On Manhigut

By Erika Schon
Former Director
Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University

The Hebrew word for leadership, manhigut, reminds us that we expect a certain conduct, or minhag, from our professional and lay leaders. This behavior includes the careful consideration of succession. Dr. Hal M. Lewis, the noted author on Jewish leadership, writes “the essence of an authentic leader in Jewish tradition is the individual who is always in search of his or her replacement…the true test of success is the long-term continuity of an idea or movement.”  

And so, with humility and gratitude for a challenging and rewarding tenure both at Baltimore Hebrew University and, for the last three years, at Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University, I have taken this notion to heart. 

I am proud to announce that on July 1, Jill Max assumed the position of Director of BHI. Jill is already well-positioned to take on the helm of BHI, having spent the past year as Assistant Director of BHI, focusing on Adult Education initiatives. I know you will join me in wishing Jill ongoing success in her new and expanded responsibilities.

It has truly been a privilege and an honor to play a role in the establishment of Baltimore Hebrew Institute. The integration of BHU’s programs into Towson University was a landmark achievement that was possible through the close collaboration and support of the ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. The transition required not only bridge funding, but also creativity and bold thinking to develop a new educational model. 

As you know, I have tremendous respect and excitement for the programs and students that we are supporting here at TU. In just three years, Towson has become a recognized address for Jewish Education, Jewish Communal Service and Jewish Studies, with outstanding academic offerings for both undergraduate and graduate students. With an exceptional Judaic library collection, dedicated Towson faculty and staff, enthusiastic and talented students and strong University-wide support, I am certain that we have found a wonderful new home for our programs. Each year, I couldn’t be more proud of the BHI-affiliated graduates and I know they are also proud to be members of our BHI family.

As I write this, I am also participating in another first at Towson University that was made possible through the ASSOCIATED’s support: the Instructional Leadership Institute for Jewish Educators runs from July 9 – 13th. Today is day three of the stimulating, well-organized and enlightening week-long course. The 45 educators enrolled in the course span the broadest spectrum of Jewish affiliation and each brings unique experiences and perspectives to the class exercises and conversations. The Institute is being taught by four expert faculty members from Towson University’s Center for Leadership in Education. Following the five days of intense classroom study, the course will continue with online forums throughout the year.  

The success of this innovative professional development initiative has already generated tremendous enthusiasm from all the students and I am personally thrilled to participate as I prepare to launch new music education projects next year. 

To the ASSOCIATED, as well as all of our stakeholders and friends, thank you for your trust and support during our journey together. May we go m’chayil l’chayil, from strength to strength!

Polish Delegation Visits Baltimore Hebrew Institute

On March 27, Baltimore Hebrew Institute will host a delegation of Polish museum educators, curators and directors who are visiting the United States by invitation of the U.S. State Department. The objective of the program is to connect international visitors with American professionals, to share best practices in particular fields and increase mutual understanding.

This trip is especially timeline with the opening of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in fall of 2013 on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto. This museum, which has been in the planning stages for more than ten years, is a historic public/private partnership between the Polish federal government, the city of Warsaw and private donors.

The Department of State would like to introduce the delegation to the Baltimore Hebrew Institute’s collaborative effort with Towson University to engage Jewish and non-Jewish students and adult learners on campus through coursework and extracurricular activities. In order to meet the needs of the delegation, BHI has facilitated a program that will exemplify the most  collaborative program components.  The delegation will meet with the university archivist and the Judaic subject librarian who will share information about the extensive collection of books from the European Jewish Cultural Reconstruction as well as the significant compendium of Survivor testimonies. They will be joined by Jeanette Parmigiani, Director of Holocaust Education at the Baltimore Jewish Council, and Deborah Cardin, Associate Director of the Jewish Museum of Maryland who will discuss the Summer Teachers’ Institute for public school educators. The focus of this summer’s institute will be the Role of Rescue and Resistance during the Holocaust.

The delegation will continue its visit at the College of Liberal Arts, where they will sit in on Dr. Barry Gittlen’s Biblical Archaeology class and learn about the experiences of Mickey Rubin. Mickey is not only one of BHI’s graduate students, but is also a Towson Hillel professional and a founding resident of Moishe House.  Finally, Dr. Terry Cooney, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, will address the delegation.

