Google Maps-Form here to Egypt-Moving from Oppression to Redemption...and BACK again PART DEUX

Theory part two

1. .The surveys say that Jews seem to be seeking more spirituality
2. spirituality is an undefined amorphic silly word which gets batted about but I will steal a page from my friend and teacher, Rabbi Michael Friedman, and define it as whatever one's sense is of “I know there is something out there bigger than me and bigger than all of this.”
3. Most Jewish institutions are hyper focused on the survival of the Jewish people and could perhaps, put some more focus and energy into shaping what and who the Jewish people are
4. The Jewish people (say these surveys) want something more/other than prayer and free trips to Israel. We want God, Justice and Each other (I picked this up from Rabbi Sidney Schwartz at a recent Panim retreat weekend)
5. For Jewish continuity to...well...continue....Jewish institutions may need to meet the needs of their constituents and do more than just keep GOING but keep GROWING. You know, moving closer to God and stuff like that.
6. It's like we're so busy surviving as Jews, we're not really living as Jews...

So here is what I think we can do (one approach of many that I am working out in my head)

We use CBCO as a means to an end.

1. CBCO builds strong communities which are self invested, intra connected, and just awesome (my read on this, no real evidence to site which supports this).
2. With stronger CBC (Congregation Based Communities) I think we will find a greater sense of spirituality and a greater connection to the “what is out there” by being more connected to all that is right here
3. Says Dr. Ochs, the spiritual guidance counselor at HUC (who I think does some amazing couples counseling between us and God) a greater sense of connection to each other will build a greater sense of connection to The Divine and the unity of all things (in a totally Jewish...though seemingly Buddhist....kind of way)
4. By recognizing that we are all truly connected

• we have a personal relationship with the oppressed no matter who what when where and how they are
• we have a personal relationship with God and God pretty clearly seems to be in to this whole “end oppression” thing
• We are being more and more recharged through spiritual means thus decreasing our need for recharge through consumer needs thus freeing up a whole big fat wad of time, money and energy for doing something else.

I see like this...we are all hurting and scared. We self protect by shutting down when maybe just maybe, we could survive more and better with less damage and more healing/growth and even thriving if we-especially when we want to close down...we simply open up....

See, changing the world may not be so hard after all.