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“Dancing with the Divine,” a Rabbinical Student’s Response to Rabbi Greenberg, By Adina Allen
Reflecting on his experience of interfaith dialogue, Yitz describes his process of moving from a place of resistance to a place of openness and learning. The turning point was meeting a group of particularly visionary Christians who were able to offer powerful and nuanced critique of Christianity from within and to speak out against those parts of their tradition that they saw as destructive. This group of colleagues exhibited deep and honest introspection and self-critique and exemplified the model of challenging even the most entrenched norms of their own religions in pursuit of a resonant theology. Yitz writes that these thinkers were asking the Church “to have the faith and courage to ‘die’—to crucify its own worst tendencies even at the risk that classic concepts might also expire.” Inspired by his colleagues, Yitz has been and continues to be a voice that calls upon Judaism to allow those aspects of our tradition that don’t serve us—homophobia, sexism, racism—to die away in order for our religion to blossom and thrive and for, as he says, Gd’s image to be restored to its fullest expression. I admire the many ways Yitz has challenged Orthodoxy to grow and change, even at the risk of his own reputation. And there is so much work yet to be done. On too many issues, walls of defensiveness, resistance, self-protection, and fear surround us and stifle the life force of our tradition. True and lasting Jewish continuity will come from nurturing the creative impulse within each human being and allowing this creativity to speak to, and perhaps radically change, our tradition. To me, true faith is allowing oneself to be constantly changed by dancing with the Divine. Movement is life. Just as our bodies begin to atrophy and decay from stagnation, so too our personal spiritual lives and the collective life of a religious tradition will die from lack of movement. The essence of Gd is transformation. In Exodus (3:14) Moses asks Gd’s name, and Gd replies, “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh,” “I will be that which I will be.” Gd is not a static figure with a knowable name but rather is constantly in the process of becoming. Gd is infinite possibility. One of the most powerful ways we can live b’tzelem Elokhim, in Gd’s image, is to embody this quality of dynamism.
Adina Allen is a third year rabbinical student in Hebrew College's transdenominational program in Boston. Her passion lies at the intersection between Judaism, ecology, and creativity. At Hebrew College, Adina envisioned and curated Emunah v'Omanut—an art exhibit that gave voice to the diverse ways we balance being inheritors and innovators of Judaism. Adina is also the co-founder of the Movement Minyan, in which participants explore elements of traditional Jewish prayer through the body. Prior to rabbinical school Adina was the Assistant Editor of Tikkun magazine. Adina has been a contributing scholar to State of Formation for the past two years.
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66
“Dancing with the Divine,” a Rabbinical Student’s Response to Rabbi Greenberg, By Adina Allen
Reflecting on his experience of interfaith dialogue, Yitz describes his process of moving from a place of resistance to a place of openness and learning. The turning point was meeting a group of particularly visionary Christians who were able to offer powerful and nuanced critique of Christianity from within and to speak out against those parts of their tradition that they saw as destructive. This group of colleagues exhibited deep and honest introspection and self-critique and exemplified the model of challenging even the most entrenched norms of their own religions in pursuit of a resonant theology. Yitz writes that these thinkers were asking the Church “to have the faith and courage to ‘die’—to crucify its own worst tendencies even at the risk that classic concepts might also expire.” Inspired by his colleagues, Yitz has been and continues to be a voice that calls upon Judaism to allow those aspects of our tradition that don’t serve us—homophobia, sexism, racism—to die away in order for our religion to blossom and thrive and for, as he says, Gd’s image to be restored to its fullest expression. I admire the many ways Yitz has challenged Orthodoxy to grow and change, even at the risk of his own reputation. And there is so much work yet to be done. On too many issues, walls of defensiveness, resistance, self-protection, and fear surround us and stifle the life force of our tradition. True and lasting Jewish continuity will come from nurturing the creative impulse within each human being and allowing this creativity to speak to, and perhaps radically change, our tradition. To me, true faith is allowing oneself to be constantly changed by dancing with the Divine. Movement is life. Just as our bodies begin to atrophy and decay from stagnation, so too our personal spiritual lives and the collective life of a religious tradition will die from lack of movement. The essence of Gd is transformation. In Exodus (3:14) Moses asks Gd’s name, and Gd replies, “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh,” “I will be that which I will be.” Gd is not a static figure with a knowable name but rather is constantly in the process of becoming. Gd is infinite possibility. One of the most powerful ways we can live b’tzelem Elokhim, in Gd’s image, is to embody this quality of dynamism.
Adina Allen is a third year rabbinical student in Hebrew College's transdenominational program in Boston. Her passion lies at the intersection between Judaism, ecology, and creativity. At Hebrew College, Adina envisioned and curated Emunah v'Omanut—an art exhibit that gave voice to the diverse ways we balance being inheritors and innovators of Judaism. Adina is also the co-founder of the Movement Minyan, in which participants explore elements of traditional Jewish prayer through the body. Prior to rabbinical school Adina was the Assistant Editor of Tikkun magazine. Adina has been a contributing scholar to State of Formation for the past two years.
www.irdialogue.org
To submit an article visit www.irdialogue.org/submissions
66
