October 2006 Newsletter

Vol.2, No.3, October 2006
News and Views

A message from the President

October 24 2006

Dear Alums and friends of Bat Kol,

The month of October has ended! Participants from nine different countries have returned home after an immersion course in Jerusalem studying the Jewish sources on teshuvah (repentance and reconciliation) that coincided with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. My own evaluation, and that of several of the participants, was high in praise of the manner in which the biblical texts were opened and expounded. ...So much "new wine!" But where are the new wineskins? "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins" (Mark 2.22).

The question remains. In the meantime we are carried along in the fast flowing stream of Torah readings, the cycle of which began once again on the 21 October with the reading of Bereshit, Genesis 1.1-6.8. In reading the opening chapters, I was struck by the manner in which God found "new wineskins" for the new words that God spoke. "Let there be light." And behold, there was light. "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And trees of every kind appeared!

The Word of God, which is new wine, is put into the new wineskins of creation! Behold the Word incarnate! Behold God, ruah kol basar, the spirit that resides in all flesh! We can touch and see and feel God all about us: "Look, there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice" (Song of Songs, 2.9).

Now we who are co-creators with God, let us take heart. That first tree, the new wineskin of God's word, took time to grow!

Blessings, courage, and love to each one.

Maureena
Prof./Sr Maureena Fritz, NDS, Ph.D. President, Bat Kol Institute.

Studies in Teshuvah and the Jewish High Holy Days

The graduation ceremony for the September/October program took place in the Basilica at Ecce Homo Convent on Thursday 9 October. Lina Rong, People's Republic of China, and Bobby Guevara, The Philippines, gave valedictions.

Lina Rong addressed the graduating class as follows:

"When I came to Bat Kol for the first time last July, an ancient Chinese parable came to me after the session. Those who have heard it last year, please bear with me for a moment. The parable goes as follows:

"Once upon a time, an old man called Yugong, literally, ‘the stupid man', lived in a little village between two high mountains. The little village was cut off from the outside world because there was no road by which the villagers could go out. Yugong, the stupid man, wanted to build a road for the little village and the only way he could do that was to move one high mountain into the sea. So he gathered his family, old and young together, and they set out to work, using shovels and baskets, carrying stones into the sea. The villagers were laughing at them since it was such a stupid idea. The mountain was so huge and their effort was so tiny, the work would be endless! But Yugong, the stupid man, and his family continued their work. One day, Zhiso, the wise man came to Yugong, the stupid man, expressing the concern of the villagers and tried to persuade Yugong to stop his work. Yugong, the stupid man, said to Zhiso, the wise: "How can you say this is impossible? Yes, I will die one day, but after I die, my children will continue; after my children die, my grandchildren will continue, after my grandchildren die, my great grandchildren will continue, after my great grandchildren die, my great great grandchildren will continue . . . generation after generation, we will continue until there is a road leading from the village to the outside world." The mountain god heard what Yugong, the stupid man, said and he was touched. He moved the high mountain into the sea immediately and from then on, there is a broad road leading from the little village to different parts of the country.

"On the one hand, Bat Kol as a community is like that of the stupid man, (please forgive my analogy). She had been trying to build a bridge between Judaism and Christianity in a special way, travelling on a road that no one has ever tried. There must have been misunderstandings or even mocking; Bat Kol would have been struggling and discerning in pain, and yet she has been growing rather rapidly and spreading around the world. The spirit of Bat Kol is embodied in various communities and that tiny voice of Bat Kol is heard from different corners of the earth. Maureena, Jack and Glenn must have wondered: "It is indeed the work of God!

"On the other hand, each one of us is like that stupid man as well. The passion and the spirit of Bat Kol have been kindled within our hearts and it is our mission to carry it on to our local communities. It may not be easy, but we will try our best. It might be painful, but we are determined in the path that God is leading us. We might make mistakes, stumble or fall, but God, who desires our teshuvah/return more than we do, will rejoice when we return.

"I think that the best way we could thank Bat Kol, thank our organizers and benefactors, is to continue the work that Bat Kol has been doing, struggling and discerning together to be faithful to the spirit of Bat Kol, and to move forward. The three weeks of Teshuvah have finished, but our task has just started. We will continue to study and bring what we have learned to our local communities.

"‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a person took and sowed in the field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches' (Matt. 13: 31-32). That tiny mustard seed is Bat Kol and each one of us."

Bobby Guevara's address:

"We have been called a number of different names these past few weeks-we who have all been part of previous Bat Kol programs since 2001. Pesach Schindler called us ‘repeaters'. Maureena calls us ‘Bat Kol Alums'. I thought it might be more appropriate to call the 15 of us ‘returnees'. We are ‘returnees' who have come together these past three weeks to study and celebrate the Jewish Holy Days of Teshuvah, of ‘Returning'. So I thought perhaps we could reflect on three points, which might characterize what it means to be a ‘returnee'.

