Non-Jewish Members
Non-Jewish Members at Dorshei Tzedek
Dorshei Tzedek is a Reconstructionist congregation dedicated to creating a caring and inclusive community, and to enhancing Jewish practice in the lives of our members. Consistent with Reconstructionist philosophy, we are committed to seriously engaging with Jewish tradition, challenging that tradition where need be, and building on the tradition in creative ways. We view education for ourselves and our children as fundamental to Jewish life. We are a participatory congregation, encouraging all of our members to take an active role in some aspect of our congregational life. We value diversity in our congregation, and welcome all those who share our commitments.
These excerpts from the Dorshei Tzedek Mission Statement touch on some of the values that inform our approach to welcoming our non-Jewish members: inclusivity, diversity, commitment both to shared values and to Jewish tradition. While there are non-Jewish partners of our Jewish members who choose not to become involved in the congregation, there are also many non-Jewish members who participate actively and meaningfully in the life of the community. The purpose of this Guide is to help clarify what it means to be a non-Jewish member of a caring and inclusive congregation that is dedicated to Jewish practice and learning.
Who can be a member of Dorshei Tzedek?
Our bylaws state: “Any person age 18 or older, born of or raised by a Jewish parent, or who has converted or is in the process of converting to Judaism, and/or is the partner of a Jew or the parent of a Jew is eligible to become a full member of the Congregation.” Membership here refers to having a full vote at our membership meetings as well as other benefits (e.g. High Holydays tickets, participation in member-only events, etc.), as well as relevant obligations (e.g. paying dues and fees, Kiddush assignments, etc.).
How do non-Jewish members participate in the community?
Non-Jewish members of Dorshei Tzedek have been involved in, and taken leadership in, many aspects of our communal life, including welcoming new members, editing the newsletter, taking part in adult education classes, coordinating child care during Shabbat and High Holydays services, serving as class parents in the religious school and as members of the Education Committee, participating in Shabbat morning services and other celebrations, taking action through our Tikkun Olam committee, and more. Non-Jewish parents are often deeply involved in their children’s Jewish education, supporting their children’s Jewish journeys in many ways, from driving a Hebrew School carpool to learning Hebrew to participating in family education programs.
In the realm of chesed, the acts of lovingkindness that bind us together as a community, there is no distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish members of Dorshei Tzedek. Everyone is asked to participate as a giver - by making a meal for someone in need, or visiting someone who is ill, or attending a shivah minyan (a gathering to support a mourner so they can say Mourner’s Kaddish) or a welcoming ceremony for a child. And anyone can ask for help at a time of illness, death, or other crisis. Both the rabbi and the larger community are here to help all of our members in need. When a non-Jewish member suffers the loss of a parent or other close relative, s/he should be in touch with the Rabbi to discuss options for mourning practices.
Are there any limitations on participation by non-Jewish members?
As Reconstructionists, we understand Judaism not primarily as a set of laws or beliefs, but as the religious civilization of the Jewish people. This means that there are different aspects of connection to, and participation within, that civilization. One we might call “civic participation,” which corresponds to the rights and responsibilities of membership in Dorshei Tzedek. As noted above, people who were not raised as Jews and have not converted to Judaism are welcome to join us as members, assuming there is some tangible connection and commitment to the Jewish people (either through family ties or through an active intention to convert.)
The other realm is what we might call “ritual participation,” and is where our commitment to diversity and inclusion finds itself in tension with Judaism as it traditionally understood; that is, as a covenantal relationship between and among the Jewish people and the Divine. These covenantal commitments include a whole set of responsibilities (traditionally understood as mitzvot, commandments) that devolve solely on Jews. In this understanding, Jewish status confers obligations upon a Jewish member of the community, such as the obligation to help make a minyan (quorum for prayer) for someone in mourning, to enable him/her to say Kaddish.
Understood another way, to be a Jew is to locate oneself within the mythic narrative of the Jewish people: to say, “I came out of bondage in Egypt” at the Passover seder, or to bless the Source of Life as “the One who has given us the Torah” during the Shabbat morning service. In these moments, a Jew - whether born or converted into the covenant - affirms his or her particular commitments and connections.
