Download God Beliefs - United Synagogue Youth

God: Got a Clue?
Session Overview:
Topic
Activity
Resources/materials
Key questions
Session 1:
“I Believe” exercise in
faith (if not doing session
3)
Emet V’emunah: Principles
on Conservative Judaism
(included in lesson plan,
brief)
What does your God
Belief look like? Can
you believe without
seeing? What do we
see that is godly, if not
God?
The God Squad: Diversity
of Personal and
Conservative God Beliefs
The “WHAT” of personal
theology
(defining our
relationship(s),
understanding(s) of God
with different ideas of
God and godliness,
Conservative Jewish
perspectives of God)
Session 2:
G-Chatting: Talking with
God, exploring the Godhuman relationship (s)
Images of God/God is
when… if internet access,
use text messaging voting
system
www.polleverywhere.com
God Squad- different
Conservative
“theologians” present
their perspectives on God
Walking with God (AJU)Conservative theologians
Visions of Holiness in the
Everyday (R. Nina Beth Cardin,
USY)
In preparation for session 2Israeli song: If I’ll Meet God
(wonder, doubt, questioning,
opening up to God, conversing
with God)
G-chat- talking with God,
an interview with God,
establishing
communication with God
Israeli Song “If I’ll Meet God”
Creating a personal
theology and personal
metaphor for God
I Believe worksheet (page 66 of
Higher and Higher), Faith
Interview (p.65)
Evan Almighty script excerpt,
personalities of God biblical
texts
SO WHAT? Making it
personal, relevant to me
Session 3:
NOW WHAT?
Ani Ma’amin: I Believecreating a personal
theology through
metaphors of God
This session will allow
USYers to make what
they’ve learned personal
by sharing their own
personal theology
through metaphor
When is God for you?
Theological
perspectives and Godly
moments:
Which perspective of
God correlates to
which moment of
Godliness?
If you could chat with
God, what would you
ask? What would God
respond? What would
God say about your life
and how you live it?
Have your
attitudes/beliefs about
God changed at all?
Where do I stand now
that Ive had a chance
to explore different
theological beliefs and,
how can I take this
home and make it a
part of me/my life?
What is my personal
theology?
EPA Fall
2011
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
God: Got a Clue? Connecting Theology to the Clue “Fun” Theme

It is human nature to doubt and question that which we cannot see, that which is beyond human reach

The Game of Clue is solved by piecing together clues, by figuring out a mystery based on collection of evidence
and by asking questions. Personal theology is much the same- we are encouraged in Judaism to ask questions, to
piece together evidence and to be open to different possibilities

Through these sessions and exploration of various God-beliefs, USYers will attempt to solve the mystery of their
Jewish theological personal debates and discrepancies and explore various pathways for uncovering the
mysteries of God. Unlike Clue however, there is no wrong or right answer, the game never ends!
Key Questions in connection to CLUE:
How do we know when, what and if God is, if right now, we don’t really have a clue?
What “clues” can help us forge a personal theology and begin our own conversations with God?
What “clues” exist in our everyday lives that can help us solve the God mystery?
Bringing it Home/Enduring Understandings:

Sessions are meant to be conversation starters to discuss and act on our various God Beliefs/personal theologies

God beliefs are a process. The conversation of “when is God” does not end here. USYers should understand that
they can experience moments of Godliness through their actions, prayers, thoughts and life circumstances, but
should be open to recognizing Godliness in the everyday.

Conservative Judaism emphasizes the ongoing questions, doubt and discovery of personal theology. Different
perspectives presented in these study session encourage diversity in belief and perspectives on Jewish theology.
There is no one way to relate to God, as long as we can keep the conversations going and the mind open.

USYers should recognize their struggles, challenges and opportunities to “G-chat” or talk with God through
personal prayer and structured prayer. Higher and Higher will be an excellent resource for them to further
explore their God relationship through prayer and help them continue to uncover more “clues” as they grow
and move on in life.
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Session 1
The God Squad: Diversity of Jewish God Beliefs
This session can be run as an entire convention body
Goals:

USYers will begin the process of discovering their various God Beliefs through an examination of moments of
Godliness and various Conservative theological perspectives

USYers will understand that Conservative Theology not only accepts wonder, doubt and questioning, but
encourages exploration of God beliefs through diversity of perspectives, as presented by the views of 5 famous
Conservative Jewish theologians.