We are looking forward to the honor of showcasing BHI’s role as a community partnership builder and a leader in Jewish education.

Ptil Tekhelet (Threads of Blue)

By: Erika Schon
Baltimore Hebrew Institute and Towson University

I wrinkled my nose at the briny smell as I moved closer to photograph the clear plastic cup full of greenish liquid. Resting on the bottom of the cup were the dried glands of several chilazon, the Hebrew word most closely identified as the present day mollusk, murex trunculus.  As 25 curious students looked on, the guest presenter, Dr. Ari Zivotofsky from Bar Ilan University proceeded to dip a swath of pure white wool into the murky solvent.  Lo and behold, the soaked greenish-yellow wool slowly changed to a rich blue color, known in the Hebrew sources as tekhelet, the unique blue dye used to color the tsitsit (ritual fringes) and priestly garments of ancient Israel.

What a privilege it was to learn alongside these young adults who were enrolled in The Object is the Object, Dr. Barry Freundel’s freshman seminar at Towson University.   On Thursday, November 10, Dr. Zivotofsky expertly took the students on a journey from biblical to modern times, exploring the early textual references to ptil tekhelet, which are repeated daily in the Sh’ma blessing: “And it [ptil tekhelet] shall be for you as a fringe, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of G-d, and do them…” (Numbers 15:38-39).

The symbolism of ptil tekhelet is multifold; the rich blue colors recall the ocean and the infinite sky, reminding us of G-d’s presence in the world and of the bond between the wearer and G-d.

Yet, over time, the wearing of tekhelet became relegated only to royalty, placed under restrictions during Roman times, and ultimately banned after the Arab conquest. Thus, the source of this special dye was lost to modern knowledge, only to be rediscovered following research and exploration in the late 20th century.  Citing sources in the Talmud that referred to the special properties of tekhelet, researchers embarked on numerous diving expeditions off the coast of northern Israel that led to the identification of the most likely match for the chilazon.   As it turns out, the dye is derived from a relatively rare snail found in the Mediterranean.   This murex trunculus shellfish found off the coast of what was once ancient Phoenicia contains a special gland that produces the indigo-colored permanent dye. Today, the ancient dying process used to make tekhelet has been revived and wearers of the blue threads can be seen throughout the Jewish world.

At the end of last week’s class, students were intrigued by another challenging question posed by Dr. Freundel.  Why is Dr. Zivotofsky making history this week through his visit to the US?  Clearly, the answer was not in the tekhelet lesson just learned.  They will no doubt Google Dr. Zivotofsky and learn that he has sued the US State Department on behalf of his son, born in 2002 in Jerusalem at Shaare Zedek hospital.  His suit, now being heard by the Supreme Court, requests that the plaintiff’s passport records Jerusalem, Israel as the place of birth. Although this may seem obvious to some, the ruling on this seemingly benign passport case will have far-reaching implications on US foreign policy. Learn more about this>>

What interesting times we live in!  Students at Towson, from a variety of faith traditions, are learning to appreciate the “hows, whys and whens” of Jewish ritual and religious practice throughout history.  Courses such as Dr. Freundel’s tie ancient texts to modern traditions, while also demonstrating the inextricable historic link of the Jewish people to the modern land of Israel.  Yet, at the same time, students on college campuses throughout the world are barraged with messages that seek to undermine or at least call into question Israel’s very right to exist as a Jewish state.  As revisionist “historians” gain traction with naïve and impressionable audiences, Israel advocacy is more important than ever.

Which brings me to Israel Advocacy Day.

