theOPTblog

"Hillel said: 'Separate not thyself from the community'..." Pirke Avot, 4:7

Back on Rosh Hashanah morning, I encouraged you to “be a part of what makes Oak Park Temple special. Add the secret ingredient, ‘you!’” In addition, I attempted to motivate you to join in the many wonderful programs offered by our congregation and to “make them yours.”

Many of you who are newish to our community, or even those who have been here for many years, may find joining in and making sense of how it all comes together confusing or intimidating. When we go to a new school, or begin a new job, it’s reasonable to expect an orientation of one sort or another. How else can we be expected to understand the inner workings? And, while we might be able to participate without too much effort, to lead and be an active member of any society requires an understanding of the “big picture.” Fortunately, Oak Park Temple has an exciting and effective program to help orient members and to create new leaders for our congregation. It’s called Derech Eretz (literally, “the way of the land”).

In 2009, an effort by a group of congregants, spearheaded by Monte Lewis, working with Rabbi Weiss, created a Leadership Development Program that is designed to ensure that there are well-informed volunteers to lead our congregation into the future.

Comments from prior Derech Eretz participants have included:

“Everyone should do this just to understand how OPT works.”

“Now I feel a part of things.”

“Some of the things that didn't make sense before, I now understand.

Derech Eretz is a series of workshops held on the third Thursday of each month over the six months beginning in January. Topics include the workings and history of our synagogue and the Reform Movement, being a Jewish leader, and skills of successful leaders. At the end of the series, the Derech Eretz committee will help connect participants with activities of interest within Oak Park Temple.

Everyone is welcome to participate in Derech Eretz. I encourage all congregants who are interested in becoming more actively involved to take this as their first step.

For more information, contact Anne Sperling or Sue Blaine.

At Rosh Hashanah, I said, “We all come to Oak Park Temple for different reasons. And, sometimes, we come for one reason and then find other reasons.” Perhaps you can find those other reasons here.

L’shalom,

Jeff Blaine