#BlogElul 15 Learn and if asked if "Do I HAVE to go to Sunday School?" The answer is YES!

I am passionate about learning; all types of learning including school and text book learning and learning from experience.  I hope that as we approach the beginning of our Religious School and Hebrew school year I can encourage everyone no matter what your age to try out some "new" learning.  

My post B'nai MItzvah students please come and see what we are teaching in our pre-confirmation classes as an old commercial advertised: try it ... you'll like it.  Parents, come out to adult enrichment on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am  and you might like that as well. These are just a few of the offerings we have for this year.  

 I also advise that if your child asks "do I have to go to Religious school?"  The answer is YES you have to go.  This is a decision you won't regret.  I can tell you and give you witness after witness of teens now older adolescents who are glad, beyond glad they continued with their Jewish education. They enjoy their time with Rabbi Serotta, our 10th grade trip to New York city and their time with one another.  Come in and talk to Rabbi and me and we can tell you more.  

Many times I am asked what my job encompasses at Lakeside Congregation.  I reply that I am responsible for Education from birth to death.  We believe that education never stops and I try to continue my own learning through my professional organizations, Book clubs, and attending Adult Education at Lakeside.  

So for today and for the High Holy days and for this year I say:

This post is part of #BlogElul, a series of social media posts created during Elul, the month preceding the High Holidays. During Elul, it is customary for Jews to prepare spiritually for the upcoming new year. An annual project, #Blog Elul is the brainchild of Rabbi Phyllis Sommer.

NATE? What's NATE or Who's NATE and what's his last name?

Membership Team hard at work.

I have been a member of NATE, the National Association of Temple Educators, for over 25 years.  This week the leadership is gathering in Chicago to plan, purpose, and project for the upcoming year, 5773-5774 (2013-2014).  I am constantly amazed at the creativity, dedication and time all our tireless volunteers dedicate to our professional organization.

NATE's leadership is composed of Governance which is our Board of Directors and the Operations Team which propels the logistics and actual programs of the organization forward.  I have had the pleasure of being the Co-Chair of the Operations Team for the past 5 years with Lori Daitch  and before that Debbie Niederman and Lisa Lieberman Barzilai and we have watched NATE develop and bring to maturation 5 Operations Teams which include Advocacy,  Finance, Membership, Communications and Professional Learning.  Each of these teams work on different aspects of our organization to insure that our programs and logistics are always top notch and on the cutting edge of the educational world.

Cantor Wolman

We meet over 4 days, 2 days with Operations and then Board and Operations together, and 2 days with the Board.  We had t'filot Monday with Rabbi Karyn Kedar and Cantor Ross Wolman at B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim and Tuesday with Rabbi Lisa Levenberg and Educator Cory Hermann.

Rabbi Kedar with our
Executive Director Rabbi Stan Schickler
and Rabbi Laura Novak Winer

We spent a full day working in committees on topics including brainstorming new ideas for our Professional Learning conferences, new fundraising concepts, ways to attract and retain members and in communication our new email, NATENOW which should come out in the next month.

We pray, meet, brainstorm, study and plan together how to make Jewish education better in our own congregations and institutions and all of our members' institutions.  I am proud to be a part of this dynamic group and have been privileged to be a part of the leadership and look forward to the future.  I am excited to see where NATE will take us and what adventures we have in our future.

See you in Chicago next year!

CAN'T WAIT FOR ISRAEL IN 2014!