Papers by Sharon Gubbay Helfer
Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes
Reconstructing Jewish Community Identity in a Distinct Society: An Introduction to Lavy Becker of Montreal
Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes
Reconstructing Jewish Identity in a Distinct Society: An Introduction to Lavy M. Becker of MONTREAL1
pi.library.yorku.ca
The following introduction to Lavy M. Becker is part of a larger study of the Reconstructionist S... more The following introduction to Lavy M. Becker is part of a larger study of the Reconstructionist Synagogue community that Becker founded in Montreal in 1960. The study includes both an intimate view of the community from the inside and a histor-ical view of the changing ...
Lavy's Shul: a Canadian experiment in Reconstructionism
Despite the fact that Reconstructionism is often referred to as the only" made-in-America&qu... more Despite the fact that Reconstructionism is often referred to as the only" made-in-America"(USA) Jewish denomination, it was a Canadian community that was the first synagogue anywhere to call itself" Reconstructionist." The founder and guiding figure of ...
Reconstructing Jewish Community Identity in a Distinct Society: An Introduction to Lavy Becker of Montreal
Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes
Je propose ici une réponse très personnelle à ces questions. Quel rôle la Choah a-t-elle joué dan... more Je propose ici une réponse très personnelle à ces questions. Quel rôle la Choah a-t-elle joué dans ma vie? Comment mon sens profond de l'identité et de la spiritualité et mon cheminement dans la vie ontils été affectés, avant et après mon mariage avec Peter, dont la mère et le père ont été directement touchés par la Choah alors que mes parents ne l'étaient pas? Mais avant de me tourner vers ma propre histoire, j'aimerais répondre, en faisant appel à diverses ressources, à la question plus générale: « La Choah a-t-elle changé notre façon de 'penser' Dieu, pour les Juifs? » Comme toute question de cette ampleur qui est réelle, vivante, significative, la réponse sera complexe et multiple...
"À la découverte de la plus vieille synagogue au Canada: la synagogue espagnole et portuguaise"
Canadian Jewish Studies Etudes Juives Canadiennes, 2011
Canadian Jewish Studies Etudes Juives Canadiennes, 1998
Judaism, Reconstructionist
Encyclopedia of Religious and Spiritual Development, 2006
This paper proposes a new methodology for addressing inter-group tensions and "difficult dialogue... more This paper proposes a new methodology for addressing inter-group tensions and "difficult dialogues", making use of interactive video technologies and oral history. It presents the theoretical and practical grounding on which the proposed methodology is built, including the immediate model and inspiration which is Harvard social psychologist Herbert Kelman's "interactive problem-solving workshop". Finally, it presents the case for micro-testing of the methodology in the context of today's Quebec (Canada).
Drafts by Sharon Gubbay Helfer
Has the Holocaust changed the ways Jews think of God? At its simplest, human level, the question ... more Has the Holocaust changed the ways Jews think of God? At its simplest, human level, the question we have been posed seems to be asking: after the unthinkable devastation of the Holocaust, how could Jews continue to trust in the God of History, who cares for his Chosen People? How is it possible that the Almighty, who can do anything, did nothing to save the 6 million Jews, including innocent children and babies, who were slaughtered by the Nazis? Was this not an irredeemable betrayal of the covenant that bound the Jewish people to their God? We must then wonder: How did those who continued to practice their faith handle such questions? Did they need to, and did they, develop new ways of imagining God as a result? The heart of my presentation this evening will be a very personal answer to these questions. What role the Holocaust has played in my life, how my own sense of deep identity and spirituality and my life path have been affected, both before and after my marriage to Peter, whose mother and father were directly impacted by the Holocaust in ways that my parents had not been. But before turning to my personal story, I would like to address the question as asked, as best I can: Did the Holocaust change the ways that Jews think about God? Like any question of this magnitude that is real, alive, meaningful, the answers cannot possibly be fixed or unitary ... For now, I have gathered a series of examples and stories to illustrate a range of response to our question. The examples will not necessarily all fit together, they may even seem paradoxical. But I think that paradox here is appropriate. Good paradoxes don't have a " solution ". They are meant to encourage ongoing thoughts, to force us to come up with new insights and to give us food for thought … I would like to make one comment, before bringing you my examples.
Dans le cadre du colloquium "Dieu hôte et accueil de l'autre", l'hospitalité des religions abraha... more Dans le cadre du colloquium "Dieu hôte et accueil de l'autre", l'hospitalité des religions abrahamiques * Institut de pastoral de Dominicains et Centre Justice et Foi, 26-27 février 2016
Other by Sharon Gubbay Helfer
Despite the fact that Reconstructionism is often referred to as the only “made-in-America” (USA) ... more Despite the fact that Reconstructionism is often referred to as the only “made-in-America” (USA) Jewish denomination, it was a Canadian community that was the first synagogue anywhere to call itself “Reconstructionist.” The founder and guiding figure of Montreal’s Reconstructionist Synagogue was Lavy M. Becker, who functioned as the community’s “honorary” (unpaid) rabbi in its first phase of development, from 1960 through 1976. Throughout this period, “Lavy’s Shul,” as it was affectionately known, was a vibrant experiment in Jewish life, a hybrid, containing elements of both havurah and synagogue, whose special character was described by a member of the community as “an assault on the heart and the brain at the same time.” This dissertation creates a portrait of this singular community in the context of its time. A framework of thought constructed around the themes of memory, identity, community and narrative is used to highlight the shifting tapestry of collective identities of a changing Canada within a world in flux, which is seen to form the backdrop to this community study. In the foreground, the founding and evolution of the synagogue are portrayed in some depth through profiles of Lavy Becker and of selected members of the founding community. These profiles are complemented by a characterization of community life and the “culture of conversation” that developed there. The interdisciplinary approach used here borrows elements from history and ethnography and is an adaptation of the methodology called “Portraiture.”
Book Reviews by Sharon Gubbay Helfer
Studies in Judaism, Humanities, and the Social Sciences, 2019
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Papers by Sharon Gubbay Helfer
Drafts by Sharon Gubbay Helfer
Other by Sharon Gubbay Helfer
Book Reviews by Sharon Gubbay Helfer