Given these understandings, there are certain limitations that we observe within the realm of Jewish ritual. As the Torah is the symbolic center of our understanding of ourselves as a people, a majority of these limitations have to do with the Torah service. During our services (including special celebrations like baby namings or bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies), honors having to do with the Torah - including opening the Ark, being called to the Torah for an aliyah (the blessing said before and after a portion of Torah is read), reading from the Torah, and lifting and wrapping the Torah - are reserved for Jews. At important life cycle moments - usually in the context of a bar/bat mitzvah - we very much hope that the non-Jewish parent will accompany his/her partner (or another Jewish relative) to the bimah (the platform where we read from the Torah) for a special aliyah. Because the language of the Hebrew blessing assumes that the person saying the blessing is Jewish, we have created a blessing in English that reflects the special role and connection of a non-Jewish parent to their child’s Jewish journey, and to the Jewish community in general. In so doing, we are hoping to affirm the integrity of the blessings, and to honor the decisions our members who were not raised Jewish have made, some of whom have decided to convert to Judaism, others who have chosen to remain allies and fellow travellers.
There is absolutely no limitation on a non-Jewish person coming up to the bimah for other purposes, including sharing an English reading, or giving a blessing to children as they become bar/bat mitzvah. To the extent that a non-Jewish member is comfortable participating in a Jewish worship service, we invite anyone, of any background, to sing along and participate in any way they feel comfortable in the service.
Conversion
We recognize that we are all on a journey, and that at some point our non-Jewish members may become interested in formally taking on Jewish status through a process of conversion. The duration and content of this process varies according to each individual situation, but generally speaking there is one-year period of study and meeting with a rabbi in preparation for immersion in the mikvah (ritual bath) and meeting with a beit din (council of three rabbis who formally welcome the convert). Please contact Rabbi Toba (rabbi@dorsheitzedek.org) or Rabbi Shahar (dcl@dorsheitzedek.org) if you are interested in exploring the possibility of conversion.
We hope that this Guide is helpful, but also recognize that these are large and complicated issues. Please feel free contact us if you would like to discuss any of these topics in more depth.
Thu, March 4 2021
20 Adar 5781
Upcoming Events
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Thursday ,
MarMarch 4 , 2021Limpieza de Sangre and the “Clash of Civilizations”; Or, What Hath the Soul to Do with Racialized Bodies?
Thursday, Mar 4th 1:30p to 2:30p
In this presentation, Sylvester Johnson will explain the racialization of religion as a central and persisting phenomenon in the making of the West that has targeted Islam, Judaism, and so-called animism. This is part of a Reconstructing Judaism free online lecture series on Jews, Race, & Religion. -
Friday ,
MarMarch 5 , 2021All Ages Erev Shabbat Service
Friday, Mar 5th 6:00p to 6:45p
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Saturday ,
MarMarch 6 , 2021Refugee Shabbat Morning Service
Shabbat, Mar 6th 10:00a to 12:00p
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Sunday ,
MarMarch 7 , 2021Kitah Hey B'nei Mitzvah Cohort Meeting with Rabbi Toba
Sunday, Mar 7th 10:25a to 11:45a
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Sunday ,
MarMarch 7 , 2021
Sunday, Mar 7th 10:30a to 11:30a
The elusive “work-life balance” is out of reach more than ever for parents. Come join other Dorshei Tzedek parents and caregivers in a low-key, judgment-free Zoom space to give and receive support. We will meet for four weeks to talk about what it means to parent “out loud” in the time of COVID-19 and share tips with peers. For more information, email margolis.hadassah@gmail.com. Hadassah Margolis, MSW, LICSW: Hadassah is a clinical social worker and the Lead Therapist at McLean’s Spirituality and Mental Health Department, where she has helped develop the hospital’s first-ever Spirituality and Treatment groups. She is also a staff clinician at the Brandeis Counseling Center. She has over 15 years of group facilitation experience. In 2018, Hadassah, along with Kitty Dukakis, launched the Spirituality and Mental Health Discussion Series, which has expanded into a variety of COVID-coping support groups, workshops, and talks supported by the Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project. Hadassah is a 2020 Commonwealth Heroine and was a 2019 CJP Chai in the Hub honoree. -
