Happy Birthday Moshav HaAm

B"H


Next week marks the end of the first year since the Moshav was birthed into the Universe. We Officialy launched the Moshav erev Tisha B'Av, but prior to that, this project was quietly incubating in coffee houses up and down the West Coast. One year. So far we've aquired participants, held a maggidic summit, planned for another winter summit, set the beginnings of an agenda into motion, networked all over creation, and started this Blog. Are these humble beginnings? Maybe. Maybe we will always be a humble organization. This is okay, in fact we specifically decided during the summer summit, to allow the community and the project to unfold organically and not to try to rush the details of it's final shape or form. To be a model for creating and sustaining midrashic communities means a willingness to publicly share our own process as we evolve this sacred community-- and that means our failures as well as our successes.


Back to our Roots!

When the Moshav was first started it had four stated goals:

1) Resource Center for communties and maggidim in the field.

2) Web Site for the maggidic community and extended chevre

3) Jewish Free School for the host community

4) Maggid Field School


Goals of the Moshav as they look today:

1) Resource Center for communities and maggidim in the field

2) Web Site and Internet Technology for the maggidic community and extended chevre

3) Land based Intentional Community operating as retreat and education center

4) Maggid Field School


Working Principles of the Moshav, so far:

1) The Moshav as an organization that is also a sacred community uses Midrashic organizing principles in developing communal relationships and structure

2) The community has a life of it's own, a soul that must be honored

3) The Moshav is not only a think tank, but an active laboratory in the field


In the next upcoming posts I will ellaborate on each of the goals of the Moshav, as well as our operating principles. This will also help me respond to the very excellent conversation opened up by Shawn Landres, of S3K.


Blessings to you all for a fruitful and reflective Elul.