By Pamela McLoughlin, NH Register
ORANGE — Rabbi Adam Haston believes Judaism is “fun, provocative and relevant.”
And his new job at Chabad of Orange/Woodbridge is to help others see that and live it as well.
“It’s wonderful here, people are very open,” Haston said. “I see it as more of a purpose than a job.”
Haston, 31, a father of four, is the first to fill the challenging full-time role as director of programming and community development for the Chabad, led by Rabbi Sheya Hecht.
“We felt in general that in a community like ours and others there’s a resurgence or feeling of wanting to reconnect with roots,” Hecht said. “With tough economic times, people start re-evaluating what goes on in life. Automatically, religion is going to play a role.”
Enter young, philosophical Rabbi Haston. The line up of events he’s planned in the community sounds like the schedule for a hip college campus. For instance, there’s “Caffeine for the Soul,” a weekly gathering at Starbucks during which the Torah is discussed. Haston welcomes critical thinking, such as “Pizza and Parsha,” for those who want to chew on the Torah and some food.
Other activities include: a hike at Sleeping Giant State Park with a scavenger hunt on the way in preparation for Shavuot, when the Torah was given on Mount Sinai; an ice cream sundae party for Shavuot; and a ski trip with a kosher barbecue.
He welcomes the most cynical questions, as well as the questioning of one’s own being.
“Judaism is not a religion per se. … It is one large family. The way that Jews view Judaism is as a relationship with God,” Haston said. “The longer something exists, it tends to gather dust. When something gathers dust, we want to dust it off.”
Haston moved here from west Texas with his family after interviewing for the job with Hecht. His wife Esther’s family lives in Westville and he had already met many of the rabbis here during a rabbinical internship in New Haven. The Hastons live in Orange.
“It seemed like a perfect fit,” Haston said of taking the job.
Once on the job, Haston set out to meet every Jewish person in Orange and Woodbridge, reformed, conservative, orthodox, and “any Jew that moved,” by knocking on doors during Hanukah, he said. He has extended his deadline.
“I’d venture to say the average Jew anywhere doesn’t have a personal relationship with a rabbi, so I decided to meet every Jewish person in Orange and Woodbridge, so I took my mailing list and went to houses knocking on doors,” Haston said.
At one house where he had to ring the bell twice, the resident, a doctor, finally came out a side door. When he heard what Haston was up to, he asked, “Are you crazy?”
“I said, ‘Yes, I am,’” Haston said, before being asked in.
Haston said his parents, Gershon and Michelle Haston, were active in the civil rights movement because it was in pursuit of justice.
He describes his father, who is in the media business, as being driven and creative, while his mom is pragmatic with a streak of cynicism. Haston said he became a real blend.
Haston, who has three sisters, was raised as a reformed Jew and found traditional Judaism in a unique way. His parents wanted Haston to get a good education, he said, so they sent him to the Catholic Cathedral High School in Texas.
It was the teaching of Judaism from the Catholic perspective that motivated him to delve deeper into his own religion and eventually become traditional.
“I thought, ‘If I’m a Jew, I should know what Judiasm has to say,’” he said.
In the midst of his personal journey, Haston became interested in Jewish mysticism and philosophy. That’s when the parts of his life merged. Haston then received a scholarship to study in Israel and when he returned, went to Rabbinical School.
“The uniqueness of Chabad is that it’s more like a la carte Judaism,” Haston said, referring to the fact that it is not membership based and encourages individuality.
Haston said he believes there is a general notion that religion is outdated, especially if it’s traditional.
But he said Judaism comes down to principles and “principles are timeless.” As an example, he cited the Internet and how it is merely a form of distribution and doesn’t inherently conflict with any religious principles.
In other words, “You can still have a heck of a good time,” he said.
And showing people a good time, or an enlightening time or an educational time, is what his new job is about.
Haston, for instance, offers a course called, “You be the Judge,” in which Talmudic scholars examine how one can remain faithful to eternal principles in an ever-changing society. Then, there was an event with former NFL defensive lineman Alan Veingrad, to address how he vigorously maintained his Jewish identity with pride. Veingard was a member of the 1992 Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Champion team. A promotional mailer for the event said: “How does a nice Jewish boy end up in the NFL?”
Another presentation with a special guest offers, “Confessions of a Jewish Marine.”
For the kids, there’s a magic show for Purim; a night of laser tag and other games at Sports Center of Connecticut in Shelton and a Bat Mizvah Club. For men, there’s an informal basketball game; “Club Mentsch” barbecues and sporting events and a men’s trip to Israel. Among the women’s programs, “Joyfully Jewish,” a night of comedy with a professional screenwriter, producer and performer.
Most of the programs are held at the Chabad, 261 Derby Ave.; some charge a fee. Haston is even exploring offering classes online.
Hecht said Haston is the perfect guy for the mission.
“I think there’s a vibrancy and zest for getting the job done,” Hecht said with a warm smile.
This article is awesome! It begins to capture some of the excitement that Rabbi Adam has for Judaism. He has touched my family’s life for the good. I know he will have an impact on many others, as well. Yashir Koach!