What's in a Name? What is Change? Blog Exodus #7 Tell

In February I attended the National Association of Temple Educators Annual Gathering in Philadelphia and we left it was the Association of Reform Jewish Educators.  During the 4 day conference we examined "Engaging Our Changing Jewish Community".  Our keynote speakers included:  Bruce Feiler author of Walking the Bible and Charles T. Lee, self proclaimed idea maker at Ideation and David Bryfman. All 3 of them told their story and helped us to start thinking about all types of changes, innovation and even disruptive change.

This week I was beautiful West Orange, California for ARJE leadership meetings.  We meet to plan for the upcoming year and beyond. 

Leading T'filot at ARJE leadership meetings

We discuss and  exchange ideas about where our organization is heading. We have t'filot together and I am always honored to lead t'filot with my colleagues. 

 This time we had a hard time remembering to  say our new name ARJE.  Many times in the heat of an impassioned speech NATE would just fall out.  We actually had a swear jar for every time we called our organization by it's OLD name.  That helped and we raised money but as I have said: Change is never easy.

Swear jar

Many people have asked why we changed our name from the National Association of Temple Educators to the Association for Reform Educators.  The simple answer is that National and Temple educators does not adequately describe all of our members anymore.  Our organization also celebrated their 60th Anniversary this year and in 1955 the year of our formation the name was accurate.  Now as we welcome members from many different Jewish institutions, Early Childhood, Youth directors to just name a few of our new members; Reform educators is a much more apt description.  We have members from Canada, Israel and other places not located in the United States and therefore National no longer applies as well. 
There was much thought and deliberate care put into the name process.  There was a lengthy task force which then brought the ideas for new names to a leadership meeting.  We broke into groups talked about the different names and it because apparent that one name was favored by the group.  We talked, dreamed and visioned what a new name could be and what would take us into the next 60 years.  I am always energized when I spend time with colleagues and come home with new ideas. This time I saw a great sign at the congregation that hosted us.  They had made a banner which proclaimed they had been accredited.  I can't wait to do my own sign here at Lakeside and let everyone know we have been accredited  3 times which equals  21 years out of the 25 years which I have been at Lakeside!

At Lakeside our sign will read:  Accredited for 21 Years!

I am a week late to Blog Exodus but this post does fall under 6th of Nisan Tell!  I am using it!

#BlogElul 16 Change: No One likes it, Change that is

I have two great stories about change which I tell all the time and in Jewish tradition you should always credit who told you a story when you pass it on.  Here are my stories with pictures of the person who taught me.

Prof. Sara Lee

The first lesson I have on change I learned at CAJE 12 in Georgia in 1987 (yes and I looked that up). I had a class with Prof. Sara Lee, Director of the Rhea Hirsch School of Education for Hebrew Union College.  She offered a class for new Religious School Principals and I was pretty new Educational Director.  She told us if we didn't remember anything about her session we should remember 2 things, 1)  get to know the Rabbi's secretary (which if the Rabbi has a secretary still holds today and 2) Only change one form per year.  Now we don't really have  so many hard copy forms but we certainly have on line forms and procedures and not changing things up drastically every year also still holds.   Now I want you to know that I studied with Prof Lee many times after that class and she teaches on many wonderful topics and you can click on her name to get an idea; but this blog deals with change.  

My second story is one my Cantor, Michael Davis tell us when we contemplate changing

Cantor Michael Davis

music in our t'filot at Lakeside.  One service Cantor Davis began with a tune which was new to the congregation.  At the end of the service he repeated this same song.  An older man came up to Cantor Davis at the end of the service to comment on the service.  He had liked Cantor's voice but made the following comment, "I didn't like the song you sang at the beginning of the service but I loved the one you ended with."  Yes, it was the same song and first time we hear something we may not like it but hearing it a few times it can grow on you.  Just something to think about when you think about change.  

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.