September

September is a time of pick-up; it's that sort of energy where people begin whirling about, perhaps a bit more than we do in summer... People are beginning to set and store energy and foods for the winter... cause it's a-comin! It's amazing to dedicate a season to preparation! There are lots of amazing other things that come and go in the fall, such as the hottest days of the year in San Francisco...

Maia has been out of our house for a whole month now... Ari, away for a month and Dave in and out, away at camp... and life here has been nothing short of wonderful in the empty house and very full summer month of August. I have also felt some of my tension release as I am planning on moving out of MoHo SF, a decision that for me solidified over talks with the remaining housemates of how to inhabit the space that Maia created by leaving the house... Besides being a dear friend, an amazing co-worker/programmer, supporter and co-habitor Maia has been an ally... Something that I am stringently aware I no longer have in the Moishe House.

And now, I leap into a blog about the larger organization, using it as a model/mirror of the smaller house that we created... And before doing so, I'd like to say that I know there is wonderful amazing good that comes from the Moishe House organization, and this entry has little to do with that part of the "product" of the Moishe Houses worldwide; I address all of the 'good', really as the foundation from which I acknowledge the strains of the organization, -weaknesses which are potential strengths if worked on. And very importantly, I express all of this, just as it is, as neither good, nor bad; and as my experience. And with more of a disclaimer than content detail that I will write about, here we go:
The structure of Moishe Houses, in my experience, continues to be minimal. While as a living member of the Moishe House, I believe that this has been one of the keen strengths of the organization that has kept me involved, having so few guidelines has been an issue for me. I find a lack of primarily support- both in administration and in household matters...---and, I guess, a general lack of initiative on the administration's end to both follow through and create change I want to see within the organization (and there for through the organization). It has been set up slightly less functional than efficient and ideal.

The places where I initially saw the niches to be filled and social justice to be addressed and partially implemented from within, -well, here, I haven't been successful... I see this in part due to both the loose nature of the organization, and lack there of -of organization. Creating safe space, for example- a key in both communicating and in creating community, and especially in creating an organization's foundation- right? I haven't seen this discussion really happen within the organization. There was a moment in which I co-presented a workshop on defining/getting to know/creating safe space in Moishe House communities at the regional 'retreat' this past year, which was in reaction to 'unsafe space' that was part of the programed 'entertainment' (< In our house, because this is primary for me, we've had several discussions, the bare bones of which I've posted at the mintranet online message board for other residents to access should any be interested. It has been a discussion that we have had, bridged and attempted to implement, in some cases with success, and in others, we have found that we could use a lot of work and more practice successfully implementing. ...All processes, whether hard or easy, regardless of the outcome, have been practice and experience.
What happens when our visions for creating community for the purpose of social change differ? What happens when we have difficulty defining social change? and community? What happens when we access on part of our community? How do we/can we change our programming? What about our lifestyle choices? What happens when these seem to be in conflict with one another? How do we continue to create/expand our community- or do we choose to let it be idle? What about internal conflicts and personality conflicts? How do we bridge/resolve these within the structure and lack of structure of the organization? ---These are some of the topics that have come up in our house, places where we have found our differences and have yet to come to resolved conclusions. -Important places where safe space has been used as the foundations to speak and share from/with each other. Places where we as a collective have needed more support.

Perhaps safe space is still a new topic for folks, for whom I encourage further research and interest. And for this organization of people learning to organize, I believe creating the foundations of safe space are a good direction in which to go.

And, cheers- L'chaim to an organization in it's budding, with a long way to go... and a lot of ground already covered, as there are houses worldwide, and thus opportunities for others to explore and create the personal experience of what it is to be Jewish, a leader and an adult.

And why write about it all now, on the blog- for heaven's -and earth's sakes, -that's why! Because I'm using this blog to express a bit of my opinion, -for which I have found no other place to share.

Life is evolving, and, I will keep this entry both this brief and this vague. Enjoy friends- enjoy!

And, Happy birthday to the Virgo-ians!