This week, as Jewish communities around the world delve into Parshat Pinchas, they will be greeted with what I as a young person might have deemed “the boring part” of the Torah. This parsha contains some painstaking detail, listing full chapters worth of names taken as part of (yet another!) Torah census. And I remember going to shul as a child with a certain sense of disdain for these portions. “Why!” I would wonder, “who cares!”
Well, as an education director, my opinion on censuses and data-gathering has shifted significantly. Now as I read through these lists of names, these counts of tribes and children and parents, I see something new: the careful documentation of a people. I see a declaration: “we are here, we count, this matters, this is really happening.” Embarrassingly (or not?)...I see a spreadsheet.
While yes, this is absolutely just an elaborate plea to our Kadima School families to enroll your students now if you haven’t done so already…it’s also a call to take stock in this moment, and relish the process (however banal!) of this detailed task. We are marking time, marking our children’s names, and declaring ourselves part of this community. It means something that we’re here. It means something to participate in this community, in these times, at this moment.
This is also a call to our adult Jewish professional community to apply to lead our Geshem (Pre-K & K) or Shemesh (1st & 2nd grade) programs at Shabbat School next year. We need two fantastic teachers in these roles, nurturing two of our youngest classes, tending the literal future of Kadima. Is this you? Is this someone you know? Email me at [email protected].
Wishing you a Shabbat of peace, wholeness, and a little extra love for the details.
Warmly,
Sarah Edelstein
Well, as an education director, my opinion on censuses and data-gathering has shifted significantly. Now as I read through these lists of names, these counts of tribes and children and parents, I see something new: the careful documentation of a people. I see a declaration: “we are here, we count, this matters, this is really happening.” Embarrassingly (or not?)...I see a spreadsheet.
While yes, this is absolutely just an elaborate plea to our Kadima School families to enroll your students now if you haven’t done so already…it’s also a call to take stock in this moment, and relish the process (however banal!) of this detailed task. We are marking time, marking our children’s names, and declaring ourselves part of this community. It means something that we’re here. It means something to participate in this community, in these times, at this moment.
This is also a call to our adult Jewish professional community to apply to lead our Geshem (Pre-K & K) or Shemesh (1st & 2nd grade) programs at Shabbat School next year. We need two fantastic teachers in these roles, nurturing two of our youngest classes, tending the literal future of Kadima. Is this you? Is this someone you know? Email me at [email protected].
Wishing you a Shabbat of peace, wholeness, and a little extra love for the details.
Warmly,
Sarah Edelstein
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