Posts Tagged ‘Lake Norman’

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Parent: “I hated Hebrew School, You’ll Hate Hebrew School and That’s Just the Way it is!

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

After my first year as the Rabbi of the Lake Norman Jewish Congregation in Davidson, North Carolina, a parent came up to me and said: “Rabbi, I don’t know what my child’s teacher is doing, but my kid actually wants to come to Hebrew school.”  He went on to explain that he remembered his father saying the following to him: “I hated Hebrew school, you’ll hate Hebrew school, and that is just the way it is.”  He thought that he too would be put in the position of saying those same dreadful words to his child.  Luckily, Jewish education, and the school program at the LNJC, has broken that circle of religious education misery.

I strongly believe that Jewish education should inspire wonder about, and joy for Judaism.  This drives our school program. I am so proud of both our congregation but also the wider Jewish community in the Lake Norman and Charlotte region for their dedication to this vision.

The LNJC religious school is kicking off immediately before the 2nd annual “Shalom Lake Norman Jewish Festival” in order to maximize participation in the exceptional event planned by the Jewish Council of Lake Norman, which  is made up of the 5 Jewish organizations at the Lake.

The kick-off and festival is an opportunity to frame the whole year of Jewish learning in a “funJewcational ” (Fun + educational) way for all of our children. This is exactly what we are supposed to be doing as teachers of the next generation; inspiring our children to be thoughtful and engaged questioners and seekers.

I hope that everyone takes the opportunity to attend the Jewish festival. Tireless volunteers have spent countless hours planning every aspect of the Festival and it will be a fabulous event for the young, young-at-heart, and everyone in between.

An Early Shabbat Shalom Lake Norman,

-Rabbi Michael Shields

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Posted in Building a Jewish Community, Lake Norman Judaism, Meeting the Challenge of Jewish Education: Creating a Dynamic Educational Environment in the Community and at Home | No Comments »

July 23? or something more?

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

July 23 was a day like any other.  The temperature was already eighty degrees by 9am; and by noon it was 95.  My shirt began to stick to my body in the 30 feet from my front door to my car, and my tomato plants were already withering from the solar assault.  An iced coffee from Summit and my air conditioned office called to me like a siren.  It seemed like just another hot and sticky North Carolina summer day.

But after I got my cool coffee creation and found the comfort of my office chair, I realized that July 23 was not just any day, it was Friday, and that meant Shabbat was coming.

I pulled my sermon notebook from the top drawer of my desk and reviewed the sermon I had written earlier in the week. I began to hum the melodies we would use that evening to welcome the Shabbat.  I prepared some children’s activities for “Shabbat Kids,” our pre-service learning and singing time, and thought of what joy gathering as a Jewish community can bring.

Children sat on the special alphabet mat while singing the “Shabbat Dinosaur Song” and multiple rounds of Bim Bam.  Adults peppered me with questions about the different sections of the service, and together we learned two new melodies for Shabbat, and one melody that will make an appearance during the High Holy Days.  As a community we learned, we prayed, we greeted old friends and welcomed new ones, and of course after the service, we ate.

It was Shabbat and we were happy!

What an exciting time to be Jewish in Lake Norman:

-6 new families have joined us in just the past few weeks.

-We will be adding 4-6 new preschoolers and 8-10 new students to our religious school.

-We have hired a school principal

-We will have a teaching corp of at least 10 teachers.  4 of our teachers are Davidson College students and 6 are trained teachers.  We are going to be blessed with at least 15 adult volunteers and 6 madrichim (post-bnei Mitzvah teacher aides)

-We plan to have at least 3 major cultural/musical/educational events stopping at the congregation from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life.

-We continue to take important steps towards making a permanent home a reality in the near future.

I feel so lucky to be the Rabbi in Lake Norman and look forward to many more years of sacred covenant with the LNJC.

Shalom Lake Norman,

Rabbi Michael Shields

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The Lake Norman Jewish Congregation Continues to Thrive

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

It is with great excitement and anticipation that I bring you the news that the congregation has hired Kristine Mahoney to a 3 year contract as our Religious School Director.  Ms. Mahoney has a Masters degree in Education and brings a wealth of experience to the position.

Our congregation has grown from just 6 families in 2006 to more than 115 families today. In 2008 I was blessed to be brought to this community as the first full-time Rabbi in the Lake Norman region.

The hiring of Ms. Mahoney is an important step on our path of continued success.  The explosive growth of our congregation and our desire to continue providing an exceptional educational experience for our children led us to hire Kristine Mahoney.  With 72 students this past year and more than 80 students projected for the upcoming year, Ms. Mahoney will make it possible for the congregation to maintain the excellence we have achieved to date and enhance and expand our educational programming for children and adults. Moreover, she will serve as a pivotal partner for me as the Rabbi in curricular and programmatic development. We are thrilled to have her on board.

We continue to implement and refine our strategic plan.  Our vision drives our programming, and as our vision gets even more vibrant, so too does our programming.

Shalom Lake Norman!

