tribe is playing a small part in keeping us all together.

We would love to hear from you on this or any other subject. Email us at info@thetribemb.org. As always, we welcome volunteers to sit on planning committees for upcoming events.

Posted July 19, 2010 – 1:09 pm | Comments (0)

Securing connections via social networking…..

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By Marc Hurwitz, Tribe Coordinator

Being new in town can be tough, and going to an event on your own is intimidating. Tougher still, for many, is following up with people you’ve just met to build the foundation for a friendship. At The Tribe, we’ve observed first-hand the awesome phenomenon of newcomers becoming facebook “friends” immediately after events. Nothing brings us more joy! We attempt to encourage this through taking a lot of photos at events, and tagging as many people as we can, so that attendees can find each other online. A visiting Rabbi from the foundation that funds us even remarked that facebook appears to be more prevalent in Miami than in other cities, where Twitter has more prominence.

What do you think? Does facebook do the job to break the ice? Are there other ways to connect people to each other at our events? Do people use twitter to connect? Let us know your thoughts at info@thetribemb.org….

Until next time,
The Tribe!

Posted June 15, 2010 – 6:57 pm | Comments (0)

The Tribe: May Update

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By Marc Hurwitz, Tribe Coordinator

We’re already into mid-May and The Tribe has a lot going on! From our Board meeting (open to the public!) on May 20 to Havdalah kayking on May 22 to Jewish Book Club (we’re reading “The Jew in the Lotus”) on June 6th, there’s no shortage of ways to get involved!

Which brings us to this blog’s subject: we’re always seeking ways to refine our programming – do we go for large social events, smaller spiritual events, events at peoples home or at Temple Beth Sholom, etc…..As you know from our programming, we’ve done our best to include a huge variety of options so everyone will feel welcomed. On the horizon is a social event at Mokai, a cooking class, a poker night (co-ed! and includes a lesson!), and some volunteer activities. Our challenge is to find the mechanisms and venues that work best to entice as many of you as possible to come, and even more importantly, to invite you to help us plan these events. The Tribe belongs to YOU, the community, and we invite you to help us steer it forward.

Consider this a call-to-arms! Get in touch with us and let us know you’d like to help plan something – we would very much welcome it!!! You can email us at info@thetribemb.org or call our coordinator Marc at 202-276-5985.

We look forward to hearing from you, and seeing you soon at one of our planning committee meetings!!

Posted May 23, 2010 – 11:05 am | Comments (0)

The Tribe 101

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By Marc Hurwitz, Tribe Coordinator

The Tribe got its start more than four years ago, and was then known as “The Young Professionals of Temple Beth Sholom.” It was incepted by two young women, Jennifer and Helena (Helena is still with us today, though Jenn sadly moved out of town), who saw the need to form a community of like-minded Jews in their 20s-40s and provide them with networking, social, and spiritual opportunities to explore and connect.

Since then, we have rebranded ourselves as The Tribe, expanded our board – and our membership has gone from the tens to the hundreds, and is constantly growing. In addition to flagship events like “Shabbat on the Beach” (next one is April 30th!) and Vodka Latke, we have expanded our programming to include larger social events at local nightclubs and restaurants, as well as intellectual/spiritual events like our new Jewish Book Club (JBC) (April 11th – we’re reading “People of the Book”).

Recently we have joined forces with the Open Tent, and look forward to continuing to build positive momentum – and our membership! We feel our missions our complimentary, and our partnership will be a win-win for all.

We are really focused on Mitzvah month right now – on April 14 we helped feed the homeless at the Miami Rescue Mission, and on March 21st we’re running (or walking!) the Celebrity 5k, benefitting the Community Partnership for the Homeless.

We think it’s fitting that this is “Mitzvah Month”, as a recent Torah portion related how Moses told the Jews that they had donated enough for the tabernacle being built. Unfortunately, we don’t have that luxury these days – with so many needs, there is an overwhelming number of ways to do mitzvahs for those less fortunate. May we come to a day when those in need say “enough”, but until then , we have lots of work to do!

If you’d like to get more involved with the Tribe or our Leadership, please send an email to info@thetribemb.org

Posted April 26, 2010 – 6:29 pm | Comments (0)

Photo Recap: Seder as Art 2010

by open tent

On Saturday, Mar 13 Arts Inside The Open Tent presented Seder as Art, a visual arts experience promoting alternative access to the Passover experience. Held in the Design District, the event brought to together various artists to showcase their interpretations of seder. Click here to read Open Tent artistic director Jenni Person’s recap of the event and relive the fun with the slideshow below.

Posted April 22, 2010 – 1:30 pm | Comments (0)

Event Recap: Seder as Art

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By Jenni Person, Artistic Director, The Open Tent

Seder As Art 2010 – What a wonderful gallery walk night – lucky us! Lots of people came out after two frozen/rained out months of gallery walks.

All the artists involved took risks. Michael Pertnoy’s video installation on a Darfuri exile going from Egypt to Israel challenged by stepping out of Jewish experience as the Maggid (the telling part of the seder), to parallel and investigate Jewish experience…as well as responsibility – with the central theme being that we have to remember that we were once slaves in Egypt and therefore not supposed to allow oppression to exist anywhere.