USYers will recognize theology as a highly personal process. God beliefs are not black or white/believe or don’t
believe, rather, USYers will learn that theology revolves around diversity of perspective, discussion, discovery
and recognizing God in ways they may not have thought of before.
Materials:

Projector, laptop and screen (if weekday)

Copies of Images of God/God is When Powerpoint for breakout groups (for Shabbat and weekday)

Polleverywhere poll (see Powerpoint #2) with instructions for facilitator (if weekday)

“I Believe” worksheet from “Higher and Higher” USY Sourcebook *only if not doing session 3

Descriptions of different Jewish theological/theologian perspectives for USY leader/advisor role play as well as
copies for each group (2-3 for group members to review after person has presented)
Step 1: God is When…
Make Clue connection by paraphrasing or ad-libbing something like:
Our culture is obsessed with the artificiality and superficiality of the life depicted in the Jersey Shore. Snooki isn’t famous
for her values, morals, ethics or intellect, rather for her immodest, immoral and downright dumb behavior. Young
people today are influenced by this. We’re going to look at the opposite end of the spectrum of morality- from
Gawdiness to Godliness.
Explain: According to a recent U.S. poll, 90% of Americans said they believed in God. Elie Wiesel explains that “a Jew
can be a Jew with God, against God, but not without God.” What do you believe? Today, we’re going to open up the
God conversation by first turning God into a verb and not a noun by recognizing God in every day moments and then
attempt to see different perspectives on God through the eyes of famous Jewish theologian responses.
Many of us don’t quite know what we believe. Sometimes it’s easier to start with thinking when are moments of God
rather than what God may be to us.
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Note: if on Shabbat, print the Powerpoint and hang the God is When… images on the walls. Ask USYers to stand by the
image they most relate to. Ask them to share reasons for their choices.
Step 2:
Weekday: PRESENT POWERPOINT AND polleverywhere.com text messaging poll.
Shabbat: Note that there are USYers standing at different images. Some are more popular than others.
Explain that everyone experiences God in different ways, sees God in different ways. In fact, the theological Principles of
Conservative Judaism explain that:
a) We believe in God, but that God belief is different for everyone. We understand God in different ways, at different
times.
b) It is normal and acceptable to have moments of doubt in one’s faith and to ask searching questions about Judaism
generally and about God in particular. One is not supposed to accept beliefs passively on faith – or ignore the subject
altogether.
c) God is evident whenever we look for meaning in the world and when we work for morality and future redemption
– Source: Emet V’emunah: Principles on Conservative Judaism
Further explain that often, we don’t recognize God in the every day and therefore have difficulty understanding or
grasping the concept of God. What we also see from this activity, is that some of us share similar theological beliefs
which others do not. Doubt, wonder and questioning is a very Jewish approach to God.
Optional: R. Joseph Telushkin quote: “Judaism’s attitude has a most common contemporary sentiment about God:
doubt”
Explain: Our own personal God beliefs are up in the air. Is there one way of looking at God in Jewish tradition? NO WAY,
especially within the Conservative Movement. We will be introduced to different ideas of God with our special guests:
The God Squad
USY leaders will play the part of each of the 5 theologians presented. They will rotate from group to group presenting
their 2 sentence bio and a brief summary of this theologian’s perspectives on God.
Introduce the members of the God Squad, famous Conservative Jewish theological beliefs and theologians who will
present some different ideas about God, different perspectives accepted by Conservative Judaism (SOURCES: AJU
publication “Walking with God,” USY Publication “Conservative Judaism: Our Ancestors to our Descendents”).
---------Break into breakout groups--------Step 3: Warm Up: What do you believe? [skip this step if doing 3 sessions]
We’ve looked at moments of Godliness, at when is God for each of us. Let’s explore our own personal belief in a little
more detail.
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Instruction: In small breakout groups, perform the “I Believe” exercise from the USY publication “Higher and Higher:
Making Jewish Prayer a Part of Us,” page 66. You may not have time to get through the entire exercise. One effective
way to do this is to have them close their eyes so that their responses are not influenced by others around them.
Reiterate the point that we share common God beliefs and also disagree on different God beliefs. Our God Squad is here
to present us with the different God beliefs of famous Jewish theologians, different perspectives of Conservative Jewish
God Beliefs (they are free to explore non-Conservative beliefs on their own, but obviously this is not our goal is USY).
Step 4: Jewish Theological Perspectives: The God Squad
The God Squad USY leaders will rotate from group to group, presenting their 2 sentence bio and a brief summary of their
theological perspective.
Group leader should give copies of their “shpiel” to the group so they can review it before choosing an image. Group
should spread copies of the moments of God Powerpoint on the floor for all to view.
Instruction to USYers:
Please explain to the USYers that the theological perspectives they will hear from the God Squad is incredibly simplified
for time and information overload. They will get a general idea of the different perspectives offered by famous Jewish
theologians in order to recognize the diversity in God Beliefs.
Following the presentation of each member of the God Squad, USYers must then choose one of the moments of
Godliness from the Powerpoint images and figure out which image or moment of Godliness would best relate to that
theologian perspective. If weekday, they may write the theologian name on the matching image so that they remember
who connects to what image.
5 Theologians (bios and perspectives attached for God Squad leaders)

R. Harold Kushner- Source- Wikipedia

R. Mordechai Kaplan- Source- Walking with God (Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies/AJU in Partnership with
USCJ), Visions of Holiness in the Everyday (USY 1997)

R. AJ Heschel- Walking with God and Visions of Holiness in the Everyday (USY 1997)

Martin Buber- Walking with God (AJU/USCJ)

