By Bill Aron (5-2-09)

Today is twenty-three days, which is three weeks and two days of the Omer.

 

It is a tradition to count the days between Passover and Shavuot, as we mark our freedom from slavery and celebrate our freedom to accept Torah. This is called "counting the omer." This year we will observe the tradition of "counting the omer" by sharing stories about the many different ways that we have been turned on to Jewish learning, and through Jewish learning to Torah.

I grew up a Jewish half-breed: Conservative until age 9; then Reform.  I went from being the slowest kid in Hebrew School to being the best. The reinforcement of being praised for my Hebrew helped to create in me a more positive Jewish identity.

Fast-forward to the early 1970's when I became interested in a broader meaning to being Jewish. I identified as a Jew but did little else. Except, of course, through my wife. But I was an observer, not a participant.

In 1978, I traveled to Cuba with a group of Jewish Americans to visit with the Jewish community there. Because I spoke Turkish, I was able to get quite close to a group who had immigrated from Turkey to Cuba, as a way station for getting into America. They wound up putting roots down and staying. During a visit to the synagogue for a lag b'omer ceremony, something profound happened.  After much socializing, all the Cubans lit specially decorated ceremonial candles. Singing began and then, quite spontaneously, the group erupted into Hatikva. We all stood there singing, looking into each other's wet eyes.  I thought to myself, "these people struggle to hold on to and practice their Judaism, while I, who am free to do so, pay only lip service."

That experience in Cuba changed my life. I came home and began taking Kashrut, prayer and ritual much more seriously. That, and Rabbi Geller, led Isa and me to the New Emanuel Minyan.

By Bill Aron

These stories are brought to you by the Temple Emanuel RE-IMAGINE project, an 18-month initiative sponsored by Hebrew Union College, devoted to re-thinking and re-structuring our religious school.