The Religious Committee as a Jewish Educator

"The Religious Committee as Jewish Educator" written by Rabbi Moshe Edelman, Director, Leadership Development, August 1997, Av 5757.

The synagogue has a myriad of committees that work in tandem with the professionals, but none more closely with the Rabbi and Hazan than the Religious Committee.

Often maligned for having a limited focus on the details of the High Holy Days and (sometimes) Shabbat services, the Religious Committee has a great potential for being a cornerstone of Jewish education for every person in the community. The individuals on the Religious Committee must see themselves as para-professionals, i.e. para-rabbinics, para-hazanim. What the Rabbi or Hazan teach us, we have the z'chut merit and obligation to transmit with passion and gentleness to the Jewish people. "To learn and to teach" is a privilege of being a member of the Religious Committee.

And most importantly, the Religious Committee does not work in isolation. We call on other individuals and groups within the synagogue to be our teammates. In building a Spiritual, Religious, we do the work of God and fulfill our mission with a vision of the future.

Here are some examples of how the Religious Committee fulfills its truest MISSION by acting on its JEWISH VISION. REMEMBER: THE PROGRAM DRIVES THE BUDGET.

1. Ask the Mens Club or Sisterhood to underwrite the cost of a box of Hanukkah candles for every child in the synagogue's nursery school, synagogue school, Hebrew High School, and USY/Kadima. Always remember those children in day school or Yeshiva too! Be sure to place a visible label on each box explaining the source of the gift.
2. Arrange for and send to every family a Bedikat Hametz kit. The kit consists of a feather, a spoon, a candle and the written explanation of the ritual and the bracha when searching for the last remnant of bread products on the night prior to the Pesach Seder. There is also a statement to be recited when burning the Hametz on the morning leading to the Seder. Budget the cost, approximately $1 per kit, or get donors (well in advance). The Committee can make up the kits themselves.
3. Project B.E.N. - B.A.T. The B stands for Banim and Banot (our sons and daughters). The E represents the Hebrew transliteration of ema (mother) and a is for abba (father). The N is the Hebrew word for narot (Shabbat and holiday candles) and the T is the Hebrew word for talit and tefillin. And of course ben is son and bat is daughter. The project? I thought you'd never ask!! Crucial mitzvot for Jewish living are the weekly lighting of Shabbat candles and the annual holidays -- with their appropriate brachot blessings. Equally vital for Jewish continuity is the proud mitzvah of talit and tefillin worn at weekday morning Shaharit services. Boys and girls must learn these mitzvot if they ever will live them. Whether egalitarian or not, children must know "how" to live Jewishly. For purposes of this project, we call on fathers to teach their daughters and sons the mitzvot of talit and tefillin. We'll discuss the differences of opinion in terms of practice, but learn they must. And, for this project, we call on mothers to teach their sons and daughters the mitzvah of hadlakat nerot, the act and brachot of sanctifying a Jewish holiday or Shabbat. In a classroom or on a special Sunday, teach PROJECT BEN-BAT. The Religious Committee is the organizer in cooperation with the school.
4. Shabbat In Shul On Shabbat Afternoon. Open the synagogue library and the youth lounge; organize discussion groups and Israeli dances (in keeping with Shabbat observances); provide board games for intergenerational enjoyment and chess or checker sets too. The idea is to relax on Shabbat afternoon with other Jewish people. The program time slot is from 1:30 pm until about the time for Shabbat Minha and is especially effective during the months ofNovember through March when Shabbat concludes earlier. This is an opportunity to appeal to members who do NOT come to Shabbat services but still can benefit from a pleasant Shabbat experience in shul. The Religious Committee is opening a port of entry to show a different facet of Shabbat's restful dimension. Light refreshments can be served. If the synagogue has a regular Minha-Maariv, then invite attendees to remain. If not, extend the afternoon and conclude with the beautiful Havdalah service. The United Synagogue's Jewish Living Now campaign has a Havdalah service card and explanation from The Department of Congregational Programming, extension 2620. Coordinate and co-sponsor the afternoon with the Library Committee, Youth Committee and Education Committee.
5. The Religious Committee can sponsor efforts to fulfill the mitzvah of Bikur Holim, visiting the sick in hospitals, or shut-ins. Form a Bikun Holim Committee. Study some of the halakhic and midrashic sources with the Rabbi for visiting the sick. This beautiful, caring outreach is another port of entry to Jewish living for members of the congregation in direct contact with fellow members and Jews in the community. Coordinate and co-sponsor this mitzvah with the Social Action/Hesed Committee.
6. The Religious Committee should coordinate the Shiva Minyan which is fulfilled during the first week of mourning at the home of the mourners. The morning and/or evening minyan, once again, is Jews caring for Jews. Often, this act of hesed brings members closer to Jewish living during the shloshim thirty days and the year of reciting kaddish. Coordinate the services, be sure you have "daveners" to lead the service, create a Shiva Minyan Travelling Case with kipot, talitot, siddurim, and appropriate books or booklets for reading by the mourners. Help to ease the burden of your clergy who cannot be everywhere.
