The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School In Austin
On Wednesday May 27, 2009 seventeen individuals graduated from the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, a two year world-class curriculum created by scholars and educators at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Those graduating were; Mitzi and Nelson Chafetz, Joel Guerraro, Marshall Redman, Barbara Roth, Margy Warner, Susan Slomowitz, Pamela Bona, Linda Geller, Jennifer Greenblum, Ann and Michael Kessler, Valerie Newberg, Robyn Sperling, Marilyn Stahl, Bernice Tabak and Nancy Wolf.
Professor Harold Liebowitz was the keynote and spoke on the theme of "Torah Shall Go Forth From Zion". Rabbi Freedman from Temple Beth Shalom blessed the graduating group and also did a Bracha/blessing for Barbara Roth who is making Aliyah (literally 'going up' moving) to Israel this summer. Marilyn Stahl addressed the audience on her experiences over the past two years in the Melton school. The following is the text of her speech.
 The Melton Experience
It is a humbling task and honor to be the spokesperson for the Melton graduates at this 2009 graduation.
At our last class I listened to my fellow students relate what Melton has given and meant to them. It is quite evident that the purposes and goals of the program have reached us and opened our minds to Jewish learning and thought. We began a journey of Jewish study and are all the better for it.
As Jews we have heard many, many times we are the “People of the Book”, and that we value education and tradition. While many of us have read and heard that statement, what have we done about it?
How have we connected with our Jewish responsibility to study, to teach, to understand the past, live actively in the present and be committed to a strong future? Certainly our experience with Melton has given us a brush with Jewish history, ethics, Israel, observances, events, struggles, rituals, traditions, thoughts and teachings of God and other writers throughout the ages and today.
In Melton we began to probe the past and attempted to connect to the present. We have touched on the original Torah and how those teachings guided our ancestors and how what was taught, experienced and written then can be valued in our Jewish living today.
Most of us were overwhelmed by the 3500 years of Jewish history as we traveled back and forward into the sources, primary texts, statements, letters, poetry and writings. Only then did I really know how much I had to learn.
When I first became involved in the Jewish community over 45 years ago, I knew in part why I needed to be active and it was a message that I visibly, vocally related to all who would listen. It was my first venture into the ways of Jewish life, synagogue membership, and it was the first time it dawned on me that how I lived and what I did needed to be within the context of Judaism.
It was important to me for my children to be exposed to a life that was consciously touched by Judaism. I wanted to be part of building an Austin Jewish community that was strong, offered Jewish programming, Jewish study and experiences for our children and for its adults.
Without a more Jewishly motivated community how could we expect our children, as well as, ourselves, who are living in an integrated society, to have a positive Jewish identity and experience. How could we expect the continuation of Jewish beliefs, traditions and actions to be a part of our children’s lives if we weren’t leading by example and if we didn’t provide opportunities for all of us to study and learn, to do and care, to visualize and secure a vibrant environment in our community? I took my first Jewish class 45 years ago.
So my children and their spouses are Jewish---I can relax, but now I worry about my grandchildren. So go figure it out.
A couple of weeks ago I was privileged to hear the teachers of the Temple Beth Shalom confirmation class speak to their students and ask them: “What did you do Jewish today?” What a question to ask these young people! But it was a question asked at the beginning of each of their confirmation classes and an answer was expected.
In the days that followed I realized how profound the question was and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Rather than push it aside I now ask myself daily “What did you do Jewish today?” What an impact and great reminder it is to me to be Jewishly pro active every day.
What it has said to me is that my journey is far from over. We are Jews everyday. That through study, being involved and a supporter of Jewish causes I can become empowered and can take ownership of many more of our Jewish traditions. I might even make a Jewish difference.
Since beginning to ask myself the question, each day I find myself doing things that make me feel good about the Jewish life I live and the person I want to be. I find that I am reaching out to others, whether it is calling an older person or family member to see how they are doing, whether it is reading a Jewish article, whether it is preparing for Torah study, whether it is volunteering on a project at my synagogue or in the community, it reminds me that being Jewish should not be taken for granted. The question has become part of my Jewish path each and everyday.
I have asked myself, and I ask you, what are we going to do tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year, to put into practice what we have learned in these two years studying in Melton? What does what we learned have to do with our everyday lives? What does it mean to do something Jewish every day?
What is our responsibility? Do we ever wonder what it will take to transform our synagogues, organizations and community into enterprises that achieve Jewish literacy, where the communities’ affiliated and unaffiliated actively practice Judaism and what Judaism teaches? Are we excited about Jewish life—are we dedicated to the true meaning of the study of Torah, and do we work toward Tzedakah, Tikkun Olam and Justice for all?
What has my participation in Melton done for me and I hope for all of the graduates?
It has exposed me to Jewish thinking that I never considered before.
It has taught me how much I do not know and that I should continue my studies.
It has filled in many gaps of information and why we practice certain things and on what teaching it is based.
It has shown me that I should be more diligent about checking into the offerings of SULAM, meaning LADDER, which is the new collaborative adult learning opportunity right here in Austin. This program has opened to all---the study opportunities at our synagogues, the Jewish Life and Learning Division of the Jewish Community Association of Austin and at other Jewish institutions. I’ve probably missed a lot of great teaching on subjects I need to know about.
It has reinforced that we can never stop studying because we will never know everything and yes things change, expand, and affects us in different ways at different times in our lives. And yes, it has made me a more informed and better Jew.
Although I don’t know where all the years between 5724 and now went, let me do some more preaching in this year 5769. Let me seriously urge each of us to consciously do and be more Jewish, to get involved in Jewish community life, to be a leader or follower, to be a supporter, to leave your Jewish mark on your family, friends and on our community. We will all benefit from what we do as individuals and together.
In 1995 Arnold Eisen, then a professor and now the Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, wrote that we should be working towards having, “involved Jews in tangible, compelling, emotionally rich and intellectually satisfying modes of being Jewish”. Chancellor Eisen envisioned, “the ideal Jewish community as one with serious Jewish learning at its core and social justice as its goal.”
It is my prayer that the Austin Jewish community will strive for and reach these heights.
Melton is one place to begin. I look forward to the new offerings.
To the teachers of the Melton program: you each were superbly prepared, taught and challenged us fiercely, inspired us, motivated us, set an example for us and have gone beyond just being our teacher. We are Jewishly wiser because of you. We all thank you for all that you have done to present Judaism in an understandable way and teach us with such sincerity.
Thanks to the staff –of the Jewish Life and Learning Division, Aliza Orent and Pam Prais, who work behind the scenes to make it all run smoothly. You did a great job.
Thanks to the students of the Melton classes for making the sessions more exciting. Your comments, questions, and knowledge certainly added to the discussions and what we gained from each class.
Thank you for allowing me to visit with you today on behalf of the graduates of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School.
Marilyn Stahl
May 27, 2009
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