Sabbath At Chabad House

A Celebration of Life

Published on February 7, 2006 By Larry Kuperman In Religion

Anyone who reads my blog with regularity knows that I teach Sunday school at the Jewish Cultural School, a Jewish secular humanist school and congregation. I teach the 7th Grade, the last year of education before the kids have their B'not Mitzvahs.

As an important part of this education, we study how religion in general, and Judaism in particular, are practiced in other congregations. I take the class on trips to other congregations for first-hand experience. We always begin by observing Sabbath (Shabbat) with the members of Chabad House of Ann Arbor.

Chabad House is a part of the world-wide Chabad Lubavitch movement of Hasidic Jewry. "Chabad" means Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge and Lubavitch means "town of brotherly love" for the place in Russia where the movement was founded. As Hasidic Jews, their movement is perhaps at the opposite end of the theological spectrum from secular humanism. The Hasidic movement espouses a literal interpretation of the Bible and strict observance of ritual. It is important to be exposed not only to people who believe the same things as us, but to people that have very different beliefs.

Hasidic Jews follow the system of worship laid down by Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov or Master of the Good Name. He was born in Russia in 1698 and lived until 1760. He is also referred to as the Besht, an acronym based on the first letters of his title. He declared the whole universe, mind and matter, is a manifestation of God: all things are forms in which God reveals Himself. His beliefs are optimisic in the extreme; all things that happen, everything that is, is a part of the Divine. There is no reason for asceticism. All things on this Earth are there for a reason. "Whoever maintains that this life is worthless is in error: it is worth a great deal; only one must know how to use it properly."

From the Besht, a great line of Rabbis has descended, the most recent being Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who died in 1994.

From the moment that one enters Chabad House, you cannot help to impressed with the joy of the congregation. No one is asked why they have come, who they are or even if they are Jewish. All are greeted warmly and made welcome. Services are communal, with various members stepping up to lead the congregation in prayer. (In Hebrew, of course.) Hands are clapped, feet stomp the rythyms out. The men in the congregation will all rise to dance and clap as part of the service.

After services, the entire class and parents are guests of the Rabbi and Rebetzin at their lovely house. I cannot imagine a warmer host than Rabbi Aharon Goldstein. He opens not only his home, but his heart. There were more than two dozen people at the dinner. Questions are welcome and the evening is spent in discussion....in between bites of food.

It was a wonderful educational experience...and lots of fun!

Comments

Dr Guy

on Feb 08, 2006

a Jewish secular humanist school and congregation.

Can you expand on that a bit? Would this be to the left (if the Hasidic Jews are on the right) or the Reformed Jew?

Also, what is B'not Mitvahs? Is that a way of grouping the bah and Bar Mitzvah into one term?

Thanks for a lovely read tho. It makes you see that there is a lot of good in the world.

Larry Kuperman

on Feb 08, 2006

I'll be happy to expand.

At various times over the past 6000 years, being a Jew has meant belonging to a tribe (or group of Twelve Tribes), being a citizen of the nation of Judea or belonging to a religion. The religion itself is so diverse, as a result of the Diaspora. Separated by thousands of miles and time, beliefs and practices changed. Think of Jews from Russia and Ethiopia, for example.

"We believe that a Jew is one who, regardless of birth, identifies with the history, culture, and future of the Jewish people."
Link

Secularism means that we believe in the natural world and Humanism means that we believe that people, humanity, are important. So, we believe in social action, in working to make the world a better place. Your relationship with God is YOUR business. You can believe as much or as little as you want. If you think of yourself as Jewish, you are.

One of the kids in my class was told by a Rabbi at another congregation that he couldn't be Jewish because his mother wasn't Jewish. I told him that neither was the Patriarch Abraham's mother. Five of the twelve tribes descend from Jacob through non-Jewish handmaidens of his two wives. Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro. So I guess we all have "tainted blood."

Many of the parents that bring their kids to the JCS are from inter-faith or inter-cultural families that want their kids to understand their heritage. So we teach the moral message of the Bible. Don't eat all the grapes from your vineyard, or harvest all the corn. Leave a little, if you can afford it, for those less fortunate than you. Be aware that the Bible was written by men and man is fallible. Understand that religious worship changes over time. Don't sweat the small stuff.

I believe in Tikkun Olam, the opposite of Original Sin. Man's mission on this earth is to make it a better place and we all have that capacity. Donate to charity, help the weak and the oppressed, build something that will last. If you want to light candles and chant hymns while you do it, go for it. But keep your priorities straight. Don't due it for Heaven, don't do it for fear of Hell, do it because it makes sense here and now.

If I ever face my Maker, he may well tell me that I can't go to Heaven because I eat pork, only have one set of dishes and don't believe in Creation. To which I'll reply that all that is true, but I donate blood several times a year, have opened my home to stray cats, make my biological kids and the kids in my classes feel good about themselves. If that doesn't open the Pearly Gates, then I probably wouldn't fit in.

Larry Kuperman

on Feb 08, 2006

Oh yeah. B'Not Mitzvot is the plural, encompassing both Bar (male) and Bat (female) Mitzvahs. Mitzvah means "good deed." At thirteen, you are considered old enough to read Torah (a good deed) as part of a congregation.

In 1922, in New York, Rabbi Kaplan called his daughter to the Torah to read. That was the first B'at Mitzvah.

We say that at thirteen a child is old enough to begin contributing to his community.

One of the cool activities that we do is to provide coverage for Meals on Wheels drivers on Christmas, so they can celebrate their holiday with their families. I like that.

Dr Guy

on Feb 09, 2006

If I ever face my Maker, he may well tell me that I can't go to Heaven because I eat pork, only have one set of dishes and don't believe in Creation. To which I'll reply that all that is true, but I donate blood several times a year, have opened my home to stray cats, make my biological kids and the kids in my classes feel good about themselves. If that doesn't open the Pearly Gates, then I probably wouldn't fit in.

I love that!

One of the cool activities that we do is to provide coverage for Meals on Wheels drivers on Christmas, so they can celebrate their holiday with their families. I like that.

And thank you! I know many Jews around here fill in on Christmas at Nursing homes and such. And it is a very humbling feeling to see them step up and volunteer for no other reason than to do something for some one else.

Thanks for the explanation.

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