by Rabbi Josh Knobel
As I settled into my seat, one small chair among five thousand, I wondered nervously how my little girl would react to her first kabbalat shabbat in a conference hall, surrounded by thousands of Jews from across North America. However, as the cantor began to sing and the music began to play, I saw a child at once expressive and enthralled, her arms swaying overhead as she clapped enthusiastically alongside the familiar sounds of Shabbat.
Never before had I witnessed the Union for Reform Judaism’s Biennial conference through the eyes of a toddler. Before we arrived, I wondered if some five thousand Jews from across North America congregating in cold Chicago to learn, teach, and pray alongside one another was the proper setting for a two-year old, but I needn’t have worried. As I soon learned, the bonds that connect Jews across geography, ethnicity, and time strengthen when we share our traditions with others.
The incomparable excitement on my daughter’s face, coupled with the warm welcome she received from everyone who encountered her, illustrated the awesome power of immersive, Jewish communal experiences. As such, I look forward to February 7 – our family’s next opportunity for a completely immersive Shabbat experience – when my family and I will join members of our Stephen Wise Temple community in Ojai for Wise Family Camp.
A weekend steeped in the richness of our tradition and uplifted by the embrace friends old and new, Wise Family Camp offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the transformative power of immersive Jewish community. I hope you’ll join us for an experience that promises to nourish mind, body, and spirit at Wise Family Camp.
To learn more about this exciting opportunity, visit our Family Camp site at http://wisela.org/familycamp.
