Our Mission
Our mission is to connect Jewish adults to a meaningful and inspiring Judaism. Our vision is to craft a renewed Judaism that is soulful, relevant and exciting.
There is a growing edge to Judaism. As Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l taught, we can only participate in that growth when we stop driving Judaism by looking in the rearview mirror. You don’t move forward without knowing where you started. But you can’t move forward unless you have the vision to see where you should be going. It is time now to look ahead and imagine the Judaism we want to experience. And Jewish adults with questions about life’s meaning, time to explore their spiritual path, and an eagerness to sustain community connections are the right population segment to lead the way.
With a willingness to explore and an excitement for meaningful engagement, our participant list has grown to over 1,000 adults in lower Montgomery County, Maryland. Without a membership-funding model, our generous supporters have enabled us to thrive. With every event and every discussion, we are taking steps toward crafting a Judaism that is accessible and yet formidable.
Who We Serve
The Studio is designed for adults. As we age we crave to know that our lives have had meaning. We want to experience life’s offerings directly and not vicariously. We are the wealthiest best-educated community of Jews in history, so we have the comfort of a modern, progressive community and the security of living in a free country. Yet we are often disappointed or dissatisfied with the offerings of today’s Judaism. We want to nurture our spiritual selves, we want to feel that our lives have meaning and purpose, and we want to elevate our world with our good works.
Approach
To reengage this population we employ a welcoming and accessible approach to Jewish observances. Our primary focus is on Friday night and High Holiday observances with inspiring services, often accompanied by catered meals. We present creative holiday celebrations with an emphasis on joy and inspiration. We also offer cultural events such as theater trips and visits to art galleries. Jewish Studio events will offer opportunities to elevate our souls, sanctify our daily lives and repair this world. Together, we can explore a future of Judaism that entices and will delight us all.
We are inviting this community to explore together and lead change. The Studio is about remodeling the ordinary into the extraordinary; about creating spiritual space for Jewish experiences. Values of tzedakah (charity), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and chesed (loving kindness) will be incorporated into all of our activities.
With every event and every discussion, we are taking steps toward crafting a Judaism accessible and yet formidable. We will use personal connections, social media and publications to communicate within our community and share our explorations. We will examine challenges and opportunities to experience the joy and fulfillment of being Jewish. We will study, discuss, sing, create, hike and perhaps ski our way over any obstacles toward a renewed Judaism. We will explore together with any person or group that has insights to offer. While implementing strategies for providing adult Jewish cultural and spiritual events, we are moving toward a vision of a spiritual, relevant and inspiring Judaism.
What We Do
Some of our offerings will include: SHABOOM! an outdoor musical Friday evening, Sunday evening salons for food and thought, Shabbat morning hikes with prayer and torah discussion, attending theater productions, workshops on how to transform aging into saging, preparation classes for Holidays, personal spiritual direction, and more. The leadership will offer innovative rituals and new modes of inserting meaning into life experiences with home dedications, baby namings, retirement ceremonies, sheloshim minyan (30 days after a funeral), and of course, weddings, b’nai mitzvah and funerals.
Jewish Renewal
Rabbi Evan Krame was ordained by the Aleph Ordination Program, the seminary for Jewish Renewal. David Abramowitz received his smicha as Cantor in January, 2016 (b”h). Renewal is about being backward compatible and forward thinking. We have learned that you can’t drive by looking only through the rearview mirror. And the windshield is a much wider view. Many people have been attracted to Renewal for our open-heartedness, use of vernacular, and ease of access approach to Judaism. Yet, Renewal is Judaism rooted in tradition while driving Judaism into a new era. We are neo-chasidic meaning that we start with our relationship with God and gratitude for the life we are given in this amazing world.
Contact: info@thejewishstudio.org
