Shema - Hearing - A Teaching By Rabbi Korngold

Here's a 10 minute teaching about the Shema - Hearing, that took place during our Tuesday night hike in Boulder, Colorado. Enjoy!

Photos posted from Adventure Rabbi Events

FYI, we've now posted photos from these events:

• Aspen-Crested Butte - July 17-19, 2009
• Denver Hike with Rabbi Steve Booth-Nadav - July 25, 2009
• Temple Shalom Hike - July 25, 2009
• Flagstaff Shabbat Service - July 24, 209

http://www.adventurerabbi.org/photo_gallery.htm

On July 14, 2009, I officiated at the funeral of Jeff Willner at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado.

On July 14, 2009, I officiated at the funeral of Jeff Willner at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado. It was a perfect venue for this lover of music. Jeff and I had an agreement about Judaism: He claimed me as his rabbi, and I never claimed that the Torah or the Prophets could say it better than Jackson Browne or the Grateful Dead.

I like to think that Jeff is in heaven now, jamming with Jerry, and hanging out with his father, Willy, while simultaneously watching the Sports Channel and spotting some egrets taking off in flight. In heaven, you can do all of those things at the same time.

Jeff Willner z”l
Boulder Theater
7/14/09 12 noon

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life and more specifically, to celebrate the friendship of Jeff -- Jeffrey Adam Willner – born December 19, 1967.

Jeff was very explicit in his wishes for his memorial service. It should be celebratory, not somber. No wallowing in misery, but rather focused on the positive of our precious time with him.

I don’t know if we can meet his wish. The grief is thick. The sadness is real. There are tears that must be shed and even screams of anguish that must be screamed.

But, in honor of who Jeff was, and what he taught us by the way he lived his life, we will try to assuage our pain by remembering all that good and great and the best of our time with Jeff.

Because for those of you who knew Jeff, you remember he had a positive superlative to describe every situation.

We will allow for laughter and smiles, shared glances of acknowledgement and nods of recognition, to lift our hurt.

We will gain our strength to get through this pain by recalling the joy that we held in the all too brief years we had with our friend, your son, your brother, your cousin, your uncle, your son-in-law, your husband.

There is nothing in the world that was more precious to Jeff than his relationships. Not even football, the Grateful Dead or Jackson Browne, although those came pretty close.

But creating, sustaining and deepening relationships was the core of his life.

Jeff was an amazing friend because in a world which conspires to separate us, he brought us back together.

His smiling eyes, his smiling spirit, eased you into conversation. And then he listened deeply to what you said. He engaged with you beyond the level of superficiality. His infectious optimism and his loyalty kept you close. And you knew he loved you. Each of us, in a different way.

His soulmate, his love was his wife Stephanie.

His role models, his support team, giver of life not once but twice were his mother Linda and his father Willy who passed away 18 months ago (may his memory be for a blessing) His rock, who was always able to say what needed to be said, was his Sister Nancy.His cousins, nephews, uncles, aunts, in-laws, so dear to him His colleagues who supported and cheered for him, who inspired and worked with him. And that amazing, amazing circle of friends that he maintained throughout.

It will not surprise you that his friend Andy, one of his friends since he was 2, and who flew in from Spain to sign his ketubah when he and Stephanie wed in 2004, flew back to the States last weekend to say good-bye to Jeff and is here today, along with friends from every part of Jeff’s life.

And of course, his cousin David Rubell is here. In 1995 when Jeff was diagnosed with Leukemia, he called up his cousin David who lived in Colorado and said “I need some positive energy before I go through this. Will you show we your Colorado?” Jeff and his sister Nancy flew out and spent two weeks traveling Colorado with David, listening to Jackson Brown and as Jeff said, “I took the memories and the music into the bubble with me.” In 2004, David signed as the witness on Jeff and Stephanie’s marriage license, weeping with joy that Jeff was alive.

When death was imminent, when many would have been consumed by anger, fear and blame, even then Jeff was positive saying,” I had a wonderful life of love and friends. I feel like I hit the jackpot.”

And so it is so appropriate to turn the microphone over to family and friends.

• Scott Falenstein (worked with at CBS)
• Jeff Gorletchen (college friend)
• Mark Ross (college friend)

Speaking to them:

Linda, I cannot even imagine your pain. I am so sorry. But I want to thank you for this wonderful gift you gave us all. You modeled for your son the importance of connection and in turn Jeff influenced so many people. He was a leader, both subtly and formally and the lessons he taught us will abide in each of us.