R. Elliot Dorff- Source: Conservative Judaism: Our Ancestors to Our Descendants (USY 2000)
Step 5: Present Choices
After each group has “met” each of the five theologians and the groups have chosen their corresponding moments of
“Godliness,” re-assemble as a full group. Invite person (s) who played each theologian to the front of the room and have
USYers share which images they felt best reflected each theologian and why (keep this short!)
Reiterate the idea of different perspectives presented and the differences among the choices. Again, there is no one
way of looking at God or interpreting moments of God.
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Summarize and conclude (feel free to incorporate any of the secular texts included at the end of session 1 material):
We each have a different relationship with God. What that relationship looks like will vary over time and experience.
God is a process, God is an experience. We can view God, not as a thing but as different actions, dependent on faith,
values, experiences and our responses to them. Jewish observance is an example of such actions. As is social action or
chessed/acts of kindness. We will continue, throughout our lives, to have questions about God and for God. Questioning
God is a very Jewish concept. To get you thinking about some of those questions you may have, check out this Israeli
song “If I’ll Meet God” by Hatikvah 6 (apologize for poor translation)
Play Youtube video of Israeli song “If I’ll Meet God.” If Shabbat, lyrics are attached
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imjM1KRe--g]
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
God Squad: Theologian #1
Rabbi Harold Kushner

I am alive and well, a Conservative Rabbi and popular author. I was born in Brooklyn and studied at the Jewish
Theological Seminary. FYI- I co-edited the ETZ HAYIM chumash!

I am a prominent writer on some of the most pressing and controversial theological issues. One of my most wellread books is “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” and “When Children Ask About God.” Other popular
books Ive written as “To Life! A celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking” and “How Good Do I Have to Be?” and
“Overcoming Life’s Disappointments” which focuses on times when we lose faith in God.

My work focuses on God as omnipotent (all powerful), doubt of God as a common experience, theodicy

I believe that God is a loving God but some things are not in God’s control. When bad things happen, God is
telling us that we have an opportunity to do better, be better and come to the aid of our fellows in need. Evil
exists so that we can learn to overcome it and do good through Godly acts. Not everything has a reason behind
it. Some acts are acts of randomness and it is our responses to these occurrences that bring us closer to each
other and to God as a source of faith and hope, oftentimes when we need it most.
The God-human relationship:
“If that were God's plan, it's a bad bargain; I don't want to have to deal with a God like that...My sense is God and I came
to an accommodation with each other a couple of decades ago, where he's gotten used to the things that I'm not
capable of and I've come to terms with things he's not capable of...and we care very much about each other.”
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
God Squad: Theologian #2
Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan (trained as a Conservative rabbi, founded the Reconstructionist Movement)

I am speaking to you through ideas only. I passed away in 1983.

God is a force of nature. God is not person, does not act in ways persons do as often depicted in traditional
texts. God cannot reveal commandments to people as Divine will (so, in other words, God didn’t dictate the
entire Torah to Moses at Mt. Sinai). The Torah and our traditional texts are human accounts of sacred
experiences

God is not separate from person, but part of the sum of everything. We gain meaning from life through our
actions of goodness. God becomes part of who we are. Godliness is through goodness. We access God through
our behaviors.

To advance in the modern world, traditional theology does not quite cut it anymore. In order for competing
theological views to survive, they must consider modernity, mainly religious freedom and scientific advances.

God is both the forces within nature and our human experiences that actualizes the potential in nature and
human experiences. God is the secret to a full life, seen through our social connections and social solidarity.
God is through the experiences that motivate us to live a fully human existence.

“Only by way of participation in human affairs and strivings are we to seek God.”

“In brief, God is the Power in the cosmos that gives human life the direction that enables the human being to
reflect the image of God” [God inspires us to act in Godly ways]
Famous Book: Judaism As a Civilization (1934)
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
God Squad: Theologian #3
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel



My name might sound familiar to you. You may be a part of my USY Club!
Although I am now coming to you from beyond the grave, I was once one of the greatest Jewish theologians of
the 20th century. I escaped the Holocaust and came to America to work at Hebrew Union College in 1940 I was a
professor at JTS until my death in 1972.
 I was also a major advocate for civil rights- active in American Civil Rights Movement, marched in Selma, AL with
Martin Luther King
Advocate for Soviet Jewry as well as African American rights
My Beliefs
I believe in a transcendent God, yet God has an imminent presence in our everyday lives.
 We encounter God through through nature, sacred acts and God’s word in the Bible
 God is a mystery, we encounter God through our search, through wonder, awe and faith. God helps us explain what
we wonder, what we are “wowed” by or amazed by.
 God did not reveal God’s self at Sinai. The people were inspired by a powerful experience and recorded their
reactions. The Torah gives us direction in lives as we continue to explore and search for meaning.
 The best path to finding God is through observance of Mitzvot: “a Jew is asked to take a leap of action, rather than a
leap of thought. God means action with belief, not simply belief.
 I am less concerned with ways we try to understand God and more with how we respond to God in the everyday.
God is the holiness of the every day.
 God and human beings are in a relationship with one another. The power lies in our knowing we can seek God if we
open our eyes and allow ourselves to see the holiness in the every day. God is imminently present in our daily lives,
if we open our eyes to see it.
My Words of Wisdom:
“God is of no important unless He is of supreme importance”



