SHABBAT - THE CHALLENGE OF PERSONAL CHANGE
SHABBAT - THE CHALLENGE OF PERSONAL CHANGE
The Challenge of Personal Change
Change can be difficult. People can become discouraged; there are often inner conflicts and interpersonal problems. Change can also be part of growth. We know that the human being is reluctant to change, therefore we must examine how change occurs and create those elements in our own synagogues that enable change. Let’s look at potential barriers to change and how they can be overcome:
· Some people must overcome their feeling of "this isn’t for me," therefore they must be shown why we all need Shabbat in our lives and that there is something in Shabbat for everyone.
· Some people have trouble articulating their needs, therefore our campaign needs to articulate these needs for them.
· Some people are uncomfortable requesting help, therefore we must make help available on an individual basis.
· Some people change because those around them, particularly those they respect and adore, are changing, therefore we must create an environment where each participant is aware of others’ growth.
· People changing often require new knowledge, therefore we need to provide information about Shabbat, its mitzvot, brachot and the rewards the gift of Shabbat brings.
We need to use ingenuity, humor and "" to overcome peoples’ fear of change and motivate them to explore Shabbat. There is no one correct type of participant; they will come from a cross section of your community. Their levels of observance will be different and each will become interested in different elements of Shabbat, but they will all have the common goal of wishing to overcome their fears and enrich their lives with a more complete observance of Shabbat.
