| Summer 2009: Week Three |
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Greetings,
It is hard to believe that we have entered the fourth week of Genesis. Participants are so engaged in all that is going on in their courses, in continuing to explore the community they are building, and in forming life-long friendships. It is thrilling to hear their questions, witness their discoveries, and see them make connections at every moment of the day (and night!).
Enjoy learning more about this past week at Genesis. As always, please call us if you have any questions (781-736-8416).
Bradley and Dvora
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| Genesis Video and Photos |
Chech out this week's video by clicking here. Also, pictures have been added to existing albums, and new albums have been created, on our smugmug site.
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| Courses |
World Religions
by Sarah Kalish, Brookline, MA
I came into World Religions with a less defined relationship to Judaism. While I felt a religious and personal connection to Judaism, I felt that I was missing an understanding of other religions to help me develop my Jewish connection. Before each field trip to a place of worship, we learn, discuss, and grapple with the core beliefs of that particular religion. We are then able to listen, question, and understand the practices of the religion. At a Hindu Temple, the president of the temple described Brachman, or consciousness. A week later, we were immersed in a meditation led by a Buddhist Monk. Afterwards, we came together as a group and reflected: How does consciousness relate to Judaism? Can I meditate through prayer? After each experience, we review what we have seen through both a secular and Jewish lens. By studying other religions and being exposed to their beliefs, I have expanded and developed my relationship to Judaism and my understanding of other religions.
Journalism
by Courtney Firestone, Toronto, ON and Aria Amrom, Philadelphia, PA
This past week, we visited the Golda Meir House to practice our interviewing skills. We had the opportunity to speak with the residents about their lives and experiences. Some of had really meaningful conversations with the residents. When we got back to campus, we had to choose one aspect of their lives to write about. We are excited about our final project, putting together a magazine that will reflect everything that we have learned in journalism this summer.
Innovation and Revolution
by Jon Gewirtzman, Ambler, PA
On Wednesday, we took a trip to the Jewish Women's Archive where we participated in their community photo project by adding pictures of our mothers and grandmothers to their Flickr group. When I uploaded a picture of my grandmother, someone else recognized the name and sent me a message! It turns out this person had found pictures of my grandmother on the Holocaust Museum's website and recognized her from my picture. I never thought that social networking sites and photo sharing sites have much purpose - until now. It turns out that flickr helped me make a connection I would not have made otherwise. We have been learning in our course about the power of technology, and this was a practical example of how we can use technology to make connections.
Judaism and Justice
by Haleigh Brockman, Lincoln, NE and Melissa Sperber, Mendham, NJ
This past week, we focused on tzedek (justice) and tikun olam (repairing the world) through an exploration of Jewish, Greek, and American law. On Wednesday, we took a trip to a Harvard Law Clinic that advocates for people of low income and who are discriminated against because of their social status. We also debated on when religious views should be taken into account when discussing liabilities. It was another great week, and we are looking forward to continuing our study of Jewish and secular law.
Public Speaking
by Dave Benger, Brooklyn, NY
A few weeks ago, I wrote and delivered my first dvar torah. I received a lot of help from members of my class and the staff at Genesis, but when it came time to speak, I was incredibly nervous. I was planning to discuss a personal story, tie it into the weekly parsha, and then use the two to synthesize a message that would be relevant to the entire Genesis community. The only thought going through my mind as my name was called was "who am I to be preaching to all of these people? What gives me the right to teach a room filled with over 100 people from all walks of life and all levels of Jewish knowledge?" I began slowly and humbly at first. The topic of my dvar torah was taking risks and not being afraid to make mistakes, so one of the first things I said in my hook (which is public speaking lingo for "captivating introduction") was that just by getting up there and giving the dvar torah, I was taking a chance. People applauded when I finished and as I sat down, a raucous chant of "Dave, Dave, Dave" rose from my table. I couldn't be happier, more proud, and more relieved.
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| Father Walter Cuenin |
On Wednesday night, Genesis came together as a community to hear from Brandeis University chaplain, Father Walter Cuenin. Father Cuenin gave us a basic introduction of Catholicism, speaking about Catholic-Jewish relations today as compared to the past. Then, participants had the opportunity to ask Father Cuenin any questions they may have about Catholicism. Participant questions ranged from asking how he feels about the Pope, to what are his opinions on the inclusion of the gay community, and what is religious life outside of Judaism like at Brandeis. Participants left the session with a better understanding of the relationship between Catholicism and Judaism.
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| JT Waldman |
Last Monday night, the Innovation and Revolution course hosted Jewish Innovator JT Waldman for the entire community. He spoke about his experiences writing his graphic novel Megillat Esther and he shared with us his process of inspiration for writing the hagaddah and becoming involved in Judaism.
JT Waldman also spent some time with the Innovation and Revolution course, sharing with them his new project, Tagged Tanakh, "an online resource that encourages conversations around the Hebrew and English translation of the bible." It was exciting for participants to see how someone can use technology to explore and deepen their connection to Jewish text.
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| Shabbat |
This Shabbat, BIMA and Genesis gathered for a unique Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat, led by Josh Nelson, our guest artist for the weekend. With help from some participants, Josh led a song-filled service, even managing to get a room full of teenagers and staff to sit silently for a moment (a summer first!) as we transitioned from the hectic week into a peaceful Shabbat.
We continued in this spirit Saturday morning with a whole community kiddush followed by four Torah learning opportunities - one Torah service that featured traditional and progressive elements, a Torah study using drama, a Torah study through visual arts and a guided meditation engaging the themes of this week's portion. After an afternoon of relaxation and reflection, we concluded Shabbat where we had started - all together for a moving Havdallah service led by the Josh Nelson Project, which went right into a lively and energetic concert.
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| Ms. Smith's 90th Birthday Party |
Sunday mornings at Genesis are spent doing community service all around town. Three participants from the group that visited the Leland Home in Waltham, had a particularly exciting experience that they wanted to share.
by Lindsey Braun, Buda, TX
Ariel Rosenberg, Bronx, NY
and Gabe Fridkis, Hopewell, NJ
The first person we saw when we walked into the Leland Home was Ms. Smith and we had an instant connection. We spent three hours talking to her, listening to her stories, and playing piano. At the end of the day, she invited us to her upcoming 90th birthday party, which we were excited to accept! Not knowing what to expect, we got all dressed to impress, and when we got there, we were overwhelmed by the welcome we received from her family. The party was held at the church where she has been an active member since her childhood - in fact, the party was held in the very room where her mother had her 90th birthday party! It was such a great experience for us, being there and sharing in the celebration. Even though we've only known her for a couple of weeks, we really made a connection, and we plan on keeping in touch.
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Genesis at Brandeis University | 415 South Street MS 065 | Waltham | MA | 02454
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