From Chair Pose to Congregational School Poised for Change

This summer I was in Cleveland teaching a course on Jewish education, and after days of sitting, my legs yearned to stretch. A nearby yoga center piqued my interest, and nervously I entered the studio. I’d only been practicing for 18 months, and at home managed to overcome my insecurity as one of the least coordinated individuals by sticking with a few particular instructors. In Cleveland I was out of my comfort zone – new location, new class, new teacher. We proceeded through a series of poses to which I was, thankfully, accustomed. Standing pose. Chair pose. Plank. As I settled into the core Downward Facing Dog pose my nerves melted into confidence. I could walk into any yoga studio, and feel at home in my practice. How do they it? …and why does this question feel all too familiar?  Read more..,

Tapas: A Vital Ingredient for Jewish Continuity

Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose (yes, I’m serious). Let the breath out slowly through your mouth. Repeat this action twice and with each cycle of breath feel your mind start to quiet. Turn your gaze inward and take a moment to answer the following question:  What inspires your Jewish practice?  Read more...

Rest & Digest: Strengthen Jewish Education by Tending to Jewish Educators

Most of us can identify with the automatic response triggered when a child falls into potentially dangerous or stressful circumstances – he goes missing at the supermarket, she chases a ball into the middle of a busy street, he wakes up from a night terror. Without any conscious decision, we drop what we are doing and a jolt of energy and clarity propel us to ward off danger. When the challenge is surmounted, we settle back into a more calm and relaxed state as our system recharges for the next crisis. We can generally tolerate incidents of stress presented when caring for a few people at a time, but what happens to the body and mind when it takes responsibility for 20, 100, 500, or 1,000 people and the frequency of stress inducing events increases exponentially?  Read more...