Life at the Archives

My latest Archival project has been on "secularization and the rabbinate."  My client hired me to track how preaching, counseling, and education have evolved over the years, as taught by HUC.  I've been looking through the catalogs, and it's really interesting to see how the requirements of being a rabbi has changed.  For instance, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, rabbis seemed more academic, with training all from books: heavy heavy loads of Talmud, Midrash, history, philosophy, etc.  Did you know that the very first Education professor at HUC wasn't hired until 1931?  The counseling aspect wasn't brought in until 1939, when they offered one class in "Elements of Pastoral Psychology."  When they offered a class the next year called "Methods of Personal Guidance,"  I was amused to read the fine print: "This course is offered at the request of the Cincinnati Christian Educators’ Association and is open only to ministers and professional religious workers."

 

It's so neat to track the development of the movement through history - like, after World War II when Judaism was in the midst of major changes itself, what with suburbia and new synagogues everywhere, there was a huge change in curriculum, with all of a sudden way less emphasis on strict Talmud/history stuff.  That one Education course from 1931?  In 1943 it got expanded to six seminars and a required class on religious school curriculum.  Post-war there was a whole new area called "Social Work" with offerings ranging from "social justice in traditional texts" to field courses where students volunteered with various local agencies.  You can also tell that Classical Reform and formal sermon-giving was on its way out - HUC dropped the six required "Elocution" classes and instead offered two classes in Public Speaking.  The huge "Homiletics" section became merged with academic learning, into "Midrash and Homiletics."  

I'm only in the 1950s now, and I intend to go all the way to the present.  I wonder when "Leadership and organizational management" classes began to be offered?  Or practicum courses like "Life Cycle Liturgy," where I learned how to officiate at a funeral?  I've really been enjoying it - I can't wait til my client actually publishes his paper to see the final product, and his overall analysis.

And of course I can't mention AJA work without mentioning my constant companion.  Ari has come with me the past few days, and will accompany me next week as well.  And by "with me" I mean that he sleeps on my chest in the wrap, plays with toys on the floor, and usually once a visit gets taken off by a whole bunch of staff to go touring.  

 I didn't dare take him out of the carrier when he passed out today - it was much easier just to lay the whole thing down!  Quilt courtesy of Sheryl.

Archivist in the making!  Here he is helping Kevin, senior archivist of research and collections.  Not the best picture of either of them, but oy, you should have heard the giggles coming from that office...