Human beings and God are in a relationship: “God is not willing to be alone and Man cannot forever remain
impervious to what He longs to show. Those of us who cannot keep their striving find themselves at times to be
within sight of the unseen and become aglow with its rays. Some of us blush, others wear a mask. Faith is a
blush in the presence of God.”
“Awareness of God is as close to him as the throbbing of his own heart, often deep and calm but at times
overwhelming, intoxicating, setting the soul afire. The momentous reality of God stands there as peace, power,
endless tranquility, as an inexhaustible source of help, as boundless compassion, as an open gate waiting
prayer.”
Wonder and awe: “There are three ways in which we may relate ourselves to the world – we
may exploit it, we may enjoy it, we may accept it in awe.”
Famous books:
God in Search of Man, The Sabbath, Israel: an Echo of Eternity, The Prophets
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
God Squad Theologian 4
Martin Buber

I am also speaking to your from beyond the grave. I died in 1965. I am probably one of the most well known
theologians of the 20th century.

I am an Austrian Jewish philosopher. I grew up Orthodox but studied secular philosophy. I am probably best
known for my existentialist philosophies. I left Austria before the Holocaust and settled in Palestine. I taught at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

I was a scholar and interpreter of Hasidic lore. Hasidism is a source of renewal for the Jewish people through
community, interpersonal life and meaning in the everyday common activities, emphasized by the unconditional
presence of God in every day experiences (where there was no distinct separation between daily habits and
religious experience.

I believe that God is a dialogue, a highly personal relationship of “I” and “Thou” and “I” and “It.” Persons exist in
dialogue with God (I-Thou) or in monologue (I-it). The I-Thou relationship is an encounter between 2 beings,
person (I) and being (Thou). This reflects the highly interpersonal nature of human beings in relation to others.
We must understand our relation to God as the “other,” but not pursue it, so that it becomes an “it” and the
relationship ceases.

Any other I-Thou relationship connects with the ultimate I-Thou relationship between person and God
Words of Wisdom from me:
 “The atheist staring from his attic window is often nearer to God than the believer caught up in his own false
image of God.”
 “When two people relate to each other authentically and humanly, God is the electricity that surges between
them.”
 “We cannot avoid using power, cannot escape the compulsion to afflict the world, so let us, cautious in diction
and mighty in contradiction, love powerfully.”
 “I do not accept any absolute formulas for living. No preconceived code can see ahead to everything that can
happen in a man's life. As we live, we grow and our beliefs change. They must change. So I think we should live
with this constant discovery. We should be open to this adventure in heightened awareness of living. We should
stake our whole existence on our willingness to explore and experience.
Famous Books:

I-Thou (1923)

Tales of the Hasidim

Paul Arthur Schilpp & Maurice Friedman The philosophy of Martin Buber (1967)
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
God Squad Theologian #5
Rabbi Elliot Dorff (1943- )


I still alive and kickin’ and a member of the faculty of the American Jewish University in California. I teach
theology and am considered one of the top Conservative Jewish theologians of my time.
I am also a bio-ethicist and am interested in Jewish philosophy (in ’93, I served on the ethics committee of
Hillary Clinton’s Health Care task force and am currently a is a fellow of the Hastings Center, a preeminent
research institution dedicated to the examination of issues in bioethics.

In my book Knowing God: Jewish Journeys to the Unknowable, I discuss ideas of differentiating between
knowledge and bleief. God isn’t about knowing on an intellectual level, rather is very personal belief. Just as we
don’t get to know people based on the fact that we know they exist, we get to know people, based on personal
and meaningful individual connections. Same with God, we each make personal, individual connections to God,
different for everyone.

Like with people, we get to know God by talking with God (prayer), doing Godly acts (chassadim), doing Mitzvot
and through experiencing God by living what becomes history.

FYI- I am a huge advocate for USY and even authored the USY sourcebook on Conservative Judaism called
Conservative Judaism: Our Ancestors to Our Descendents. In this book, I compared the theological persptives on
revelation at Sinai of the different Jewish denominations. I align with what I called “Conservative III” which
states that revelation is not an occurrence on its own, rather God inspired people with God’s presence by
coming into contact with them. The Torah is a human response to our ancestors' encounters with God, and
revelation continues each time we study and reinterpret Jewish classical texts.
My Books to check out:







Jewish Law and Modern Ideology: A Confrontation Based on Source Materials: United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism, 1971.
Conservative Judaism: Our Ancestors to Our Descendants: United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism,
1977; second, revised edition, 1996.
Mitzvah Means Commandment: United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, 1989.
Knowing God: Jewish Journeys to the Unknowable: Jason Aronson Press, now Rowman and Littlefield,
1992.
Contemporary Jewish Ethics and Morality: A Reader(With Louis Newman): Oxford University Press,
1995.
Matters of Life and Death: A Jewish Approach to Modern Medical Ethics: Jewish Publication Society,
1998.
Contemporary Jewish Theology: A Reader(with Louis Newman): Oxford University Press, 1999.
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Optional: Moments of Godliness – secular texts

Why did God appear to Moses as a burning bush? Midrash explains: “… I will tell you why it was a bush: to teach
you that no place is devoid of God’s presence, not even a lowly bush.”

