By Sydney (Kramer) Turk-Porter (5-21-09)

Today is forty-two days, which is six weeks 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.

Thank you to everyone who wrote about a memorable moment of Jewish learning. We've collected 49 amazing stories, and we're grateful to all of our contributors. 

 

When thinking back on my own education, it was primarily at Temple Emanuel.  Being part of the religious school, I have strong memories of planting trees in Israel as part of our Sunday school projects, and memories of celebrating holidays and traditions in class. 

One particular religious school memory is for Purim. My father found a huge box for me and painted it blue and my costume for Purim was a  JNF Blue Box. I wore it to another Temple parade which included other Reform temples in the community. My arms are still hurting from hanging out the sides of that box. 

I was blessed with wonderful teachers in the religious school, Sam Hart, Harold Friedman, Ted Sharfman, all of blessed memory,  As a teenager, I remember the tradition of going to Molly & Rabbi Bernard Harrison's backyard on Rosh Hashanah afternoon to greet clergy and fellow temple members.  It was always hot and sunny.  It was so exciting to go with our parents to the Rabbi's home.    

As a young teenager, I worked as an assistant counselor in the Temple day camp at LaCienega Park when Ted Sharfman  was the camp director and it was the summer he and Ada (both of blessed memory) became engaged. I also served as an assistant teacher in the religious school after confirmation. 

Bat Mitzvah for girls had not come into tradition when I neared 13 years of age.  Thus, in 1982 with Rabbi Meyer Heller officiating, I  shared an adult B'nai Mitzvah service with four men in my class.  Our teachers were Rabbi Steve Robbins & Cantor Baruch Cohon, who covered Jewish history, traditions and holidays. Nancy Cooper (now Federman) was our Hebrew teacher.  Can you imagine learning Hebrew from your younger sister?  Everyone in the class expected me to be super smart and I struggled along through the class the entire time.  

In 1998, I again enrolled and repeated the Hebrew part of the B'nai  Mitzvah class and continued my Jewish education with five dynamic women and an outstanding Judaic teacher, Chaim Plotnik. My yearn to learn continues. 

I had the good fortune, as a single divorced woman, to be included in the decision-making process of the Temple's future when I  was an elected member of the Emanuel Board of Directors for seven years.  During that  time, I chaired several committees, including Religious Activities & Membership.  I was fortunate to be on the Rabbinic search committee which recommended the hiring of Rabbi Laura Geller (and thank goodness we did!) 

Our parents ran a strong Reform home and observed all the holidays. Thus, I had a broad education at home together with that at Temple Emanuel.   I am forever grateful to my parents for joining Temple Emanuel in 1952, on the advice of Bernice and David Sheinart of blessed memory.  

By Sydney (Kramer) Turk-Porter

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.