Adult Religious Awardss
Bruce_Mccrea@LANSING.CC.MI.US
Fri, 8 Jan 1999 13:04:42 -0500
A recent message to scouts-l stated, "There are at least two other awards
that can be "earned": the adult On My Honor award (LDS) and the Shofar
(Jewish). ... I have a Jewish assistant scoutmaster who was going to work
on the Shofar; however, it requires that one work with a Jewish scouting
unit (we don't have one around here). There were also other "requirements"
and appeared that anyone who completed them would earn the award."
While this statement is probably correct for the On My Honor award, it is
not correct for the Shofar award.
The Shofar Award is explained by the National Jewish Committee on Scouting
at http://www.shamash.org/scouts/emblems/shofar.html To quote from that
source:
"What is the Shofar Award?
The National Jewish Committee on Scouting established the Shofar Award to
recognize outstanding service by adults in the
promotion of Scouting among Jewish youth. Just as the Shofar (Ram's Horn)
calls people to the service of God, so the Shofar
Award is a recognition of the individual who has answered the call to serve
Jewish youth in Scouting.
Nominations may be made by Scouting volunteers or professionals and are to
be submitted to the local council for approval.
Guidelines for Selection of Nominee
A Shofar recipient should:
1.Promote the use of Scouting in synagogues, Jewish Community Centers,
and other Jewish institutions.
2.Encourage Jewish youth to join the Boy Scouts of America as Tiger
Cubs, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts,
and Explorers.
3.Recruit Jewish leaders on unit, district, and council levels.
4.Encourage and assist Scouts in earning the Maccabee, Aleph, Ner Tamid,
and Etz Chaim emblems.
5.Promote religious observance on camping trips and at camporees, summer
camp, Scout Sabbath, and other functions.
6.Exemplify religious convictions by personal participation in all
aspects of Jewish life."
As can be seen in that statement, potential recipients are nominated for
the Shofar Award. It is not "earned" by completing a certain set of
requirements. Also, none of those guidelines states that a potential
recipient must work with a Jewish Scouting unit.
As an active member of a United Methodist Church who has served for over 20
years as Scoutmaster of a troop sponsored by a Jewish Synagogue, I am in
the opposite situation of the assistant Scoutmaster mentioned in the
earlier message. While I am pleased that I have been presented the United
Methodist "Cross and Flame" Award by my church and am proud that our troop
has received the Frank L. Weil National Jewish Committee on Scouting Unit
Recognition Award, I do not meet Guideline 6, "Exemplify religious
convictions by personal participation in all aspects of Jewish life." for
the Shofar Award.
I believe that one thing we all should do is make churches and synagogues
aware that these adult religious awards are available and provide
information to them about any of their members who are active as Scouting
volunteers and might be considered for adult religious awards. This is
especially important for churches or synagogues that do not sponsor
Scouting units. Many well qualified individuals do not receive adult
religious awards simply because their churches or synagogues don't know the
awards exist.
Bruce McCrea
Scoutmaster, Troop 180
Chief Okemos Council, Michigan
Troop 180 home page = http://www.msu.edu/~rasche/scout/trp180/180home.htm