Photographer Tomas Loewy stepped away from his original plan to include prints and opted for what he called a visual installation, a looped slideshow of hundreds of appropriated images of all things Passover – from kids books to ritual items through time, to propaganda, and appropriated text applied to the wall like a frame to the slideshow with questions and research about Passover. The piece was called What Is The Haggadah Anyway? And Loewy said his seder element was the Haggadah – but it elicited thoughts about the Four Questions. Traditionally its role is as a big deal for the youngest – and all the depth and profound meaning and pedagogy behind that. But in fact it is the keystone of the Seder – it’s all about asking questions, with ”why is this night different from all other nights?”sSimply being the tip of the iceberg. I had a theatre teacher in college who used to always ask that question – jokingly referring to Passover, but referring to why we were on stage or why the audience was at the theatre that night, etc. It’s definitely something I still measure by in all my work.

Deb Sherman’s theatre piece was humorous and engaging. She created Exodus Abridged suggesting something antithetical to traditional seders that can go all night. What are you left with when you shorthand it?

Layered literally as expertly executed collage and mixed media , Toby Needler’s piece was incredible.– folding in images and language. Images of plagues from the Sarajevo Haggadah (which itself survived such plagues as the Inquisition and the Holocaust) make up a seder plate which is surrounded by contemporary challenges – or plagues. The idea of plagues and a plagued artifact making up the seder plate itself somewhat begs the question of why would you want plagues so close, in fact holding, that which you eat? There is a superstition among some Jews that teaches that it is very important not to lick the wine off your finger after using it to make drops of wine (representing blood) for each plague or you will eat the plagues. This reminds me of that.

Conceptual artist Stuart Sheldon’s piece was a joy. Creating a surface from about 20 matzah boxes, he framed a giant egg in celebration of the unanswered, ubiquitous egg.

The egg is the only thing on the seder plate that is not explained or even discussed in the Haggadah – leaving it to be pondered freeform – even the pondering of whether or not to ponder. It is said that it’s about spring and renewal, pagan remnants that also make it central in Easter, the cycle of life, round like the world, and then there are those who pass on the meaning

Posted April 21, 2010 – 5:20 pm | Comments (0)

Safety First, Right?

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By Nancy W.

Would I be ready to handle the emergency if my daughter stopped breathing? Wouldn’t I do anything to be prepared to keep my toddler safe?

It’s scary to think about my little girl unable to breathe. I would feel frightened if she were choking and needed rescue breathing. But, knowing that I can get the training, practice, and certification to handle the situation does assure me that I’m doing the best I can for her.

Here’s a wonderful opportunity — the Shalom Tots program (sponsored by The Open Tent) has arranged a fully certified and convenient training session for us moms and dads with toddlers. By popular request, this training is also open to grandparents and other caregivers.

Please join me (and my husband) on Wednesday, April 14th (this upcoming week!) for this safety program — an excellent skill builder (and/or refresher).

The instructor will be coming to us at Temple Beth Sholom <http://www.tbsmb.org/contactus/> (2nd floor activity room – 4144 Chase Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33140 ) at 7:00pm. The suggested fee is $25 per person, or, $40 for two adults. Feel free to use cash, check or credit card. Payment can be made in advance (to hold your spot) or at the event — whichever is most convenient for you.

RSVPs are recommended! Email Ashley at totscoordinator@gmail.com with “Attending CPR session” in the subject or body of your message. Also, check out our other upcoming Shalom Tots sessions.

For more information or if you have questions, please email our fantastic Shalom Tots program coordinator.

I hope to see you there!

Posted April 11, 2010 – 11:33 am | Comments (0)

A Blessing for my family from our book discussion – A new sleeping tactic for toddlers

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By Vanessa Ressler, volunteer and mommy of 1 3/4 daughters

I recently joined the Open Tent’s discussion group for the Blessing of a Skinned Knee, though I first started reading and reflecting on this most interesting text when my daughter Orli was born 22 months ago. For those of you that haven’t read it, the book is written by a mother/therapist/teacher that has undertaken a spiritual journey of sorts to find relevant solutions to raising children in today’s world using Jewish teachings.

During our first chat, all of us moms got a chance to voice a particular challenge that we are having in our own homes. Some talked about completing homework, some talked about shyness, and I talked about sleep! My fiery little one has gotten into the unfortunate habit of waking and calling for me every day between 5:30 and 6am. ”Mommy, leche! (milk in spanish) Moooommmmmmmyyyyyy!” is all I hear until I stumble in there, bleary eyed and slightly annoyed, preaching to her about the value of sleep and the need to stay in bed until dawn (which she obviously does not care to hear).

After this session, I went home determined to find a new tactic for dealing with this early waking behavior. Someone had recently told me about a stoplight clock that is parent-programmed – a red light shines all night until the desired wake-up time, at which point it turns to green. There is no noise, so if the toddler happens to still be asleep at, say, 7am, it will not wake him/her. I went on the prowl and found an adorable clock online [can we add this stoplight sleep enhancing clock on amazon to our astore and hotlink to it here??], complete with a little girl in a convertible car with a butterfly on the side, and had it shipped express.

When the package arrived, we sat down together and explored the new toy. I demonstrated the red and green lights, and explained that she couldn’t call for me and ask for her bottle until the green light came on. (It’s ok to wake up and even play quietly in her room, but no yelling.) We are now 5 nights in – and she has waited until 7am for 4 of 5 of these nights! The first morning, instead of “Mommy leche!” I heard “Light? Mommy, light!” It was like music – I haven’t woken up with such a bounce in my step in a long time.

This experience was a valuable lesson not only for me, Mommy, but for Orli as well. She is giving me a little sanity to wake up and have a cup of tea or a little cereal before our day begins, and she is learning how to tell when it is time to get up. She is also being given the freedom to play on her own until I come to her, which I always do. Now I’m just a little more rested (at least for the next 5 weeks until the new baby is born). :)

Posted February 9, 2010 – 3:54 pm | Comments (1)