February 2010 News from Camp Ramah in CA

By now you have heard that after the 2010 summer, my 9^th as the Executive Director of Camp Ramah in California, I will be starting a new chapter of my rabbinic career.Wherever this transition lands our family - I'll be sure to let you know when we do. I will endeavor to translate the educational successes of Ramah camps to the work of building Jewish life and community during the year. In the coming months, I will use this space to offer reflections on some of the educational principles and practices that work at camp, and that can, and should, be translated to life during the year.

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rdg2 Every so often, I am asked, "Rabbi Dan, what is the purpose of keeping of kosher?" I offer many reasons: kosher laws elevate the act of eating from "fueling" our bodies to an opportunity for holiness; kosher restrictions around eating meat sensitize us to how eating an animal should be different from eating a vegetable, and more.But before offering these reasons, I offer a disclaimer: the Torah provides no reasons behind why we should keep kosher. Actually, the Torah rarely supplies reasons for keeping mitzvoth other than because they are God's commands and, by heeding them, we bring ourselves closer to God. In this week's Torah portion, God supplies a reason for the commandment to honor one's parents: "that your days may be long on the land that Adonai your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12).Why are we given a reason this time?What is the connection between honoring one's parents and a long life?

Rabbi Sa'adiah Gaon (9th and 10th Century) explains: "The Torah offers a long life as a reward (see Exodus 20:12) because sometimes the parents live with the children for a long time and the parents are a burden to them, and supporting and honoring them can be difficult. The Torah determined the reward is a long life because by doing so you will also have a long life." Sa'adiah's explanation seems quite practical: if you neglect your parents in old age, know that your children will neglect you too.If you care for your parents in old age, you will teach your children to do the same for you.His explanation embodies a critical educational principle: children are smart; they will do what you say, not what you do.

Critiques lament that too often, Jewish parents practice "pediatric Judaism," in which children are dropped off at Jewish day school or afternoon religious school while adults go to Starbucks or to workout at the gym. What is the matter with this picture?Perhaps nothing.If families keep kosher, celebrate holidays, talk about the weekly Torah portion around the Shabbat table, attend synagogue together, visit Israel, engage in mitzvah projects or otherwise live an engaged Jewish life, there is nothing wrong with parents having a coffee break or taking time to take care of themselves! In fact, we are often better parents after we've given ourselves a break!But absent engagement in many of the things listed above, children are smart.When the schools - and camps - at which they are dropped off exist in a vacuum, devoid of parental commitment to the values those institutions work to teach, children learn that while they might have to endure Judaism during the hours of school or over the summer, eventually they will grow up, and out of Judaism. They will think: "Judaism is something for children, not adults."

One of the most powerful reasons that Ramah succeeds is that our mission is "to build educating Jewish communities in which people of all ages" fall in love with Jewish life. Everyone learns at Ramah.Campers, counselors, rashei edah, coaches and art teachers, and, by the way, the rabbi too.More important than the content of what we learn, kids at Ramah absorb a powerful lesson: we never outgrow Judaism.When parents and grandparents enthusiastically engage in Jewish life, we benefit not only ourselves.We teach our children a powerful message: everyone can learn.Everyone must grow.May God bless us with a long life, of learning and, through our own learning, of teaching our children an enduring love of Torah and God.