"First, a ‘returnee' is someone who lives in the light of God's gratuitous love. These past few weeks we have constantly been reminded that teshuvah (repentance/returning) becomes possible because of God's desiring our return. To be forgiven is unmerited grace. In the same way, I believe that our coming together, nay, our being brought together as ‘returnees' to Jerusalem (for the second, third, fourth, or even fifth time!) is truly gift. Maureena, Jack, Glenn, kindly accept our deepest thanks for allowing us to partake of this dream. It is your faith in each one of us that has kept the love we have for this ‘project' aflame. We likewise remember in gratitude the many benefactors and friends whose generosity have made our status as ‘returnees' possible.

"Second, a ‘returnee' is someone who turns, not only towards God, but towards his/her own inner self as well. As we may have personally experienced in moments of silence and of prayer-at the synagogue for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, in the Eucharist, or while out in the Judean desert-to return is to ‘come home' to who one truly is in the eyes of God. Once more in Jerusalem, the ‘center' of the world, I feel like I have ‘come home'. In very quiet and profound ways these past few weeks, in the company of wonderful friends like you, I have been reminded of the original goodness that dwells within me and within each and every one of us-a goodness which time and tiredness often lead us to lose sight of.

"Finally, a ‘returnee' is someone who is called to continue in the journey. While it would be most restful and reassuring to simply remain in the moment-of-return, the end of these Jewish Holy Days is an invitation to begin anew by returning to the ordinariness of daily life. In like manner tonight's celebration, which brings the gift of these past three weeks to a close, is likewise a ‘sending forth'. We, the ‘returnees', must now journey to our respective worlds-to be witness to the encounter with the divine and to call others to teshuvah, in words and in deed, through prayer and through the life-giving struggle for justice and peace. As we have heard, let us now share with others and do."

From the Editor: Each continent was represented on the Teshuvah program; it was certainly a unique group. The following are the reflections of the participants in their own words.

Sandra Clark, Canada. "The study of T'shuva was thought provoking in many ways. We learned many things previously unknown to us but most of all the program provided insights that will give us material to work on for a long time. I found particularly interesting the process of repentance, atonement and confession. Yesterday, as we were saying the communal confession at the Eucharist, I was thinking back to what we had discussed and been taught. The other piece of information that was significant for me was the fact that the Jews and the Christians had lived together in the first centuries for such a long time, for whatever reason this has never been a conscious consideration for me. I'm not sure exactly what I thought had happened but the two groups were always separate in my mind. I guess that is a product of the thinking Bat Kol is trying to overcome."

Roy da Silva, India. "Expect a blessing! The blessing this time around was to be in the land, with the People and the Book, and to study texts on Teshuvah by Soloveitchik and Maimonides, as well as Biblical verses and Midrash. To participate in the liturgy on the Yamim Novaim, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur was a very moving experience and an awesome encounter with the Divine and one another. The solemn chants, the prayers, the meditations, the mood of these holy days all contributed to create an atmosphere that emulates the celestial and once-in-a-lifetime experience for me."

Martha Gamolo, Philippines. "I feel so blessed having participated in the Bat Kol Teshuvah Program. It was a homecoming...coming home to the arms of the loving God, coming home to Jerusalem, coming home to myself.... The lectures were so substantial. The professors are not only skilled, but also deeply spiritual. They were so generous in sharing their insights and also very encouraging in drawing out the insights of the participants. It was indeed a double blessing that we were able to participate in the liturgies of the High Holydays. The whole experience was very, very moving. Truly there is a great need to experience our connection with our Jewish brothers and sisters."

Helen Graham, Philippines. "What a great experience the desert was; I never "heard" so much silence! None of the noises of the city...no noise at all...nothing! Beautiful stars at night, as it was pitch dark. ...We took a long walk up and down the hills in the morning with a guide. We had input from Pierre Lenhardt (a Brother of Sion)-he does not simply impart learning, but also a profound spirituality-and there was time for reading or reflection. The desert living was primitive and the food was completely vegetarian and very delicious. In Jerusalem, among other Rabbis, we had Rabbi Naamah Kelman on the liturgy from her perspective, and Rabbi Mordechai Silverstein on the work of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik on Repentance. It is a wonderful experience to be able to study and participate in these most holy Jewish festivals and to try to situate our own Christian faith within this milieu.

The HUC [Hebrew Union College] synagogue has a beautiful location facing Jaffa gate. It was absolutely gorgeous on the last evening [of Yom Kippur] as night began to take over day and the spotlights went on at the wall [of the Old City. The view out the huge semi-circular window behind the bema and the aron qodesh was exquisite. [At one point there were two men putting their shadows on the wall!!] I pride myself on the fact that I followed all the Hebrew in the siddur. Not that my tongue could get all the words out in time...but I didn't lose my place!"

