Big Tent Judaism

Judaism Without Walls

At JOI, we often talk about the principles of Big Tent Judaism – one of which is lowering barriers to participation. This includes taking Judaism out of the 4-walls of our institutions and bringing it to where the people are, which we usually define as a public space. Rabbi Eddie Sukol of Cleveland has put his own spin on that idea and taken Judaism not just to where the people are, but to where they actually live. In a recent article in the Cleveland Jewish News, we learn about Rabbi Sukol and The Shul - a “synagogue-without-walls.” Twice a month, people are invited into someone’s home for a Shabbat dinner, where they find “a little nosh, a little singing, and a little Jewish learning off the beaten path.”

The Shul came about, Rabbi Sukol says, because of a growing need for a more flexible form of Judaism. Lines between Reform and Conservative, he says, have become blurred, while the lines between Orthodox and non-Orthodox have become clearer. While those changes continue, he says communal institutions aren’t keeping up, and people might feel like they are not always getting what they want out of their synagogues.

That is not a criticism of established congregations and Jewish institutions, Sukol insists. “Institutions by their nature change slowly, and membership-based organizations are struggling everywhere n not just Jewish ones. So, I’m creating opportunities and alternatives for people.”

Although the services are informal, everyone who attends the twice monthly Shabbat services takes the process seriously. Along with singing and games are prayers and discussions about the weeks Torah portion. Sukol also leads two adult weekday morning study groups, and this fall The Shul is launching a religious school. Most participants are dues paying members at other synagogues, but they attend The Shul because, Rabbi Sukol believes, “the notion that a family joins a synagogue and their Jewish needs are solely met (by that single affiliation) is non-functional.”

Instead of synagogue mailings and newsletters, Rabbi Sukol keeps people up to date through emails and text messages. Their Torah is kept in a portable “ark-without-walls” with a battery operated ner tamid (eternal light) – the whole thing is sized to fit in the back of Rabbi Sukol’s car. We are excited to see such innovative methods for drawing people into the Jewish community, and it’s particularly interesting to see how Rabbi Sukol has adapted traditional synagogue procedures to help create a more welcoming and inclusive community for the 21st century.

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