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In This Issue

Welcome – Jeff Agron
Through A Mussar Lens – By Alan Morinis
Everyday Holiness: The Course – By Shirah Bell
Donations
Upcoming Events and Announcements

This month brings great new beginnings to The Mussar Institute.  The Board of Directors met in Chicago last month to elect a new board and officers to put into action the Strategic Plan for TMI 2.0, and to work on upcoming programs. We welcome the new board, which includes new members (indicated with an asterisk):

Jeff Agron, President
Sam Axelrad
Robert Barris*
Shirah Bell
Robert Beller*
Micha Berger
Lisa Buksbaum*
Robert Mass, Treasurer*
Alan Morinis
Carol Robinson, President
Gary Shaffer, Secretary
Modya Silver, Vice President
Deborah Steinberg*
Nina Yarus*

With much gratitude, I would like to thank our outgoing board members:  David Goldis, Eytan Kobre and Bev Spring. I look forward to all of them remaining active in TMI.
 
In addition to those on the board, many more people have become active in our programming through the various new teams that we have established. So many opportunities exist in TMI not only to learn, but to help shape the future of the Institute.

In Chicago, the board engaged in study and brainstorming sessions on how we can deliver more and better programs and make our work available to a larger audience.  I am very encouraged about the enthusiasm of the new board members and their willingness to take on creative tasks.

Finally, please save the date for our annual Kallah, which will be at the JCC in Manhattan on Sunday, Nov. 16. Preceding the Kallah will be a Shabbaton, making for a wonderful weekend of learning, prayer and community

May you all have a great summer.

Jeff Agron
Co-President

By Alan Morinis

“Improving the qualities of the soul” is one way to define Mussar. All of us have some inner qualities that could use improvement, and through Mussar the impatient person does become more patient, the miser learns to open his fist, the harsh parent becomes loving, the worry-wart learns trust. This focus on improving inner traits (middot in Hebrew) might lead you to think that the entire concern of Mussar is inward. Far from it.

Read entire article.

By Shirah Bell, Director of Everyday Holiness Program

A student studying the trait of equanimity (menuchat ha’nefesh) recently wrote to me, asking, “…the example given for equanimity, of a person surfing, was profound. I felt that I really "got it" with that example. But making a change in my "balance" is another story. Suggestions?”

Equanimity, or rest of the soul, is a prized middah in Mussar. Alan likens it to surfing, staying upright and balanced even as the waves are rising and falling. He also notes that Rabbi Israel Salanter, on the other hand, said, “As long as one lives a life of calmness and tranquility in the service of God, it is clear that he is remote from true service.” Equanimity is good? Equanimity is bad? What’s going on?

Read entire article.

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Donations gratefully accepted here.

CAJE 33 – August 8-12: Alan will be scholar-in-residence at the Conference for Alternatives in Jewish Education, to be held in Burlington, Vt. For more information go to www.caje.org/index2.php.

Elat Chayyim – August 25-28: Alan will be offering a workshop, "Kabbalistic Mussar for Relationships" at the Jewish retreat center in northwestern Connecticut. For more information: http://isabellafreedman.org/elatchayyim