Written by Rabbi Joshua Hoffman
From Sunday afternoon, August 17th to Tuesday afternoon August 19th, AJRCA kicked off the new school year at the Brandeis Bardin Institute in Simi Valley, CA. We welcomed 10 new students into our three programs as over 50 returning students, faculty members, and our dedicated administration team prepared for another transformative year of learning.
Throughout our time together, we were inspired by Rabbi Dorothy Richman, a well-respected teacher of deep and engaging prayer experiences. We embraced the challenges of prayer through classical rabbinic sources in a Beit-Midrash (paired-learning style) learning session brilliantly led by AJRCA Dean Rabbi Stephen Slater. We felt our souls held and lifted up by the magnificent music to prepare us for the month of Elul (leading up to Rosh HaShanah) with our cantorial students and the wise guidance of AJRCA Dean Rabbi Cantor Sam Radwine. We accepted the invitation to connect deeply through our own personal journeys with prayer facilitated by Rev. Dr. Trina Williams, AJRCA’s beloved CPE Educator. And the weather was just perfect enough for morning runs and soulful yoga, hikes around the property, and even a swim in the pool!
This coming year we are dedicating our communal studies to exploring our connections to tefillah – the Hebrew word for prayer. Tefilllah is a multi-faceted word connected to the sense of awe (feleh). Our goal is to glean the wisdom of our faculty and community leaders to hone and polish our own awe-inspiring commitments as we support all seekers trying to navigate this very challenging world. We have dedicated our colloquia and special learning events to explore the experiences of awe-inspired transcendence, holy presence, and the call to sacred responsibility.
Focused. Connected. Transformed. Inspired. These were the frequently repeated words expressed by the students as we concluded the residency. The universal feelings that these qualities express and so much more brought us closer together as a school community. These connections brought healing and restoration and a renewed sense of energy and purpose to serve our people with joy in the coming year. This year we all accept a greater responsibility to help each other grow and thrive. We invite you to join us on our journey too!