When I first came to Columbus for graduate school in 2003, it felt like the diaspora. I saw myself as a displaced New York Jew. I had no plans to stick around Ohio once I was finished with my program and made no attempts to find a Jewish community to belong to, even momentarily.
In 2007, I was introduced to the The Little Minyan by a stranger at a pig roast hosted by a mutual friend. (When telling this story I like to note that I wasn’t eating the pig, I’m a vegetarian, but I love that my Columbus Jewish journey started in such an unlikely way.) By then I was divorced from the East Coast Jewish boy I was raised to marry and in a new relationship with a recovering Catholic Columbus native and his two kids.
As it became more clear that I would be making a life in central Ohio, I decided it was time to face my feelings of being culturally and spiritually adrift. I wanted to reconnect to Judaism but I had reservations. I wanted something that felt authentic and engaging. I didn’t want to do anything because I was commanded to by my parents or the Conservative rabbis and teachers of my youth. I hoped for programs I would look forward to; ones that would be intellectually fulfilling, creatively conceived, and communally enacted. Over the past 20 years, The Little Minyan and Kehilat Sukkat Shalom provided me access to all of that and more.
One thing I’ve come to love most about our community is the attention we give to lesser-known Jewish holidays and practices like Tu B’Shvat and Counting the Omer. It reflects not only our desire to constantly find new meaning and potential in our traditions, but our embrace of marginalia; like the text below the line in the siddur and the people often left on the sidelines of Jewish community.
This year, in honor of our 21st birthday, we’ve planned a party to coincide with Tu B’Av – The 15th of Av – a celebration tied to our agricultural history and ripe for reimagining in contemporary times. In Biblical times, Tu B’Av marked the start of the grape harvest. Young women dressed in white and headed out to the vineyards, under the light of the full moon, to dance and find romance. As a result, some now refer to the holiday as Jewish Valentine’s Day. Our Tu B’Av/Birthday Party will give members and friends of the kehilah an opportunity to come together and share our love and appreciation for the role this community plays in our lives. The event will feature 21-themed games and activities as well as birthday wishes from KSS leaders, past and present. The party will also mark the end of our first fundraising campaign.
I encourage you to spend time over the next few weeks reflecting on your experiences with KSS and the impact its made in your life over the years. Why do you love Sukkat Shalom? What wishes do you have for her as she turns 21?? Here are some of mine.
I love Sukkat Shalom because:
…you provided me with a spiritual home at a critical moment in my life.
…you helped me grow my family in Jewish community.
…you challenge me to be a better person, a better friend, a better leader, a better Jew.
…you give me space to experiment and find new meaning in old traditions.
…you understand that we’re better together.
For your 21st birthday I wish you:
…open doors with people of all ages coming and going throughout the years.
…transformative leaders and dynamic programs.
…great storytellers and a refreshed website.
…great potlucks with tables full of delicious and sustainable foods and lively conversation.
…a chorus of voices rising in song and musicians enlivening you.
Today I begin my new role as Kehilat Sukkat Shalom’s Community Weaver. I’m excited to help harness the wisdom and creativity of our members to be an open-hearted community co-creating innovative and transformative Jewish experiences. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to put my time and talents to use in this way.
With gratitude and LOVE,
Jodi Kushins