On Sunday, November 13, threads of blue were boldly displayed on the graphic design for the Israel Advocacy Conference.  Baltimore Hebrew Institute of Towson University was proud to be one of 18 communal organizations who sponsored this important event.  Attendees reflected the broadest spectrum of Israel advocates, from the far left to the far right, underscoring the importance of unconditional dialogue and engagement in the complex issues that affect Israel today.  Shoshana Cardin honored her parents’ memory as she introduced the day’s Sraiah and Chana Shoubin Memorial Lecturer, William Daroff, with recollections of her father.  Sraiah Shoubin had wisely taught her that it was ok to sometimes disagree with Israel and its policies, while also underscoring the critical and enduring importance of Israel to the Jewish people.  Daroff expertly presented a succinct review of Israel’s history vis-a-vis the Palestinian conflict, emphasizing the key facts that we need to remember in order to confidently advocate for Israel in a variety of settings.

At the Israel Advocacy event, I was energized by being in the room with community members who shared my passion, commitment and concern for Israel’s well-being.  However, the most encouraging aspect of the day was the presence of young adults, in high school, college and grad school, who were, like me, fine tuning the important messages and arguments that they will use in their own Israel conversations.  Their job will be harder than mine, for Israel is increasingly being delegitimized amongst the younger generation.  And so with a renewed sense of purpose, I will return to my job supporting the BHI-affiliated Judaic studies courses at Towson, which reaffirms our important mission of Jewish education.   Next week’s presentation in Dr. Freundel’s class will deal with the Jewish ritual objects the etrog (representing the heart) and the shofar (a call to action).  I cannot imagine two more fitting symbols to capture the emotion and necessity of the times.

RELATED ARTICLES:
Relationships Matter When it Comes to Israel>>
Honor Gilad’s Return with a Tree>>
How Well Do You Know Your Sister City?>>
How to Advocate for Israel When You Don’t Agree With All of Its Policies>>

Read more by Erika Schon>>

Shoshana S. Cardin Announces 2011 Shoubin Lecture: William Daroff

By: Baltimore Hebrew Institute

On Sunday morning, November 13, our community will come together at the Owings Mills JCC to share ideas, broaden our knowledge and show our support for Israel. The Israel Advocacy Conference evolved out of a meeting of a group of Jewish communal professionals who hail from the broad spectrum of the Jewish community. What began initially as an effort to share programming ideas quickly became a forum with a long agenda and a desire for community collaboration.   Ultimately, 18 community organizations and agencies joined the conversation, lay leaders were enlisted, and the Israel Advocacy Conference was conceived, planned and will soon take place.

The Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University, through the support of Shoshana S. Cardin and her family, is honored to bring the keynote speaker to this event. As a way to honor the memory of her parents, Mrs. Cardin created a generous endowment fund for a lecture series that originally took place every other year at Baltimore Hebrew University. Shoshana’s parents were avid Zionists who made Aliyah to Israel when they were young. Unfortunately, although they planned to eventually move back to Israel, they never did, for a variety of reasons. Shoshana’s father, Sraiah, was a staunch supporter of Israel and a leader of the Zionist movement. He was committed to keeping conversational Hebrew alive in the Diaspora. Sraiah also believed in making an honest assessment of Israel, including its “warts.” He did not feel that this attitude in any way detracted from his abiding love for Israel.

Sraiah taught Hebrew in the U.S. for many years. He wanted American Jews to interact with Israelis in a meaningful way, and felt that the best way to make this happen was for Americans to learn Hebrew.

The first two Shoubin lectures were actually delivered in Hebrew. However, in order to reach a broader audience, subsequent lectures were all delivered in English. The message of each lecture related in a substantive way to the idea that we in the Diaspora are inextricably intertwined with our fellow Jews in Israel.  Israel’s future depends on our love, support and in some cases, even constructive criticism.

William Daroff, Vice President for Public Policy and Director of the Washington Office of United Jewish Communities will deliver the Shoubin Lecture at the close of the Advocacy Conference. Daroff is a leading advocate for the American Jewish community’s agenda in Washington, D.C. He is a respected voice for the national Jewish community and is a key player in both domestic and foreign policy issues.

We hope that you can attend.

EVENT DETAILS:
Israel!  A Morning of Advocacy, Education & Community
Sunday, November 13, 2011
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
See the full agenda and register online at www.baltglobalimpact.org/advocate

RELATED ARTICLES:
Relationships Matter When it Comes to Israel>>
Honor Gilad’s Return with a Tree>>
How Well Do You Know Your Sister City?>>