Richard Propp, one of the founders of B’nai Shalom Reform Congregation in Albany, NY, was educated ‘Jewishly’ at a “classic” reform congregation. Shabbat observance was limited to the Friday evening service. In 1997 he took a trip to his ancestral shtetl in Lithuania. While standing at the edge of the mass graves where three of his relatives had been buried after being shot by Nazi soldiers and their Lithuanian helpers, he vowed to extend and deepen his Shabbat observance in their memory.
When Richard returned to Albany he suggested that our Synagogue should be open and available for prayer, study, or meditation every Shabbat morning. Until that time services were held on Saturdays once a month and for B’nai Mitzvahs, and one extended Torah study session was held each month.
After extensive discussions with our Rabbi and the Torah study group, it was decided about 1998 to begin weekly Torah study on our own with our Rabbi continuing to lead the monthly extended Torah study.
Although we have had as few as two people on a Saturday morning and often our group exceeds fifteen. We make sure that someone is always there even if it appears that only one couple will be in town. One never knows when someone will feel the need to come to Synagogue for prayer, study, or meditation. After one hour of study and discussion of the Plaut translation and commentary in the synagogue library or social hall, we usually adjourn to the local deli for brunch and continued discussion.
The diverse professional backgrounds (one of the core members of the torah study group acts as a moderator to ensure a lively and educational experience each Shabbat) consist of: a retired physicist, a retired pharmacist, 2 former public school teachers, now a full time children’s author and a full time religious school administrator; a public health physician (medical director of the NYS Office of Patient Safety); a retired NYS economist; a retired microbiologist, now working as a volunteer librarian; a grandmother who is also a full time children’s care-giver; and a U.S. army officer (veteran of Desert storm operation). We have become quite a convivial “chavurah”, and we continue to be non exclusive. We warmly welcome any and all who show up on Saturday mornings! We are also studying some of the Rashi commentary at our monthly extended Torah study with our Rabbi. Slowly, we are becoming more literate Jews, basking in the wonder of our People’s stories and teachings.