I pray that you achieve his wish for you, that you continue to live your life with tenacity and fortitude and most importantly to reach always toward happiness and joy.

Nancy, You and Jeff, sister and brother, the team from the beginning. As a child, you so yearned to be in your brothers orbit, that you let him to give you Grateful Dead lessons, “Listen to this song and be prepared to discuss it,” and football lessons, “Study these cards and be prepared to identify the players.”

Throughout all that came to pass, you were his rock and his strength. You could say to him the words, which no know else could say, and he could make you smile and laugh in any situation.

When your father was dying, Jeff got some fruit loops and confidently (albeit incorrectly) assured you that he could identify each color in a blind taste test. The peals of laughter sustained you both through your mourning.

I pray that in time, memories of Jeff will bring you smiles more often than tears and that you will live your life as he wished for you, in pursuit of happiness.

Stephanie, When you met Jeff you began the happiest period of your life. I remember how exhilarated you were after just three dates with Jeff.

For the first time ever, you occasionally missed one of our early morning workouts because you and Jeff had stayed out so late the night before. And soon after, on your first anniversary, he proposed marriage. We joked that for the first time in your life, you were speechless. He taught you perspective and modeled mellowness. You introduced him to Mocha and then Willa and to savoring fine food.

Such laughter filled your life. You felt for the time ever that you found someone who totally accepted you for who you were. When you were married, your soul soared.

You always knew that your time with Jeff would be short. And yet you choose him. You choose him because you and Jeff shared a love of such depth, acceptance and belief in each other.

I know you treasure the 7 years you had with Jeff. I know you would not have traded them for anything. But I wonder if sometimes you wish that you had spent the time with him differently, with more spectacular moments –more adventure and travel, back stage passes to Jackson Browne, home cooked multi course Japanese dinners – all the many things you wanted to do more of together.

And so if those thoughts creep in, I want to reassure you that it is the mundane moments that are life – walking Willa in the park, teaching a spin class, talking about your day, even watching sport center while reading the paper and listening to music and watching 3 games simultaneously on Television.

The love you share with Jeff is a love built on genuine connection, abiding trust, and laughter. So much laughter. You two grew so in your time together.

I cannot stand here and pretend to fathom the depths of your grief. But I can tell you this. It is your love for Jeff that will carry you through.

I want to close with Jeff’s words.

On September 5, 2004 at the Tucker Canyon House in Boulder Canyon, your soon to be husband spoke these words to you:

"You open my eyes, you embrace my heart and you nurture my soul.

You give my life meaning beyond my farthest reaching hopes and dreams.

For all that we have and so much more, I love you.

Stephanie Jill Schaffer, I love you today, tomorrow and forever…

Wherever life takes us and whatever the world brings us I will embrace every precious moment that I have with you for as long as we both shall live."

May his memory be for a blessing.

Adventure Rabbi Summer Camp

Adventure Rabbi Summer Camp:

http://www.AdventureRabbi.org/camp/

Back in the days of B.C. (before children) when people asked me when the Adventure Rabbi program would start doing children’s events, my answer was always, “When I have children.” Well, now that Jeff and I have two girls and are raising our own Jewish children in Boulder, Colorado you may have noticed we have added more kid’s events each year.

This year I am thrilled that we are putting on a one day family camp. How did that come to be?

Well, I frequently take my girls to event at the Boulder Jewish Community Center (Boulder JCC) and so when Shari Blake asked me if I would run a one time event of a day long family camp partnered with the Boulder JCC, I thought it was great idea. Together with her team of Beth Litz and Linda Lowenstein, we have put together a fabulous, one day, Jewish summer camp for families.

Take one look at our staff and the price ($36 per family) and you will realize something is strange. How did hire such fabulous talent like Peter Himmelman, Tommy Feldman (Director Mountain Day Camp), David Hansburg (Director Rocky Mountain Day Camp) Sydney Solis (Story Time Yoga), and Caroline Saliman if we are only charging $36 per family?

The answer is this retreat is the brain child of the 18 Pomegranates Foundation’s Dare to Dream project. 18 Pomegranates worked ceaseless for several years, hosting numerous focus groups and retreats, to determine what the Jewish community in Boulder was lacking. The answer was retreats. So 18 Pomegranates is funding this retreat, based on those focus groups. Glorious!