Everard Johnston, Trinidad & Tobago. "It was a great privilege and blessing to be part of the truly excellent Teshuvah program, September/October, 2006. While the high point of the program was, of course, the opportunity to study, prepare for and attend the spiritually moving Synagogue services on Rosh HaShanah and on Yom Kippur, particularly enlightening from an academic point of view was the visit to archaeological sites in The Galilee in which, with the expert guidance of Bro. Elio Passeto, we visited Bet Alpha, Sepphoris/Zippori, and Bet Shearim. Most striking to me was to discover the depiction of signs of the zodiac in floor mosaics of synagogues at Bet Alpha and Sepphoris, and to learn of the coexistence, in fairly close geographical proximity, of synagogues and churches from the fourth up to as late as the seventh century. This opened new doors for re-thinking the relationship between Judaism and Christianity in the early centuries of the Common Era, and reassessing the influence of Hellenistic culture on both Judaism and Christianity during that period. Many thanks to Brother Elio and, of course, to the Bat Kol leaders who organized the Teshuvah program."

Mauricio Locatelli, Brazil. "I think the Teshuvah course really achieved its goal. It gave each one of us the opportunity to experience the time of Teshuvah and the program completely changed my ideas about Jewish Festivals. I arrived thinking that the people would be celebrating with street parties (as they do in Brazil). Instead the celebrations took place in the synagogue. Many people walked to the different synagogues to attend the services on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. In class, the lecturers sought to give us a deeper understanding of teshuvah by using the Tanakh (the Bible), the Talmud, Midrash, Maimonides' thought and Pinchas Peli's Book On Repentance - The thought and oral Discourses of Rabbi Dov Soloveitchik. I am happy to have advanced one more step in my understanding of Judaism!"

Guilio Micheleni, Italy. "When I applied for a second Bat Kol course, I could not imagine the deep impact it would have on me. Perfectly aware it was a three-week study on teshuvah, I did not really consider the liturgical and spiritual aspects of this topic. In fact, the detailed discussion and immersion into the Jewish sources, the different times in the synagogue, the ‘Days of Awe' and Yom Kippur not only became more intelligible to me, but also gave me a real spiritual experience. The days in Jerusalem will also help me in my teaching. The sharing of knowledge in our Bat Kol group has already enriched me and motivated me to keep on studying Judaism and its richness."

Marie Andre Mitchell, South Africa. "It certainly was an inspiration to change the ‘November' course to coincide with the Jewish High Holidays (September/October) so that we could do an in depth study of the festivals in class, as well as experience them by participating in the liturgy in the synagogue. The multifaceted approach helped us to take part in the services at Hebrew Union College. As we were all ‘returnees' or ‘repeaters,' our excursions were very focused. We spent two days in the Negev at Zman Midbar for prayer and reflection. Br Pierre Lenhardt led us through the Jewish Prayer Book Gates of Repentance that is used for the High Holidays. His deep spirituality and integration of his Jewish studies and Christian faith was inspiring. Br Elio Passeto led the trip to the Galilee where visiting Bet She'arim was very special. We visited the grave of Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi (135-217 CE) who was the head of the Sanhedrin when it settled there (2nd Century). He educated an entire generation of followers who became sages. What a challenge to us modern educators.

We were a wonderful group. There was much sharing of experiences and our knowledge of the Hebrew language (however basic) certainly helped when studying texts. I am determined to keep up the study of the language, as ‘every translation is an interpretation!'"

Mary O'Sullivan, Jerusalem. "You may have heard that I am now resident in Jerusalem. I am well settled in this holy city and have an apartment in the San Simon area which is quiet and has the great advantage of being on bus routes. On 1 October I began my new roles in Bat Kol as Registrar and Coordinator of Bat Kol Centers. My new e-mail address is registrar@batkol.info.

The Teshuvah program went very well combining time spent in the classroom and time spent in the synagogue for the High Holy Days. On our first Saturday evening at St Charles, Marge and I led a havdalah ceremony, a ritual that many participants had not experienced before. Havdalah means ‘separation' and marks the transition from the holiness of Shabbat to the other days of the week. As Christians we ritualize the havdalah ceremony with a difference as we mark the movement from holiness to holiness i.e. from the holiness of Shabbat to the holiness of Sunday - from kodesh to kodesh. Shabbat meals were organized during the program with the help of students and we all enjoyed these.

It was wonderful to welcome so many new and old friends to Jerusalem. The festival and holiday season has just ended with Simchat Torah. It was joyously celebrated with dance in the synagogues. The city and the country return now to normal daily routines. Life is busy at the moment as the planning for 2007 is now in progress. Marge and I as members of the Management Team for Academic Programs have responsibility for the planning, developing, coordinating and facilitation of the 2007 Exodus programs.

