Sacred Aging Project

Jewish Sacred Aging at Judea Reform

The Caring Community and Adult Education Committees at JRC are grateful to be in continued partnership with Rabbi Richard Address for our ongoing exploration of Jewish Sacred Aging. Below you will find Rabbi Address' upcoming class schedule for Winter 2022/23, as well as an archive of the previous classes he led at JRC.

About Sacred Aging and Rabbi Address

What is the Jewish Sacred Aging Project?

The Jewish Sacred Aging Project, founded by Rabbi Richard F. Address, is a forum for the Jewish Community offering spiritual guidance on entering the third and fourth life stages. With resources and texts based in Jewish values and teachings, this project has created awareness for congregations on the implication of the aging revolution for Jewish communal and congregational life, with emphasis on the aging of the baby boom generation.

Meet Rabbi Richard F. Address

Rabbi Richard F. Address, D.Min, is the Founder and Director of The Jewish Sacred Aging Project. Rabbi Address served for over three decades on staff of the Union for Reform Judaism; first as a Regional Director and then, beginning in 1997, as Founder and Director of the URJ’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns and served as a specialist and consultant for the North American Reform Movement in the areas of family related programming. Rabbi Address was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1972 and began his rabbinic career in Los Angeles congregations. He served as Senior Rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, NJ from 2011-2014. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including That You May Live Long: Caring for Our Aging Parents, Caring for Ourselves

Winter 2024-2025 Class Schedule

BOOKS THEY NEVER TAUGHT US

We will meet on Thursday mornings from 10:30am to 12:00pm on Zoom. The four sessions will be facilitated by Rabbi Richard Address, D.Min the director of Jewish Sacred Aging®.

Thursday, November 14 - Jewish End of Life Traditions, Laws, and Customs:

View Recording Here - Password: E.yt9r^Q

Thursday, November 21 - 1 and 2 Samuel...the challenge of leadership: What happens when you shift a leadership paradigm from a high priest used to power to a human king so the Israelites can be "just like the other nations". We look at a God that warns a people of future crises and we examine the creation of the United Monarchy of Saul, David and Solomon and meet the once and future King David

View Recording Here - Password: 1f%%Z%2@

Thursday, December 12 - 1 and 2 Kings: Does absolute power corrupt? The Monarchy destructs into civil war. We will look at King David, a precursor to Messiah, but whose personal life was one of intrigue and improper behavior. We will meet the original calf gods of Israel that were part of a literal and theological civil war.

View Recording Here - Password: MnD4Ra%?

Thursday, January 16 - Jeremiah: the social justice prophet of the Babylonian exile who was,, in many ways, responsible for the creation of a brand new Judaism in the 6th century BCE. Yet, his life arc was filled with despair and tragedy.

View Recording Here - Password: GAd=$3Nf

Thursday, February 20 - Daniel: A post Exilic book that is one of the first in our sacred literature to speak to issues of mysticism, resurrection and the power of angels.

View Recording Here - Password: %bs7SuhD

Recordings of 2023-2024 Classes

CREATING A THEOLOGY OF LONGEVITY: NAVIGATING OUR CAROUSEL OF TIME

November 16, 2023: Heschel, Buber and Frankl on Navigating Life's Third and Fourth Stages: View Recording Here, Passcode: !km0Z5&z
December 7, 2023: A Theology of Loss: Holding On And Letting Go with Honi: View Recording Here, Passcode: 8V$NRYs3
January 11, 2024: The "New" Jewish Grandparent: View Recording Here, Passcode: CpAT0sd?
February 1, 2024: Making Sacred Decisions as Life Ebbs: View Recording Here, Passcode: Ke2kG&b6

Winter 2022-2023

"I Say a Little Prayer for... A look at prayer, its' focus, what it means for us, and who may be listening."

Thursdays from 10:30am-12:00pm, Online only

December 15: Is Anyone Listening? Who Do I Pray To? Does It Really Matter?

Zoom Recording: Passcode Q+f7*Rh2

January 5: How Come We Are Praying for Resurrection of the Body...Aren't We Reform?

Zoom Recording: Passcode E5Y!iPtu

February 2: What Does This Really Mean? What do these prayers say to you? Part 1: Shabbat

Zoom Recording: Passcode n38*R#q!

March 2: What Does This Really Mean? What do these prayers say to you? Part 2: Holidays

Zoom Recording: Passcode: Wa*$i=8v

The Long and Winding Road (2021)

Navigating our Life's Journey and how Jewish texts and values can be our spiritual guide for our third and fourth life stages.

Rabbi Richard Address will lead the Judea Reform community through a series of sessions throughout the coming months and all are welcome. These workshops (August/September, October, and December) explore various issues related to aging and entering the third and fourth life stages. Drawing on his foundational work with Jewish Sacred Aging, Rabbi Address will offer teachings for the High Holy Days, new rituals for new life stages, and the art and challenge of the life stage of caregiving.

Section I: These Are The Good Old Days

August 25: For Elul 1: The Myth of Control: The Unetaneh Tokef and the Power of Choice. To watch the recording, please click here.
September 1: Elul 2: Torah Texts that can Form the Foundation as We Write our own Scroll for the New Year. To watch the recording, please click here.
September 22: Sukkot: Creating our own Sukkat Shalom: Physical and Mental Health. To watch the recording, please click here.

Section II: Light One Candle: New Rituals for New Life Stages

October 6: What is Ritual and Why is Ritual Meaningful? Bring YOUR Favorite Ritual. To watch the recording, please click here.
October 13: New Rituals 1: Signing an Advanced Directive, Removing a Wedding Ring After Mourning, Moving from Family Home. To watch the recording, please click here.
October 20: New Rituals 2: Older-Adult Cohabitation, Simchat Hochmah, Mental Health Challenges, Redefining Adultery. To watch the recording, please click here.

Section III: I Want to Hold Your Hand: The Art and Challenge of the Life Stage of Caregiving

December 1: Why is Caregiving a New Life Stage? A Coming Generational Storm? To watch the recording, please click here.
December 8: A Look at Caregiving Through Jewish Tradition from Torah to Talmud to Today. To watch the recording, please click here.
December 15: Bring this All Home to Judea Reform . . .. To watch the recording, please click here.

Owning Our Aging: My Life's Sacred Journey (2022)

Rabbi Richard Address joined Judea Reform Congregation to continue the conversation about Jewish Sacred Aging. Owning Our Aging: "My Life's Sacred Journey," explored the challenges, joys, concerns, and possibilities of our own aging. Using the image of the Israelites in their journey through the Wilderness, and our calendar journey from Passover to Shavuot, we looked at a variety of issues, decisions and personal challenges that we all face.