“Moses at the bush is at the beginning of his knowledge of God, and, while he is struck with awe and even fear,
he remains also very much himself and preserves his right to refuse initially and then to doubt and question. He
never loses this independence, even long after he becomes the intimate of his God.” - W. Gunther Plaut (editor),
The Torah – A Modern Commentary

Your personal theology as a process: “Gotta keep rollin, gotta keep ridin', keep searchin' till I find what's right.” –
Bob Seger, “Roll Me Away”
God: Got a Clue?
If I’ll Meet God Song Lyrics (Hatikvah 6)
If one of these days I'll meet God,
Allah, Ja-Ja, God, Dieu, The King of all
Kings. I'll check if He has a secretary who
collects the notes.
Is there any treatment to the ones who
ask?
If one of these days I'll meet God
escorted by his bodyguards-the angles,
I'll check if there in the clouds it's like in
here, and there are no more safe places.
Is the thunder your voice?
Is the moon your houses' light?
Are we all alone in the universe?
Do you know where we land after death?
Is heaven your private property or not?
Where do you get all this inspiration in
your hands from?
Have you ever been worried that people
will live here without you? Is there any
point prayer?
Do you have answers to every
clarification and question?
Are you mad at everyone who became non-religious?
Do you have the ability to make any wish
come true? What sounds stronger,
“Halavai” or “in-sha-Allah”?
Between all the living and dead are you here or up
there? Between the preachers and
kidnappers, here or up there?
Is there a Mrs. God or love which passed by?
Where did we come from, from the ape
or from above?
Foolish questions like, What did you do
last night? Are you also being careful
from the sun's beams?
Are you also resting on Shabbat?
Are there many more like you, or are you the only one?
Which one is stronger, a synagogue, a
mosque or a church?
A Rabbi, the muezzin or a nun?
Who do you turn to in
difficult times? Who is your God, God?
EPA Fall
2011
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Session 2: G-chat
Talking with God, Establishing Communication with God
Goals:
 Following Session 1 on different perspectives on God and the exploration of God meaning something different
for everyone, USYers will still be left with questions, wonder and doubt
 Session 2 will focus on how we may find answers to the God-questions we seek, how we may open ourselves up
not only to the concept of different ways to approach God, but also different ways of talking to God.
 This is the “so what?” session where USYers will take the information learned in session one and personalize it
to make it more relevant and personal in their own lives and their own personal relationship with God
 The G-chat exercise will allow USYers an opportunity to role play different conversations with God through
different personalities of God presented in the Tanach. Through human characteristics, USYers will be able to
practice “conversing with God,” questioning God and interpreting different answers God may have, to their
common questions.
Materials:
 Lyrics to Israeli song “If I’ll Meet God”
 Evan Almighty script excerpt (3 copies)
 personalities of God Texts cut up
Preliminary:
Review previous session:

God belief isn’t black and white, rather a diversity of perspectives and experiences. We looked not only at what
is God, but when is God, moments of Godliness, which are different for every person.

Conservative Judaism expects us to question, doubt and wonder. This is part of the theological process of
figuring out your own personal relationship with God, sometimes guided or inspired by different Jewish
theological perspectives (presented by the God Squad).

Your God beliefs will change over time, as you experience life and whatever it may bring you. You will always
have questions and may not always receive answers. Today, you’re going to image if you could ask those
questions and get a response.

Key Concept: You may doubt and wonder, but you may not avoid seeking answers to those doubts and wonders.
“The important thing is that he [she] asks altogether and that God does not reject his question out of hand.” –
W. Gunther Plaut (editor), The Torah – A Modern Commentary
Step 1: Evan, Meet God
Ask for three volunteers to act out the Evan Almighty scene where Evan meets “God.” USYer playing “the kid” should
preface the scene with the background described at the top.
Step 2: Discussion
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011

Take a poll of how many of seen this movie or Bruce Almighty (similar theme of man meeting God, played by
Morgan Freeman)

Discuss Evan’s reaction to “meeting God.” Why do we, as human beings question and doubt moments when we
“encounter God” (such as moments explored in session 1)

KEY QUESTION: What would YOU do? What if you met God? What would you say to God? What would you ask
God? What do you think God would say and ask you?
Refer back to “If I’ll Meet God” song (if not played in session 1, hand out lyrics and review)

What are the main ideas expressed in this song (questions for God, what does God do? What does God want?
Who is God? What is God? What would you say to God if you could chat with God?”

