When Rabbi Jesse Charyn of Bet Shira Congregation (Pinecrest, FL) has innovative ideas for new young adult programming, he doesn’t always have the funding to try them. That’s where the YALA Beyond Walls Grant came in, empowering Rabbi Charyn to host a mixology workshop for his community.
Rabbi Charyn has been a rabbi at the congregation for four years and he’s been engaging with the Jewish young adults in his community since he started. They’ve hosted axe throwing, Top Golf, escape rooms, music nights (Malava malka), and dinners. And as a parent with young kids of his own, he knows firsthand the power of peer community events. He wanted to do something special and different when he received the funding from YALA.
Rabbi Charyn recalled coming up with the idea, “I went to a member’s house. This member has a beautiful home and a great location, and in their living room, they have this bar, like, just a bar in their living room. And every time I was invited to this member’s home, I always would say, ‘you have such a beautiful home. And this would be a great space for people to get together.’ They had a bartender one night I was there, and I was like, this would be so cool.”
He wanted to have the social engagement of learning mixology, but in a space where you could still easily hear people talk. Going out to bars and grabbing drinks are common pastimes in Miami, but the ambiance at a bar just is not right for icebreakers and getting to know each other. Hosting an event outside the synagogue, in a generous member’s home, was just what they needed.
Rabbi Charyn made the night both educational and Jewish. They shmoozed and did havdalah, and then he had the bartender teach everyone how to make Mojitos. The mocktails and cocktails were flowing and so was the conversation. It was an intimate event of 15 people. He received a very positive response from everyone who attended.
He recalled receiving the feedback, “‘Rabbi, we want to do it again. Why, why, why have we not done it again?’ And, ‘it was a lot of fun.’ And, ‘we want to do it again.’”
Rabbi Charyn was energized by the success and can’t wait to plan more events. He recognizes the value of programs like this.
“I think that was something that doesn’t really happen a lot in shul,” he said. ”My agenda was that there is no agenda. Let’s just learn how to make a drink. Let’s have fun. Let’s enjoy some pizza. My name is, this is who I am, you know, and who are you? What brought you here this evening? And what are you looking forward to?”
Rabbi Charyn recalled about the whole experience, “The experience [of the YALA Beyond Walls grant] was really nice. I’d love to do it again.”
The value of the YALA Beyond Walls funding is that it enables clergy to be creative and come up with unique programming specific to their community. Applications are open now.