-Rabbi Michael Shields

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Judaism and Drinking (Printed in Cornelius Today)

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Judaism is not against the consumption of alcohol. Wine has served an important symbolic function within Jewish tradition for thousands of years, and every Friday evening Jews bless God thanking her for the fruit of the vine. The ‘everything in moderation’ rule is applied as the great Jewish thinker Maimonides wrote: Keeping the body fit and healthy is part of serving God, for it is impossible to know and understand anything of the Creator’s will if one is ill. Therefore a person should avoid whatever undermines bodily health.

A warning against alcohol abuse can be found in Proverbs 23:18 — Show me someone who drinks too much, who has tried to cut out some new drink, and I will show you someone miserable and sorry for himself. … His eyes are bloodshot and he has bruises that could have been avoided. Don’t let wine tempt you. The next morning you will feel as though you have been bitten by a poisonous snake.

• The use of intoxicants (alcohol) and drugs is not forbidden in Judaism.

• Wine is an important symbol of God providing for his chosen people.

• The importance of moderation is emphasized.

• Abuse of drugs or intoxicants is frowned upon and is ultimately a rejection of the gift of life.”

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The Reform Congregation of Lake Norman

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

I feel so lucky to be the full-time rabbi of the Reform Congregation in Lake Norman (www.lakenormanjc.org) but also to be a part of a community in the Lake Norman region that is blessed with a liberal/Reform and a conservative choice.

If one is a Conservative Jew, Beth Shalom of Lake Norman can provide an intimate setting in which more traditional and ritually conservative Jews can connect and find support in navigating the ins and outs of Conservative Judaism (dietary laws, halakhah, t’fillin, mikveh, etc.)

Our Reform/liberal Congregation (as written in the Movement’s Statement of Principles) enables  the Jewish People and individuals to embrace “innovation while preserving tradition, to embrace diversity while asserting commonality, to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt, and to bring faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship.”

Reform Judaism recognizes the realities that Jews face in the 21st century, and seeks to facilitate authentic connection with Jewish culture, religion, and tradition.  Reform Judaism helps individuals and families as they strive for religious meaning, moral purpose and a sense of community.

See the following link for the full “Statement of Principles of the Reform Movement” adopted in Pittsburgh in 1999.

http://ccarnet.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=44&pge_prg_id=4687&pge_id=1656

An Excerpt from “A Commentary on the Principles of Reform Judaism”

The rise in mixed marriage and the embrace of Jews of patrilineal descent (children of one Jewish parent who were raised as Jews) had changed the demographics of the Reform Movement, contributing to a growing desire for increased learning, spiritual expression, and guidelines for Reform ideology. Women’s increased influence in the Movement (from three women ordained in 1976 the number had grown to over 250 by 1999) had changed much of the language and approach of Reform, and the Movement had pioneered in opening doors of Jewish life (including ordination) to gay and lesbian Jews.

Reform Judaism is moving forward and can lead the way in revitalizing Judaism in the 21st century.

Reform Judaism is committed to:

The complete equality of women and men in Jewish life.

Reaching out to all Jews across ideological and geographical boundaries.

Inclusivity: providing a home for all who seek a Jewish experience.  Our movement is enriched by those who choose to convert to Judaism and the non-Jewish partners raising Jewish children.

For the full text see:  http://ccarnet.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=45&pge_prg_id=4687&pge_id=1656

I look forward to the months and years ahead as we build a vibrant Jewish congregation, with a home of our own, in the Lake Norman and North Charlotte region.  Join us on this adventure: www.lakenormanjc.org.

If you are looking for a conservative congregation Beth Shalom of Lake Norman is a loving and warm congregation: www.bslkn.org


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Vision for the future: Join us for a Unique Communal Adventure

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

It has been almost two years since I found out that I would join the Lake Norman Jewish Congregation (www.lakenormanjc.org) as its first full-time Rabbi.  The relationship between congregation and rabbi has been more enriching and meaningful than I ever imagined. Together we have taken crucial steps in building a Jewish community.

The congregation has grown from 55 families and 45 students in the religious school to nearly 120 families and 75 children in the religious school. Our worship has matured and we are well on our way to a vibrant and diverse musical tradition that embraces both traditional melodies and music from contemporary Jewish song writers.  Educational opportunities are born every day; ‘Taste of Judaism’ class, adult Hebrew, and our ‘Torah Reborn: Bursting the Biblical Bubble’ Torah Study.  Other opportunities are in the development stage, including; “Torah on Tap:  Bible and a Brew,”  ”Sex in the Texts: Jewish Views of Sexuality and Intimacy”,  ”Vices in Biblical and Rabbinic Literature,”  and “Reel Theology: An exploration of Jewish Theological and Philosophical Themes in Film.”  We are also developing learning opportunities for interfaith couples, new parents, and grandparents.

Our community is literally bursting with new ideas, enthusiasm, and hopes for the future; hopes for our children, our teenagers, our adults, our retirees. We have many dreams; dreams of a unified liberal Jewish community in the Lake Norman region – one which builds a powerful foundation that will endure for generations.  Dreams of a community home – a beit midrash, a house of study, a beit sefer, a school, and a beit t’filah, a house of prayer.

