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December 3, 1999/24 Kislev 5760, Vol. 52, No.14
Local Reform synagogues recognized for outreach programs
TAMI BICKLEY
Staff Writer
The Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) has recognized two Valley congregations for their exemplary efforts in devising and executing Jewish interfaith and outreach programs.
Temple Emanuel in Tempe won a UAHC Belin Outreach Award for its program, "Your Jewish Child and Public School: A Dialogue," while Temple Solel in Paradise Valley received an honorable mention for "Personal Journal for Jews by Choice."
"It's amazing that (the Phoenix area) has two awards," commented Arlene Chernow, Pacific Southwest regional director for UAHC, who is based in Los Angeles. "The committee receives applications from all over the country, and that (the commission) found these two programs to be some of the most outstanding, is incredible."
Biannually since 1995, UAHC's Central Conference of American Rabbis' Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach has granted Belin Awards and honorable mentions to a number of Reform congregations throughout North America for their effective and creative interfaith and Jewish outreach programs. The awards are funded through a foundation established by the commission's first chairman, David Belin, who died earlier this year.
All of the winning programs, including honorable mentions, are featured in "Reform Jewish Outreach: The 2000 Idea Book," published by the UAHC Press every two years. The $15 book allows congregations to adapt proven programs without having to "start from scratch," noted Chernow.
"Any congregation can use these terrific resources ... and outreach committee chairs don't have to make up their own programs," Chernow said.
Some 850 Reform congregations in North America are members of UAHC, which is divided into 15 regions. (Arizona, Southern California, New Mexico, Las Vegas and El Paso, Texas, make up the Pacific Southwest region.) This year, nine congregations are award winners, and 10 received honorable mentions.
To date, Temple Emanuel has received the most honorable mentions and Belin Awards of all the congregations in its region. In 1995, the temple received two honorable mentions for its programs "Outreach Friendship" and "Looking Toward the Future: The Relationship Between the Outreach Program and the Religious School." In 1997, Temple Emanuel won an honorable mention for "Outreach and Successful Use of Co-Sponsorship."
This is Temple Emanuel's first actual Belin Award, and the first honorable mention for Temple Solel.
"We are thrilled. Phoenix is a real hot spot," commented Dru Greenwood, director of the commission.
Rabbi Andrew Straus, spiritual leader of Temple Emanuel, and Jim Wright, Temple Emanuel's outreach committee chairman, will attend UAHC's biennial convention in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday, Dec. 16, at which they will accept a $1,000 prize on behalf of their congregation's outreach and adult education committees, which co-sponsored the winning program.
The money will be split between the two committees and will be used to fund further outreach programming, said Fonda Christopher, vice president of Temple Emanuel's board and former chairwoman of the outreach committee.
"We feel honored that our outreach program has been recognized as one of the most creative, active outreach programs in the country (among) Reform congregations," commented Straus.
Temple Emanuel's winning program was organized in September 1998 by Wright and Vivian Gealer, chairwoman of the temple's adult education committee and a temple board member. Gealer set up a panel discussion featuring Southeast Valley public school district representatives and parents. The panelists discussed their concerns about how schools were teaching religious holidays, and about church and state separation.
"The parents educated school administrators about what it felt like for their kids to be the only Jewish kid in the classroom ... especially around (winter) holiday time," explained Christopher. "It opened (school administrators') eyes to those issues."
Last spring, Rachel Diamant, who was co-chairwoman of the outreach committee at the time, submitted an application for the Belin Award to UAHC. UAHC sends applications every two years to all Reform congregations and its 15 regional directors.
"I think it's fantastic (that we were one of the winners)," Gealer said. "But I am a little surprised that we're the first to address an issue like this ... and that it hasn't been done before."
Wright said he's not surprised that Phoenix's interfaith programs are strong.
"We have a huge amount of interfaith families here. Forty percent of (Temple Emanuel') membership is interfaith or Jews by choice," he explained, "whereas in a larger city (such as New York City or Chicago), there may be a more established, (strictly Jewish) community."
Hannah Toporek created Temple Solel's outreach program by compiling "thought starters" in a book in which new or prospective converts could write down their experiences. "Rabbis like potential converts to keep a diary or journal," Toporek explained.
The book can then be used as a means of support and education for interfaith couples and their families and Jews by choice. Toporek feels flattered, she said, that UAHC finds her program worthy of being replicated by other outreach committees. And Gealer said she hopes other Reform temples "take advantage of the groundwork that has already been laid for them."
"That's what (the Belin Awards and honorable mentions) are all about," said Chernow. "We encourage Jews to welcome non-Jews and interfaith families by showing examples of how this is done, and it's very empowering."
Other Belin award winners are Beth Emet the Free Synagogue in Evanston, Ill.; Greenwich Reform Synagogue in Greenwich, Conn.; Temple Sha'arey Shalom, Springfield, N.J.; the Suburban Temple in Beachwood, Ohio; Temple Sinai in Oakland, Calif.; Congregation Beth David in San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Temple Israel of Hollywood, Calif.; and Shir Ami in Newtown, Penn.
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