7. The Religious Committee should coordinate aTikun Leyl Shavuot study on the first night of the holiday. Teachers, guest scholars, a variety of classes or shiurim reaffirms the mitzvah that Torah learning is the key to Jewish survival. Remember the blintzes. If your daring, get ice-cream and break for a Make Your Own Sundae! The Tikun should be co-sponsored with the Adult Education Committee and with the resource wisdom of the Rabbi.
8. Create a tefillin team that assists any individual in the privacy of their home or office or a room in the synagogue to learn to lay tefillin. Be sure the Rabbi establishes a set minhag for wearing tefillin. Provide extra sets of tefillin for anyone who has yet to purchase a personal pair. The Rabbi/Hazan should review the steps with the entire Religious Committee. P.S. Put out a call for old sets of tefillin, then take them to a scribe (sofer) who checks the parchment. In some situations you can place a kosher klaf, tefillin parchment in a new bayit box with a new retzuah, strap, and for less expense have a new set of tefillin to be kept for minyan or emergency needs.
9. The Religious Committee and the Adult Education Committee should co-sponsor the highly successful, United Synagogue developed, How To Make A Lulav Shake campaign. Encourage the fulfillment of the mitzvah of lulav and etrog. The campaign has four-colored promotional material, buttons, educational material, posters, audio tapes, explanations and a great track record of joyous success. Contact The United Synagogue Commission on Education, ext. 2509.
10. Sponsor a one hour Lift and Roll campaign to teach people how to properly do Hagbah and Gelilah, the lifting and rolling of the Torah scroll. Many people are intimidated and shy. They are afraid to say "I don't know how!" It is the job of the Religious Committee to make Jews feel at home in their synagogue.
11. The Religious Committee should work with the hazan to train men and women to read the various megillot. Each holiday has a scroll which is read with a special nusah and trope. It we are to assure future generations of traditional observance, then Conservative Judaism must train its members and "reproduce" the corps of ritual leaders. The United Synagogue has a special week-long summer program entitled Imun L'Emunah which trains adults to lead services, chant Torah and Haftorah and be well versed in synagogue ritual. Contact Rabbi David Blumenfeld, ext. 2250 for details. Once a person knows trop for Torah and Haftorah, it can be extended to the megillot as well.
12. The members of the Religious Committee each must view him/herself as a one person membership outreach committee. As a synagogue usher your smile brings a sense of calm to f irst time visitors and infrequent attending members. They all deserve a warm Shabbat Shalom. Assist people with a talit, humash and siddur. Follow the principle of "Meet me, greet me, remember me," and after services are complete, say hello again and introduce newcomers to your President, Rabbi and Hazan. The Religious Committee can design a card for newcomers too!!
13. The Religious Committee can sponsor a
    • Sukkah dinner or Pizza In The Hut (on a Hol Hamoed)
    • Pesach Community Seder
    • Tu B'Shevat Seder
    • Post Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast
    • Purim Shpiel and Seudah
    • Weekly Seudah Shlishi on Saturday afternoon
14. The Religious Committee has to assume the serious responsibility for many details to guarantee the smooth flow of Jewish life in the synagogue. The Religious Committee is a para-rabbinic group of educators and an extension of the clergy to ease their responsibility of details, details. It's got to get done.
    • Maintain a supply of kipot for everyone who enters
    • Have sufficient Birkat Hamazon booklets. Order The United Synagogue Bkol Echad, ext. 2000
    • Semiannually arrange for the dry cleaning of talitot
    • Oversee the rebinding of siddurim and humashim
    • Know which Sifrei Torah are pasul (not usable)
    • Make sure the Havdalah set is clean and prepared
    • Care for the polishing of the Torah silver and kiddush cups
    • Distribute decorum cards for families to include in B'nai Mitzvah invitations. We have Jewish standards of proper behavior that help our guests to participate comfortably/li>
    • Give out the High Holy Day aliyot and kvodot (honors)
    • Arrange for readers of Atla Harayta on Simchat Torah
    • Update the yahrzeit lists and announcements to members and check that the proper yahrzeit's are lit.
    • Take care of the once-a-year texts - Selichot, Esther, Kinot, Songs of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Ruth
    • Work with the appropriate professionals on assigning Bat/Bar Mitzvah dates

We need effective, dedicated, knowledgeable Jews to assure a vital Jewish community. Volunteers are the key. Professionals cannot do it alone and shouldn't do it alone.

The leadership and guidance of your Rabbi and Hazan working as a team with the Religious Committee is the hope, prayer, and goal of The United Synagogue.

Surely, we missed some areas of work by your Religious Committee. Write and tell us about your Committee.