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- Article: Perhaps You Belong In A Reconstructionist Community
By JRF
An overview of Reconstructionist philosophy and community life, plus testimonials from members of Reconstructionist congregations.
- Article: Spirituality Of Setting Limits: Reflections On Parenting And Discipline
By Rabbi Shai Gluskin
A personal reflection on setting limits as a parent and the personal growth experienced by the author as a result of deeply engaging with that aspect of parenting. The author looks towards some of the language of Jewish mysticism to help explain the balance of unconditional and conditional love that both are needed in the raising of children.
- Article: Take Your Judaism for a Walk: A Reconstructionist Approach
By Marilyn Price
The author's reflections on walking as a Jewish, spiritual, ecological and community-building practice. From the Reconstructionist, January/February 1990.
- Article: The Four Faces Of Tu Bishvat
By Jeremy Benstein
An exploration of the ramifications of Tu Bishvat in the Economic, Spiritual, National-Political and Ecological spheres from ancient times to the present.
- Article: The World as Sacred Space: Judaic Teachings and Ecological Consciousness
By Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb
Rabbi Fred Dobb lays out the Jewish case for environmental awareness and action. Providing sources and viewpoints from classic Jewish sources classical and modern, Dobb wants us to see contemporary concerns in the context of Jewish concerns over time. He also raises questions about views within Judaism which may be counter to his case.
- Article: When Bad Things Happen to Good Children
By Dr. Shoshana Silberman
Practical article which gives advice to educators on working with children who have faced loss.
- Article: Who Is A Reconstructionist Jew?
By JRF
A detailed description of the ideology, philosophy and practice of Reconstructionist Jews and their relation to the larger Jewish community, past, present and future.
- Audio Interview: Creativity And Jewish Arts
By Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton, Rabbi Rachel Gartner, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton and Rachel Gartner discuss how we balance tradition and innovation. What approaches to creative expression can Reconstructionism offer and what is the place of art in individual and communal spiritual life? An episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.
- Audio Interview: Issues For Jewish Men Today
By Dr. Harry Brod, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Harry Brod and Shawn Zevit discuss their experience over the years writing about and leading retreats and workshops for Jewish men. Particular attention is given to the issues of being a man in Western culture and a Jew, and how these religious, ethnic, and gender issues impact Jewish men today. An episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.
- Audio Interview: Kabbalah: What Is Jewish Mysticism?
By Dr. Joel Hecker, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Dr. Joel Hecker discusses Jewish Mysticism. What are the key texts and traditions of Jewish mystical tradition? What are current trends towards a popularization of Kabbalah about and what is the role of Jewish mysticism in Reconstructionism? An episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.
- Audio Interview: Women In Spiritual Leadership
By Rabbi Linda Holtzman, Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Rabbis Linda Holtzman and Elyse Wechterman explore the issues and challenges that face Jewish women in leadership roles, particularly in congregational life, as well as the opportunities and contributions female rabbis have been part of in recent years. An episode of Heart, Mind and Spirit, the first regularly scheduled Reconstructionist radio show in the history of the movement.
- Dvar Torah: On Jonah and More: Getting Perspective in Order to Repent
By Ellen Dannin
Rich commentary on Jonah, his motivations, and what we all need to fulfill our calling.
- Dvar Torah: Sickness, Separation and Openings
By Ellen Dannin
Ellen Dannin sees Tazria-Metzora (Leviticus 12-15), a portion that deal with the priests' handling of disease, in a new light after going through knee surgery. Ancient sensibilities became more resonant with her own experience.
- Dvar Torah: The United States of Hanukah
By Rabbi Steve Segar
In a 2002 RT article, Rabbi Steve Segar notes, "The Hanukah story contains thematic elements that create cognitive dissonance or even undermine the cultural messages that our communities are attempting to cultivate through the observance of this holiday." Many American Jews might relate to the Helenizing forces more than the Maccabean tendency to root them out. Resonant within the story for many Reconstructionists and others is the struggle to live in multiple "civilizations" simultaneously with integrity.
- How to: Preparing For A Rabbinic Sabbatical From The Perspective Of The Congregational Leadership
By Rabbi Fredi Cooper
A document to help Reconstructionist communities prepare for a rabbinic sabbatical as a time of growth for their rabbi and for their community. Relates to the biblical agricultural sabbatical and includes an outline of questions to shape planning.
- How to: Reflection As An Activist Practice
By Rabbi David Rosenn
Activists often burn out. Reflection can be an antidote to burn out. Here are five bullet points on reflection that can help keep the souls of activists healthy.
- Music: Contemporary Shalom Aleykhem
By Rabbi Steve Segar, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
New interpretation of traditional text sung to welcome the Sabbath.
- Ritual: Passover Reading on Darfur Genocide
By Rabbi Michael Strassfeld
Written for the April 30, 2006 rally to stop the genocide in Darfur, this prayer is a riff on the Passover song, "Who Knows One?" Each verse delineates another horror taking place in Sudan. Our knowledge of these facts cannot be denied. Action is the only alternative.
- Ritual: The Spiritual Dimension of Justice
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Prayers, songs, and text study meant to be used to focus and inspire those set out to do social justice work.
- RT Article: Environmental Activism and Jewish Spirituality
By JRF
A roundtable discussion with rabbis and lay-leaders from the Reconstructionist movement. From the Winter 2001/2002 Reconstructionism Today magazine, Volume 9 Number 2.
- RT Article: Integrating Spirituality and Social Action
By Melanie L. Schneider
Surveying the Reconstructionist landscape. From the Spring 1996 Reconstructionism Today magazine, Volume 3 Number 3.
- RT Article: Rabbis and the God of Transformation
By Rabbi Brian Walt
Rabbi Walt discusses a vision of a transformative Judaism, expressed in both the realms of the spiritual (tikkun ha-nefesh) and the social (tikkun ha-olam), applied to the problems of our day. Excerpted from a sermon at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College graduation. From the Winter 1997/1998 Reconstructionism Today magazine, Volume 5 Number 2.
- RT Article: The Value and Meaning of Denominational Judaism
By Dr. Carl A Sheingold
Reacting to the brief essays on the personal meaning of spirituality in the same issue of RT, Carl Sheingold meditates on the implication and role of denominational movements in contemporary Jewish life.
- Speech: Powerful Meaning in Not Knowing the Answers
By Rabbi Michael Strassfeld
In this speech Strassfeld addresses many issues relating to a Reconstructionist approach to spirituality. He tells his own journey which goes from rejecting Hasidic texts to embracing them. He lauds a Reconstructionist "anti-fundamentalist" approach which asks its its adherants to embrace life's unknown and not need or desire singular answers. The text and audio of this speech are both available.
- Speech: Re-Digging the Wells of Our Tradition
By Rabbi Les Bronstein
Starting with the verse from Genesis 26:18 about Isaac needing to "re-dig" the wells upon his return, Rabbi Bronstein makes a case for a version of Reconstructionism which is engaging and serious. The speech is available in text and audio formats.
- Speech: What Would Kaplan Think?
By Rabbi Richard Hirsh
Rabbi Hirsh reviews arguments over whether Reconstructionism is about process or content. He wonders what Kaplan might think as Reconstructionism continually remakes itself even as interest in Kaplan is greater than ever. Richard Hirsh's contribution. Text and audio versions of the talk are available.
- Text Compilation: Tu Bishvat Seder Texts
By Rabbi Amy Klein
Three selections you may wish to use in your Tu Bishvat Seder by secular Zionist thinker A. D. Gordon, Haskalah poet Saul Tchernikovsky and Reb Nachman of Bratslav.
- Tikkun Olam
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