Main idea: questions for God. What would we ask God if we could? How would God answer us and ask us?
Step 3: G-chat- introduce activity
Hand out copies of text sheet with different personalities of God
Gather in a circle with one single chair in the middle. Ask for a volunteer to sit in the “hot seat,” and ask everyone else to
imagine you are sitting at your computer, like Evan, and all of a sudden, the user name G-dash-D pops up. The user on
the other end, claims he/she is “God,” just like in Evan Almighty. You know it’s a friend playing a joke on you, but then
the user lists random thoughts you’ve had and facts about you that no one else would ever know. You start freaking out
a bit, but then decide to go with it and start asking God questions.
If you were to interview God, what would be your first question?
Person in the middle will play “God” as the recipient of the question. Explain that you will hand him/her a sheet of
different character traits exhibited by God from the Tanach. He/she should respond as God, to the question, by choosing
a personality trait that would express this response (example: anger would give an angry, bitter answer to the question).
Like the game Dramatic Freeze, anyone can pop up and replace the person in the middle in order to try and answer the
question according to a different character trait presented by the texts.
If USYers are having trouble with this exercise, which may be the case, considering this is a tough topic, you may want to
try it in partners as an “interview” and have one person play god and one person play themselves. Have them then
switch places and then have them present their conversation. Prompt them with typical questions such as “why did you
let ____ happen” or “Why do you create bad people in this world?”
Step 4: Following each question, review some of the different personalities that were used to answer each question.
And prompt USYers to explain why these characteristics can help answer the questions presented.
Step 5: Discussion – pose some of these possible discussion questions

Does this exercise help you relate to God at all?

How do the texts help us better understand our relationship with God
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011

Why is it so difficult for us to ask God these tough questions?

What answers are we expecting to get? Does God say “yes” to everything?

Does this type of exercise help us establish a more concrete relationship with God, if we see God as a
relationship, on human terms?

Does presenting God through human terms help you talk to God? How can we better understand God through
human terms [point out Talmud text on page 2 of personalities of God handout…Godliness through Goodness]

Does this help you at all understand tougher stuff like suffering and pain? What do you think God would say to
these questions on why we suffer or why put so many people through so much pain?

Do you expect God to always give you the answers you want to hear? Do you think that humans struggle to
relate to God because we can’t always know/see God’s answers to our questions? How can we open our eyes to
God’s answers?

Is God always to blame when God doesn’t answer our questions the way we want God to (example: asking God
to help you do well on a test will not help if you haven’t studied at all)? What is human responsibility toward
God?

Is it only when we need God, that we talk to God? Can you also talk to God when you have praise or
acknowledgement or is just when you need something?

Which personalities of God do you relate to? Can you think of examples in history or in your own life when you
have experienced or seen evidence of this characteristic of God?
Step 6: Summarize
Main points with which to summarize discussion and activity:

We all have questions we want to ask God, no matter our perspective on God, yet many of struggle to
converse with God (as seen with this exercise being so difficult)

Many of us find talking to God a challenge. When we open ourselves up to the idea of a conversation with God,
maybe on human terms, it becomes easier

Sometimes, God doesn’t give us the answers we want to hear. Sometimes, we are left with more questions.
Dealing with the “what’s the point in talking to God, God doesn’t answer my questions or prayers:” You can ask God
all the questions you want and blame God for not answering your requests But, what do you think God would ask of
you? What do you think God needs from you in order to respond to you?
Meet Me halfway!
There is a famous story of a man who prays to God each and every day to win the lottery, more fervently each and every
day. He gets angry that God never listens to his prayers and answers his requests. Finally, God finally answers his
requests and tells him, “Shmendrick. Meet me half way! Buy a ticket!”
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Conclude/taking it home (if not doing session 3)

God belief or personal theology is tough. We’ve learned that its not so black and white, and not “I believe and
that’s my story.” God belief is ongoing and ever-changing. It changes over time, dependent on circumstance and
stage of life, and involves constant questioning and exploration. Even within our own Movement, there are
multiple perspectives. [if doing session 3, indicate that you will further explore creating a personal theology in
session 3]

Talking to God and facing God is also difficult. We oftentimes don’t know what to say to God, which is why we
struggle to pray. We also don’t know what God will say back or may not be receptive to recognizing God’s
responses in the everyday (Godliness in the every day, reflecting on the When is God exercise)

