Why Kids Need to Fail

Why Kids Need to Fail

Taking the Shot - The only failure is not trying!

It could happen at any moment. Simone went to the doctor yesterday for her weekly checkup and they said that she is already 4 centimeters dilated. Although every Shabbat is very special, anticipating the birth of a baby makes it incredible! I never thought that I would ever have a large family. After all, I only have one sister and my wife has two sisters and here we are on verge of our fifth. Every child is unique and it’s our responsibility as parents to recognize their special virtues and talents and help them develop their distinctive voice in the world. I look forward to sharing the good news with you! Either way Friday Night Live will still take place at 6:00pm at Boca Raton Synagogue.

I would like to wish a mazel tov to Brett Loewenstern for making it to the top 24 on American Idol last night. Those of you that attended Friday Night Live three weeks ago will remember meeting Brett and after hearing him speak, we all saw how genuine and caring he really is. Next week is Shabbat Across America and I hope that you be able to join us for a traditional Friday night meal at 7:00pm following the program. On Friday night, March 4, 2011 hundreds of synagogues across the continent will take part in an historic national Jewish event to celebrate what unifies all Jews — Shabbat! Everyone is invited… singles, couples, families — all ages. “Turn an ordinary Friday night into something extraordinary!” That’s the magic of Shabbat Across America and Shabbat Across Canada. By participating in this continent wide event, you will not only have the opportunity to experience Shabbat, but you will be sharing your experience with tens of thousands of Jews across North America. To sign up or for more information please email me at joshbroide@yahoo.com. No matter what your affiliation or which Shabbat Across America or Shabbat Across Canada location you choose to attend, NJOP’s annual Shabbat program will give you a “taste” of Shabbat. Explanatory services, traditional rituals, delicious meals and lively discussions are all important components of the Shabbat experience as well as the opportunity to spend the evening with like-minded people, friends and family.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the latest inspirational video called “Take the Shot” – the only failure is not trying. It’s a short video with a great message. Also if you haven’t listened to our new Jewish radio show call “Jewish Pride” please click here and help spread Jewish Pride with your friends.

Finally, I would like to thank all of the “new” members, those who signed up for new classes and those of you that encouraged others to participate. It’s been a real pleasure getting to know all of you and remember that I am always available if you need any assistance.

"Reform Jews are considering Shabbat because they need Shabbat" - Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the URJ

The following is an excerpt from the sermon - http://urj.org//about/union/leadership/yoffie//?syspage=article&item_id=6079

Sermon by Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie at the San Diego Biennial , December 15, 2007

Why is this happening?

Because we now understand that Shabbat was always central to Reform Judaism. Isaac Mayer Wise was a firm proponent of a traditional Shabbat. And for Classical Reform Jews, Shabbat was a serious matter. True, they significantly reduced both the duties and the prohibitions of the day, but what remained was observed with scrupulous dedication.

Also, other approaches to enhancing Jewish life have failed. Communal leaders outside of the synagogue love to talk the language of corporate strategy. They engage in endless debates on the latest demographic study. They plan elaborate conferences and demand new ideas. But sometimes we don’t need new ideas; we need old ideas. We need less corporate planning and more text and tradition; less strategic thinking and more mitzvot; less demographic data and more Shabbat. Because we know, in our hearts, that in the absence of Shabbat, Judaism withers.

But most important of all, Reform Jews are considering Shabbat because they need Shabbat. In our 24/7 culture, the boundary between work time and leisure time has been swept away, and the results are devastating. Do we really want to live in a world where we make love in half the time and cook every meal in the microwave? When work expands to fill all our evenings and weekends, everything suffers, including our health. But families take the worst hit. The average parent spends twice as long dealing with email as playing with his children.

For our stressed-out, sleep-deprived families, the Torah’s mandate to rest looks relevant and sensible. Our tradition does not instruct us to stop working altogether on Shabbat; after all, it takes a certain amount of effort to study, pray and go to synagogue. But we are asked to abstain from the work that we do to earn a living, and instead to reflect, to enjoy and to take a stroll through the neighborhood. We are asked to put aside those Blackberries and stop gathering information, just as the ancient Israelites stopped gathering wood. We are asked to stop running around long enough to see what God is doing.

And this most of all: In synagogue and at home, we are asked to give our kids, our spouse and our friends the undivided attention that they did not get from us the rest of the week. On Shabbat we speak to our children of their hopes and dreams. We show them that we value them for who they are and not for the grades they get or the prizes they win. During the week we pursue our goals; on Shabbat we learn simply to be.

Shabbat Across America - Next Shabbat at Boca Raton Synagogue

*Find a participating Shabbat Across America and Canada location in your community by clicking here.

On Friday night, March 4, 2011 hundreds of synagogues* across the continent will take part in an historic national Jewish event to celebrate what unifies all Jews — Shabbat! Everyone is invited… singles, couples, families — all ages.

