Young Pioneers Award Reflection: Jonathan Shmidt Chapman

It is a surreal exercise to reflect on a joyous moment of professional honor -- recognizing work that creates Jewish connection in physical community with toddlers and parents -- while in self-isolation with my husband and toddler. So much has changed since I received the wonderful news that I was named a Robert M. Sherman Young Pioneer by The Jewish Education Project. As we approach the night when we will celebrate this honor virtually, I am reflecting on the power of gathering and the clarity I have in its absence.

I have devoted my entire career to public gathering. I believe that magic happens when children are introduced to Jewish tradition through live storytelling, music, and theater. It is vital to our humanity to experience wonder, awe, joy, surprise, and connection with a community in physical space.

I was so grateful that The Jewish Education Project recognized my work as innovative, and decided to shine a spotlight on it through the Robert M. Sherman Young Pioneers Award.

I was so grateful that The Jewish Education Project recognized my work as innovative, and decided to shine a spotlight on it through the Robert M. Sherman Young Pioneers Award. In the last few weeks, I’ve come to realize how deeply I believe in this essential ingredient in my work as it has been taken away from us temporarily by this devastating pandemic. 

Days before it became clear we were no longer able to gather, my Aggadah Adventures team at Congreagation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) brought the story of Purim to life. We already knew that we needed to implement additional precaution. It felt strange to create distancing in a multi-sensory performance, which utilized touch, smell, and direct actor-to-participant interaction. We sanitized props, individually wrapped Hamantaschen, and kept more distance than usual. While the feeling among parents that we were on the verge of more change was palpable, there was also an incredibly special feeling in the room as we all knew it may be the last time in a while we’d be in community. During the performance, the lyrics of a song I wrote that are sung by Queen Esther on the eve of uncertainty in Shushan, suddenly took on urgent new meaning:

There’s so much worry in our minds,

What can she do?

We won’t give up without a fight,

What can she do?

Darkness comes before there’s light,

What can she do?

How will she turn this wrong to right?

Faced with this unthinkable challenge, I have been inspired by so many of my colleagues as they’ve bravely adapted their craft for a virtual environment. At CBST, we are in the midst of editing a video version of the Passover Aggadah Adventure to share with families digitally. While not the same, these solutions are providing our students and communities with the best possible connection we can create in this moment. As we gather together to celebrate virtually, I pray that we will soon be back in community together. I pray that we will soon feel safe to return to communal spaces with a far deeper appreciation for what makes live arts engagement, and in-person Jewish ritual, so incredibly vital and human.

I am so grateful for this honor from The Jewish Education Project. This award shines a light on the path ahead in my career. I am also grateful to my parents, my husband, and my colleagues at CBST for their incredible support. Fueled by this recognition, I am even more committed to finding new ways to bring Jewish tradition to life through the arts.  

Jonathan Shmidt Chapman is one of five recipients of The Jewish Education Project's 2020 Robert M. Sherman Young Pioneers Award. He is the project director of Aggadah Adventures at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. Celebrate Jonathan at The Jewish Education Project's Virtual Benefit on April 2nd at 7:00 pm EDT.