[refer to Talmud text on page 2 of the personalizes of God handout] The way we look at the world should be
through Godliness. Our acts should reflect our personal relationship with God and not be influenced by the
profanity and artificiality of our popular culture or other superficial influences such as material goods and
money. Cluing in to God is through doing good to change what is not good and seeing goodness as Godliness.
Man Meets God - Evan Almighty (2007) Script
Characters: Evan’s son, Evan, “God”
Background (read by person playing Evan’s son) Evan is a US Congressman who isn’t a religious man at all but
started a new job and prayed to God before bed one night to thank God for his new home and new job and
help him “change the world.” One day, he gets a delivery of an insane amount of wood.
(MAN CHATTERING ON TV)
(PHONE RINGING, Evan starts looking through their bookshelf while his son is watching TV)
Kid: Dad, what are you doing? I'm watching this.
Evan: Genesis 6:14. Gen 6:14.
[frantic] Joan! Do we have a Bible anywhere? Genesis 6:14.
"Make thee an ark of gopher wood..."
Gopher wood.
GOD stands before Evan: "Go-four-wood." Get it?
God: Got a Clue?
Well, it's not really gopher wood.
I just like the wordplay.
No, it's pine and maple.
It was clear-cut from this valley
to make room for all those houses.
Evan: Excuse me. Do I know you?
God: Not as well as I'd like.
I see you got my housewarming gift [piles of wood].
Evan: That was you? You sent those?
What are they for? Hey! Hey.
God: Genesis, chapter six, verse fourteen.
I want you to build an ark.
Evan: You want me to build an ark.
God: Yes.
Evan: So that's why the tools.
And you are responsible for the wood?
All right. Well, let's just start over.
(CLEARING THROAT)
Hello, I am Evan...
God: Evan Baxter. Born June 15, 1962.
Eight pounds, 11 ounces.
Mother's Carroll Ann Parker.
Father, Eugene Evan Baxter.
Evan: You have internet access. Very impressive.
Do you also have cable?
God: You're a clean freak. You care much
too much about your outward appearance.
Your left nipple is a quarter inch higher
than your right nipple.
And when you were a little boy,
you were afraid of Gumby.
EVAN: Who are you?
EPA Fall
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God: Got a Clue?
God: I'm God.
Evan: You're God?
God: Yes. And I want you, Evan Baxter,
to build an ark.
Evan: Okay. You know what? This conversation
is a little thing I like to call over!
But I got to get going,
because, frankly, I have an ark to build.
Busy, busy, busy, busy. Nice meeting you.
Take care. Oh, and...
All right, see you later!
Shake it off, Evan. It's over.
The nutcase is gone
EPA Fall
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God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Human Traits/Personalities of God: God reveals God’s self through the true human spirit
1. NATURALISTIC: “He makes clouds from the end of the earth. He makes lightening for the rain; He
releases the wind from His vaults” (Psalms 135:7)
2. ANGRY/VENGEFUL: “The House of Israel and the House of Judah have broken the covenant which I
made with their fathers.” Assuredly, thus said the Lord: I am going to bring upon them disaster”
(Jeremiah 11:10-11)
3. UNJUST: God threatens to destroy all inhabitants of Sdom for their evil acts. Abraham questions God’s
justice and bargains with him by asking if he really is going to “bring death upon the innocent as well as
the guilty, so that the innocent and guilty fair alike?” (Genesis 18:25)
4a. COMPASSIONATE: “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a fitting helper for him”
(Genesis 2:8)
4b. “And the Lord said: I have marked well the plight of my people in Egypt and have heeded their
outcry…I am mindful of their sufferings. I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to
bring them out of that land… (Exodus 3:7-8)
5. SAD/REGRETFUL: “And the Lord regretted that He had made Man on earth and His heart was
saddened
6. VISIONARY/ILLUSORY: “The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision” (Genesis 15:1)
Sometimes, the right answer just comes to you or you can imagine the results of your thoughts or
actions
7. JEAOUS: “And where are these gods you make for yourself? Let them rise and save you if they
can. In your hour of calamity…why do you call on Me to account?” (Jeremiah 2: 28- 29)
8. DISAPPOINTMENT: “I have resolved to adopt you as My child and I gave you a desirable land –
the fairest heritage of all nations; and I thought you would surely call me ‘Father’ and never cease to
be loyal to me. Instead, you have broken faith with me.”
9. TEACHER OF RESPONSIBILITY: “Your conduct and your acts brought this upon you; this is your
bitter punishment” (Jeremiah 4:18).
10. POWERLESS: “Oh God, why do you stand aloof, heedless in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1).
11. EMTIONAL SUPPORT/PROVIDER: “You turned my lament into dancing; You removed my
sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (Psalm 30:11).
12. UNRELIABLE: How long, O LORD, will You forget me for ever? How long will You hide Your face from
me? (Psalm 13:2)
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
2011
Godly traits in Human Beings
Biblical
God created the Human in God’s own image…male and female, God created them. (Bereishit 1:27)
Talmudic
Sotah 14a: Revealing God through our selves/Emulating God by doing
God’s work
“Follow the Lord your God” What does this mean? Is it possible for a mortal to
follow God’s presence? The verse means to teach us that we should follow
the attributes of the Holy One. As God clothes the naked, you should clothe
the naked. The Bible teaches that the Holy One visited the sick; you should visit
the sick. The Holy on comforted those who mourned; you should comfort those
who mourn. The Holy one buried the dead; you should bury the dead. Rabbi
Simlai taught: The Torah begins with deeds of loving kindness and ends with
deeds of loving kindness. It begins with deeds of loving kindness as it is written
“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and
clothed them.” It ends with deeds of loving kindness as it is written “And God
buried him in the valley in the land of Moab.”
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
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Session 3: Ani Ma’amin/I Believe
Creating a personal theology
Now What? Where Do I Stand with God? What do I personally believe?
Goals:
 USYers have discussed moments of Godliness and different perspectives on God presented by different
Conservative Theologians. Now they will discuss their own beliefs and their own personal beliefs on God through
metaphor and hopefully “clue in” to what they personally believe.

