This past Sunday evening, eight OrH members waded into the choppy waters of Israeli-Palestinian-conflict conversation. To properly extend the metaphor, perhaps I should say instead: we started by dipping in our toes, but quickly dove in, knowing that no one would drown.
We accomplished this using tools first introduced to us by previous student rabbis. Some of you may have participated in those structured conversations, using parameters designed by the Jewish Dialogue Group http://jewishdialogue.org/ .
When we avoid drowning in the vitriol that characterizes so many of the public and private conversations taking place on the matzav/situation, amazing things happen. Everyone gets a chance to speak! No one is vilified for what they believe, know, or have experienced! Ideas for “what to do” emerge that make sense and inspire!
The evening was planned lishmah/for its own sake — and leshem hinukh/for the sake of learning — as a program of our community’s Adult Learning. It was scheduled on the eve of the month of Iyyar (April/May) to connect to Yom Ha’atzmaut/Israel’s Independence Day, which falls on the 4th of Iyyar, this year April 23. So while it was particularly rich for those who were there, it also served to mark our obligation, as a progressive diaspora congregation, to wrestle with, consider, and make choices about, observing this date on the Jewish calendar.
We must continue to be creative, thoughtful and purposeful around this — and other — perplexing, provocative and potentially divisive realm. Heads in the sand breed far more discomfort and unease than taking a deep breath and wading forth.