On a lighter note, we have just had the first shower of rain in six months! A little reminder of a change in seasons."

Victor Salanga, Philippines. "The Teshuvah course was most enlightening and I enjoyed it tremendously. It particularly gave me a language in which to speak about personal repentance and community repentance and how they are intimately connected with one another. It led me to examine how I practiced teshuvah - personally and with the community. The course enriched my own understanding of my Roman Catholic tradition."

Diane Willey, Canada. ‘Teshuvah' was a wonderful way to begin thematic sessions at Bat Kol. The call to teshuvah is so prevalent in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms as well as in the Gospels and Epistles, that it can readily be claimed as a treasure which the Jewish and Christian communities hold in common. The opportunity to examine closely the components of the demanding process of teshuvah, in the Scriptures and Rabbinic commentaries, highlighted the profound change which teshuvah demands and the ‘new creation' to which it leads; we truly become co-creators in a radical option for new life. Attending the solemn and impressive Jewish liturgies of the Days of Awe (from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur) enabled us to complement our study of texts with an experience of the personal and communal journey that is Teshuvah.

Elizabeth Young, Australia. "Great things happened in Jerusalem in September/October. The program, Teshuvah, provided a rare and unique opportunity for Bat Kol students to both study and participate in Jewish faith and practice. Our team of professors did an excellent job in preparing us, through a background in "teshuvah" spirituality and teaching, for what for me was an unforgettable highlight-participation in the liturgies of the High Holy Days. With my recordings of lectures and liturgies I have plenty of material with which to work when preparing teaching material, or to use for my own personal spiritual life.

While the study group explored Bat Kol alum responses to Bat Kol's unique study opportunities the suggestion was made by Mauricio Locatelli (Brazil) that we make available a Portuguese translation of the parashat hashavuah on our Bat Kol website. Mauricio has since started the ball rolling. Already Maria Cecilia Picolli (Brazil, July 06) has begun sending me a translation each week for our website. The Portuguese translation is the first, we hope, of several possible language translations that we will be able to offer people via our website. If you have translating skills and are prepared to help us please let us know. The parashat hashavuah translations can be accessed on our website through the archives.
A direct URL is: http://www.batkol.info/PARASHAT_HASHAVUAH_and_HAFTARAH_2007.htm."

Elizabeth Young, Web administrator

Marge Zdunich, Canada. "We have come to the end of a wonderfully rich month of teshuvah study. Our time was an integration of classroom study and synagogue experience of teshuvah. The liturgies and Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur were highlights of these days. The group of participants was also a very important resource during the weeks of our study. Conversations, ideas, dreaming of future possibilities have opened up networking opportunities for us. There is a great deal of energy to explore new directions, develop workshops and curricula, retreat days and other future satellite programs."

A final word from Br Jack Driscoll, C.F.C., Ph.D., Director, Bat Kol Institute.

"The Bat Kol Institute of Jerusalem, founded in Toronto, Canada, in 1983 and registered in the State of Israel as an amutah since 1989, has just graduated its twelfth class of members selected from a world-wide community of teachers and preachers of Bible. The group represented 12 countries, with the largest contingent from the Philippines.

The course was devoted to an intensive study of the biblical, talmudic and midrashic sources of interpretation of reconciliation, repentance, teshuvah. The program was centered on a full and knowledgeable participation in the synagogue rituals for the Ten Days of Awe. The special, even unique, mission of the Bat Kol Institute is to create experiences for Christian educational and pastoral professionals to study the Torah through the medium of the Hebrew language with instruction provided in and through the Jewish sources from Jewish and Christian professors.

Basic four-week intensive courses are offered annually in the land of Israel, and the next programs, based on a study of the Book of Exodus, will be offered in July and November 2007. Details are to be found on the Bat Kol website: www.batkol.info. To date over 200 teachers and pastors have attended the Bat Kol sessions in Jerusalem with graduate academic credit being awarded to Bat Kol graduates of its Jerusalem-based courses by a range of international universities.. In addition, Bat Kol alumni/ae have established external centers in about ten international locations. Additional information about Bat Kol Institute is available, and an array of valuable, searchable links, on our website.

We here in Jerusalem who review the applications received from Bat Kol applicants look to you, our graduates, for nominations. You know Bat Kol's purposes, so, when you see suitable candidates, do what you can to encourage them to contact us. It will be your way of sharing intimately and importantly in the spread of the Bat Kol's mission and graces."

Marie Andre Mitchell SND de Namur, Editor. Bat Kol Alumna 2001- 2002, 2004. 2006
Please send newsletter submissions to Marie Andre