Meanwhile, we get to enjoy a day up in Ward, creating community, hiking, hanging out and listening to great music. It’s going to be quite the day. I’ll be sure to include lots of Judaism in nature teachings, eco-Judaism and help us use the time together to prepare for the upcoming High Holidays. (In case you are wondering, yes I can link archery, map and compass with Eco-Judaism and the High Holidays. Come and find out how!)

I hope you can join us. If you don’t have children come as a counselor. What a fun way to get outside for the day!

More Details:

http://www.AdventureRabbi.org/camp/

Why am I the Adventure Rabbi and not the Environmental Rabbi?

People often ask me why I am the Adventure Rabbi and not the Environmental Rabbi. The first and most obvious reason is that I doubt the Enviro Rabbi gets to wear a cool cape.

But the reality is that most of my community lives the environmental message and so does our organization. Eco-Judaism (as they call it today) is completely intertwined with our lives. Eco-Judaism is an integral part of what I do. So much so that I feel like it doesn’t need to be named.

The participants in the Adventure Rabbi program are well aware of the connections between Judaism and nature, even if we don’t call our Shabbat services “Eco-Judaism Shabbat, ” our High Holidays “Eco-Judaism High Holidays,” or our classes “Eco-Judaism classes”. Our prayer books are filled with Jewish texts about nature gleaned from our ancient and modern sources (i.e. Eco Judaism.) My teachings, sermons and services abound with references to the sacred relationship between Jews and the earth, more Eco-Judaism.

I think that Eco-Judaism is simply such an integral part of what we do that it wouldn’t have occurred to us to call it that any more than it would have to call it Jewish Rabbi.

I will admit that when I travel, I am amazed to realize what an environmental and health conscious bubble I live in here in Boulder. As the distance from Boulder increases, the number of Priuses on the road decreases proportionally. So too it seems, does access to healthy foods.

Those of you who live in Boulder may be as shocked as I was on a recent trip to learn that most of the country does not eat organic food. “Free range? What is that?” Their milk does not come from happy cows! Their vegetables are gown with insecticides! And check this out. Not only do people not compost, but they actually throw things in the garbage. And their toilet paper is not made from recycled fibers. (But it sure is soft and white. They might be onto something there.)

I was at an event out of state and was shocked to learn that Styrofoam cups still exist! And here we at Adventure Rabbi Council meetings debating if we should supply compostable cups or have everyone bring their own as we strive to create zero waste events. How silly of us.

Here in Boulder the idea of serving dinner on paper plates sounds as crazy as throwing out a brand new, unopened pint of Chunky Monkey ice cream. Why would you do that? It would not even occur to us.

I chose to live in Boulder because of the preeminence of values that are important to me. Our community stresses the importance of taking care of the earth, each other (social justice) and ourselves (health). But I suppose it might be good for me to remember what is going on in the rest of the country and see if we can share a bit of our Eco-Judaism message beyond the Prius Perimeter.

Eco-Judaism is important and I am glad that it has become so popular as of late. How do you feel about it? Do you think we should emphasize the environmental message more? Or is it just such an integral piece of what we already do?

Hey… I wonder if my friend Alison Rabinoff could sew me a cool Enviro Rabbi cape.

Speaking of Alison, Alison Rabinoff is one of our Leadership Council. She has taken the lead in making Adventure Rabbi events as green as possible. Putting Eco-Judaism into action, she helps us keep our events as close to Zero-Waste as possible. I know we don’t always reach the goals she sets for us, but with her at the helm of our Eco-Judaism action squad, we are continually trying to lessen our impact on the earth.

I’d like to share with you an email I recently received from Alison about some great work she is doing for the Rocky Mountain Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Alison puts Eco-Judaism into practice everywhere she goes. Go Alison!

From Alison:
Last weekend I ran a green program for the Rocky Mountain Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. As a walker in 2007 & 2008 I was disappointed by the amount of event waste – so this year I stepped up and designed and ran a green program. The program included composting, recycling and food donation.

I was part of the Pack Up Crew (really the trash team) who’s 10 members were in charge of keeping the event site spotless, and this year also learned about composting. I’m excited to report that my homemade green program was a huge success - even winning over some big, national, skeptics.

At final count the walk raised 2.7 million to fund research, prevention programs and support those with breast cancer. And my green program impacted approximately 2,200 people; composted and/or recycled 75% of the event waste; and donated 1,700 lbs of food and 500 gallons of water.

Of our 10 team members, 8 of us have already signed up to do it again in 2010. So I’m already planning the program’s improvements and expansion!


Send us your eco-Judaism stories and we’ll post it here as well!
- Jamie