Sunday ,
MarMarch 7 , 2021
Sunday, Mar 7th 10:30a to 11:00a
The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) had tremendous success during the past year advocating for policies that improved the lives of Commonwealth residents. When the COVID pandemic tanked the economy, GBIO helped some of the neediest avoid eviction or mortgage foreclosure. Healthcare now includes telehealth visits, notification about out-of-network procedures, and free COVID testing and vaccinations due, in part, to the work of GBIO. In response to the horrific murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman, Massachusetts created the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission. It will have the power to investigate police misconduct, to subpoena records and testimony, and to decertify police officers that have abused their authority. How can BUSY parents and ACTIVE Religious School students get involved with an organization that accomplishes so much for the residents of Massachusetts? What activities should GBIO undertake in the coming year that interest you? Should a religious school class adopt an activity like this in the future as part of the curriculum? Co-Liaisons Louise Enoch and Tony Broh would like your help celebrating GBIO accomplishments and exploring your ideas about greater engagement with the Religious School. For questions or suggestions, email lpenoch@gmail.com or c.anthony@broh.com. -
Tuesday ,
MarMarch 9 , 2021
Tuesday, Mar 9th 3:00p to 5:00p
Presented by Other Israel Film Festival and New Israel Fund From David Ben Gurion to Benjamin Netanyahu, from Golda Meir to Dov Khenin, some of Israel's most outspoken leaders have been reflected upon in the last few years, through provocative films. In this opportune moment, join us for a series of films examining Israeli leaders from the past and present. The series will include films about: David Ben Gurion, Golda Meir, Avigdor Lieberman, Menachem Begin, Dov Khenin, Benjamin Netanyahu and a US premiere about Ehud Olmert. All of the films will be available for viewing for the duration of the two weeks of March 8th through March 23. See information about Q&As and discussions below. -
Wednesday ,
MarMarch 10 , 2021Torah Study
Wednesday, Mar 10th 8:00a to 9:00a
Start your Wednesday mornings with Torah Study! Join Director of Congregational Learning Earnest Vener for a weekly hour-long study of the weekly Torah portion on Wednesdays at 8am. You are welcome to drop in or come weekly. All are welcome and no prior knowledge is required. Please email Earnest at e.vener@dorsheitzedek.org with any questions. -
Wednesday ,
MarMarch 10 , 2021
Wednesday, Mar 10th 5:30p to 5:45p
All are welcome to join Rabbi Toba for a moment of calm each week. The content will vary - a brief teaching, a meditative moment, some music, or another contemplative practice. We will start promptly at 5:30pm each Wednesday, but feel free to drop in at any time. Each session will end with an opportunity for those in mourning or observing a yahrzeit to recite Mourners Kaddish. Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/97091443951?pwd=dVk4bFZIVitMcDViYllNQnRIdmhmZz09 -
Wednesday ,
MarMarch 10 , 2021
Wednesday, Mar 10th 7:30p to 9:00p
We are excited to welcome back Dr. Irit Aharony, who will offer to members of CDT a three-session course on “Israel’s Many Cultures: Together or Apart?” The course will explore the diversity of Israeli cultures, highlighting both commonalities and tensions among its diverse communities. Each session will emphasize a different art form and explore a particular formation of Israeli voices. The classes will be conducted in English, and readings will be available in Hebrew and English. Advance reading will be necessary only for the final session. “In many small windows, through side entrances” (Yehuda Amichai): Questions of immigration, otherness and belonging, “here” versus “there” in Israeli art, with an emphasis on Russian and Ethiopian new Israelis (עולים חדשים) Irit Aharony is Senior Preceptor in Hebrew at Harvard University, where she teaches courses in Hebrew language, culture, and literature. She holds a PhD in Hebrew literature from Bar-Ilan University. She has taught classes at CDT in the past, to great acclaim.
Zmanim
Alot Hashachar | 4:53a |
Earliest Tallit | 5:25a |
Netz (Sunrise) | 6:16a |
Latest Shema | 9:06a |
Zman Tefillah | 10:03a |
Chatzot (Midday) | 11:57a |
Mincha Gedola | 12:25p |
Mincha Ketana | 3:16p |
Plag HaMincha | 4:27p |
Shkiah (Sunset) | 5:38p |
Tzeit Hakochavim | 6:20p |
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