No matter how hard anyone tries, something is bound to go wrong at a convention for 225 Reform rabbis and synagogue machers.
And so it was at the UAHC Regional Biennial Convention in Sonoma last weekend. First, two speakers, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, UAHC president, and Rabbi Sue Ann Wasserman, both of New York, had to cancel because of health problems.
Then there was a bad moment when a representative of the Reform movement’s Union of American Hebrew Congregations interrupted the opening lunch to make an announcement:
“Due to circumstances beyond our control — and this really was beyond our control — there is bacon in the potato salad.”
Everyone looked down at their plates.
“I haven’t eaten pork in 25 years,” said Rabbi Steve Chester of Oakland’s Temple Sinai, seeing only a lettuce leaf where his potato salad had been.
Despite having several meetings with the caterer, lengthy explanations of the do’s and don’ts of kosher-style cooking and reassurances that the chef, having catered b’nai mitzvah, knew the rules, pork found its way into the meal.
But that touch of traif did not dampen the energy and spirit of the 21st convention of the UAHC’s Northern California region at the Sonoma County Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park.
The UAHC is the congregational arm of the Reform movement, representing 800 synagogues throughout North America and 1.2 million affiliated Reform Jews.
Synagogue presidents, officers, committee chairs, UAHC board members and rabbis came from as far away as Utah as well as from all over northern California — from Eureka to Fresno. They represented congregations large and small, new and old. They were on hand to exchange ideas, to see what the UAHC has to offer and to celebrate Shabbat.
Over the course of the weekend, there were 33 workshops, several Torah study sessions, breakfast meetings and Shabbat services. UAHC rabbis and officers came from New York, Washington, D.C., and Cleveland to address all aspects of synagogue life from ritual practice to social action and to lead study sessions.
There was something for everyone.
For Sy Lenz, president of the 3-year-old, 127-family Congregation Shir Shalom in Sonoma, it was an opportunity to make contact with other presidents and find out what’s going on at other synagogues.
For Shirley Olshansky, an outgoing member of the UAHC regional board, it was an opportunity to study with Rabbi Lewis Barth of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. The rabbi led several discussions on the weekly Torah portion.
At the workshops, there was a two-way flow of ideas from speakers to attendees and back again.
Representatives of synagogues talked about the social action projects they were involved with, such as visiting seniors at nursing homes or organizing a “mensch link,” an e-mail network of congregation members.
Mark Pelavin, associate director of the UAHC’s Religious Action Center in Washington, brought news to the California diaspora of what would be on the legislative agenda when the “plague of darkness,” the impeachment proceedings currently dominating the political scene, lifts.
He urged temple leaders to include an advocacy component in their social action programs, such as letter-writing campaigns, lobbying and regular contact with elected officials.
At a programming session on welcoming gays, lesbians and their families into mainstream congregations, Rabbi Jane Litman and program director Renee Bauer, both of San Francisco Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, talked about issues facing gay and lesbian Jews. From the definition of a “family” to whether a female transsexual, who is using hormones rather than undergoing surgery, is welcome at a mikvah, Litman said that gays and lesbians “don’t want their differences minimized. They need to be acknowledged.”
Two mothers of gay sons talked about how their synagogue, Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, organized a support group for parents of gay children and hired a therapist to facilitate their meetings.
Several workshops dealt with one of the most pressing issues for all congregations, fund-raising.
Several Jewish leaders of tomorrow, members of the North American Federation of Temple Youth board, were present to add their wisdom on teen programming and keeping youth involved in Jewish community life. The group will be holding its first convention on the West Coast next month, with a gathering in Los Angeles.
The mood at Shabbat services was joyous as several rabbis shared the bimah and cantors led familiar songs. Perhaps to compensate for the errant pork or as a special Shabbat blessing, when the time came for the Saturday afternoon bus trip and tour of Camp Newman, the rain stopped and the sun broke through.
No Jewish gathering is complete without some kvelling, and this convention was no exception. With high praise, Rabbi Michael Berk was officially installed as the regional director of the UAHC. Rosyland Bauer was installed as the region’s president. Farewells were said to outgoing president Dennis Bates and Rabbi Richard Block. The Beth Am rabbi will be moving to Jerusalem in July to assume the post of director of ARZA/World Union, the liberal movement’s world body.