We have a vision, we have a sound strategic plan, and we have the critical mass to succeed. My hope is that all in the community will want to be a part of and contribute to this vision. A unified Jewish community will best be able to serve the needs of all.

We are building a powerful community model and hope all will walk with us on this meaningful adventure. The possibilities are endless.

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Posted in Building a Jewish Community, Davidson College Hillel, Lake Norman Judaism, Meeting the Challenge of Jewish Education: Creating a Dynamic Educational Environment in the Community and at Home | No Comments »

Shabbat Shalom and happy Secular New Year

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Another Shabbat is upon us, and we have charged into a New Secular Year. It was such a blessing to gather with 40 or so souls for a Shabbat service with Davidson Hillel. The students and some community members gathered before services for a Shabbat dinner of sushi and Pizza and a little text study around the topic of Haiti and what Jewish responses could be. We then proceeded to welcome the Sabbath with joyous song and prayer.

Davidson Hillel continues to grow just as do the Lake Norman Jewish Congregation and the Jewish community at the Lake.  I hope to be writing more and providing links to interesting Jewish topics.  My apologies for not posting very often in the last month.  The development of the Jewish community is progressing at breakneck speed and those developments have made it more difficult to write consistently. Check back more often as I will be writing at least once a week from here on out.

Shabbat Shalom

Donate to the the American Jewish World Service Haiti Relief Fund: https://secure.ajws.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3460&3460.donation=form1

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A Thanksgiving Honor – Jewish Participation in the Annual Davidson Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Yesterday (Sunday November 22, 2009) Joel Skodnick from Congregation Beth Shalom and I had the supreme honor to represent the Jewish community at the Annual Davidson Interfaith Thanksgiving Service.

Five years ago, I do not know if the fledgling Jewish community could have imagined the day when two Jews would stand shoulder to shoulder with our Christian brothers and sisters of faith as representatives of a vibrant and dynamic Jewish community.

This new Jewish communal success is the result of hard work and visionary leadership by so many lay leaders. The community Thanksgiving service, like the first Annual “Shalom Lake Norman” Festival, is a testament to those labors of love.

There are still many chapters to be written in the Jewish communal story in the Lake Norman region. It is with great optimism that I look to the future. A vibrant Jewish community which embraces the fullness of Jewish tradition will continue to grow and thrive in the months and years to come. As an emerging Jewish community we have an opportunity to fashion a community that takes the best from all of the many streams of Judaism.

I offer my prayer of thanks for what has been done and what will be done.

Happy Thanksgiving To All!

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The Shabbat Family Siddur

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

A congregant just found a way to re-bind the ‘Shabbat Family Siddur,’ a great prayerbook that I hope to use with the congregation. It was created by Congregation B’nai Jeshrun in New York City, a dynamic conservative synagogue on the Upper West Side.  

As it’s publisher says:

This lively and inviting siddur reflects the spiritual approach to prayer that has made B’nai Jeshurun renowned throughout the Jewish world. It artfully blends traditional rituals and liturgy with contemporary sensibilities to create a deeply moving synagogue service for the entire family.

With its inviting design and colorful artwork–including charming children’s drawings and more sophisticated illustrations–P’nei Shabbat reveals the beauty and inspiration of joyful worship.

Traditional and modern readings, poems, and songs enhance the Friday evening and Shabbat morning prayers, inspiring both children and adult worshippers with a sense of wonder and thankfulness.

The B’nai Jeshurun Shabbat Family Siddur includes:

  • Easy-to-read Hebrew text
  • Clearly transliterated passages
  • Lyrical English translations
    A family-friendly, multi-generational text that will engage children, parents, and grandparents in its deeply moving and spiritual liturgy throughout the year.”

It is an accessible prayerbook that can be used by all and will greatly enhance our worship.  We just need to find a way to obtain 35-50 additional copies. A handful at a time at $12/per. and we should be able to have enough in a year or so.

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Being a Spiritual Warrior

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein came to speak to the congregation on Saturday October 24. He brought a message of hope and inspiration for all of us. We face difficult challenges in our lives. Life is messy and painful at times. Being a spiritual warrior is all about dipping into our individual wells of resilience.

In times of upheaval we must confront the challenges and become stronger as a result. It is by facing our fear and not backing down; by making ourselves more vulnerable initially that we can emerge from our personal challenges stronger and more whole of heart and soul.

Rabbi Goldstein’s book details eight essential qualities that he believes we must cultivate to live a life of self-empowerment:

1) Openness

2) Introspection

3) Discipline

4) Courage

5) Creativity

6) Stamina

7) Restraint

8) Perseverance

The qualities of a spiritual warrior Rabbi Goldstein writes are: “An understanding of, and mastery over, one’s own soul; insight and persepctive; a sense of mission.”

I highly recommend his book, The Challenge of the Soul: A Guide for the Spiritual Warrior. It contains numerous insights that can help each of us as we continue on our spiritual journey. I have signed copies. Donations to the congregation would be most welcome.

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