by Chana Karmann-Lente, who, with the help of an ROI Micro Grant, attended the annual Rabbinic Torah Study Seminar at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem
 

What could be a better way to celebrate rabbinic ordination than taking off to Jerusalem on a ROI “Micro Grant: GoLearn!” in order to study with 160 fellow rabbis at the renowned Shalom Hartman Institute (SHI)? For two weeks, I was privileged to find myself within a fantastic framework for learning and networking – SHI’s annual “Rabbinic Torah Study Seminar”. The overall theme this year was promising insights and practical approaches for working withmembers and potential members of our communities, so many of them being spiritual seekers: DILEMMAS OFFAITH – GOD AND SPIRITUALITY IN THE MODERN WORLD.
 

No one who would not have experienced such a dilemma, and probably no one, who would not consider her- or himself as a seeker... We immersed in intense text study with Chevruta partners, and were intellectually challenged by superb speakers. But not enough, that we personally were able to recharge our batteries – we also received

valuable tools and ideas to take back into our home congregations.

The days were filled with intellectual discourse and inspiring sessions. For example, we discussed the Rambam’s “Challenge of the Rational and the Reasonable” and also the shift from living in a reality of fate into living in a reality of choice, we explored the “Three Concepts of Faith” and had a close look on Emuna as an attitude, we examined “The Dangers and Hopes of Biblical Monotheism” and also its role in the exclusion of women, or we analyzed the interrelation of “Monotheism and Power” and also dealt with magic and prayer (the end of magic being a radical shift in Human condition). We worked on a “New Vocabulary of Faith” based on writings by Buber and Borowitz – distinguishing between religion and religiosity, grappling also with the idea of standing in the doorway, seeing God in terms of relationship, revelation, and redemption, learning from Buber that in order to speak with God we need a (!) language – this can be Judaism; and we were taken on a path of “Practicing Faith”: ‘installing’ God (as in Admiel Kosman’s ‘Installing You My Lord’), finding God in the hindrance (as in R. Nachman of Breslav’s ‘God in the Thick Cloud’), and being a life-long seeker (as in Hillel Zeitlin’s “Thirst”) - encountering God in one’s longing, and considering the sense of lack as a desirable religious state.

On the last day of the program, we were challenged yet again with a simple yet essential question: “Do I Have to Believe in God in Order to be a Good Jew?” I hope you are curious on the answers we found in the sources and on the conclusions we developed in our discussions. You may find out if you come to Hamburg and study with us at Kehilat Beit Shira or at Machon Aviv, our new Beit Midrash. In 5773, a lot of our seminars and study sessions will pick up a theme from this year’s program at SHI – thanks to plenty of study materials I brought home with me, even risking excess luggage fee at the airport ☺
 

Thank you, ROI, for providing me this summer with food for thought and thoughts for work by supporting me with a “Go Learn!” grant!