“Turn an ordinary Friday night into something extraordinary!”

That’s the magic of Shabbat Across America and Shabbat Across Canada. By participating in this continent wide event, you will not only have the opportunity to experience Shabbat, but you will be sharing your experience with tens of thousands of Jews across North America.

No matter what your affiliation or which Shabbat Across America or Shabbat Across Canada location you choose to attend, NJOP’s annual Shabbat program will give you a “taste” of Shabbat. Explanatory services, traditional rituals, delicious meals and lively discussions are all important components of the Shabbat experience. as well as the opportunity to spend the evening with like-minded people, friends and family.
Shabbat Across America and Shabbat Across Canada is for every Jew, and those who are unable to go to a registered location can participate in their own homes or in gatherings with friends/family. For help in creating a Shabbat evening, try one or all of the following resources provided by the National Jewish Outreach Program.

*Find a participating Shabbat Across America and Canada location in your community by clicking here.
If you are a rabbi or synagogue lay leader and want to learn how to sign up your congregation for Shabbat Across America, click here.
Sponsored by the Melohn Family in honor of Mrs. Martha Melohn

Please visit the Boca Raton Jewish Experience at http://www.myjewishexperience.org/ or click here

Boca Raton Synagogue Journal Dinner 2011 - Josh Broide's letter

Thank you, thank you, thank you….

Thank you so much for participating in a “pilot” outreach initiative that was launched less than a year ago. This revolutionary approach encourages the members of the synagogue to reach out and engage unaffiliated Jews in the community. Professionals in the field have always realized that the biggest impediment to their success was the overwhelming number of unaffiliated Jews compared to the relatively small number of Rabbi’s. With the launch of the BRS Outreach Revolution we really entered uncharted territory. Could a successful modern orthodox community run a successful Synagogue based outreach initiative that would not only change the face of South Palm Beach County, but also inspire Jewish communities around the country to take a fresh look at outreach?

Well it might be too early to tell if there has been a real impact on an international level, but I can tell you that we have already made huge inroads locally and national organizations are taking note. Although we are only a little more than halfway through the year, I would like to point out some of the success stories.

We began this year with our Beginners Services for both Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur that were completely full. After the holidays we brought a Discovery Seminar to BRS and more than 350 people attended. We knew people would be inspired so we made sure to offer NJOP’s Crash Courses the following week. More than 90 people attended the Jewish History Class and dozens of people attended the Hebrew Reading and basic Judaism classes. In addition we launched two Shabbat programs. Friday Night Live is a weekly educational and social program that attracts about 25 people every week and the Explanatory Experience is the new intermediate service for those looking to take the next step. Our members have already distributed hundreds of easy outreach gifts as well as hosted families for Shabbat meals. In November, SOS – Share One Shabbos, was launched. We were in awe when more that 200 of our members signed up to host more than a 1,000 people for a traditional Friday night dinner. There are more than 70 people just signed up and started attending a new season of evening beginner classes and look forward to hosting another Shabbat Across America next week. There is also a new daily radio show called Jewish Pride, for people looking for a quick burst of inspiration. Upcoming programs include Share One (Purim) Seudah and Share One Seder as well as the kick-off of Partners in Torah. The one thing that I don’t have time to do is go into the way that the programs participants enjoy the classes and the experiences. Everyday e-mails and phone calls come in thanking our community for opening the doors.

We are all truly blessed to live in such a special community! Mazel Tov to all of the honorees, each of you have contributed so much to our community and helped me personally in so many ways. I want to thank Rabbi and Rebbitzen Goldberg for their support. This outreach effort would never happen without both of you. Special thanks to all of the Rabbis and staff at BRS, you are all very special and take pride that you are making Boca Raton Synagogue the most successful shul in America. Finally Simone, I have always said I could never do this without you and I have finally realized that I really couldn’t do any of this without you.

Thank you all!!

Josh

AIPAC Policy Conference 2010 | Follow the Conference Live

AIPAC Policy Conference 2010 | Follow the Conference Live

March of the Living Southern Region Retreat in Boca

Holocaust survivors addressing the teenagers

Today the participants of the March of the Living attended a full day retreat at the Federation of South Palm Beach County. Students came from all over the Palm Beach and also from as far away Tampa to attend a full day of educational programs. The students had the opportunity to meet one another and finally meet all of the people that will be on the experience with them, They all worked on an art project that they will bring back after the March and realize how the impact of the trip has changed their perspective on what they anticipated today. They heard real life accounts from Holocaust survivors about the horrors that they had to endure. There was another interesting exercise which introduced the teenagers to the ZOA, AIPAC and J-Street. Although some of the students were familiar with some of the facts about one or two of the non-governmental agencies, few if any of them new the platforms of all three. It forced everyone to look at the other perspectives and question any pre-conceived notions.

Thanks to Jack Rosenbaum for putting together a very good program.

Josh