Those that feel doubt or insecurity with the God concept will be able to explore this as well.

Finally, USYers will wrap up understanding that theology is personal and a process. Their God Belief will change
over time, over circumstances and life experiences. They will question, doubt and wonder, but must keep the
conversation open (key phrase: flexibility of belief)
Materials:

Higher and Higher: Making Jewish Prayer Part of us, pages 62-63, 65-66

Images of “When is God” from Session 1
Step 1: I Believe- page 66
Present 10 of the 21 statements for the sake of time.
Explain to the USYers that two sides of the room represent either “yes” and “no,” with the middle representing doubts
or questions you have regarding your opinion on the statement. Ask USYers to move to the “yes” or “no” side
depending on the answer to the statement presented. Feel free to have them respond to the choices they’ve made
before you ask the next question.
Step 2: Discuss
Were these easy to answer? Did you find yourself wavering for some of them? Or that the easiest response was to stand
in the middle in doubt? Do you think these decisions are based on what’s “happened” in your life? Are you confused by
some of these statements? Which ones stuck out in your head?
Pose final question on page 66- “what else do you believe about God?” What other questions, doubts or fears do you
have? Do you feel that as a Jew you have to believe in God?
Step 3: Tie in to previous discussions and present activity
Reiterate point from Session 1 that everyone has varying and differing perspectives on God. Explain that almost all
people have doubts, fears and questions about God. As we saw in previous sessions, Conservative Judaism supports
different perspectives on God and allows room for questioning, doubt and insecurity about God belief. In this session,
you’re going to figure out what is is that YOU believe about God. There will be no final answer as God belief is more
about the journey than the destination.
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
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Activity: Metaphors for God/Personal God Belief
a) The first part of this exercise is to explore your personal God belief with a partner. People tend to be more
honest when speaking with someone one-on-one. You will assemble as a large group to compare and discuss
answers.
Ask pairs to interview each other on their personal God beliefs using the questions on page 65 of Higher and Higher.
There are no right or wrong answers, the key is to be as honest as possible. Advise the group to choose 10 questions
[15 min]
b) Assemble as a group and ask for feedback:

Which question was most difficult to answer?

Which was easy?

Were you surprised by your partners responses? Were you surprised by any of your own?

Do you think there is one Jewish response to each of these questions?

What did you discover about Jewish God Belief from this exercise? What did you learn about your own personal
theology?
Explain: Sometimes, these exercises can leave us with more questions than answers about our personal God beliefs.
A psychological tactic used when someone struggles to put their thoughts into words, is to use metaphors to
describe one’s thoughts or beliefs. We’re going to sum up our own personal God belief through this technique.
c) Activity:
First, ask the group to define metaphor. A metaphor is when something unrelated to something else is used to
describe that something else, without using the words “like” or “as.” Example: Your love is a mighty force or your
smile is the light of my life. Ask USYers to turn to pages 63-64 in Higher and Higher to see different names for God
found in the Tanach. These are similar to metaphors for God. Ask them to choose the one they most relate to, if any
and to think of examples of when that metaphor may apply to God. Read the paragraph on bottom of page 64 to
reiterate that there are many ways to view God in our Jewish tradition and that theology is different for everyone
(key words: flexibility of belief)
Next, give them time to review the list again and come up with their own example of a God-metaphor. Remind them
of the images of “When is God” from Session 1, to help aid their thinking. You may distribute the images to refresh
their memories.
USYers may have trouble with this exercise, since is it something they may have never done before. Ask them to fill
in the blank to start: God is ________
Examples:
God: Got a Clue?
EPA Fall
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
God is the pen that writes the story of my life- I control the movement of the pen, but the proof is in the ink

God is the waters through which I steer my ship- sometimes choppy, sometimes, smooth

God is a family member because my relationship with God goes through ups and downs, sometimes I feel
close to God, sometimes I blame God and am angry with God

God is my teacher. I can learn from God and have responsibilities to fulfill to God
Step 4: Present metaphors.
Ask each USYer to stand up and act out their metaphor and explain why they chose that metaphor.
Step 5: Summarize and wrap up (things to keep thinking about/talking about)
Ad lib a summary such as:

God is an incredibly difficult concept to encounter. Metaphors are just one way to help us figure out our own
personal God Belief. God beliefs are flexible and colorful. There is no one way to look at God. You can say “yes”
to God or “no” to God but cannot ignore God in your life

Your personal God belief will change over time. God is a process, different given who you are and your life
circumstances.

God is not necessarily a noun, rather we can look at God through acts of Goodness. We can become closer to
Godliness through Goodness. It is our own actions of Goodness that helps connect us to God

Your own personal God beliefs are your own. God is an ongoing discussion. You will question, wonder,
acknowledge, deny, feel anger, gratitude, awe, etc. throughout your life. The key is to be open to different ideas
of God and godliness in the everyday.